I spent $375 for a hotel stay at the Denver airport to be steps away from my terminal. It was worth every cent, and exceeded my expectations.

I flew from Orlando into DIA on Southwest en route to visit friends who live in a suburb of the city. I'd booked a short stay at the airport Westin so I could work from the room, sleep off my jet lag, and pick up my rental car before venturing into town the next day.

My plane touched down at the C concourse, then I rode the airport tram to Jeppesen Terminal, which is DIA's sole terminal. From there, I quickly spotted signs that led me toward the hotel, which I could see from inside the airport.

The signs led me from the tram at the center of the terminal to a set of escalators, which went downstairs toward baggage claim and the terminal exit.

At first, I was unsure if I was heading in the right direction, because the security area and the exit were so close to each other. However, I squeezed past a long line of people who were waiting to enter the terminal through security, and eventually spotted the door that led out to the plaza.

I walked into the outdoor courtyard area between the airport and the hotel, which was partially covered by a curved glass canopy. At the center of the plaza, I saw escalators leading down to a station for the RTD train, which is Denver's light rail system.

There was also a sign with arrows leading to restaurants, which I soon realized referred to the restaurants inside the hotel.

It only took a minute for me to walk across the plaza to the hotel, which I thought looked beautiful from the outside. It was made of glass and built to resemble the letter "W," according to an employee I spoke with later.

The center of the building was raised off the ground, and underneath it there was a spacious patio with tables and chairs overlooking the transit station below.

Around the corner, there was also a restaurant and a grab-and-go market.

According to the signs I saw, I'd entered at the fifth floor. I realized that according to the hotel's floor numbering system, the lobby was sixth floor, the terminal entrance is fifth floor, and the transit station, many stories below, was considered ground level.

Inside the hotel, the lobby had high, curved ceilings and an ultra-modern atmosphere that I thought felt surprisingly sleek. It reminded me of the architecture of the airport.

It was a large, airy space with glossy white lounge areas, a bar, arched walls made of windows, and a high, curved ceiling. I also saw two accent walls made of live plants, which I thought added a fun pop of color to the otherwise sleek and futuristic vibe.

For me, the check-in process was smooth and pleasant. The front desk attendant told me about various amenities like a fitness center upstairs and guest services like a baggage drop area downstairs, where airline passengers can check their luggage before heading to the airport. She also let me know that the Wi-Fi would be free for me since I'm a member of the free Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program, but told me there was a $14.95 charge for non-members.

The hotel had two sets of elevators, one for each wing of the hotel. I headed to the one on the east wing, to the left of the check-in area.

There was a large floor-to-ceiling window next to the elevators, which I thought offered an attractive view of the Eastern Plains. As I got closer, I could see the word "Westin" printed in small white font at the center of the window. I thought it was a nice subtle touch because it looked like the word was floating just above the horizon.

I took the elevator to the 11th floor, and found my room located down the hall from the pool and fitness center on the same floor.

The hallways were decorated with warm tan tones and carpeted hallways, which I thought had a cozier feeling than the futuristic aesthetic I'd seen downstairs. The room itself was also decorated in soft shades of tan and white.

My room had amenities like a work space, a coffee maker, and a mini-fridge, plus helpful touches like built-in reading lights on the headboard of the bed.

While other parts of the hotel reflected the modern airport setting, the room decor seemed to me to pay homage to Denver's natural landscape. I thought it felt simple, clean, and peaceful.

The bathroom had a tiled shower with a glass door, along with a rainfall shower head and a separate shower wand. There were also full-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash mounted to the wall, which I appreciated. Overall, I thought the bathroom felt spacious and modern.

The huge window in my room had a ledge that was wide enough to sit on, and I enjoyed relaxing there and looking out at the horizon. From my room I could see the highway, along with downtown Denver and the Front Range mountains in the distance.

I sat at the window while calling my husband back home to let him know I'd arrived at the hotel, and it's also where I sat the next day to enjoy my morning coffee.

In the afternoon, I walked down the hall to the 24-hour fitness center which had a gym, an indoor heated pool, and a set of bathrooms.

I first went into the gym, where I saw around a dozen machines like treadmills, Pelotons, and ellipticals, along with a set of free weights. There were a few other people already using the gym when I arrived. I spent 30 minutes working out on the machines, which faced a wall of windows overlooking DIA Airport's tent-like roof.

I greatly enjoyed this view, especially because a cloud of fog rolled in during my visit and made me feel like I was working out on a mountain top.

Next, I went to the pool, which was in a large room that had an enormous glass wall and lounge seating. I also saw a shower near the pool deck for rinsing off, and a hot tub.

The water temperature felt a little cool to me, but the pool was heated. I spent a half-hour swimming laps in comfortable silence, as I was the only person in the pool area.

Before leaving, I took a relaxing dip in the hot tub, where I enjoyed a view of the late-afternoon sun setting over the snowy plains, which by then had turned the sky from blue to pink.

In the evening, I went to check out the Sky Lounge, which was a triangle-shaped bar in the lobby open daily from 5 p.m. to midnight.

The sun had started to set by the time I went downstairs, and I found the lobby lit up with warm atmospheric lighting, which I thought gave it an inviting and cozy vibe.

I ordered a glass of wine at the bar and watched many people come and go, nearly all of whom struck up conversations with the bartender or other customers, including me. I enjoyed a great conversation with a group of fellow guests from Montana who were visiting for business.

It may have been due to the merging of travelers on that particular evening, but the Sky Lounge felt to me like a welcoming spot where the hotel guests gathered to learn about one another's adventures.

There were also plenty of lounge chairs around the bar, and a few tables with charging stations where people could sit with their laptops and work. I thought it was nice the room had these options for guests preferring alone time or more intimate conversation.

For dinner I walked downstairs to the hotel's restaurant, Grill & Vine, which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I sat at the bar here, too. I started with a mezcal cocktail called the Smoky Paloma, which was served in a sugar-rimmed glass with a slice of blood orange, and was delicious.

The dinner menu had a range of American fare, from sandwiches to an aged rib eye and spinach and mushroom ravioli. Everything sounded great, so I asked the bartender for his recommendation. He suggested I try the salmon, the green chile, or the steak.

I opted for a Caesar salad and a cup of the green chile soup, which is a regional favorite. I enjoyed the salad and was glad I ordered it. The green chile was good, but it wasn't my favorite rendition that I've tried.

For dessert, I picked the opera torte and a tawny port wine, which I ordered to go and carried up to my room. I enjoyed both in front of my room's wall-to-wall window with a view of the night sky, which made for a relaxing end to the day.

Because I like to keep my bedroom temperature cool at night, I was happy to discover a spare, cozy blanket folded in a closet, which I spread across the comfortable bed. I also appreciated the fact that I couldn't hear any outside noise through the window, despite being so close to the airport. I settled in easily for the night and fell asleep quickly.

One of my favorite things to do when visiting the American West is to wake up early and enjoy the glow of the morning sky, so I was thankful my room had a good view. Because I was visiting in February, the sun came up right around 7 a.m. over the plains.

Coffee is a must-have part of my morning routine, but I don't consider myself incredibly picky about it. The coffee station in my room included four Starbucks coffee pods, two caffeinated and two decaf, and two sets of powdered cream and sugar packets.

The coffee maker was easy to use, and the brew tasted OK to me. However, I think people who prefer higher-quality coffees would probably better enjoy a made-to-order cup from the hotel's market downstairs.

I stopped by the hotel's grab-and-go market on the fifth floor, just below the lobby. I noticed it had a few indoor seats and tables where customers were working on laptops, along with a coffee counter and access to an outdoor patio with more seating.

The market sold refrigerated items like sodas, juices, wraps, sandwiches, and salads, as well as snacks like chips and granola bars. I was pleased with the variety of options, which was more diverse than I've experienced at similar markets at other airport hotels.

Since I usually prefer a light breakfast, I chose a juice and a prepackaged fruit-and-cheese plate. Despite being prepackaged, I thought the fruit was surprisingly fresh.

While waiting for my rental car appointment, I spent the rest of my morning exploring more of the hotel, including the conference center and the ground-level transit station and baggage drop, which were located on the lower floors.

I rode a long escalator down to the conference center, which was an enormous, airy space that I thought felt stately and sophisticated. I also walked by several meeting and banquet rooms which were mostly closed and required keycards to enter.

According to the hotel website, guests can book these rooms for private events like conferences and business meetings.

I walked down another set of escalators to the lowest level of the hotel, where I found a colorfully painted hallway leading to the transit station outside. On my short walk to the station, I came across a glass case containing a scale model of the hotel and airport.

I stopped for a few minutes to observe the piece, which gave me a better sense of my surroundings. It also put into perspective just how large and grandiose the hotel looked compared to the airport terminal, which it towered over.

The transit center services Denver's A Line commuter train and also had stops for various bus routes.

I thought it was convenient to have a station at the airport for visitors who want to travel to and from the airport by train or bus and save on a taxi.

The hotel check-in attendant told me overnight guests can drop their luggage off at this spot rather than rolling it over to the airport, as long as the bags are dropped at least 90 minutes prior to their departure time.

Because of the multiple escalators required to reach the airline check-in desks, I thought this could be a helpful option for people traveling with large bags or bulky items like snow skis, which I spotted multiple times during my trip through the airport.

I ate lunch at Tivoli Tap House in the west wing of the hotel, which was a second location for the Denver brewery that dates back to 1859, according to the company website.

I thought the airport location was beautiful, with a long bar and an attractive mix of metallic and natural wood decor. The menu at Tivoli had casual options like burgers, wraps, and salads. I sat at a table next to the window and enjoyed a flatbread topped with cheese and artichokes.

The service was wonderful and the ambiance was casual and perfect, in my opinion, for a quick meal before heading out into town.

From the modern design to views of the surrounding plains and mountains, I thought the Westin felt like a serene retreat amid the busy airport setting.

The heated pool, ample common areas, and unique architecture exceeded my expectations for amenities in an airport hotel. The price of $375 seemed a little steep for the room itself, in my opinion, which I thought was mostly typical compared to other airport hotel rooms I've visited.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience and think the real value of this hotel is its convenient location and relaxing public spaces. The next time I fly through Denver with a long layover or an early flight, I'll probably splurge on another one-night stay at the Westin.