Downtown Kansas City has come surging back with the Power & Light District for entertainment, clubs, restaurants and retail. Located in the center of the revitalized downtown area, it is less than 10 miles from Swope Memorial Golf Course, opened in 1932, in Swope Park. An abundance of hotels in the area offer a variety of rooms, ambiance and amenities.
Hotel Savoy
The Hotel Savoy, a grande dame of Kansas City, opened its doors in 1888, with the legendary Savoy Grill coming onto the scene in 1903. The Savoy Grille is the oldest restaurant in Kansas City and the centerpiece of the Savoy, luxuriously restored as a bed and breakfast. Suites and public rooms decorated in antiques found in the hotel, stained glass and marble evoke the turn-of-the-20th-century's elegance and formality. The Savoy hosted such luminaries as Teddy Roosevelt, Sarah Bernhardt and John D. Rockefeller, was immortalized in song by Count Basie and Benny Goodman in 1938 with "Stompin' at the Savoy" and was put on film in "Mr and Mrs. Bridge" and "Cross of Fire."
Hotel Savoy
219 W. Ninth St.
Kansas City, MO 64105
(816) 842-3575
savoyhotel.net
Hotel Phillips
Two grand staircases and the statue "Dawn" greet guests in the lobby of the Hotel Phillips, as they have since the hotel opened in 1931 in glittering Art Deco style. Renovated to its former glory, the Phillips is a AAA four-diamond winner and a part of the Preferred Hotels Collection. Guest rooms follow the Art Deco theme, with neutral colors and simple-lined furnishings. On-site dining in the 12 Baltimore Cafe offers up a taste of Kansas City's entertainment past with jazz and swing on Saturday nights along with breakfast, lunch, dinner and happy hours every day.
Hotel Phillips
106 W. 12th St.
Kansas City, MO 64105
(816) 221-7000
hotelphillips.com
Hilton President Kansas City
The Hilton President Kansas City, named the official hotel of the Power & Light District, has been completely restored to its 1940s glamor and has won the AAA four-diamond award for its luxurious service, amenities and ambiance. Of particular note is the Drum Room Lounge, which opened in 1941 and has seen the likes of Glenn Miller, Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman and Patsy Cline. Its sister restaurant, the Drum Room, also a favorite of jazz musicians, now serves lunch and dinner every day with entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights.
Hilton President Kansas City
1329 Baltimore Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64105
(816) 221-9490
hilton.com
About The Author
Sophia DeBreaux got her first newsroom job -- as an editor -- in 1970. She spent most of her career at the "St. Louis Post-Dispatch," where she was a copy desk chief, Page One editor and feature writer. DeBreaux has traveled widely and has written about several of her adventures. She earned a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri.
