urbanSTL

I'm curious, do AirBnBs have to pay the hotel tax? If not I would think that the code should be altered to include these buildings with multiple (say more than 4) AirBnBs.

Yes.

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/231 ... n-missouri

It blows my mind that the OYO hasn't been renovated yet, I wouldn't even say renovation is the right word, maybe just updating. Reading the reviews (many of which are not great) it doesn't even seem like it needs all that much work. Granted it isn't pocket change but it seems like it just needs new furniture, carpets, a paint job, and a deep cleaning. For a bit extra do some minor updating in common areas and find a restaurant tenant and you have a perfectly fine hotel again.

^ Indeed.  It doesn't get much better of a location for people coming in for concerts, games, etc. @ Enterprise, or even those visiting Union Station if they're into that kind of thing.  Saves a few bucks from staying at the Double Tree Curio @ Union Station (when did that rebrand happen, anyways?).  Doesn't seem like this hotel is in the right hands, but hopefully it doesn't fall into total disrepair.

Union Station became a Curio in late 2016, maybe? It's been a long time. It was always too nice to be a DoubleTree. I think of DoubleTree more as a nice place to stay along the interstate, not a historic landmark. It's in good company, a lot of the Curio brand is made up of old world luxury hotels. Not really sure how to describe it, places like the Chase or the Elms in Excelsior Springs, MO. Where rich people would hang out in the 1920s. Large luxury hotels that are in the middle of neighborhoods or by the beach instead of downtown. I think Union Station fits the vibe perfectly. They call themselves an urban resort and it's definitely a great way to look at it. Yes I know that the historic terminal hotel was not a luxury hotel. For those that don't know, the rooms were tiny and super cheap. Something more like a YMCA than a hotel. 

As for the OYO, I would say it's embarrassing but every city has their crappy hotels. Even New York has the Hotel Pennsylvania. 

^ Wow, that long ago...a few years back we stayed at the DoubleTree and went to the NYE celebration at BPV, but I guess it's been a few more years than I thought. Haha.  Yeah, it was pretty nice when I was there, whenever that happened to be...but a shame you probably don't get the cookie upon arrival now. 

Thanks for the tidbit.

EssTeeEll wrote: ↑

Aug 28, 2021

^ Wow, that long ago...a few years back we stayed at the DoubleTree and went to the NYE celebration at BPV, but I guess it's been a few more years than I thought. Haha.  Yeah, it was pretty nice when I was there, whenever that happened to be...but a shame you probably don't get the cookie upon arrival now. 

Thanks for the tidbit.

Personal opinion. The cookie is awful….

KSDK reporting the Last Hotel is for sale

Lawsuit is still unresolved. US Bank says the developers still owe $12m. Of course the developers say the sale is unrelated to the lawsuit. They claim that the hotel would be 40% more expensive to build today and that's why the think it's a good time to sell. I'm guessing revenue is still lower than pre-COVID expectations though.

This might be a bad sign but could be good (or bad) for the hotel. Would be nice to see a brand flag on it again after it lost Hyatt. Maybe a Kimpton, IHG doesn't have much presence downtown.

The most recent reviews on Trip Advisor are... not great. But it does note that the hotel is "taking safety precautions against COVID-19 and is temporarily closed until 05/30/2022".

-RBB

Room (and room bathroom) renovations look great btw. Excited for this rebrand. A good sign for the CWE. Was this property an Indigo at one point or just proposals?

aprice wrote: ↑

Apr 18, 2022

 Was this property an Indigo at one point or just proposals?

It was, yes.

dweebe wrote: ↑

Apr 18, 2022

Using Google street view:
2007: no name hotel
2009: Hotel Indigo
2011: Comfort Inn
2014: Being renovated to Holiday Inn Express
2015-2022: Holiday Inn Express
2023>: back to Hotel Indigo?

Is this property haunted or built on an Native American burial ground?

2007 - Inn at the Park, and I believe it was a Best Western before that.

dweebe wrote: ↑

Apr 18, 2022

Using Google street view:
2007: no name hotel
2009: Hotel Indigo
2011: Comfort Inn
2014: Being renovated to Holiday Inn Express
2015-2022: Holiday Inn Express
2023>: back to Hotel Indigo?

Is this property haunted or built on an Native American burial ground?

Literally everything in the area is built on the ruins of the great Mississippian metropolis, so . . . yes. To the latter certainly. And probably the former as well. Chief Pontiac is probably still banging around downtown somewhere.

Le Méridien St. Louis Downtown hotel at 1019 Pine is having their grand opening May 5

quincunx wrote: ↑

May 02, 2022

Le Méridien St. Louis Downtown hotel at 1019 Pine is having their grand opening May 5

….it’s been open for months

Does their PR department know?

I was there to eat at Prime 55 on 3/17 and I’m positive it was open a few weeks before that

I don't know anything about the place, but from walking past regularly the Le Meridien has never really looked complete. Their new sign has staining running down from the letters on the main sign. Their canopy framing looks pointless and naked without a canopy. There's a window along Pine that looks like it was never cleaned. Then you have the permanent sidewalk plates along Pine to cover some shaky grates, which maybe is the city's fault but still adds to the total lack of curb appeal.

And it does seem like it's been open for months. The TVs in Prime 55 are even on the February streetview.

Could well be it was a soft open. The Broadway in Columbia was open to paying customers at least a few weeks before the official "Grand Opening." The owners figured the soft opening would provide a bit of revenue and help the staff work the kinks out. (And maybe give the contractors, i. e. us, a little extra time to fix punchlist items.) Three months seems a long time for a soft open, but . . . maybe? (Especially with Covid I could maybe see it.)

Yeah, Grand Openings happen late all the time. Completely understandable why they would have an incremental opening.

Shell Building dual Hilton is open or will be open this weekend because I just booked a stay there this weekend for my mom

According to the Hilton website, the Hilton at the Arch (the smaller downtown Hilton at 4th & Olive) is closed for renovations. Projected to reopen on September 6th.
This was by far the most dated of the chain hotels downtown. Its reviews were suffering as well.
I'm hoping for this to be a Hilton Canopy, which this property would be perfect for.