The Elms Hotel and Spa
Corporate brand
UnclaimedThe Elms Hotel and Spa is a historic mineral-springs resort in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, operating as a Destination by Hyatt hotel.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
The Elms Hotel and Spa is a historic resort hotel and full-service spa in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, approximately 30 miles northeast of Kansas City. Its identity is closely connected with the mineral-springs tourism that shaped Excelsior Springs from the late nineteenth century onward. The first Elms Hotel opened in July 1888 as a 200-room resort for visitors seeking rest, recreation, and treatments associated with the town’s mineral waters. A 75-room annex followed in 1889, but the original hotel was destroyed by fire in May 1898. A replacement hotel opened in July 1909 with approximately 300 rooms and was itself destroyed by fire in October 1910. The present building opened on September 7, 1912. Designed by Jackson & McIlvain, it uses native stone and combines Tudor Revival and Gothic Revival influences, including steep roofs, half-timbering, and masonry ornament. The structure remains the architectural core of the property and is a contributing resource in The Elms Historic District. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. During the 1920s and 1930s, the hotel benefited from Excelsior Springs’ proximity to Kansas City and its position within the regional resort trade. Historical accounts associate the property with Prohibition-era activity and figures connected with Kansas City political boss Tom Pendergast, while also recording visits by prominent guests such as boxer Jack Dempsey and President Harry S. Truman. Truman stayed at the hotel on election night in 1948 and learned the result of his presidential victory there the next morning, an episode that remains central to the property’s public history. The hotel passed through several ownership and operating phases. It was acquired by Eppley Hotel Company after a bankruptcy-related transaction in 1932 and became part of a major transaction involving Sheraton in 1956. It later operated under the Sheraton-Elms name before returning to its historic identity. The property closed in 1971 and reopened in 1977 after community investment efforts. In 1995, the City of Excelsior Springs acquired the hotel and supported a major restoration, completed in 1998 at a reported cost of $16 million. A further closure began in 2011, followed by a roughly $20 million rehabilitation and reopening in 2012 during the hotel’s centennial year. In April 2018, Horizon–Midway Group purchased the property. Management initially operated through Two Roads Hospitality and the Destination Hotels brand. Hyatt Hotels Corporation acquired Two Roads Hospitality later in 2018, bringing the property into the Destination by Hyatt portfolio. A multi-year renovation completed in 2022 updated guestrooms, spa areas, and public spaces while retaining the historic building’s architectural character. Today, The Elms Hotel and Spa operates as a destination resort with approximately 153 guestrooms and suites, dining venues, meeting and event facilities, and a full-service spa. The spa includes treatment rooms, a grotto, and wellness amenities that reinterpret the area’s mineral-water heritage for contemporary visitors. The hotel serves leisure travelers, wedding parties, conference groups, and regional events, and remains an important tourism anchor near downtown Excelsior Springs, the Hall of Waters, local wineries, parks, and other attractions.
History
The Elms Hotel developed alongside Excelsior Springs, Missouri’s rise as a mineral-springs resort. The first hotel opened in July 1888 with 200 rooms and was intended to accommodate visitors drawn to the town’s mineral waters. A 75-room annex was added the following year. The original structure burned on May 9, 1898. A second hotel, larger at approximately 300 rooms, opened on July 31, 1909. It also burned, on October 30, 1910, leading to the construction of the building that survives today. The current hotel opened on September 7, 1912. Architects Jackson & McIlvain designed the native-stone structure in a combination of Tudor Revival and Gothic Revival styles. Its steep roofs, decorative timbering, and substantial masonry made it a distinctive example of early twentieth-century resort architecture. The property’s early business was tied to health-resort travel. Guests came to Excelsior Springs for mineral-water treatments and rest-oriented stays, although medical assessments in the 1930s questioned the therapeutic claims associated with mineral waters. The town continued to market itself as a resort destination, and The Elms remained a prominent hotel within that tourism economy. The hotel was particularly active in the regional resort trade during the 1920s and 1930s. Accounts of the period connect it with Prohibition-era activity and Kansas City political networks associated with Tom Pendergast. It also attracted prominent visitors, including Jack Dempsey and Harry S. Truman. Truman’s 1948 election-night stay, during which he learned of his presidential victory at the hotel the next morning, became one of the property’s best-known historical associations. Ownership and operating arrangements changed repeatedly during the twentieth century. Eppley Hotel Company acquired the property following bankruptcy in 1932. In 1956, it became part of a major transaction involving Sheraton, and the hotel subsequently operated for a time as the Sheraton-Elms Hotel. It later returned to the Elms name. The hotel closed in 1971 and remained shuttered until community-backed investment helped it reopen in 1977. The City of Excelsior Springs acquired the property in 1995 and facilitated a major restoration. A reported $16 million renovation was completed in 1998. The hotel closed again in 2011 for a larger rehabilitation, reopening in 2012 in connection with the centennial of the current building. The property’s historic importance was formally recognized through its inclusion in The Elms Historic District and its listing on the National Register of Historic Places on March 29, 1985. In April 2018, Horizon–Midway Group purchased The Elms. Two Roads Hospitality managed the property under the Destination Hotels brand until Hyatt Hotels Corporation acquired Two Roads later that year. The hotel then became part of the Destination by Hyatt portfolio. A multi-year renovation completed in 2022 modernized accommodation areas, spa facilities, and common spaces without abandoning the building’s historic character. The contemporary resort offers approximately 153 guestrooms and suites, dining, meeting and event facilities, and a full-service spa. Its spa grotto and wellness programming draw on the area’s mineral-water history, while the hotel’s location near downtown Excelsior Springs, the Hall of Waters, wineries, and parks supports both heritage tourism and leisure travel. Weddings, conferences, and regional events supplement its traditional resort business.
- 2022
Renovation completed
[1]A multi-year project modernized rooms, spa facilities, and public spaces while retaining historic features.
- 2018
Horizon–Midway Group purchase and Hyatt affiliation
[1]Horizon–Midway Group purchased the hotel, and Hyatt’s acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality subsequently brought it into the Destination by Hyatt portfolio.
- 2012
Centennial reopening
[1]The property reopened after a reported $20 million rehabilitation during the centennial year of the current building.
- 2011
Comprehensive rehabilitation begins
[1]The hotel closed for a major rehabilitation project.
- 1998
Major restoration completed
[1]A reported $16 million renovation was completed.
- 1995
City acquisition
[1]The City of Excelsior Springs acquired the hotel and supported its preservation.
- 1985
National Register listing
[1]The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 29.
- 1977
Community-backed reopening
[1]The hotel reopened following local investment efforts.
- 1971
Hotel closes
[1]The property closed and remained inactive for several years.
- 1956
Sheraton transaction
[1]The property became part of a large transaction involving Sheraton and later operated under the Sheraton-Elms name.
Products and positioning
A historic Midwestern destination resort combining heritage architecture, mineral-springs tourism, spa and wellness services, dining, and event hospitality.
Accommodation
Guest rooms and suites
The resort provides approximately 153 guestrooms and suites in a historic hotel setting. Accommodation combines contemporary renovations with architectural elements and the atmosphere of the 1912 building. The rooms support leisure stays, heritage tourism, weddings, conferences, and regional resort visits.
Spa and wellness
The Elms Spa
The full-service spa is the property’s principal wellness offering. It includes treatment rooms, a spa grotto, and related relaxation amenities. Its concept references Excelsior Springs’ historic mineral-water culture while presenting spa services in a contemporary resort format.
Food and beverage
Dining venues
The hotel operates dining venues for overnight guests, spa visitors, events, and the wider regional tourism market. Specific venue names and menus are not established in the supplied reference material.
Events and hospitality
Weddings, meetings, and events
Meeting rooms and event spaces support weddings, conferences, private functions, and regional gatherings. The combination of historic architecture, guestrooms, dining, and spa services allows the property to operate as an integrated event resort.
Brand decisions
2018
Acquisition by Horizon–Midway GroupM&ABackground
The historic resort required an ownership structure capable of continuing hotel operations and long-term investment.
Action taken
Horizon–Midway Group purchased The Elms in April 2018 and continued its affiliation with Destination Hotels through Two Roads Hospitality.
Aftermath
The later Hyatt acquisition of Two Roads Hospitality placed the hotel within the Destination by Hyatt portfolio.
2011
Comprehensive rehabilitation and centennial reopeningGeneration changeBackground
The historic hotel required a further modernization after the earlier restoration, while its 2012 centennial provided a public milestone for repositioning the property.
Action taken
The hotel closed in 2011 for a reported $20 million rehabilitation and reopened in 2012 with updated resort facilities.
Aftermath
The project enabled the property to continue operating as a modern resort while retaining its historic identity.
Rehabilitation cost. $20 million (Rehabilitation beginning in 2011 and reopening in 2012)
1995
Municipal acquisition and preservation strategyStrategyBackground
After periods of closure and changing ownership, the City of Excelsior Springs acquired the historic property and sought to preserve it as a tourism and community asset.
Action taken
The city facilitated a major restoration that culminated in the completion of a reported $16 million renovation in 1998.
Aftermath
The investment helped return the hotel to active resort use and reinforced its role in the city’s heritage-tourism economy.
Renovation cost. $16 million (Completed in 1998)
Sources1 sources
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