The Ambassador Hotel is the stay for travellers who want to feel the Kansas City of the jazz age. It occupies a 1920s neoclassical building at 1111 Grand Boulevard, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, that once housed banks and a nightclub before a major renovation restored its original marble columns, floors and staircases. It joined Marriott’s Autograph Collection in 2014, holds a AAA Four Diamond rating, and has grown with a newly opened tower that brings the total to about 113 rooms. The American Reserve serves contemporary American breakfast, brunch and dinner with handcrafted cocktails, and Lonnie’s Reno Club is an upscale jazz supper club with live music and a prix fixe menu, a direct link to the city’s musical heritage. Guest reviews average above nine out of ten on Expedia. The location is right in the middle of downtown, close to the T-Mobile Center and the Power and Light District, with Crown Center, the Crossroads and Union Station a short streetcar or car ride south. It is smaller and more personal than the big convention hotels, at a price that usually sits in the upper mid-range.
Location and getting around: the hotel is at 1111 Grand Boulevard in the downtown loop. The Power and Light District, the T-Mobile Center and the convention center are a short walk, and the free KC Streetcar on Main Street, a block away, links you with the River Market, Crown Center and Union Station. Kansas City International Airport is about twenty miles north.
Rooms: rooms in the original building keep historic details, and some have special features such as a decorative fireplace or two-storey layouts, while rooms in the new tower are more contemporary. Ask which building you are in when booking if character matters to you.
Who it suits: couples looking for a romantic, historic stay, jazz lovers who want live music without leaving the building, and travellers who prefer a boutique feel to a big convention hotel.
Good to know: breakfast is charged separately unless included in your rate. Self-parking and valet both carry a daily charge. One pet per room is accepted for a fee, and the minimum check-in age is 21. There is a fitness center but no pool. Book Lonnie’s Reno Club ahead on weekends, when live jazz draws locals as well as guests.
Why stay here
- ✓The American Reserve restaurant
- ✓Lonnie’s Reno Club jazz supper club
- ✓Fitness center with Peloton bike
- ✓Room service
- ✓Concierge
- ✓Free lobby coffee and tea
- ✓Pet-friendly rooms
- ✓Valet and self-parking
Good questions
What is Lonnie’s Reno Club?+
Lonnie’s Reno Club is the hotel’s upscale jazz supper club, with live music and a prix fixe menu. It celebrates Kansas City’s jazz heritage.
Is the Ambassador Hotel a historic building?+
Yes, it occupies a 1920s neoclassical building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The renovation restored its original marble columns, floors and staircases.
Does the Ambassador Hotel have parking?+
Yes, there is self-parking and valet parking, both with a daily charge. The free streetcar a block away makes it easy to explore without a car.
