Denver Is Getting a Beautiful Hotel in an 1880s Mansion — and We Got a Sneak Peek

Denver's hotel scene is just as eclectic as the city itself, offering travelers very distinct and, at times, pretty uncommon experiences (a video game-themed suite, anyone?). And in early 2023, the city will welcome another one-of-a-kind property housed in a historic 1880s mansion.

Urban Cowboy, the design- and community-driven hospitality brand with properties in Nashville, the Catskills, and Brooklyn, New York, will open its Denver outpost in the George Schleier Mansion, a National Register of Historic Places-listed building, transforming it from an office space into an 18-room boutique hotel with a two-story restaurant and bar.

Denver architect, Frank Edbrooke, designed the striking mansion from Colorado sandstone in the ornate Queen Anne style for Schleier, a German-born hat tycoon, on the intersection of Grant Street and Seventeenth Avenue overlooking the Mile High City's Downtown. While the building will retain its ornate façade and distinct architectural features such as gargoyles, Bavarian swans, and "onion" tower, the interiors will be transformed to match the company's cowboy-inspired aesthetic. Contemporary fixtures and soaking tubs, together with decorative items sourced from Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado, will create a unique vibe inspired by the "romantic, rustic nostalgia of what was authentically cowboy" in the Centennial State, per a statement from Edbrooke.

"It's a jewel box already and was love at first sight," Lyon Porter, who, together with Denver-native Jersey Banks, co-founded Urban Cowboy in 2014, said in a press release. "I see my job here as showcasing the property's intricate details and honoring its bones. Working with GBX Group and Historic Denver on the project has been a win-win: we have the opportunity to preserve a historic building for future generations to enjoy while bringing long-lasting, positive economic impacts to the area."

The mansion also has a two-story carriage house that will be transformed into a restaurant/bar with a lounge area and an event space. The food and beverage program, spearheaded by Urban Cowboy's Nashville beverage director, will feature pies from Brooklyn's famous Roberta's Pizza, craft cocktails, and a rotating list of wines.

"Guests coming to stay with us can also expect a few hidden rooms throughout the property. One of my favorite movies is 'Clue,' so I always love to offer some secret elements that guests will discover on their own," Lyon told T+L. "There will be the signature Urban Cowboy clawfoot tubs in every room, as well as a custom wallpaper that I have fully designed using inspiration from some of the very first wallpaper ever made."

The new property will also be enhanced with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure greater accessibility.