Denver hotel first in nation to receive license for legal weed consumption

Denver has long been a desirable travel destination. With the legalization of adult-use cannabis, tourism has been on fire and hotels have been trying to keep up. Indeed, a recent study showed an increase of 120,000 hotel rooms rented per month once tourists were able to purchase cannabis legally, yet public consumption of cannabis was banned in Denver.

Enter the Patterson Inn, the first licensed cannabis consumption lounge in a hotel, which just obtained a provisional license from the city of Denver, clearing a major cannabis licensing hurdle to operate a cannabis consumption lounge as an amenity to the adjacent hotel.

Chris Chiari, CEO and founder of the 420 Hotels, was the first to apply for a license under Denver’s new social consumption rules. Now that he’s received approval, Chiari is transforming part of the Denver-based luxurious castle into into a first in the nation, in-hotel licensed legal cannabis consumption lounge.

“The 420 Hotels sees cannabis hospitality as the most unique and exciting amenity in the hotel industry today,” Chiari said.

“We are excited to be the first cannabis lounge to be licensed as an amenity to overnight hospitality, and to provide a welcoming space for legal cannabis consumption.”

Heads In Beds

“Licensed cannabis hospitality is the final mile in the effort to destigmatize and normalize cannabis possession and use. This has been my career focus for just over a decade and it’s exciting to be leading the charge with our keystone property, The Patterson Inn and our cannabis consumption lounge, The 420 Denver,” Chiari said.

“The 420 Hotels Inc. is pairing four-star hospitality with a licensed cannabis lounge. Our brand focus is heads in beds, and we see the addition of a licensed lounge for cannabis consumption as one of the most unique and exciting amenities in hospitality today,” Chiari told Benzinga.

With the provisional license in hand, The 420 Hotels Inc. is moving forward on renovating the carriage house of the Victorian era inn with a lounge that adheres to recently passed state laws for commercial cannabis consumption spaces. The goal is to have the updates, funded by an equity crowdfunding campaign through Republic.com, complete by the end of 2022.

“We look forward to welcoming the canna-curious as well as informed consumers looking for a space that doesn’t require sneaking around and allows for the open and responsible use of cannabis in a social environment,” Chiari said.