Experience Western-Chic Elegance at Denver’s Urban Cowboy Hotel

Urban Cowboy, known for its distinct blend of rustic maximalism, is expanding its design-forward concept to Denver with the opening of Urban Cowboy Denver, a 16-room boutique hotel housed in an 1880s-era mansion. The hotel marks the brand’s fourth location, following successful ventures in Brooklyn, Nashville, and upstate New York. Urban Cowboy’s signature aesthetic, which combines vintage furnishings, luxurious Pendleton blankets, and custom-patterned wallpaper, now takes root in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Denver. The historic mansion is the ideal backdrop for the brand's bold and quirky design ethos, providing a space where past and present blend seamlessly.

The property is centered around a Queen Anne-style mansion built in the late 19th century by architect Frank Edbrooke for George C. Schleier, a local hat manufacturer and politician. The mansion’s architecture is rich with period details that give the space character and history. Among its most striking features are an intricately carved staircase with gargoyles and Bavarian swans, coffered ceilings, and eight original art-tile fireplaces. The hotel’s exterior preserves these original elements, including the mansion’s iconic “onion” tower cupola and stained-glass windows, which remain integral parts of the building's visual identity.

The Urban Cowboy Public House, the hotel’s bar and restaurant, occupies a two-story carriage house behind the main mansion. Here, Bricks and Mortar, a traditional 19th-century wooden bar was transported from Cincinnati, where it was sourced from Wooden Nickel Antiques. The space also features a collection of antique tin ceiling tiles, found at the Round Top Antiques Show in Texas. The pub’s decor is an evocative mix of old and new, creating a rustic yet stylish atmosphere. It brings together the heritage of the building with modern culinary influences, serving craft cocktails, small plates, and wood-fired pies from Roberta’s, a renowned pizzeria that originated in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood and became famous for its spicy “Bee Sting” pizza.

Urban Cowboy co-founders Lyon Porter and Jersey Banks, who are known for creating properties with visually captivating designs, have transformed the interiors of this mansion into an eclectic mix of vintage finds and carefully chosen new pieces. The hotel’s interiors are a study in high-end, thoughtful design, making it a destination for travelers who are as design-conscious as they are adventure-seeking. Here, Porter walks through the process of curating these interiors and reveals the elements that make the design so unique.

Urban Cowboy Denver Exterior

Porter worked closely with the GBX Group and Historic Denver to ensure that as much of the original mansion detail as possible was preserved, particularly the Queen Anne-style façade and the iconic “onion” tower cupola. The stained-glass windows are original to the mansion, maintaining the building’s historical charm while ensuring that modern upgrades didn’t overshadow its heritage.

Urban Cowboy Public House

The bar and restaurant in the carriage house are anchored by the antique wooden bar found in Cincinnati, Ohio. The bar evokes the ambiance of a 19th-century Denver saloon, while the antique tin ceiling tiles add to the historical feel of the space. Custom garden-pattern wallpaper, designed using traditional hand-carved wood blocks, complements the design and adds to the room’s character. The exposed brick and original wood floors were revealed during renovations, and the original stained glass was restored to preserve the building’s timeless appeal.

Parlor 1

In the main house’s parlor, Porter sourced Swedish 1960s settees from Eneby Home in Nashville, Tennessee, alongside a Louis XIII-style pouf that pays homage to Urban Cowboy Nashville. The Victorian mansion proved challenging to furnish due to its layout of windows, doors, and fireplaces, but Porter’s choice of seating is both period-appropriate and functional for the space. The parlor’s decor is enriched by antique rugs and objects sourced from Denver’s Santa Fe Arts District, thoughtfully arranged to enhance the room’s atmosphere.

Parlor 2

The hand-carved fireplace with European art tiles from the 1880s is a centerpiece of the second parlor, inspiring much of the room's design. Denver’s boom during the 1880s influenced Porter’s design approach, with a red color scheme evoking the era’s passionate and decadent flair. The antique lamps and objects that populate the room were carefully curated from various antique malls across the Midwest and Western states, ensuring an authentic and period-specific ambiance.

Grand Suite

Porter’s design approach for the Grand Suite involved raising the bed and removing outdated layers of flooring and dropped ceilings, exposing the original 1880s craftsmanship. Custom Printsburgh wallpaper adds an element of visual intrigue to the room. The standout feature of the suite is the hand-hammered copper clawfoot tub, specially created for Urban Cowboy Denver and present in every guest room.

Superior Suite

The Superior Suite features a repurposed armoire that Porter discovered on Facebook Marketplace and had transported to Denver. The room's walls are adorned with custom trumpet wallpaper from Printsburgh, and Pendleton bedding adds a layer of texture and comfort. Found objects throughout the space, sourced from antique shops, create a sense of warmth and personality.

Cabin Room

Located above the Public House, the Cabin Room draws inspiration from Urban Cowboy’s Catskills Lodge. The room reflects the rustic charm of a nature retreat, with Pendleton blankets, antique skis, and Printsburgh wallpaper. The rug, sourced from El Paso Saddleblanket, adds an authentic Western touch. Local antiques complete the look, transporting guests to a countryside getaway, even in the heart of the city.

King Suite

The King Suite features a vintage rug from the mansion, which was cleaned and repurposed to fit the room's design. Like the other rooms, it’s outfitted with Pendleton bedding, a custom clawfoot copper tub, and Printsburgh wallpaper. The room exudes warmth and character, inviting guests to relax and unwind in a space that balances history with modern amenities.

Pony Suite

The wallpaper in the Pony Suite features a custom spade pattern hand-carved by Porter on a wood block, marking his first experience with this traditional printing technique. The room, like the others, features Pendleton bedding and a signature clawfoot copper tub, bringing a distinctive touch of luxury to the space.

Honeymoon Suite

The Honeymoon Suite is a luxurious, romantic retreat. The original stained-glass windows from the mansion’s 1800s are showcased in the suite’s bathroom, which also features a chandelier sourced from a Texas antique show. The gold wallpaper, custom-designed to shimmer like gold leaf, and the side-by-side soaking tubs create an intimate and indulgent space. Throughout the suite, antique objects and thoughtful design details enrich the experience, making it the perfect destination for newlyweds or any guest seeking a getaway in style.

Urban Cowboy Denver is a true testament to the brand’s ability to combine luxury, history, and bold design in a way that feels both timeless and contemporary. This new chapter in Urban Cowboy’s evolution brings the brand’s signature rustic maximalism to life in a way that pays homage to Denver’s rich history while offering modern comforts and unique design elements for the discerning traveler.