The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club Slated to Open in April

A seven-story boutique hotel will soon open its doors just north of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, adding a versatile and needed amenity to the growing campus community.

The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club, expected to open in early April, is a hospitality space for CU Anschutz visitors, faculty and staff to gather, rejuvenate and enjoy camaraderie.

In addition to providing 106 rooms – 88 guest rooms and 18 suites – the hotel will offer the Faculty Club modeled after similar well-appointed oases at universities around the country. “It’s meant to provide a respite off-campus for members of the CU Anschutz faculty to get away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy some quiet time or exchange ideas with colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere,” said Peter Walterspiel, the hotel’s general manager.

A nearby and exclusive gathering spot

Membership dues, described as affordable and comparable to other university clubs, will provide faculty members with exclusive access to a private lounge and meeting spaces. Members may bring guests as long as a member is present. Club members can also take advantage of all hotel amenities, including the ballroom and outdoor meeting space.

The idea for the hotel sprang from both the need for more close-to-campus lodging for visitors – offering a welcoming alternative to boutique hotels in Cherry Creek and downtown Denver – and a desire by CU Anschutz faculty members for such a gathering spot. The campus has about 5,700 faculty members.

The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club, which is owned and developed by Denver-based Aimco real estate investment company, will be affiliated with similar university faculty clubs, offering reciprocal benefits nationwide to members.

The hotel gets its name from Bruce Benson, the 22^nd and longest-serving president of the University of Colorado system in the past 60 years. Benson, a CU alumnus, led the university from 2008 to 2019.

From board meetings to weddings

Walterspiel said the hotel is categorized as “boutique” mainly because of its relatively small size. “We’re building an upscale, high-quality hotel that doesn’t exist in this neighborhood,” he said.

The facility also includes a restaurant, The Common Good, featuring locally inspired, locally sourced cuisine; a wraparound outdoor patio; a full bar that includes beers from nearby Ursula Brewery; an interior ballroom that can seat about 250 people; seven board rooms that can seat between six and 24; a fitness center (for hotel guests only); and a 4,000-square-foot outdoor event lawn called the Rose Garden. The outdoor space, which allows tenting, can be reserved for weddings, receptions, ceremonies, speeches and other purposes.

The restaurant and bar are open to the public, with The Common Good being open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, with brunch service on weekends.

‘Just Steps Away’

Walterspiel said the response from CU Anschutz entities – schools, colleges, departments and other units – “has been great … clearly the accommodation and meeting-space availability is just steps away. It can make a huge difference rather than having to send people to another hotel outside of the campus.”

The hotel is contracting with nearby parking garages for valet parking service. The service will be complimentary for many of the hotel’s offerings, including the restaurant.

Walterspiel said the Faculty Club will be open seven days a week for about 10 to 11 hours a day. “It’s subject to change based on need and demand,” he said.

A Mondo Market, a deli-style restaurant, is being built immediately west of The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club.