Is Staybridge Suites Cherry Creek Good for Families?

Is Staybridge Suites Cherry Creek good for families? That depends, it’s all about location, location, location!!!  The Staybridge Suites Cherry Creek hotel in Glendale, Colorado, is less than twenty minutes away from Downtown Denver and nestled next to the Cherry Creek trail.  The size of the hotel and location gave our family options when we needed space.

Is Staybridge Suites Cherry Creek Good for Families?

This hotel has a lot of space for large families or longer term residents who want to sprawl, including:

• the addition of separate rooms,
• open spaces,
• the convenience of cooking meals “at home” to fit unique food struggles.

If you have a large family like us, the multiple bedrooms are ideal.  Since our son has autism, the green space provided a much-needed escape when the four walls of the hotel room feel claustrophobic.

For more ideas for activities in Denver, check out our haunted Denver Walking tour!

Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links- if you click on the link and buy the item, I will receive an affiliate commission.  However, no one paid us for this hotel review- it is entirely our own!

Why is Cherry Creek, Colorado Entertaining for Families?

The Cherry Creek Trail parallels the Cherry Creek and is a part of the Colorado Front Range Trail. Green cottonwoods, willows, and grasslands line this smooth, accessible path.  While staying on the Cherry Creek trail, at night we relaxed and strolled along the bubbling rapids.

While some areas are rather dull, the path by the Staybridge Suites is lovely.  This path is concrete and about 8-feet wide with room for bikers, joggers, and walkers. Hold tight for the bikers!  While they are not discourteous, they do demand their place on the road.  With our little guy’s lack of attention, we had a few close calls!  If you are looking to go for a long walk, continue to the local Four Mile Park.

What are the Benefits This Hotel Gives A Family?

We truly enjoyed the hospitality, spacious accommodations, and spectacular location. The hotel featured an evening reception several days a week, a hot breakfast daily, a fitness center, a laundry room, a fire pit, an outdoor pool, and a hot tub.  The hot tub is available in the winter, which was a nice perk.

The major drawback for our family was the lack of attention to any dietary needs.  They did not seem to understand a gluten-free diet, nor be aware of the risks of cross-contamination.

But when we could manage it, the breakfast was easy to grab on the way out to sightsee or engage in business.  You can even score a paper bag to snag a breakfast sandwich on your way out (not gluten-free, unfortunately).

With hot breakfast meat, eggs, waffles, and continental options, we could usually find something to suit our taste.  We stuck with primarily hardboiled eggs and fruit.

On Monday through Wednesday, the hotel features an evening reception with wine, beer, soda, and appetizers that can often double as dinner.  Each evening provides a different themed meal like chicken wings, pizza, baked potatoes, quesadilla, sandwiches, and salads.  From a gluten-free standpoint, we only had salads.  Just a note: Between sensory and dietary restrictions, my son wouldn’t touch anything at the buffet.

What are Family Friendly Things to Do in Cherry Creek?

The hotel is across the way from a Target, which provides our groceries and supplies for our full kitchen!  Target features a liquor store, which makes it the most entertaining Target of all time.  The store is huge and has nearly everything you could ever possibly need.  It’s within walking distance, but we usually buy too much to walk the bags back!

There are multiple delicious restaurants nearby, like Cuba Cuba Sandwicheria with authentic Cuban sandwiches, platters with rice and beans, plantains, and empanadas.  They also have a happy hour during the week from 3 to 6 P.M.

We were sad to see that Next Door Eatery closed.  However,  Jax Fish House and Oyster Bar restaurant took over the space.  I’ve heard great things about the gumbo, but that a lot of the seafood dishes are bland.  There’s an open patio for seating and a well-stocked bar full of delicious cocktails.

If neither of those delicious options floats your boat, just a few minutes down the street are Modern Market, with fresh, local meats and veggies that adorn pizzas, sandwiches, dinner plates, and salads.  Modern Market is our absolute favorite chain restaurant that we have ever experienced, so if you have not yet experienced Mod Market- GO! There is also a Smashburger down the street that offers beef, turkey, and black bean burgers.  As if picking your protein wasn’t challenging, the toppings options are limitless. My favorite is Colorado: Grilled green chilies, melted aged cheddar, pepper jack, lettuce, tomato, and mayo sans the bun.

If you are concerned about your fitness in ways that the hotel gym can’t rectify, Orange Theory Fitness offers free first class and single priced classes.  Unfortunately, the yoga studios I’ve vibed with have since closed during the pandemic.

What wasn’t child-friendly?

The hotel is adjacent to a marijuana dispensary called Emerald Fields.  There are recreational marijuana shops are everywhere in Denver.  There is also a strip club called Shotgun Willie’s on the same block that touts itself as “one of the top gentleman’s clubs in the nation.”  These were potentially huge detractors from an overall decent area.

Did Staybridge Suites Cherry Creek Make our Stay Easier?

We stayed in a clean, 2-bedroom suite with one king bed, one queen bed, a living area, and a kitchen.   Our room was clean and well maintained.  However, the kitchen appliances are older and bare-bones, which gave the room a dated appearance.  There is a full-sized refrigerator, coffee maker, microwave, dishwasher, and cooktop.  There is no oven which hindered some of our culinary pursuits!

What does the kitchen provide?

The larger space made it simple to deal with destressing after a busy day, and being able prepare our meals kept public meltdowns to a minimum.  The kitchen includes a full-size fridge, microwave, sink, dishwasher, and coffee maker.  There is no oven, but also a cooktop with burners that you can use to make a meal.  The lack of a full kitchen was a bit of a disappointment- chicken tenders and french fries are a mainstay for us.

The two-bedroom suite features two full bathrooms, with the first bathroom located directly through the King Bed Suite.  The bathroom is basic and utilitarian but sparkling clean.

This bedroom space was pretty cramped for our needs. The windows bring in light during the day to help with mood regulation.  However, if your son struggles with sleep like ours does there are blackout curtains that helped our son sleep past six AM! They are thick and effective at light blocking.

What did the living areas offer families?

This is the living area that seemed a little small for six or eight guests.  The dining table only seats four and the breakfast bar (not pictured) only seats two.  When we’d lounge on the couch, there was not enough room for our large family.  If you are staying near capacity in this suite, you may run out of space.

The dining room table is puny for the size of the room.  There are only chairs for four guests!  I am not sure where we were supposed to put the rest of our family.  Balancing on sofas and coffee tables is a recipe for disaster for children who are overstimulated.

Pictured above is the second bedroom with two double beds.  If you’re looking for upscale, look elsewhere- the second bathroom looks exactly like the first!  At least for large, messy families like ours, they are well stocked with towels.

Major Drawbacks for Families

If you are looking for a room to sprawl out or dine together, look elsewhere. We usually enjoy AirBnB or VRBO if we need more space.

While we were promised daily housekeeping, there were days where we were skipped entirely.  This was frustrating when we ran through our towels.  The front desk never provided compensation for the lack of hospitality  either.

Honestly, I was so annoyed by the gentlemen club’s proximity to this hotel on weekend nights.  The street for the Staybridge Suites doesn’t have a turning lane. I often had to wait for customers to turn left into Shotgun Willie’s while I just wanted to crawl into my bed after a long day at work.

Were the bedrooms and bathrooms suitable for a child with autism?

Being able to choose a multi-room suite made it easier for us to have a place for our son to feel more like he was at home. A bedroom gave a sense of “home” that helped him maintain his daily routine.

Is Staybridge Suites Cherry Creek Good for Families?

We stayed here for every other week for months so I felt uniquely aquainted with this hotel.  The Staybridge Suites Cherry Creek is a beautiful place with the ideal scenery.

The staff were friendly and greeted us by name, the breakfast was convenient, and the evening reception offered delectable local foods and adult beverages.  If you are feeling cooped up in your suite, hit the local trail.

While we enjoyed the cleanliness, hospitality, and location of the Staybridge Suites Cherry Creek, there were a few drawbacks like the main living areas.

For families with children with special needs like autism, I always recommend the Staybridge Suites resorts.  (See our post about Staybridge Suites in Stow, Ohio.) The resorts allow private kitchens for picky eaters,  vast grilling and outdoor amenities, courteous staff, and grab-and-go breakfasts.

What is your favorite family-friendly hotel? Leave your favorite hotel in the comments!

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