MO Kansas City Hotel Phillips Downtown

Stayed at Hotel Phillips this past weekend. It's a nice boutique hotel. Not sure I'd give it 4 stars, as it is currently listed on hotwire, but 3 1/2 is probably fair.

Internet in the room is $10 for 24 hours. No minibar or refrigerator. Comfortable bed.

My favorite part of the hotel was the great bar/grill on the first floor. If you like jazz, then this is the place. On Friday night, it was a very fun band for swing dancing. Sax, Trumpet, guitar, bass and drums. Even took a request for Minnie the Mooche. Finished up with When The Saints... as it was Easter weekend.

Be sure to hit Arthur Bryant's (a few miles away) for some great BBQ.

Being that I bid $44 on Priceline to get this 4-star hotel, I really can't complain about anything, can I?

We stayed the night of Easter and this place was as dead as can be. Every time we passed through the lobby all eyes of the staff seemed to eagerly await a request of some kind. It was great though. No noise, no lines, instant elevator access, truly one-on-one service.

As I expected from reading other reviews, this is a beautifully restored hotel. Check-in was, of course, a breeze and we got one of the better rooms I'm sure (at the end of a hall with a roomier layout). We were greeted in our room with a blast of cold air, which later turned out to be a malfunctioning furnace. They sent an "engineer" (fancy talk for maintenance guy) immediately to come fix it. Other than that, the room was super. The bed was very comfortable and they dressed it up in really nice linens. The bathroom was immaculately clean and would meet the highest expectations.

We planned on going out for an interesting dinner, but EVERYTHING was closed, including their own Chophouse. We hoped to go to the Majestic Steakhouse, which is always open, but even they closed early on Easter. Our only option was 12 Baltimore, the hotel bar/restaurant. Surprisingly it was a great experience. It was completely empty except for the bartender, waitress, and cook (maybe two). Again, no competition for service. We had a few overpriced drinks (they have Unibroue Maudite on tap and some other interesting seasonals for you fellow beer guys), I had a cigar with no complaints, and we ordered a couple mediocre entr

This hotel is old. Being old isn't necessarily bad if the property is really kept up, but the age showed in spots here.

The lobby is beautiful, but areas like the carpet look worn and tired. I was worried about the elevators since they are tiny (4 people per car max), but they proved to be very speedy.

When I got to my room I was a bit disappointed. Apparently in the olden days people didn't need much space. The room was small without much free space. The windows were dirty and the trimwork was chipped and slightly rotting. The wallpaper was peeling in a couple of spots as well. That is not acceptable in a 4 star hotel.

The shower had great water pressure, but beware of the tub floor. I noticed a rolled up bath mat in the tub, but didn't give it much thought until I stepped into the shower and my foot slide across the tub bottom like it was greased. Thankfully I caught myself and didn't get hurt. From that point on, I used the bath mat. There was some mold on the shower curtain as well and the tub caulking had mold spots as well. Again, not acceptable at a 4 star hotel.

The TV was an old tube one and not a flat panel. The room had wood blinds, but I didn't see any darkening shades, so if you like to sleep during the day, the room will not be that dark.

The hotel was quiet and the bed comfortable. You can only valet park at the hotel and at $18 a night and tips every time they get your car it can get expensive. But, the valet guys were nice and quick and earned their tips.

I ate at the 12 Baltimore restaurant a couple of times and it was fine. The service and the people there were outstanding. Lots of international employees there, so some of the conversations can be quite interesting.

The location of the hotel is great. It is really close to the Power and Light District so there is plenty to do.

I only paid $60 a night through Priceline, so I didn't think that was bad. But, had I paid full freight I would have been disappointed.

I would not recommend this hotel unless you get a great rate. I have stayed other places in KC that have been better and would steer my friends there if they asked for my opinion.