Is there something you're looking to do in Denver proper? People aren't going to tell you to avoid Denver because it's unsafe, it's just not particularly amazing. Like, why are you coming to Colorado? Towns like Boulder, Estes Park are going to give you a little more touristy "in the mountains" kind of vibe. But they aren't really IN the mountains so much as next to them. Further west on I70 is going to get you IN the mountains, as in surrounded by them. Hiking is going to be more of a summertime activity, outside of the front range - so Boulder, Golden, it's going to be covered in snow so you're in snowshoeing territory. No guarantees Boulder and the rest of the front range aren't going to be covered in snow then too. it just snowed but it's all melted now. It's going to be snowy or warm until April, so who knows what the rest of the month is going to bring- could be anything. More on reddit.com

Four Seasons with an appt at the spa. More on reddit.com

Lived in Denver since 2015. Find myself going downtown for specific events (concerts, sports, festivals, etc) but the actual city doesn’t have much to do for tourists. West into the mountains, if that’s your thing, is a much better bet for outdoorsy. Depends what you’re looking to do but happy to answer questions. More on reddit.com

FS is the way to go. Crawford is in the train station and has a big homeless problem. If you want to be in RiNo for some reason, the Ramble is good, but you have to want to be there. Rooms are small in the Ramble but the cocktail bar in the ground floor is fun, if you want that. The FS is really the only option for what you want, the residences there are where a lot of the pro athletes live, good spa, close to theatre, etc. $500 is a good price. More on reddit.com