Ramble On

Industrial meets luxurious at the Ramble Hotel in Denver’s trendy RiNo neighborhood

Locally owned and operated, the 50-room boutique hotel is the first hotel in Denver’s RiNo (River North) neighborhood. The artsy neighborhood is a place where creative types flock to sell and buy their wares. There are architects, art galleries, designers, furniture makers, artists of all kinds, as well as craft breweries, cider makers, and distilleries, to name but a few. In short, RiNo is chock full of cool cats and the Ramble fits right in.

The lobby, the first place for a property to give a good first impression for any #hotel, is inviting. The dimly lit interiors and furnishings are conducive, particularly in the evenings, to secretive, almost clandestine gatherings. With a truly old-world feel, the Ramble could convincingly stand in for the parlor of an Eastern European castle or a gothic hotel. Being here during a thunderstorm would be the cherry on the cake, so to speak.   

The luxury, old-world feel extends from the lobby to the rooms where wide plank hickory flooring, antique Persian rugs and custom-made furniture from local fabricators and woodworkers are featured throughout.

Then there are the little things that for some will certainly be the difference between the Ramble and another property. There is a 50-inch TV (naturally), but this one is capable of receiving a stream directly from your phone; there is a French press with a little mason jar of coffee from #Denver small-batch roaster, Middle State (ground daily); the coffee mugs are not only Ramble-branded but feature artwork from neighborhood artists; and room keys are of the old-school brass variety.

When it comes to room types, there are several but the grand dame, as it is referred to, is the Pied- à -Terre. The hotel’s largest suite, it offers good views of downtown, a large living room and a separate bedroom and bathroom. The living quarters feature a walk-in closet, king bed and a large bathroom with a claw foot tub. The Pied-à-Terre is also a good spot for small gatherings of all kinds.

For drinking and dining, the Ramble is home to Death & Co Denver, the first outpost of the New York City original. With such pedigree it is no surprise that the cocktails are excellent. The menu is broken down into themes, including Fresh and Lively which features, as the name suggests, cocktails mixed with refreshing spirits and mixers down to the Boozy and Honest (we recommend the Highwayman, a heady concoction of bourbon, Islay scotch, Jamaican rum and ristretto).

In fact, Death & Co. manage most of the F&B in the hotel including DC/AM, a café bar serving breakfast and lunch; Suite 6A, a reservation-only private bar featuring a cocktail tasting menu experience; and the Garden, a 1,700-square-foot outdoor (and therefore seasonal) garden and patio in whitewashed brick.

Away from Death & Co. there is pan-Latin restaurant Super Mega Bien from James Beard-nominated Chef, Dana Rodriguez. The restaurant offers a range of sharing-size dishes along with Latin American-style dim sum served straight from a cart.

The Ramble is also home to Vauxhall music venue, theatre and bar. With it own street-side entrance, the Vauxhall offers guests and visitors all kinds of entertainment including film, live music, comedy, and art exhibitions.

Named for both Madame Rambouillet, a 17th century French salon host known for her gatherings, and the verb - to ramble - the owners hope the Ramble will bring a mix of the casualness of the rambler and the gallic egalitarianism Madame Rambouillet was known for to guests and visitors. We think it does.  

For more information visit theramblehotel.com

Photos courtesy of The Ramble Hotel