The 11th Avenue Hotel & Hostel is a one-pearl, budget property offering very basic rooms and amenities in a central downtown location. The 38 room property, with three floors of single-sex dorms and semi-private and private rooms, is on a bus line and within walking distance of several city attractions. The circa 1903 building can feel rough around the edges but retains some interesting original features. Guests have access to a common room with a kitchenette and a computer, and coin laundry in the basement. Wi-Fi is free throughout, but there is no air-conditioning, and the mattresses are wrapped in plastic. One major red flag: some guests have reported incidents of bed bugs. As an alternative, travelers might try the Quality Inn Central Denver; it's about double the price of the 11th Avenue but still inexpensive for the area.

One of the best-known and best-located hotels in Denver, the 364-room Crowne Plaza is an ideal upscale chain hotel for business travelers, families, and tourists who want to be within walking distance of the Convention Center, 16th Street Mall, and the Denver Art Museum. Although bathrooms are on the smaller side and rooms are nothing extraordinary, they are clean and classic for the upscale brand, beds are firm and comfortable with high-quality linens, and some rooms have panoramic views of the mountains beyond the city. The hotel is also home to two restaurants/bars and a seasonal rooftop people.