Square State Colorado

Best Hotels in Denver, Colorado To Stay at for Sundance 2027

For the first time in 40 years the Sundance Film Festival won’t be hosted in Utah. Instead, the festival has moved to Boulder, Colorado and this move has opened up a lot of opportunities to experience the event in different ways. I grew up in both Denver and Boulder, Colorado and I thought it might be helpful to share some insights specific to the attendee experience being based out of Denver versus staying in Boulder for the film festival. The Denver Metro Area (including the city of Boulder) is no stranger to hosting large events throughout the year. If you’ve decided to commute between the two cities below is a list of the best hotels in Denver, Colorado to stay at for Sundance 2027

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Best Hotels In Denver

Whatever your reason for staying in Denver vs. Boulder, I did want to share some of the better situated hotels that will make it easier for you to get to Boulder for each screening or other events that you may be attending.

Some Assumptions

• Public Transit Accessibility-You would like to take public transit whenever possible. All hotels shared in this post are within walking distance of Union Station which is where the RTD Bus Depot is located. The Bus Depot is below ground and you would be taking either the FF1 or FF2 bus direct to Boulder. The FF1 runs just about every 15 minutes throughout the day. The FF2 is a limited direct route that runs in the earlier part of the morning and around rush hour. Both bus finish at the Boulder Bus Depot which is one block away from Pearl Street Mall. You can also walk, ride or bike from the Boulder Bus Depot to the different Sundance Film Festival venues you plan on going to.

• You Plan on Attending Events in Denver-The Sundance Film Festival is happening during a really fun time of year in Denver. If you enjoy sports you can watch the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth and potentially the Denver Broncos (if they’re in the playoffs) There are also plenty of music venues, the theater and other experiences happening in town at that time.

• The Mountains are Calling-No visit to Colorado is complete without a trip to the mountains. There are several different transportation options that will take you directly to the mountains from Denver for a day of skiing, relaxing or wandering around.
  • Bustang
  • Book a Tour with Viator
  • Winter Park Ski Train
  • Steamboat Springs Ski Train-TBD

7 Best Hotels in Denver, Colorado For Sundance

(And a Hostel)

The hotels below are my top picks for staying in Denver for those of you who to decide to commute to Boulder. I did want to mention that the ride is around 40 minutes and I used to do this commute daily to go to work. I know this route VERY well.

The Crawford Hotel

Located in Denver’s Union Station, this beautiful property is in the heart of downtown Denver. It’s accessible to Amtrak, RTD, Bustang and walking distance to venues such as Coors Field, Dairy Block and 16th Street. Union Station also has a James Bearded winning restaurant. It’s a beautiful property and wonderfully situated for visitors.

Hotel Limelight

This hotel consistently has some of the highest ratings from visitors to the city of Denver. It’s located on the same block as The Crawford Hotel and offers access to many of the same amenities being in proximity to Union Station will provide visitors. This hotel has more of a Scandinavian vibe and it’s across the street from Whole Foods.

Hotel Indigo Denver

This hotel is behind Union Station and about a block away from Hotel Limelight. I love the proximity to great restaurants in the area-make sure to eat at Onefold. You can hang out at Union Station or make your way over to Ball Arena by catching the Light Rail and departing at the first stop.

The Rally Hotel

If you love baseball, The Rally Hotel is the place for you. What’s especially cool about this property is that it’s a part of the MacGregor Square Development. There’s a food hall, it’s walking distance to Dairy Block and across the street from Coors Field. You can even make you way over to the RINO/Five Points district for great eats and other fun shenanigans.

The Maven Hotel

This is one of my favorite hotels in town. It’s located on the Dairy Block, with proximity to a Michelin rated restaurant, bakery, a speakeasy and Coors Field. It’s also close to several nightclubs if you’re looking to go out. There’s even a food hall called Milk Market with several food concepts including a fast casual Ethiopian spot. Again, this hotel is a few blocks away from Union Station.

Thompson Hotel

This hotel has a beautiful, moody basement level with cozy seats and a fireplace. It’s also located directly on 16th Street, across from one of my favorite ramen shops “Dragonfly Noodle” and within walking distance to Union Station. The Thompson Hotel also has a beautiful bar with slightly obstructed mountain views and a view of the downtown corridor.

Hilton Garden Inn Denver Union Station

This hotel is one that I’m really excited to co-work from using ResortPass. It has an indoor pool, is 2 blocks away from Union Station and is right by the light rail and a couple of grocery stores. The Hilton Garden Inn is also an affordable hotel option in downtown Denver if you get the timing of your booking right.

Hostel Fish

I’ve had several friends stay at Hostel Fish and they really liked it. It’s about 5 blocks from Union Station, next to Coors Field and walking distance to MacGregor Square and Dairy block. If you like live music it’s above a really cool music venue called Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox.