Arbor Lodging Partners has announced the return of Kansas City’s Hotel Phillips following a $20 million gut renovation by Chester, New Jersey-based Kraig Kalashian Architecture & Design (KKAD) that has restored its original 1930s opulence. Anchoring the city’s arts and entertainment district, the Art Deco-style building, listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, will debut by the end of the year as part of Hilton’s Curio collection.
The restoration respects classic property details such as the elaborate bronze and nickel metalwork as well as walnut panels, light fixtures, and black glass on the ceiling. The lobby has been expanded and reconfigured to expedite the check-in process, while the sweeping staircase, marble floors, and 11-foot-tall “Dawn” statue remain intact. The new lobby also includes a game area, offering entertainment from the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s. Guestrooms have been fully overhauled from linens to finishes, and will feature updated technology.
Three new F&B venues will arrive in the revamped hotel including Tavernonna Italian Kitchen from DMK Restaurants, which will replace existing eatery 12 Baltimore. Speakeasy P.S. will open on the hotel’s lower level and boast a lounge design reminiscent of underground dives of the early 1900s with cozy booths and lounge chairs. The first-floor coffee bar Kilo Charlie will also debut, featuring an airy, street-facing atmosphere punctuated by large glass and brass pendant fixtures, tile walls, and parquet flooring.
