Paris of the Plains: 8 of the Coolest Hotels in Kansas City

Located at the western end of the Country Club Plaza, The Fontaine is arguably one of the chicest hotels in Kansas City, but it comes with a Midwestern price tag. From the moment you step inside, you are surrounded by sophisticated luxury from the gleaming marble under your feet to the Venetian-glass chandeliers dangling overhead. Snuggle under Egyptian cotton sheets in one of the 132 rooms outfitted in soothing blue, white, and gray tones.

The hotel’s newly-envisioned restaurant Parker, named after hometown jazz legend Charlie Parker, has panoramic views of the city from its rooftop perch. It also opens up onto a pool terrace, which offers the perfect setting for a swanky L.A.-style soirée, complete with craft cocktails from the bar.

Just south of Brush Creek at the corner of Ward Parkway and Wornall Road, The Raphael Autograph Collection occupies a nine-story brick building that came to life as an apartment building soon after the completion of the Country Club Plaza in 1925. Reborn as a boutique hotel in the 1970s, the space has continued to evolve while preserving its ornate Italian Renaissance Revival style and reputation for exceptional service and warm hospitality.

Guests can count on little luxuries like free valet parking, 300-thread count sheets, in-room massages, and live music every night at the celebrated restaurant and lounge, Chaz on the Plaza.

Southmoreland on the Plaza is a 12-room inn is a relaxing urban retreat tucked away on a quiet street between The Plaza and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. All the rooms are named after famous Kansas Citians and the décor reflects the era in which they lived, something about their personality, or their interests. Guests can get to know Clara and Russell Stover, the confectioners who invented the Eskimo Pie, baseball legend LeRoy “Satchel” Paige, or artist Thomas Hart Benton. All the rooms have private baths and feature either a wood-burning fireplace, a Jacuzzi, or treetop deck.

The former Gate City National Bank building, a 1920’s-era neoclassical structure, went from ruin to refined elegance thanks to an extensive renovation that made way for the Ambassador Hotel, Autograph Collection. The 43-room boutique hotel retained some of the historic elements, including the original marble floors. A ballroom was converted into two-story loft-style lodging with the decorative corbels and the original windows with city views.

While there’s plenty of restaurants and nightlife options within walking distance, the hotel’s shuttle offers complimentary door-to-door service within a five-mile radius and a KC streetcar stop is only two blocks away.

Home2 Suites by Hilton recently opened this 114-suite, extended-stay property with spacious one-bedroom units that come with a king- or queen-size bed plus sofa-sleeper and a fully-equipped kitchen. Other amenities include free breakfast, a combined fitness and laundry area, and a heated indoor saltwater pool that overlooks Main Street.

Located on the KC Streetcar route, the hotel is convenient for walking to nearby spots in the Crossroads or zipping north to the Power & Light District.

Hotel Phillips, which first opened its doors in 1931, makes for a stylish and comfortable stay in the P&L District. Following a $20 million renovation in 2017, the 216 rooms have been updated with all the modern touches from bath fixtures to comfortable beds with fresh linens. But it’s the hotel’s restored public spaces that impress the most. The dark walnut paneling, elaborate bronze and nickel metalwork, and light fixtures drip with glamorous Art Deco style. Soaring above the lobby stands an impressive eleven-foot sculpture of the Goddess of Dawn created by local artist Jorgen Dreyer in 1931.

When the hotel originally opened, the prohibition era was in full swing, so the hotel speakeasy P.S. pays homage to that time period. Guests will find it tucked away in the basement in what was once a mail-sorting room. As you wander the hotel, you’ll notice other special touches, like pop-up exhibits and performances.

Hotel Indigo eschews the generic hotel experience by drawing design inspiration from their surrounding neighborhood. Housed in the Brookfield Building, which at one time held administrative offices for the local airport and several railroad companies, the hotel’s first entry in the Kansas City market features a transportation theme throughout the space from the train route map on the ceiling to large murals on each floor. The 118 rooms feature different blown-up versions of vintage postcards sent from Kansas City along with all the modern comforts, including spa-like bathrooms.

The story of Kansas City is told room by room at the 816 Hotel, owned by a KC-based developer who took over a former Holiday Inn Express four years ago. Twenty of its rooms feature unique designs and one-of-a-kind furnishings with themes ranging from wild animals to music to mob history. The aviation-themed TWA room features airline seats from a McDonnell Douglas MD-80, a beverage cart, and a headboard designed to look like captain’s wings.

Pet lovers will appreciate the Wayside Waifs pet-friendly room, which even has complimentary dog treats waiting for your four-legged friend. Little extras for humans include complimentary passes to a local gym, free breakfast, and free drinks during cocktail hour, plus a lift to other spots in the city within four miles.