Staycation At The Maven Hotel

I’ve never done a staycation before, but with baby Girl arriving in less than a month, I thought it was the perfect time to explore our own gorgeous city!

The Maven Hotel is located in the heart of the Dairy Block in Downtown Denver. I had been to the Dairy Block a bunch of times before but the Maven is like a hidden gem above the curated alleys.

My husband, Will, and I arrived in the afternoon on Saturday just as the brunch crowd was picking up. Lively music and the hustle and bustle of a wedding party filled the lobby as we waited to check into our room. We got our 24hour-grab-your-car-anytime valet taken care of and were handed 2 drink tokens for the happy hour at the airstream in the lobby.

Already giddy about our little escape we headed up to the 8th floor and had to stop every foot or two to look at all of the interesting art details. From framed art instillations, to belt buckle wallpaper, to wicker swings, The Maven put thought into every corner of this hotel and it showed.

Upon walking into our room, both of our jaws dropped. Downtown Denver was on full display with the room’s floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows, surrounded by minimal but plush decor and you guessed it - more art. This room was legit spectacular. Will instantly flopped on the bed and relished in the ESPN channel while I explored the room that had everything from a huge couch and dining table, a full sized bar, a giant bathroom with light up mirror and my favorite, a stand alone circle tub. Needless to say, we seriously discussed moving in. haha!

After cleaning up a bit, we headed downstairs to explore Dairy Block and grab a coffee. Like I said, I have come to this area a bunch with friends since its a ‘must-see’ spot in Denver but with the ample amount of leisurely time, I got to see all the new shops and restaurants!

We popped into Sarah O Jewelry, Hey Day Boutique, Free Market and so many more. Being 34 weeks pregnant, I needed sustenance and I needed it fast, so we hit up Engine Room Pizza and got a slice of yummy pizza before heading to the Stranded Pilgrim for a beer for Will.

Our dog sitter fell through last minute so we headed home real quick to feed the pups and take care of them for the night before heading back to bliss at the hotel. We had a bit of time before dinner so we took advantage of the free happy hour and hung out in the lobby. This is no typical lobby, its like a meeting spot mecca where both restaurants and shopping converge. Needless to say, it provided a cozy and intimate spot to people watch for an hour.

We made reservations at Kachina Cantina, this amazing Mexican restaurant connected to The Maven and had been drooling over the guacamole since lunch. I have been here a few times and have always left so happy and full. The Saturday night crowd was poppin, so I’m glad we got a reservation in. Will got a yummy cocktail and I got a spicy Agua Fresca to start. After guac, queso, tacos and more, we left in absolute heaven. Again, this restaurant did not disappoint and I am currently writing this blog post at 7am, daydreaming over their food.

Pregnancy dreams do come true as I got to soak in the giant tub in our room, as Will watched more ESPN. Currently, we live in a garden apartment (fancy verbiage for half underground and barely any sunlight) so we took full advantage of the view and fell asleep with the blinds open, watching the twinkling lights of Denver at night.

As the sun broke over the buildings in the morning, we headed downstairs to get some coffee at Huckleberry Coffee Roasters. Will went home to take care of the pups as I caught up on Instagram and looked around at the other stores that were just opening up in the Milk Market.

We decided to extend our stay an hour (thanks complimentary late check out!) and grabbed brunch at Moo Bar in Milk Market. Even though there were people everywhere there were these quiet nooks of spaces that held great conversations and memories - all without having to leave the one block radius that is the Dairy Block.

I tried to convince Will to just leave me at The Maven forever but reality called and our staycation was over. I really loved the convenient getaway and it was just enough time to really relax and let go of the daily stresses. We will 10000% be back and I can not suggest making The Maven your relaxation haven.