Cruise Room

"Modeled after a lounge on the Queen Mary, this LoDo icon in the Oxford Hotel opened the day after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 and still looks every inch the Art Deco haunt it did then, from the carefully restored murals to the mirror-backed jukebox. It drinks that way too: Classic cocktails are the way to go here — Gimlets, Sazeracs, Sidecars, and all." - Ruth Tobias

"For a real old-fashioned Christmas Day, head to the Cruise Room — established in 1933 — to soak up its Art Deco atmosphere and classic cocktails alike from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., when a pair of holiday dinner specials will also be on offer: prime rib ($65) or spiral-cut ham ($55) with roasted root vegetables, smashed red potatoes, and Brussels sprouts, plus chocolate cake or pumpkin pie ($14) for dessert." - Ruth Tobias, Eater Staff

"All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy It’s rumored that Stephen King was inspired by this moody deco landmark when he wrote about the hotel bar in The Shining . The Cruise Room in the historic Oxford Hotel is an authentic post-Prohibition bar with its original chrome and neon, drenching the walls with a stirring pink hue. Score a booth, select a Louis Armstrong tune on the free jukebox that actually plays records, order a dirty martini, or three, or four. If you drink enough, you may see Jack Nicholson perched at the bar."

"The Cruise Room famously opened in the Oxford Hotel the day after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933, and its Art Deco interior has been preserved down to the last detail. Decorative panels that depict toasting traditions around the globe grace the walls of the long, narrow room, which is lined with booths on one side and the bar on the other; the space is bathed in the mysterious glow of red neon enhanced by flickering candlelight. A vintage jukebox plays jazz and blues standards. Even the embossed-silver menu covers speak to a bygone era. The wine and beer selections are perfectly adequate, but the old adage about Rome applies to The Cruise Room: when you’re here, you should do as the ghosts of bon vivants past did and sip a classic cocktail: a Sidecar, a Tom Collins, a Gimlet, or a gin Martini. There’s no moody little rendezvous quite like this one in Denver." - Ruth Tobias

"With its new and improved drinks menu, the classic Cruise Room at The Oxford Hotel is worth a stopover this season. The downtown bar that officially opened in 1933 (the day after Prohibition ended) is back to its roots with a tour of classic cocktails made from straightforward ingredients. It’s all served in an unmatched and historically-registered setting." - Josie Sexton