The Raphael is the boutique pick on the Country Club Plaza. Built in 1927, it has 126 rooms across nine floors on Ward Parkway, and it consistently earns some of the best guest ratings in the city: 9.6 out of 10 from more than a thousand reviews. The restaurant is Chaz on the Plaza, and there is also a bar and lounge, a garden, a terrace and a rooftop garden, as well as a 24-hour gym and free Wi-Fi in every room. In-room massages are another touch you do not often see. The setting is calmer than downtown but you can walk to a lot: Jack Stack Barbecue is five minutes away on foot, the Plaza’s shops and restaurants are close, the Kemper Museum is about 14 minutes, and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is roughly 17 minutes. It suits couples, art lovers and food lovers who want a residential, upscale feel, especially in late November and December when the Plaza lights come on.
Location and getting around
The hotel is at 325 Ward Parkway. The Plaza Tennis Center is a five-minute walk, the Plaza streetcar stop eight minutes, the Kansas City Art Institute about 13 minutes and the Kemper Museum about 14 minutes (0.8 miles). The Nelson-Atkins is around 17 minutes on foot, a mile away. Union Station is about 15 minutes by car, and the airport is roughly 31 minutes by car.
Rooms and facilities
With only 126 rooms, service feels personal. Chaz on the Plaza handles dining, there is a garden and a terrace for sitting out, and the rooftop garden is a quiet place for a drink or a stroll. Covered self-parking costs about 35 dollars a night and valet about 40, and there is an electric-car charging station. Pets are not allowed other than service animals.
Who it suits
Couples on a weekend away, art and museum lovers, and travellers who want to walk to dinner on the Plaza. Good to know: this is not a budget stay, so look at downtown or Crown Center options if price is the priority, and book early for the holiday lights season. It is about a 15-minute drive to Union Station, so allow a rideshare for the WWI Museum and downtown.
For a longer stay, the best approach is to use the hotel as a quiet base and spend your days on the Plaza and in Midtown. The walk to the Kemper and the Nelson-Atkins is pleasant in good weather, and both museums are free to enter for general admission, which helps offset the room rate. In the evening, the Plaza’s restaurants and the hotel’s own bar give you options without needing a car. If you plan to explore downtown or Crown Center, budget for rideshares or the streetcar.
Why stay here
- ✓Chaz on the Plaza restaurant
- ✓Bar and lounge
- ✓Rooftop garden
- ✓Garden and terrace
- ✓24-hour fitness center
- ✓In-room massages
- ✓Covered parking and valet
- ✓Free Wi-Fi
Good questions
Where is The Raphael Hotel?+
It is at 325 Ward Parkway, at the edge of the Country Club Plaza. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is about a mile away.
Is there parking at The Raphael?+
Yes, covered self-parking is around 35 dollars a night and valet around 40 dollars, and there is an electric vehicle charging station.
Are pets allowed?+
No, pets are not allowed, though service animals are welcome.
