STORY BY Natalie McAllister

PHOTOS BY Phil Kline

As we conjure up our New Year’s resolutions, we discover a local venue undergoing some improvements of its own. Warm up to its fresh new look for 2012.

The weather outside is frightful, but the newly revamped Hotel Phillips (106 W. 12th St.) delivers a delightful retreat from the chill. Hearkening back to the days when hotels were socialite hot spots, Hotel Phillips’ redesign accents its high-style drama while enhancing the Art Deco elements that have made it a city icon since opening in 1931. A color palette of gold, beige and rich red revives an elegance once expected from metropolitan hotels, and luxurious details touch everything from the guest rooms to the mezzanine and lobby. Even the portico—perhaps the most recognizable exterior feature of the hotel—has been revamped with period-style chandeliers and heating elements for the city’s bitterly cold winters.

A step into the lobby proves the fresh look still speaks to the hotel’s history. Guests are greeted by authentic bronze and nickel metalworks while marble and carved walnut panels reach from the floors to the mezzanine’s ceiling.

“When Hotel Phillips was originally built, it was the premier hotel in the city,” says Blaine Proctor, director of sales and marketing at Hotel Phillips. “The renovations offer Kansas Citians a place to once again gather in style.”

Gathering is easy—and inviting—in the hotel’s see-and-be-seen communal spaces. Cozy porter’s chairs and lush couches create comfortable nooks that are ideal for bunkering down with friends during the cold months. For business travelers and hometown professionals, tables are placed throughout the mezzanine and lobby areas to create impromptu meeting spots at all hours of the day.

At every turn, details celebrate Kansas City’s Art Deco history and the blossoming arts scene. Overnighters are greeted on the elevator landings by floor-to-ceiling murals sampled from Art Deco artist Tamara de Lempicka’s famed collection. Inside the guest rooms, a range of colorful fabrics and textures deliver a tactile indulgence while residential furniture—including tub-style chairs featuring the hotel’s iconic “Dawn” statue—encourages total relaxation for a weary traveler or a stay-cationer.

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