Ritz-Carlton (100 Carondelet Plaza; 314-863-6300)
The name Ritz is synonymous with, well, the ritz. No hotel exudes elegance more than the Ritz-Carlton, and, lucky for St. Louisans, the glamorous hotel has an outpost in Clayton. Naturally, the Ritz provides exceptional comfort and luxury, including private Juliette balconies, flat-screen TVs, marble baths and Comfort Essentials feather beds. Guests can choose to venture outside of the hotel and stroll through lovely downtown Clayton or stay within the Ritz's walls and enjoy plenty of dining options or entertainment in the Lobby Lounge, which hosts live music and dancing and, keeping with the Ritz's refined tone, Saturday and Sunday afternoon tea. Yep, this is the life, and you deserve it.
Hilton St. Louis Ballpark (1 South Broadway; 314-421-1776)
In a baseball-mad town such as St. Louis, there's no better place to stay before or after the Cards take the field than the Hilton St. Louis Ballpark. Besides being just a short distance from Busch Stadium, the hotel also features Serenity beds, Touch of Down pillows and Crabtree & Evelyn toiletries - hey, sports fans deserve to be pampered too! This year the Hilton opened the 360 rooftop bar, which provides a perfect views right inside the stadium. On gameday, the hotel grounds transform into a rally point for Cardinal Nation, alive with music, food and fans. If the Cardinals keep on winning, then a regular old homestand might just turn into a staycation.
Moonrise Hotel (6177 Delmar Boulevard; 314-721-1111)
For years, visitors to St. Louis toured our favorite little strip, enjoyed its restaurants, bars, shops and scenery, only to leave Delmar Boulevard and head back to their hotel away from the lights and fanfare of the Loop. But now, thanks to one man, no one need leave the universe he created ever again. Is there anything Joe Edwards can't do? The tireless local has developed everything from bowling alleys to music venues to resurrection efforts for the Loop trolley. And in April 2009, he added boutique hotel to his résumé. And this isn't just any old hotel. In true Edwards fashion, this place rises above your run-of-the-mill, cookie-cutter hotels. Sure, it's got guest rooms, but these guest rooms feature Serta Enrapture mattresses, plasma TVs, Wolfgang Puck coffee and elegant toiletries. The Moonrise even has Jacuzzi rooms and ten "Walk of Fame" suites, which highlight different stars from the St. Louis Walk of Fame, another Edwards project. The hotel not only offers plenty of dining and entertainment along the bustling Loop, but it also houses fine dining at Eclipse and an ultra-chic rooftop bar.
