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Brown Palace Hotel faces operational challenges under new management

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Brown Palace Hotel faces operational challenges under new management
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View from the Wing | View from the Wing

Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel, now part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, is experiencing significant operational challenges that have drastically altered the guest experience.

Built in 1892 and named for its original owner, the hotel features a distinctive triangular shape and an iron and steel frame covered in cement and sandstone. It was highlighted in Scientific American as “one of America’s first fireproof structures” upon its completion. Historically significant, it served as Dwight Eisenhower’s western presidential campaign headquarters and hosted the Beatles during their first visit to Colorado.

However, recent reports indicate a decline in the hotel's condition. Adrian Kley, a former bellman and concierge who left the hotel in March, stated: “The hotel is dying a tragic, slow death. It is already well along in that process. It would be like walking into grandma’s house and seeing her with bruises and skinny and no food in the fridge.”

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Guests have complained about issues such as “low water pressure, fluctuating water temperatures and in some cases no hot water.” A burst pipe that flooded 12 rooms on the sixth floor, including the main restaurant and a meeting room, took over a year to repair. The ballroom also experienced flooding.

In response to these problems, management reduced room rates below $100 on some nights, attracting "a rise in drunken and disruptive guests." With reduced revenue, HEI Hotels & Resorts replaced long-time employees known for high-quality service with new staff. According to reports, “[m]ore homeless people entered the hotel and fentanyl contamination showed up in lobby bathrooms.”

HEI attributes staffing reductions in 2024 to pandemic-related challenges. Remaining employees were informed they “no longer work for a hospitality company” but “for a real estate company” instead. The property lost its Forbes Travel Guide four-star rating after maintaining it for 62 years.

“It doesn’t matter how much investment comes back into that property; the damage from the neglect is incalculable,” Kley lamented. “[Management company] HEI steps over dollars to pick up dimes. They don’t want the money that comes with providing service.”

Concerns have been raised about hiring practices at HEI properties. For instance, a homeless man was reportedly hired as chief handyman with access to all rooms.

Additionally, there are complaints about HEI's approach to tipping policies. The CEO allegedly expressed a desire to push guests to tip more so workers could be paid less.

Reports also mention issues at other HEI-run properties such as The Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, which faced criticism for adding surcharges for credit card payments against Marriott's guidelines.

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