The words ‘beer’ and ‘spa’ aren’t typically seen together – unless someone is talking about TripAdvisor’s top spa in Denver – Oakwell Beer Spa, which has a five-star rating on the aforementioned site, a ‘100% recommended’ rating on Facebook, a 4.9-star rating on Google Reviews, and 4.9 stars on Yelp.

As a writer who is constantly covering things to do in Colorado, a rating that high across all four reviews sources is extremely rare, if not unheard of.

Despite seeing the reviews, I’ve long been a bit skeptical of the concept – a spa built around a love for beer? It seemed like a gimmick. That said, my skepticism immediately faded the moment I stepped inside of Oakwell’s newest location, located in Highlands Ranch.

In full disclaimer, Oakwell Beer Spa hired OutThere Colorado to help promote their upcoming opening. Our team coordinated with their team to create a media preview – find that piece here, as well as a video – found here. That said, the piece you’re reading right now isn’t something involved in that partnership, I simply felt compelled to provide the full details of my experience at the spa in written form as it completely blew my already-high expectations out of the water. This spot is a place that I really think OutThere Colorado readers will love.

“Welcome to your jungle oasis,” said owner Damien Zuoaoui, as he opened the door to my private spa room, complete with a large tub filled with infused water, an infrared sauna, and a ‘raindrop’ shower. Rich greens of the room coupled with dim lighting and the sound of falling water made it feel like a jungle, indeed.

The carefully designed theme of the spa was apparent from the moment I opened the door, surrounded by plants and a pleasant aroma and of course, a wall of self-serve craft beers on tap.

I immediately noticed that reviews of the original location regarding staff friendliness seemed to hold true at the new location, as well. From when I entered to when I left, I felt like a cherished guest of the spa.

The first step of my morning at Oakwell Beer Spa included instruction about how to use the self-serve beer taps. I was pleasantly surprised to notice that the selection of beers on tap seemed to center on the theme of ‘easy-drinking’ – perfect for a spa experience. I went with a hazy IPA from Denver Beer Company that lacked the bitterness and heftiness that’s typical of the style – poured into a triple-walled stainless steel tumbler that’s specially designed to keep beer cold in the heat of a sauna.

After a few sips of my beer, I was taken to my private room. Obviously designed with close attention to detail, the room provided the perfect sense of escape, having me feeling like I’d be transported to some sort of exotic resort.

The attendant walked me through each part of the space, providing me with recommendations on how to maximize my experience – 20 minutes in the sauna, followed by a quick cold shower, followed by a soak in the tub. I ended up following this approach to a tee, and I’d have to agree that it’s the best way to go.

The private sauna had a temperature of about 144 degrees with enough room to sit or lay down, and plenty of room to accommodate another person.

After getting my fill of the sauna and feeling fully detoxed, I made my move into the raindrop shower. While the temperature of the shower’s water could be easily adjusted, I followed the recommendation to make it as cold as possible. After a few uncomfortable seconds, I started to feel the invigorating effects as promised, and after a few minutes, I slowly warmed up the water and took advantage of branded shampoo, conditioner, and body wash – all three of which were the perfect compliment to the experience.

And then it was time for the tub.

One aspect of this part of the experience that I appreciated is that the tub fills with new water for each guest, with a guest’s chosen blend of aromatherapeutic ingredients added to tea bag-like containers for a customizable experience. I opted for the mixture that was meant to relax the muscles while energizing the senses – and I’d have to say it worked. And guess what – contrary to what might be expected, it didn’t smell like beer.

People seem to have a misconception that the beer spa tubs are filled with beer, which I am happy to report isn’t the case. The blend used in the hydrotherapy tub does include hops and barley – true to the ‘beer spa’ branding – but these are in the mix thanks to the vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants they contain.

Following the tub experience, I changed out of my wet clothes and headed to a cooling room, with my next step being time spent in a ‘zero gravity’ chair massage. The chair massage can either be purchased as part of a package, as an add-on, or as a standalone experience. Sessions are 15 or 30 minutes, of which I opted for the latter.

Once in the dark and cozy massage room, I was led to my seat. Once I was situated, an attendant put a blanket on me and started the massage.

I must say, out of everything I tried that day, the massage may have been the most surprising part of the experience. This wasn’t the typical massage chair that’s encountered at the airport – in my opinion, it was better in every way. From the ambiance of the room, to the way the chair had me feeling like I was floating at times, to how it works multiple parts of the body simultaneously, I can see why some people make regular trips to Oakwell Beer Spa simply for a massage and a beer in a relaxing setting.

After the massage ended, I was led back to the plant-filled lounge to finish my beer.

I had long held the hunch that some sort of ‘beer spa’ must be a gimmick, but it only took one trip to change my mind. Given the attentiveness of the staff, the aesthetics of the facility, and how great each part of the experience was, it’s easy to see how Oakwell Beer Spa gets such high reviews. It was also easy to believe the owner when he told me that around five proposals take place at the spa each month – after all, they do offer a ‘romantic’ package that includes roses, chocolates, and more – a visit to the spa really would be the perfect date.

I think the biggest thing that stuck out to me about the overall experience was that while Oakwell is branded as a ‘beer spa,’ being a beer drinker is by no means required for a great experience. Aside from the tap wall, the theming as a beer spa is subtle in a great way – and several non-alcoholic options, along with cider and wine are offered, too. I was also impressed by how the aesthetics of the spa could cater to everything from a night of romance to a solo ‘treat yourself’ day to a group hang, and everything in between.

This is one of those experiences where I know I’ll be back sometime soon.

Oakwell Beer Spa operates in two locations – one in Denver’s RiNo area at 3004 Downing Street and another in the Highlands Ranch area on Timberline Road. Packages start at $199 for up to two people, with several options available, including one that caters to larger groups.

Learn more about Oakwell Beer Spa here.