Now is your chance to be among the first to experience the country’s first carbon-positive hotel, right here in the Mile High City. Populus is now accepting guest and event bookings for September 2024 onwards.
“Opening reservations for guests and private events marks a significant milestone for Populuss,” says General Manager George Prine. “The hotel’s proximity to the city’s convention and government districts, coupled with its variety of intimate and versatile meeting spaces that seamlessly transition from day to night, make it an ideal location for a range of bespoke occasions.”
Managed by Aparium Hotel Group, a pioneer in the lifestyle hotel industry, and developed by Urban Villages, a leading real estate developer and environmental steward, Populus is poised to become a lively new social hub in Denver by attracting visitors for its groundbreaking sustainability, vibrant experiences, and iconic design.
While its design and ethos draw inspiration from nature and the surrounding Colorado landscape, Populus enjoys a prime location at the heart of Denver’s bustling downtown. The hotel features 265 guest rooms, a ground floor signature restaurant, lounge and coffee bar, as well as dynamic event spaces that cater to coworking and events, plus a breathtaking rooftop restaurant and bar offering unobstructed views of the mountains, city skyline, and Civic Center Park.
“Populus is destined to become a must-visit destination for today’s modern traveler, a place that Denver residents are proud to have in their backyard, and a landmark that redefines the future of sustainable travel with a commitment to superior service and an elevated guest experience,” says Mario Tricoci, chief executive officer and founder of Aparium. “With dynamic amenities and gathering spaces – all with a distinct reverence for nature – the hotel will foster connections between guests, the city, and the environment.”
Populus’ guest rooms are thoughtfully designed with reverence to nature while providing a stylish escape in the heart of Denver. Guests can choose from a variety of accommodations, including the cozy Grove or Aspen rooms, which offer a minimalistic yet charming retreat, or a more luxurious stay in one of Populus’ suite offerings such as the Pando Suite, which affords guests an expansive haven on the top floor, inclusive of a dining area, kitchenette, 1.5 baths, a soaking tub and panoramic views. Each accommodation features large Aspen eye-shaped windows that flood the space with natural light and provide immersive sightlines of the city’s downtown or the surrounding Rocky Mountains, depending on the room. In many guest rooms, the windows themselves extend into a window hammock – a curved, cushioned, bench-like hammock that provides a space for guests to bask in the city’s energy while cradled in a serene atmosphere.
A Nature-Inspired Urban Escape
Populus’ architectural design by Studio Gang, the world-renowned architecture and urban design firm founded and led by MacArthur Fellow and WSJ. Magazine’s 2022 Architecture Innovator Jeanne Gang, will forever add to the architectural legacy of Denver and the greater Mountain West. Drawing from nature, Populus’ distinctive design is informed by the growth process of Colorado’s native Aspen tree – Populus Tremuloides – for a design that’s stunning, sustainable, and deeply connected to its surroundings. Populus is Studio Gang’s first project in Colorado; they have since been selected to lead the revitalization of nearby Civic Center Plaza, including an updated amphitheater and promenade, which will further enhance the neighborhood’s vibrancy and architectural design. Populus’ interiors by Wildman Chalmers Design also pay homage to the Mountain West with warm colors, natural materials, and undulating forms, inspired by the feelings evoked by sitting among an Aspen grove. Interiors are further brought to life with a thought-provoking art collection, curated by artist and environmentalist Katherine Homes, which adds to the hotel’s biophilic ethos and inspired guest experience.
Carbon Positive: Experience the Ease of Environmentally Forward Hospitality
Populus will serve as a new benchmark for environmentally forward hospitality as the first carbon positive hotel in the United States. To achieve this, the hotel’s embodied and operational carbon footprints are being offset through reforesting efforts and agricultural collaborations that sequester more carbon than the building emits throughout its lifecycle – ultimately having a net positive impact on climate change.
Populus’ “embodied carbon”– the carbon emitted during the creation, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of the materials used to build the hotel – is being reduced through a combination of sustainable design and construction techniques and offset through robust ecological sequestration efforts offsite. Already, Populus has planted over 70,000 trees in Gunnison County, CO. in partnership with One Tree Planted vis-à-vis the United States Forest Service. Populus will also uphold its carbon-positive status throughout its lifetime by tracking, reducing, and offsetting the carbon emissions of its operations, including energy use, team member and guest transportation, food sourcing and transport, and more. The hotel is also striving for zero-waste events and meetings, including eliminating the use of plastic and paper, recycling all materials, and composing all food waste – making it the ideal hosting venue for sustainable businesses and groups.
Beyond offsetting its carbon footprint, Populus’ approach to plant trees will support biodiversity within the alpine ecosystem, as the trees planted re-introduce the Engelmann Spruce species, a primary tree species that was diminished by beetle kill – an ongoing problem, particularly in Colorado forests. The trees are planted in La Garita Wilderness, a part of the National Wilderness Preservation System, which protects and preserves federally managed wilderness areas in their natural condition. This ensures they will remain protected over the hotel’s lifetime, creating a positive, tangible, and lasting impression on Colorado’s natural habitat with each guest stay.
Be among the first to experience the all-new Populus with rates starting at $299 a night for guest rooms and $499+ for suites. Reservations and private events are now available at www.populusdenver.com or (833) 497-0214. Follow along at @Populus_Denver.
