The Elms Hotel

City Council at The Elms Hotel during May Preservation Month, 2018.

SPOTLIGHT:

The Elms Hotel & Spa, Regent Ave. and Elms Blvd., Excelsior Springs, has completed an $18 million dollar restoration on hotel, spa and meeting space, in part utilizing the Missouri State Historic Preservation Tax Credit program. The project, which renovated the history property and gave it a new lease on life, was recognized by the Clay County Economic Development Council with a Keystone Award in 2012.

“The creation of 30 new jobs and the retention of 104 were the result of an $18 million project at the Elms Hotel and Spa in Excelsior Springs,” the CCEDC stated. “The general contractor was Widewaters and the project architect was Stark Wilson Duncan Architects Inc.

“The project involved a total restoration of the historic building including 153 guest rooms, approximately 15,000 feet of meeting space, two lounges and a lobby. A major landmark for decades, The Elms continues to offer historic ambiance along with its famous mineral springs. One of the largest spas in the Midwest, everything from hydrotherapy to massage and salon services is available.

“Patrons can choose to dine at a full service restaurant and lounge or at a café, swim in an indoor European lap pool, soak in a 20-person year-round hot tub or take advantage of the fitness center. Outside, a second pool option is complemented by access to volleyball, badminton and shuffleboard among other amenities.

“The multi-use Elms Hotel and Spa continues to be a source of economic vitality in the area offering not only employment but also convenient access to a unique environment for pleasure or business endeavors.”

The Elms has 15,000 square feet of unique meeting space combined with the latest technology complemented by unsurpassed conference services. History beckons in the Truman Boardroom, above, with natural lighting on both walls. Natural light is a theme as all meeting space offers windows.

The Elms was recently recognized at the 2014 Missouri Preservation Conference with a Legacy Award. The hotel was host to the conference.

HISTORY:

The Elms story began with the discovery of healing mineral waters in Excelsior Springs in the 1880s. Before the hotel, people would pitch tents and board with locals, when visiting the popular springs. The hotel has been through an extended and exciting trip through history, from a fire, which burned the hotel to the ground in 1898, to famous guest like Harry S. Truman, Al Capone, Bugsdy Floyd, Jack Dempsey and the New York Giants, to name a few.

Nestled in the historic town of Excelsior Springs, The Elms Hotel and Spa offers the most significant spa experience between Chicago and Dallas. The hotel is listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places. The significance of the hotel upon the development of the community is recognized by its placement individually on the Excelsior Springs Landmarks register and as a contributor for the Elms Historic District. Currently the Excelsior Springs Historic Preservation Commission, in partnership with the Missouri State Historic Preservation Office utilizing a CLG grant, is preparing a National Register District nomination for the Elms Hotel and surrounding area.

For more about The Elms Hotel and Spa, visit the website.