The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club is the acclaimed new luxury hotel in Aurora, the city outside of Denver known as the Gateway to the Rockies, and located on the nationally recognized University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and a part of the Fitzsimmons Innovation Community.
Warm, welcoming, and elegant are the hallmarks of this property, situated midway between Downtown Denver and Denver International Airport. The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club was expressly designed to serve as a community gathering space in a fast-changing city that has evolved into Colorado’s biotech hub and a health and life sciences research center.
“We worked closely with our client, Aimco, and with the Fitzsimons Innovation Community, the University of Colorado, the City of Aurora, our design partners, and Hyder Construction to craft an inspiring and rejuvenating center of hospitality for the Anschutz Medical Campus,” said Tryba Architects’ Jeff Poorten, AIA, who managed the project.
The creative design is a collaboration between Tryba Architects and Avenue Interior Design. The seven-story hotel is a beacon along Montview Boulevard, directly adjacent to Central Green. Upon entering the hotel, its lobby offers a cordial reception thanks to wood columns, beams, and inlaid terracotta tile floors. The furnishings were chosen to evoke a sense of traditional elegance, with leather and velvet materials and patterns that reflect the American West.
“Focusing on overall wellness and embracing the pioneering spirit of the West was at the forefront of the design narrative,” said Denise Pan, Director of Design & Projects for Avenue Interior Design. That design narrative extends throughout the hotel’s public spaces, including seven windowed boardrooms and a living room with multiple seating areas. Filled with abundant natural light, an expansive 3,800 square-foot ballroom anchored by two massive marble fireplaces opens out onto the Flower Garden, the hotel’s signature outdoor event space.
The distinctive look of The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club continues throughout the property’s food and beverage venues, each one imagined and styled with a unique identity.
It starts with the Lobby Bar, with its grand fireplace, floating bar, and jewel-toned color palette, creating a lively and sociable atmosphere for guests to unwind and relax. A separate Lounge is designed with warm mahogany wood and brass accents, surrounded by rich teal paneled walls.
Aurora offers one of the state’s most diverse and creative food scenes thanks to more than 300 ethnic restaurants. The hotel’s restaurant, The Common Good, now adds to that culinary energy. The Common Good reflects Colorado’s rich history, beauty, and natural landscapes in an inviting, light-filled space that beckons diners to connect over local and seasonal offerings. The 100-seat restaurant features an open kitchen, generous leather booth seating, expansive wall-to-wall windows, and a wraparound outdoor terrace for alfresco dining. The Common Good was created to welcome and serve the greater Aurora community and hotel guests.
On the second floor, the private, members-only Faculty Club lounge pairs collegiate flair with touches of Southwestern spirit. The club lounge features a double-sided bar and private patio with operable window walls to create a seamless indoor-outdoor experience.
The Benson Hotel and Faculty Club is home to the state’s second-largest collection of Western art, featuring works from local artists with close ties to Colorado. The new collection is evocative of the living West, showcasing myriad facets of light and season, agriculture and nature, and the human condition. Each painting, photograph, sculpture, mural, and mosaic was commissioned for a specific location in the hotel.
The 106 guestrooms have been thoughtfully designed with four individualized design concepts, each highlighting elements of the hotel and its relationship with the University, as well as the natural landscapes of Colorado.
“It was essential that return guests were allowed to experience the property in a different capacity, hence the various guestroom designs,” said Andrea DeRosa, Co-Founder of Avenue Interior Design.
Decorative wood floor patterns, custom inset area rugs, and curated furnishings distinguish each room, while guest bathrooms feature bespoke design elements that embrace each scheme’s character. For guests needing extended stays or simply the comforts of home, the hotel offers suites and studios with kitchenettes, separate dining rooms, and living areas, making it an ideal choice for medical professionals and patients seeking a comfortable and convenient place to stay.
“We wanted to create a new ‘living room’ for the medical campus,” said David Tryba, FAIA, founder of Tryba Architects and Lead Design Principal. “The Benson Hotel & Faculty Club welcomes researchers, faculty, patients and their families, and the entire community to experience the full spectrum of innovation and connection at this world-class destination.”
