Carolyn Bartels, Hotel Teatro - Denver

What service can you provide to groups that they normally might not receive?
My first job and most important service as concierge at Hotel Teatro is something a little intangible - anticipating the guests' needs before they even arrive. Many times, I can accomplish that through e-mails we have exchanged or notes in their reservations. That said, I would first like to enumerate the more concrete services I may provide each guest.

• In-Room Massage: Our massage team is a roster of the finest massage therapists in the city; certified, insured, professional and personable.
• In-Room Yoga: While the Samadhi Center for Yoga is a terrific resource for the seasoned and serious practitioners of yoga, our yoga guru, Warren Lange, is well-versed in all schools of yoga and will come to our guest's room for a one-on-one yoga lesson. Hotel Teatro provides mats and wedges for the guest. This is terrifically convenient for the business traveler who just cares to maintain their level of yoga training while on the road. Warren also has a female teammate should our guests prefer a female instructor. He can also provide team building yoga classes in a group setting in our meetings spaces, should they be requested.
• On-Going Researched Fun: Denver is growing and changing nearly every day; new restaurants popping up, a cutting edge floral shop opening its doors or an exclusive exhibit at the Denver Art Museum arriving in town. If the Hotel Teatro concierge does not keep up on these changes, opportunities for our guest to truly enjoy all Denver has to offer will slip through the cracks. And we don’t want them hearing about what they missed from someone who stayed down the street!
• Personal Shopper: I have an on-call woman who, based on availability, can provide professional advice for all shopping needs. She can work with men and women on building a wardrobe or simply replacing a pair of shoes left at home. She is GREAT at gift ideas and is an endless resource of eclectic, upscale shopping venues. If you live locally and mention that you are having a dinner party coming up on your calendar, I can set her up to food shop with you and design the event. With a background which includes fashion, home design, culinary school in France and event planning -- not to mention being the pickiest foodie I know -- Debra is the perfect person to lend a hand to someone who has too much on their plate to make a sound decision on their own!
• Doctors: From sending a new mom with a sick 10 month old, to my own personal family physician, to calling in chiropractors and specialists (vocal docs are the most asked-for given the entertainment demographic who stay with us), you name it, we can arrange it!
• The more pedestrian (but still convenient and welcome) services I can offer are dog sitting/walking, dog massage, expert vet care, child care, private limo/car service, and running maps.

Back to the less tangible aspects of what I provide, I consider myself "licensed to listen." I have daughters of mothers fighting cancer sitting at my desk wondering if the chemo will work, nervous men calling before their proposals to girlfriends at Restaurant Kevin Taylor (within the hotel), grandparents planning a surprise visit for to grandchild's college graduation, and people who are lonely and just want to sit in the parlor and chat. I have met some AMAZING people that way. Any way I can personalize a guest's visit is my way of thanking them for choosing what I believe to be the finest hotel in the city, and certainly among the top properties in the world. As we like to say, Hotel Teatro is "where hospitality s a performing art."

What are your bar or nightclub recommendations?
My bar/nightclub recommendations are varied. I suppose Lotus Concepts own the bottle service/VIP venues with Suite 200 and Chloe. I am probably better versed in a variety of bar settings:

• Rock Bottom Brewery: This is the quintessential, nearby Denver landmark, I believe second in town after Governor Hickenlooper opened the Wynkoop Brew Pub (also fun) with his business partners. Good food and plenty of TVs for sporting attractions makes it a hit.
• Dazzle Jazz Club: Rated one of the Top 100 Jazz Clubs in the World by Downbeat Magazine a few years ago, this place is a treasure for jazz lovers.The main stage has a retro supper club feel - white tablecloths with dinner and drinks served throughout the evening. The entrance to the club houses a smaller stage, the bar and some booths. Friday features $5 lunch with live jazz. Sunday has a great brunch with live jazz as well. Internationally recognized jazz figures play the venue as well as the plethora of well known, gifted jazz players who live here in town.
• Speaking of jazz players, Laura Newman, one of the best jazz sax players in town, also owns the self-admitted "Best Dive Bar" in town -- Herb's! A true neighborhood corner bar, covers rarely if ever go above $5, and live music, inlcuding blues, jazz, R&B, Soul, Hip Hop and DJs round out the week's entertainment.
• Braun's Sports Bar: For anyone heading to or returning from Sports Authority Field at Mile High (a mouthful, yes??) or the Pepsi Center. Wonderful food, big TVs and a feel of historic Denver from its cavernous interior make Braun's a great stop.
• Corridor 44: A great champagne Bar with more champagne – and fun champagne cocktails – than you could imagine.
• TAG Raw Bar: TAG features a terrific Happy Hour!
• Pints Pub: Located across from Dozens breakfast place near the Denver Art Museum, Pints offers authentic British pub games and has around 57 types of scotch on tap! Just look for the red British phone booth outside.
• The Black Crown Piano Lounge (see quirky places I love): Bloody Mary Popsicles for brunch.... enough said!
• Ale House at Amato's: I used to take the RTD in every day years ago, and would pass by Amato's lawn and patio decor on the way to Market Street Station. In business for decades, I believe it is the Wynkoop Group who acquired the location from the Amato Family. Keeping their name, but changing the lawn décor shop into an upscale pub, this venue not only has the best view of Denver, including rooftop seating when weather permits, it also has dozens of bottled beer and beer on tap. The menu is varied an delicious, but it's the perfect place to just sit outside for hours over a drink or five!

Can you recommend a good place to take a stroll?
I love Denver for so many reasons but one of the winning reasons is because of how pedestrian friendly it is. Here are a few of my favorite places to take a stroll in the Mile High City:

• Washington Park: Probably the most popular park in the greater Denver area, it features a lake, loads of walking/biking trails, volleyball and much more.
• Cherry Creek Trail: A beautiful paved trail that runs along the banks for Cherry Creek. My favorite route goes from Lawrence and Speer to Confluence Park; up and over to REI; Platte Street to Riverfront Park; over the Millennium Bridge, onto the 16th Street Mall, over to Larimer Street, and back to Hotel Teatro.
• Cheeseman Park: Another popular, and beautiful park in the downtown Denver area.
• Denver Botanic Gardens: Walking from to 7th; East on 7th to St. Paul or Steele Streets, and into Cherry Creek North. The amazing homes on 7th are a highlight.

Are there any quirky places we should check out?
“Quirky.” I believe that describes me, which might be why this is my favorite question you have asked! Here are my favorites!

• Camera Obscura - Across from the Byers-Evans Mansion near the Denver Art Museum, this is a terrific little gallery.
• Babareeba - Named after a popular swing tune from the 30's or 40's, this high-end consignment shop does not mess around. Located between Lowell and Meade on 32nd Avenue in the Highlands, they have sooo much in the wayof authentic St. Johns (Jackie O era), no knockoffs, and everything from eveningwear to jeans. It is a blast to peruse their stock and pick up a retro jacket or pair of vintage earrings.
• Little Man Ice Cream: In the lower Highlands neighborhood, this two-story milk bottle shaped building serves up the finest ice cream, gelato and sorbet west of the Mississippi. For each scoop they serve, they provide one scoop of rice to a world hunger organization. Inautumn, find them open for lunch - outdoor seating only- serving hot soup with breads to accompany. Just behind Lola at Boulder Street and Tejon, people will stand in line with their dogs for an hour, chatting and making friends until the reach the counter, with employees inside the milk bottle dishing up the orders. You may wish to savor the idea of this spot until summer returns but if you're just driving by this fall, see what they have.
• The Firefighters' Museum: Not your typical art museum, this is definitely for the firemen's friends and little kids who dream of one day being a fireman. Located on Tremont between 13th & 14^th streets, they are open Monday through Friday.
• My Brothers Bar: The only Denver Landmark without a sign of any kind. My Brother’s Bar is located at the southeast corner of Platte and 15th Streets, and has been in business for decades. With the Beat poets like Neal Cassady, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Alan Ginsberg and the man himself, Jack Kerouac, as regulars, this watering hole is the best of pubs and serves the finest jalapeno andcream cheese burger in Denver. The hot pastrami is to-die-for, (Did I mention, this is not a particularly vegetarian friendly venue?) Currently a favorite late-night hangout for symphony members -- who by the way, are NOT boring -- they even have their own parking lot off of Platte Street. YAY! Fun Fact: They sell more Girl Scout Cookies than any business in the Denver Metro area.
• Jelly - Diagonally across Pearl Street from The Kirkland Museum (another favorite quirky, eclectic museum), this breakfast/lunch spot just hits the mark for any Baby Boomer, or fans thereof. Long forgotten cereal boxes for my favorites like "Quisp" and "Quake" are displayed on the walls. The soda fountain counter is small and serves soda and cocktails. What caught my eye were the kitschy chandeliers finished off with tea cups and teaspoons. From sweet potato hash, to amazing breakfast sliders, to a delectable salmon and feta scramble, this place is a winner!
• Okay, the best for last: The Black Crown Piano Lounge: What can you say about an old, two-story house that has a back yard cigar bar patio and front veranda smoking patio, two stories for wandering and seating and services BLOODY MARY POPSICLES for brunch? Well, I can say, it gets better from there. The lounge has the piano in the center of what would be the living room. An earlier article from a Denver publication said it all. It’s just like coming to your gay uncle’s house -- only the antiques are FOR SALE. From original hard-to-find prints, to end tables and lamps, the antiques are wonderful and priced to buy. For facts sake, The Black Crown Lounge is very gay-friendly, but I would not characterize it as a gay bar. Located one door north of Herman's Hideaway on S. Broadway, check the website for hours, then be sure to stopin.

What is an unusual request from a group you’ve had?
I have had a number of unusual requests for this or that, but probably the one I am most proud of fulfilling was a night of roller coaster riding for some special guests. A couple of years ago, we had a popular rock band check in and, in making my concierge call to the lead singer, she said that they had noticed a ferris wheel lit up on their way into town. I told her about Elitch's, explaining that the park kept it lit for aesthetic reasons but, unfortunately, it was September and they were only open for limited hours on the weekends. They were staying with us at Hotel Teatro on a week night. She commented that it was a bummer -- VERY nice about it -- but said she and her "boys" always loved to ride roller coasters in different cities, and that it was too bad their timing was off.

As fate would have it, I decided that it couldn't hurt to try to reach someone at Elitch's to explain the situation. In my job, I have learned, that if you don't ask, the answer is always "no." If you do ask, the worst that can happen is that they will say "no." I called the main Elitch's number during the day and was connected to the marketing director.I told her what I was trying to do. First, she also was a fan of the band (biggest hits in the 80's-90's), and said that it so happened the park was open that night for a private party of realtors. She said if the band was okay with it, they would be welcome to use the park as well. Needless to say, our guests were thrilled. As I was leaving work, they were getting in our SUV on their way to Elitch's. The next morning, the guest met me in the lobby and said she couldn't believe I would just call someone and ask if they could come in and ride the rides, and that they had a blast. IT MADE MY DAY!

A party of 12 wants to have dinner right away. What restaurant can accommodate last-minute requests of this size?
Here are a few of my favorites, nearby:

• Row 14 at The Spire
• Venice
• Euclid Hall (though not as likely to have something for everyone - hard to find a vegitarian options, but terrific food and bar)
• Zengo
• 1515
• Tamayo
• Denver Chop House
• Oceanaire
• Maggiano's (primarily for a family-oriented group)

What’s a unique event that has taken place at your property?
Unique events fall into so many categories in the hotel industry (yikes!), but I will keep it on the positive side! If you want stories of some of the crazier things that have happened, just let me know!

• The Democratic National Convention was by far the most unique event to take place in at Hotel Teatro in my five years there. Leah Daughtry, the CEO for the DNC Committee, was our in-house resident for nearly a year, bringing in everyone who had anything to do with the prep for the convention. We were the distribution center for all of the press and personal credentials, so my parlor was buzzing 24/7. Leah invited me to her birthday party, which took place during the convention. Howard Dean arranged it through Kevin Taylor’s at the Opera House. Among others, I was chatting with some Kennedys, and made friends with Dr. Martin Luther King's god daughter. (By now, you have probably surmised, and correctly so, that I am a Democrat!)
• We had a commercial shoot on-premise for Carhartt industrial wear, featuring NBA star Charles Barkley.
• Ozzie Osbourne spent his birthday with us. My lips are sealed...
• BritishPrime Minister Tony Blair's wife, was interviewed and enjoyed high tea in our Chancellor’s Suite. It was nerve-racking for our in-room dining server, but I was later told how well it was done.
• Al Gore hung out with us while on a speaking junket around the country.
• Actress Diane Keaton, visited us during the Unique Lives Lecture Series, and got stuck with us for three extra days due to a blizzard. Fun lady! She didn't mind a bit, but needed warmer socks!

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