The Hotel Phillips

Check out the room here! https://youtu.be/CbNKmAYSEEY

This just in…I found a Hilton Hotel I actually like!

If you didn’t know better, the Hotel Phillips in Kansas City is precisely the kind of boutique hotel I look to for a one-of-a-kind getaway.

The hospitality experience begins the moment you pull up to the hotel. Just outside the building, we were greeted by an amazing valet who, in spite of our arrival during their peak check-in hours, handled the traffic with the precision of a surgeon. No one waited inside their car for more than a few minutes. In spite of flying through vehicles as fast as they pulled up, the young man greeted us warmly, handed us a ticket, and informed us our car would be available should we need it again with an estimated ten minute’s notice.

Out of curiosity (and to compare it to other Get A Room destinations like the Hyatt Regency at the Arch, where parking is advertised as an amenity but doesn’t always deliver) I asked what the parking availability was like on weekends such as ours. Pleased to talk shop, if only for a moment, the valet replied that there were plenty of openings and that they are well organized to keep things moving. Nice.

The building itself is regal and swanky, not at all like your average franchise locations. Upon entering the expansive lobby, the architectural details, grand stair case and art deco design take you back to the Roaring Twenties. The hospitality staff are just as welcoming and professional as the ones working outside, and they truly seem to enjoy working there. I noticed a level of peaceful contentment among them that is completely absent at the St. Louis Union Station.

Pay attention, Union Station! You can do better by them!

Even the elevator, dining areas and common spaces carried this theme-making them an interesting option for special events and parties.  As with other logistics, care was taken to insure guests were well-spaced both for dining and overnight stays. There was a wedding party staying at the hotel during my stay and aside from brushing into them a couple times as we entered and exited, my companions and I barely noticed they were there.

The room itself was clean and well furnished with ample electrical plugs. The bathroom was clean and spacious enough to accommodate more than one person easily. The living area was different than I expected. The television was spaced well and on a stand which allowed it to be turned around for viewing from the bed (a really handy and space-saving feature more hotels should pick up) and there the ample glassware was clean and free of dust. But there was no mini-fridge, WTH?!

The shower was a bit touchy and tended to be on the scalding side of hot. So parents may want to be aware before letting little ones operate it unsupervised. I did notice the carpet was stained. But it appeared to be from regular use and nothing to suggest one should avoid bringing a blacklight into the room. 

Like other Hilton Curio’s, many of the room’s amenities were available for an extra charge-like the $3 bottles of water or the $40 bottle of hotel-branded locally distilled whiskey. I would really like to see Hilton find a different way to hawk their Rewards program than to charge such a ridiculous sum for a bottle of non-Fiji water-like maybe better discounts or less advertisements featuring Paris?

The in-house restaurant was also priced in accordance to Hilton brand and not necessarily with the quality of the meals, but there are plenty of better restaurants to enjoy within walking distance. And the speakeasy downstairs was a bit loud for my enjoyment, but it was very popular. The hotel’s website and literature prominently broadcast that reservations are preferred. But  given the number of visitors turned away during my time at the bar, they should just go ahead and say they are required as it filled up quickly. 

My takeaway: forget it’s a Hilton and enjoy the stay!

Do you have a hotel you would like me to review? Tell me about it @ toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Wolf Hotel

Check out my room here! https://youtu.be/wkMJ9g7kI30

Like a lot of former boom towns in Kansas, Ellinwood doesn’t boast much nowadays except for its heritage. But all of it is on full display at the Wolf Hotel.

Built in 1894, it continues to operate as a hotel today-something that earns it a place among the boutique hotels covered in this blog. In spite of its age and structural challenges (we’ll unpack those in a moment), the building has been very well taken care of. The HVAC system is very comfortable and the plumbing is on point. Unlike the New Orleans Hotel, I didn’t see one outlet box sporting either a hole or a rag.

The rooms are spacious and well organized, plenty of outlets. Beds are large and comfy. The in-room television can be easily seen from the sitting areas and bed. It should be noted that a couple rooms share a common bathroom, a non-starter for me unless I am sharing a Verbo or an Air BNB with my family. But the rooms equipped with private bathrooms also have a glass window installed just above the bathroom door-which provides ventilation but can also disturb those still sleeping by illuminating the entire room. So, often you end up choosing between lighting up your room or peeing in the dark.

But given its age, the Wolf Hotel has a lot of the amenities reminiscent of larger, more sophisticated hotels-just on a smaller, more folksy level. The hotel does not have room-service, but the guest floor houses an upstairs kitchen/dining area is similar to Wyndham Grand clubroom-minus the awesome barista coffee maker and connectivity sites. And across the hall is a sitting lounge which reminds me of the Club Quarters in Chicago, if it was decorated in the style of a 1980’s southeast Kansas grandma.

There are no restaurants in town. So for a long trip, bring a cooler and plan to get creative.

The main lobby downstairs consists of a small front desk outside a large dining hall which can be rented out for parties and special events. They hold a chicken dinner one Sunday each month, which locals tell me is very popular. On the other side is a mockup of a bank that once operated there, displayed as if it were in a museum. Many others are displayed in other areas of the hotel, which the staff will be happy to show you if asked.

It should be noted there is a definite lack of accommodations for those with mobility issues and those with perception or vision issues may also find many of the non-standard details (like placement of lighting, size of stair rises, placement of handrails, etc.) challenging. The building also remains largely unchanged in terms of interior noise dampening and activity occurring in the hall and other rooms is easily heard from inside other hotel rooms as well. Those who have difficulty sleeping in a strange place or with PTSD or similar issues may also want to keep in mind and prepare themselves accordingly.

Parking directly next to the building is not available. The parking lot behind the hotel actually belongs to the bank next door which tows vehicles of those not doing business with them. Guests actually park behind the building next door across the alley. That might make wheelchair accessibility and neurological issues a bit more difficult as well.  No one utilized a service animal during my visit, so I’m not sure how the hotel handles them, but the closest area for pets to relieve themselves is a couple blocks away or across the main highway, which could be a concern.

While I would like to see more ADA accommodations (as should we all), the hotel staff were fantastic-even for a skeleton crew on a full-house weekend. The front desk staffer was also the hotel’s in-house tour guide and ghost hunter, a woman who was both very personable and approachable. A local, she was very familiar with the local history of the community and the hotel itself and spoke about each with affection. While not the owner of the property, it was easy to see she took pride in the establishment and was personally invested in the experience of each guest.

As her husband could attest. The poor man was left to wait on her for hours-well after her shift ended, while she tied up loose ends and chatted with guests. But he didn’t mind. She really loved the place, he said.

While the town itself doesn’t boast much nowadays, it does retain a bit of curious history in the form of underground tunnels that run both sides of it’s main street. Tunnel and hotel tours are available for an extra cost, but are reasonably priced and well worth it.  In addition, the hotel is home to an underground speakeasy which they continue to operate. Like the hotel, the menu is simple. Comprising of draught beer, chips and light pub snacks. But the bartender was a wealth of local knowledge, and knew his way around a prohibition-era cocktail.

The cost for the experience was very reasonable. In spite of its rustic appearances, reservations can be made on their website as well as finding other news and information about the hotel.

My takeaway, soak up some history, memories and a forbidden cocktail or two!

Do you have a hotel you would like me to review? Send me a line at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com