Hilton President Kansas City {US-MO}
Jan 5, 2006, 1:48 pm
#1
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Hilton President Kansas City {US-MO}
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060105/20060105005465.html?.v=1
Press Release Source: Hilton Hotels Corporation
Return of the President: Kansas City's Landmark President Hotel Reopens Today as the Hilton President Kansas City
Thursday January 5, 8:00 am ET
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2006--Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT - News) has announced that the historic President Hotel, which stood vacant in downtown Kansas City for about 25 years, reopened today after a $45 million renovation as the Hilton President Kansas City. The hotel, originally built in 1926, has been restored to its original luster and infused with the technology, services and amenities required to meet the needs of the modern traveler.
The Hilton President Kansas City is owned by President Hotel TC, LC, managed by Presidian Management and operated under a franchise license agreement with Hilton Inns, Inc., a franchising subsidiary of Beverly Hills-based Hilton Hotels Corporation.
Located one block from the Kansas City Convention Center, the Hilton President Kansas City is adjacent to the city's new Power & Light District downtown entertainment district and the new Sprint Center arena, both scheduled for completion in 2007. This hotel has long served as a landmark in downtown Kansas City, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
While the original hotel had 453 rooms, the renovated hotel features 213 spacious new guest rooms and suites with all the modern amenities. All guestrooms will feature wired and wireless high speed Internet access, large work desk with two line phones and remote printing resources. Guests will enjoy a restful night's sleep with the new Hilton Serenity Bed, which features the Serta Suite Dreams® mattress and box springs, Pacific Coast® down duvet, Super Topper mattress pads, and high-quality linens and pillows. All rooms also have the Hilton Serenity Bath Collection, featuring the Crabtree & Evelyn line of La Source® bath amenities, and the easy-to-set Hilton Family alarm clock with MP3 player connectivity.
The restored public areas, including the lobby, Congress Ballroom, Walnut Room and the Drum Room, maintain their original look and feel. The Drum Room, which opened in 1941 and played host to such famous entertainers as Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller and the Marx Brothers, will reopen as a destination restaurant and lounge with live performances. Other dining and entertainment areas include the full-service Walnut Dining Room and the Mezzanine Lounge.
The hotel also offers 12,000 total square feet of internet-enabled meeting space, including six meeting rooms, a boardroom and the 1,950-square-foot Aztec ballroom. The 5,000-square-foot Congress Ballroom is located on the 12th floor with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. A 24-hour self-service business center, Hilton Eat Right menu options and state-of-the-art fitness center round out the hotel's offerings.
"As we continue to reignite the Hilton brand with improvements to services, amenities and facilities, we are proud to bring this restored Kansas City treasure into the fold," said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president, Hilton Brand Management. "With downtown Kansas City poised to become a major destination for entertainment, shopping and business, the timing could not be better."
Travelers staying at this hotel have the opportunity to participate in the Hilton HHonors® guest reward program, allowing guests to earn both hotel points and airline miles for the same stay at nearly 2,700 hotels worldwide.
GETTING THERE
The Hilton President Kansas City is the area's premier new hotel. The address is 1329 Baltimore at 14th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105. Phone: (816) 221-9490. For more information or to make reservations, contact Hilton Reservations Worldwide at 1 (800) 445-8667 or visit www.hilton.com.
Source: Hilton Hotels Corporation
Press Release Source: Hilton Hotels Corporation
Return of the President: Kansas City's Landmark President Hotel Reopens Today as the Hilton President Kansas City
Thursday January 5, 8:00 am ET
KANSAS CITY, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 5, 2006--Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT - News) has announced that the historic President Hotel, which stood vacant in downtown Kansas City for about 25 years, reopened today after a $45 million renovation as the Hilton President Kansas City. The hotel, originally built in 1926, has been restored to its original luster and infused with the technology, services and amenities required to meet the needs of the modern traveler.
The Hilton President Kansas City is owned by President Hotel TC, LC, managed by Presidian Management and operated under a franchise license agreement with Hilton Inns, Inc., a franchising subsidiary of Beverly Hills-based Hilton Hotels Corporation.
Located one block from the Kansas City Convention Center, the Hilton President Kansas City is adjacent to the city's new Power & Light District downtown entertainment district and the new Sprint Center arena, both scheduled for completion in 2007. This hotel has long served as a landmark in downtown Kansas City, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
While the original hotel had 453 rooms, the renovated hotel features 213 spacious new guest rooms and suites with all the modern amenities. All guestrooms will feature wired and wireless high speed Internet access, large work desk with two line phones and remote printing resources. Guests will enjoy a restful night's sleep with the new Hilton Serenity Bed, which features the Serta Suite Dreams® mattress and box springs, Pacific Coast® down duvet, Super Topper mattress pads, and high-quality linens and pillows. All rooms also have the Hilton Serenity Bath Collection, featuring the Crabtree & Evelyn line of La Source® bath amenities, and the easy-to-set Hilton Family alarm clock with MP3 player connectivity.
The restored public areas, including the lobby, Congress Ballroom, Walnut Room and the Drum Room, maintain their original look and feel. The Drum Room, which opened in 1941 and played host to such famous entertainers as Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller and the Marx Brothers, will reopen as a destination restaurant and lounge with live performances. Other dining and entertainment areas include the full-service Walnut Dining Room and the Mezzanine Lounge.
The hotel also offers 12,000 total square feet of internet-enabled meeting space, including six meeting rooms, a boardroom and the 1,950-square-foot Aztec ballroom. The 5,000-square-foot Congress Ballroom is located on the 12th floor with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. A 24-hour self-service business center, Hilton Eat Right menu options and state-of-the-art fitness center round out the hotel's offerings.
"As we continue to reignite the Hilton brand with improvements to services, amenities and facilities, we are proud to bring this restored Kansas City treasure into the fold," said Jeff Diskin, senior vice president, Hilton Brand Management. "With downtown Kansas City poised to become a major destination for entertainment, shopping and business, the timing could not be better."
Travelers staying at this hotel have the opportunity to participate in the Hilton HHonors® guest reward program, allowing guests to earn both hotel points and airline miles for the same stay at nearly 2,700 hotels worldwide.
GETTING THERE
The Hilton President Kansas City is the area's premier new hotel. The address is 1329 Baltimore at 14th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105. Phone: (816) 221-9490. For more information or to make reservations, contact Hilton Reservations Worldwide at 1 (800) 445-8667 or visit www.hilton.com.
Source: Hilton Hotels Corporation
Jan 5, 2006, 3:31 pm
#2
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I have a meeting a block from there tonight. I think I'm going to drop in for a look around...maybe knock back a beer at the lobby bar. Very cool to finally have a decent HHonors hotel in town.
Apr 6, 2006, 4:17 pm
#4
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Just finished a three night stay. Didn't get upgraded, but the room and bathrooms was large. While a historic property, you would never know it. The rooms are brand new and really nice. The renovation was well done.
Staff was nice. No executive lounge, but coupons to the Walnut Room for free breakfast. Never busy while I was there.
BTW, I got the exact room that was listed on OLCI (which I didn't use).
Great experience and got a great rate.
fp
Staff was nice. No executive lounge, but coupons to the Walnut Room for free breakfast. Never busy while I was there.
BTW, I got the exact room that was listed on OLCI (which I didn't use).
Great experience and got a great rate.
fp
Apr 15, 2006, 9:56 am
#5
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Just did a one-nighter...wife and I decided to do a night out and leave the little one with Grandma. 
Booked the room 2 days ago for $109.
Since it was a Friday night stay, the hotel was pretty empty. I checked in via OLCI to a high-floor Jr. Suite. Room 10 on any given floor is a Jr. Suite, and there is probably one or two more Jr. Suites per floor, although I didn't check room numbers. In this property "Jr. Suite" means corner room: it is a large, spacious room with a flatscreen HDTV, but it isn't really any kind of "suite" per se. Very fresh, well-appointed room. (Hey, it's brand new...it should be!)
They gave us one free breakfast buffet coupon. We kind of knew we weren't really going to eat breakfast, so I didn't bother asking for a 2nd one. I don't know if they would have given me 2 or not.
The building itself is, of course, gorgeous. Hilton is about 2 years ahead of the curve with this property: downtown redevelopment is taking place all around the President, so there are huge construction sites everywhere. Right now, it kind of has an isolated feeling...off by itself surrounded by bulldozers and cranes. For nightlife right now, you have walk a few blocks either south (to the Crossroads) or north (to a couple of jazz bars like the Phoenix or the Majestic). But by 2008-2009, the President will be at the central of a vibrant nightlife, as all of the action will be in the few blocks due east of the hotel.
The Drum Room is open and had a quintet playing last night, but man were they mellow. We walked up to the Majestic for a livelier band.
Free overnight street parking is legal in this area. Go west towards Bartle Hall if the streets adjacent to the hotel are full. Because of the construction, it's kind of limited directly by the hotel, but get over near Municipal Hall and it's fine. Obviously, if you're there on business, the President will valet park for you.
Only things I found odd about the President: no pool, no Executive Lounge. Perhaps the lack of a pool is simply a limitation of being built in 1926. And part of me wonders if an Exec Lounge won't get added a couple years from now when this hotel will be commanding higher rates and high occupancy.
Booked the room 2 days ago for $109.Since it was a Friday night stay, the hotel was pretty empty. I checked in via OLCI to a high-floor Jr. Suite. Room 10 on any given floor is a Jr. Suite, and there is probably one or two more Jr. Suites per floor, although I didn't check room numbers. In this property "Jr. Suite" means corner room: it is a large, spacious room with a flatscreen HDTV, but it isn't really any kind of "suite" per se. Very fresh, well-appointed room. (Hey, it's brand new...it should be!)
They gave us one free breakfast buffet coupon. We kind of knew we weren't really going to eat breakfast, so I didn't bother asking for a 2nd one. I don't know if they would have given me 2 or not.
The building itself is, of course, gorgeous. Hilton is about 2 years ahead of the curve with this property: downtown redevelopment is taking place all around the President, so there are huge construction sites everywhere. Right now, it kind of has an isolated feeling...off by itself surrounded by bulldozers and cranes. For nightlife right now, you have walk a few blocks either south (to the Crossroads) or north (to a couple of jazz bars like the Phoenix or the Majestic). But by 2008-2009, the President will be at the central of a vibrant nightlife, as all of the action will be in the few blocks due east of the hotel.
The Drum Room is open and had a quintet playing last night, but man were they mellow. We walked up to the Majestic for a livelier band.
Free overnight street parking is legal in this area. Go west towards Bartle Hall if the streets adjacent to the hotel are full. Because of the construction, it's kind of limited directly by the hotel, but get over near Municipal Hall and it's fine. Obviously, if you're there on business, the President will valet park for you.
Only things I found odd about the President: no pool, no Executive Lounge. Perhaps the lack of a pool is simply a limitation of being built in 1926. And part of me wonders if an Exec Lounge won't get added a couple years from now when this hotel will be commanding higher rates and high occupancy.
Apr 15, 2006, 10:29 am
#6
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pinniped, we stayed at the hotel for one night last weekend. They only gave us one coupon for breakfast. We argued, they said just one coupon per diamond member, but in the end they gave us two.
We were given a standard room; the hotel was heavily booked due to a wedding and a conference. We found it quite small, and on asking again, were upgraded to a corner room. Having just come from the Embassy Suites, we were struck by the lack of a refrigerator/mini bar. The room didn't have a safe either, which seemed odd for a newly opened property.
The Embassy Suites comps internet to Diamonds; the President charges $10/day and uses an outside vendor. We were forced to pay again in the morning. I havce a query into Hilton about that, as I understood access to be for 24 hours, not ending at midnight.
We received no in room amenity, other than a single bottle of water in the first room and 2 bottles of water in the corner room.
Summarizing the treatment the hotel offered us as Diamonds:
- no room upgrade
- no in room amenity
- one coupon for breakfast
- one bottle of water
We were given a standard room; the hotel was heavily booked due to a wedding and a conference. We found it quite small, and on asking again, were upgraded to a corner room. Having just come from the Embassy Suites, we were struck by the lack of a refrigerator/mini bar. The room didn't have a safe either, which seemed odd for a newly opened property.
The Embassy Suites comps internet to Diamonds; the President charges $10/day and uses an outside vendor. We were forced to pay again in the morning. I havce a query into Hilton about that, as I understood access to be for 24 hours, not ending at midnight.
We received no in room amenity, other than a single bottle of water in the first room and 2 bottles of water in the corner room.
Summarizing the treatment the hotel offered us as Diamonds:
- no room upgrade
- no in room amenity
- one coupon for breakfast
- one bottle of water
Apr 15, 2006, 7:09 pm
#7
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That Internet thing is weird. I've been in hotels where it was noon to noon, but never midnight-to-midnight. Noon to noon makes reasonable sense because at least that lines up with how the rooms themselves are typically sold. (Ideally, of course, it should simply be 24 hours from your first login.)
There were 2 bottles of water in the corner room. I too thought the lack of a minifridge was a bit odd...we had a bottle of wine to chill and we just used the bucket of ice.
One thing I noticed that may impact elite status treatment: everybody I saw at the front desk seemed to be local - a new hire when the hotel was opened - as opposed to a longtime Hilton veteran. I have been in a couple of Marriotts that were within the first month of operation, and upon talking to staff in those hotels I learned that many of them are seeded from other Marriotts, coming in to get the new property up and running. As an example, when I first asked the clerk "Is there a lounge? Where do Golds eat breakfast?", I got a blank stare. The shift manager knew what "Gold" meant and then informed me about the coupon in our room.
Anyway, not too worried... Again, part of me thinks that this hotel will have a lot different feel to it 2 years from now. It was borderline creepy not seeing hardly a single other guest in the building. I know they want to keep it a different feel from a typical Hilton, but hopefully they'll get basic Hilton processes right soon. It reminds me a bit of the Cincinnati Hilton in some ways...a very different feel from a typical business hotel, which is cool.
There were 2 bottles of water in the corner room. I too thought the lack of a minifridge was a bit odd...we had a bottle of wine to chill and we just used the bucket of ice.
One thing I noticed that may impact elite status treatment: everybody I saw at the front desk seemed to be local - a new hire when the hotel was opened - as opposed to a longtime Hilton veteran. I have been in a couple of Marriotts that were within the first month of operation, and upon talking to staff in those hotels I learned that many of them are seeded from other Marriotts, coming in to get the new property up and running. As an example, when I first asked the clerk "Is there a lounge? Where do Golds eat breakfast?", I got a blank stare. The shift manager knew what "Gold" meant and then informed me about the coupon in our room.
Anyway, not too worried... Again, part of me thinks that this hotel will have a lot different feel to it 2 years from now. It was borderline creepy not seeing hardly a single other guest in the building. I know they want to keep it a different feel from a typical Hilton, but hopefully they'll get basic Hilton processes right soon. It reminds me a bit of the Cincinnati Hilton in some ways...a very different feel from a typical business hotel, which is cool.
Apr 15, 2006, 8:12 pm
#8
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Pinniped,
Thanks for being upbeat and optimistic. I hope you're right and the hotel continues to improve. However, unless people post more positive recent experiences, I'm inclined to stay at Hyatts and Starwoods in the same area for my upcoming summer trip.
Thanks for being upbeat and optimistic. I hope you're right and the hotel continues to improve. However, unless people post more positive recent experiences, I'm inclined to stay at Hyatts and Starwoods in the same area for my upcoming summer trip.
Apr 16, 2006, 3:52 pm
#9
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Originally Posted by kevino
Pinniped,
Thanks for being upbeat and optimistic. I hope you're right and the hotel continues to improve. However, unless people post more positive recent experiences, I'm inclined to stay at Hyatts and Starwoods in the same area for my upcoming summer trip.
Thanks for being upbeat and optimistic. I hope you're right and the hotel continues to improve. However, unless people post more positive recent experiences, I'm inclined to stay at Hyatts and Starwoods in the same area for my upcoming summer trip.
The downtown Marriott has a wonderful staff and their 2nd tower (the Muehlbach) is very well-done, but the main tower has that same 1970-1980 business hotel feel to it. Same goes for the Radisson...just an average blah Radisson. No experience with Hotel Phillips, although from the outside it appears to have some character.
The Plaza area gets a little better with a nice Sheraton Suites, a new Residence Inn, and an Intercontinental, plus 2-3 boutiques that are pretty good (Raphael and my favorite, the Southmoreland).
However, the reason all of these downtown hotels have the same 1980-ish feel to it is because the mid-1970's was the start of KC's last building boom. Crown Center went up then, as did the Sports Complex a few miles east of downtown. So again I'm being optimistic here...maybe the new building boom (by most measures about 4 times as big as the last one) will generate some new, great hotel properties downtown.
People talk about all us needing is that roof for Super Bowl 49. Try the roof...plus a few thousand good hotel rooms. Right now, we're a wasteland for so-so hotels, another reason I'm so happy the President went with a different look and feel.
Apr 17, 2006, 11:15 am
#11
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I have a stay coming up in less than three weeks. The stay will actually be for my wedding night so I'm dearly hoping that the President lives up to expectations. I'll probably send the manager a note in the mail a few days beforehand to see about a diamond upgrade to a corner jr. suite or even a full suite. Since I'm sure lots of people abuse the wedding "excuse" 
, I'll also send along a copy of the wedding invitation to provide some sort of validation.
I booked the room at $109 for a Saturday night stay. I can't believe this kind of pricing will remain for long--maybe another year while the cranes and other pieces of construction equipment do their jobs.
, I'll also send along a copy of the wedding invitation to provide some sort of validation.I booked the room at $109 for a Saturday night stay. I can't believe this kind of pricing will remain for long--maybe another year while the cranes and other pieces of construction equipment do their jobs.
Apr 17, 2006, 11:25 am
#12
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Originally Posted by ksujeff99
I have a stay coming up in less than three weeks. The stay will actually be for my wedding night so I'm dearly hoping that the President lives up to expectations. I'll probably send the manager a note in the mail a few days beforehand to see about a diamond upgrade to a corner jr. suite or even a full suite. Since I'm sure lots of people abuse the wedding "excuse" , I'll also send along a copy of the wedding invitation to provide some sort of validation.
I booked the room at $109 for a Saturday night stay. I can't believe this kind of pricing will remain for long--maybe another year while the cranes and other pieces of construction equipment do their jobs.
, I'll also send along a copy of the wedding invitation to provide some sort of validation.I booked the room at $109 for a Saturday night stay. I can't believe this kind of pricing will remain for long--maybe another year while the cranes and other pieces of construction equipment do their jobs.
Mar 12, 2007, 7:16 am
#13
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 36
Just spent a week there on business. Just so happened they were offering double points Hotel is very nice and the staff was great.
They recognized my status when I checked-in, it sounds like that has changed from earlier in the year. I tried for an upgrade, but the hotel was booked.
The standard room was big and nicely remodeled. My only complaint was that the closet is so small, I could only fit a couple shirts in it. There is a lot of history to the hotel. If you have a drink in the Drum Room, ask the bartender to show you pictures of the remodel, neat stuff.
Additionlly, a lot of people are asking why certain things are the way they are. (i.e. no executive lounge, room layouts etc.). I asked about that and it turns out the remodel was partially public funded being a historic hotel. They can't make any changes for 5 years under the terms of the historic funding.
Hotel is very nice and the staff was great. They recognized my status when I checked-in, it sounds like that has changed from earlier in the year. I tried for an upgrade, but the hotel was booked.
The standard room was big and nicely remodeled. My only complaint was that the closet is so small, I could only fit a couple shirts in it. There is a lot of history to the hotel. If you have a drink in the Drum Room, ask the bartender to show you pictures of the remodel, neat stuff.
Additionlly, a lot of people are asking why certain things are the way they are. (i.e. no executive lounge, room layouts etc.). I asked about that and it turns out the remodel was partially public funded being a historic hotel. They can't make any changes for 5 years under the terms of the historic funding.
Last edited by ale4me; Mar 12, 2007 at 7:19 am Reason: added info
Apr 12, 2007, 3:17 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: MCI
Posts: 296
Just spent a week there on business. Just so happened they were offering double points Hotel is very nice and the staff was great.
They recognized my status when I checked-in, it sounds like that has changed from earlier in the year. I tried for an upgrade, but the hotel was booked.
The standard room was big and nicely remodeled. My only complaint was that the closet is so small, I could only fit a couple shirts in it. There is a lot of history to the hotel. If you have a drink in the Drum Room, ask the bartender to show you pictures of the remodel, neat stuff.
Additionlly, a lot of people are asking why certain things are the way they are. (i.e. no executive lounge, room layouts etc.). I asked about that and it turns out the remodel was partially public funded being a historic hotel. They can't make any changes for 5 years under the terms of the historic funding.
Hotel is very nice and the staff was great. They recognized my status when I checked-in, it sounds like that has changed from earlier in the year. I tried for an upgrade, but the hotel was booked.
The standard room was big and nicely remodeled. My only complaint was that the closet is so small, I could only fit a couple shirts in it. There is a lot of history to the hotel. If you have a drink in the Drum Room, ask the bartender to show you pictures of the remodel, neat stuff.
Additionlly, a lot of people are asking why certain things are the way they are. (i.e. no executive lounge, room layouts etc.). I asked about that and it turns out the remodel was partially public funded being a historic hotel. They can't make any changes for 5 years under the terms of the historic funding.
Thanks.