The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center is the practical choice for families and for anyone with a packed attraction list. It has 724 rooms in an 18-floor building on East Pershing Road, set inside the Crown Center complex, and the numbers explain the appeal: SEA LIFE Kansas City and the LEGOLAND Discovery Center are each about two minutes on foot, Union Station is four, the Hallmark Visitors Center six and Science City eight. A year-round heated outdoor pool with indoor entry is a rare treat in a Midwestern winter, and the hotel adds a health club, a WestinWORKOUT studio, a hot tub, a sauna and a steam room. Dining is at One East, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a poolside bar, a bar and lounge and a coffee bar. Guests rate it 8.8 out of 10 from more than a thousand reviews. It is the easy answer for a family weekend, and it is a short ride from the National WWI Museum and Memorial.
Location and getting around
The hotel is at 1 East Pershing Road, effectively in the middle of Crown Center, so shops, restaurants and attractions are a minute or two away. Union Station and its streetcar stop are about three to four minutes on foot, and the free streetcar then runs north to downtown and the River Market. The airport is about 30 minutes by car.
Rooms and facilities
With 724 rooms the hotel is large and busy, but it has the space for families and groups. The pool, sauna and steam room make it a good base in any season. Covered self-parking costs about 33 dollars a day and valet about 45 dollars. Dogs are accepted, with a limit of two and a nightly fee, and service animals are exempt. In-room Wi-Fi is charged at around 15 dollars a day, while some public areas have free Wi-Fi.
Who it suits
Families, groups, and visitors planning to see SEA LIFE, LEGOLAND, Hallmark and Union Station without a car. Good to know: large hotels can be busy on convention and event weekends, and the Wi-Fi charge is worth factoring into your budget. If you prefer a historic or boutique feel, consider the downtown or Plaza options instead.
A practical tip for families is to use the hotel pool as a reward after a morning at SEA LIFE or LEGOLAND, since the pool is open year-round and has indoor entry in cold months. If you are driving, compare the parking charge with the cost of walking from a cheaper hotel, because the convenience of walking to the attractions is the main benefit here. Travellers who like quiet should ask for a higher floor, and those who want views of the city should request a room facing the skyline.
Why stay here
- ✓Year-round heated outdoor pool
- ✓Health club and sauna
- ✓WestinWORKOUT studio
- ✓One East restaurant
- ✓Poolside bar
- ✓Coffee bar
- ✓Covered parking and valet
- ✓Pet-friendly (dogs)
Good questions
How close is the Westin to SEA LIFE and LEGOLAND?+
Both are about a two-minute walk from the hotel, and Union Station is around four minutes on foot.
Does the Westin have a pool?+
Yes, there is a year-round heated outdoor pool with indoor entry, along with a hot tub, sauna and steam room.
Is Wi-Fi free?+
Wi-Fi is free in some public areas, but in-room Wi-Fi was listed at about 15 dollars a day when we checked.
