While hotel operators around the country are scrambling to fill rooms for New Year's Eve, many downtown Denver properties are close to capacity heading into the big night.

The Hotel Monaco has only one room left, which also happens to be its most expensive: the $569 package that includes a night in the Grace Slick Suite, named after the Jefferson Airplane/Starship rock star. Other than that, the luxury boutique sold out late last week.

"We were amazed at the numbers, given that the economy is so out of whack," said Rosemary Galvan, Monaco's in-house reservation agent and room coordinator.

Other hotels have more rooms available but are anticipating that they will be snapped up today and Wednesday. The Grand Hyatt Denver Downtown, which for more than a decade has hosted a New Year's Eve bash in conjunction with Mix 100 that's attracted some 1,500 revelers, is on track to sell out of its $369 New Year's Eve package that includes two tickets to the party and a night at the hotel.

"We're not quite sold out yet but expect that we will be," said Maryann Yuthas, director of public relations for the hotel. "Denver is usually a last-minute market, and there's a lot of activity after Christmas as people realize that New Year's Eve is coming up."

The Curtis Hotel is booked for all but two of its 366 rooms for New Year's Eve, even as it charges higher rates than last year, said General Manager Kim Corrigan. The Oxford Hotel is similarly almost full with the exception of its $3,650 "Decadent New Year's Eve" package in the Presidential Suite. But the hotel expects that deal, which includes an 85-minute in-room massage for two, limousine rides to and from the hotel and pet pampering, will be booked at the last minute just like last year, said Germaine Lopez, the hotel's sales coordinator.

The Brown Palace is similarly expecting a rush of last-minute calls as in years past. The hotel has sold one of three $1,755 Presidential Suite packages, which includes the room for two guests, valet parking, a seven-course dinner in Palace Arms and brunch on New Year's Day, said spokeswoman Shannon Dexheimer.

The optimism of Denver hoteliers is in stark contrast to the nationwide market, where top destinations such as Las Vegas and San Francisco are dropping their average room rate by as much as 18 percent to lure partygoers, according to Travelocity. The average daily hotel rate in Denver for the New Year's Eve period - Dec. 29 to Jan. 3 - is up 13 percent from last year to $190.

New Year's Eve bookings "have been an unexpected positive," the Curtis' Corrigan said. "Which is great news since the entire industry is worried about the first quarter."