Written by Mollie Talbot for The KC Scene
This month, three Kansas City hotels were named in Condé Nast Traveler 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards for the top fifteen Midwest places to stay: The Ambassador, The Fontaine, and Crossroads Hotel. Seeing as Kyle and I celebrated our tenth anniversary at Crossroads Hotel last weekend, we’re going to take an inside look at why this hotel has made this list twice since opening in 2020 and dive briefly into the KC history it preserves in its three offerings: the hotel itself, Percheron Rooftop Bar, and its on-site restaurant, Lazia.
Arriving for our stay, we were met by valet accommodations and a luggage cart for our belongings. While we’ve visited the lobby bar a few times while enjoying First Friday art walks, passing it on our way to the check-in counter proved that it never disappoints. Always lively with consistently diverse clientele, you’ll find pool tables and eclectic seating that meet the needs of every kind of guest. A wedding had finished in one of the hotel’s many event spaces, bringing a gorgeously dressed group through the bar. Simultaneously, casual girls’ nights were kicking off, guys played pool with beers and shots, solo visitors enjoyed wine and cocktails at the bar, and couples wandered hand in hand through the hotel’s 2,000-square-foot boutique art gallery in the lobby.
We met Kelly at check-in. I thought she recognized Kyle by how she lit up welcoming us, but she didn’t. As the first face of the hotel, she embodies Midwestern charm and kindness. Despite a hiccup after using a third-party booking company for our stay, she eased our concerns and encouraged us to start our anniversary celebration strong by checking out the room before deciding if we needed alternate accommodations. Walking up and into our room, I immediately understood her confidence in our satisfaction; it was a dream. Fifteen-foot ceilings, exposed brick, natural light, whimsical decor, artistic wallpaper, sink-in bedding, and an assortment of KC-based snacks, beer, wine, liquor, and mixers made us forget any issue we might’ve had. We unpacked, reveling in the silence we’re not frequently granted as parents of three boys, and for the sake of history, I popped a PBR. While settling in, Kelly called to see what we thought of our room and if there was anything she could do to improve our stay. Her care and attention did that and more.
It’s hard not to be impressed by the hotel’s offerings. Its dedication to the building’s history and location in KC’s creative epicenter combines industrial roots with classic, artistic flair to provide an experience you won’t find elsewhere. But knowing the hotel’s history only adds to one’s appreciation for its attention to detail, devotion to preserving its historical roots, and over-the-top care for the comfort and accommodation of all who stay.
The building that is now Crossroads Hotel was originally purchased in 1911 as a bottling depot for Pabst Blue Ribbon. The famous blue ribbon allegedly won during the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 is kept alive in every hallway. While walking to your room, you’re guided by a surprisingly buoyant blue ribbon hall runner as a nod to its origin story. Such thoughtful design sets it apart while showing guests the level of care to expect from their stay. As a dog-friendly hotel, I was charmed to pass a room with a luxury dog bowl and bed placed tastefully against its door. Touches like this are not only meaningful but memorable.
While the building was a PBR bottling depot from 1911 to 1920, a specific breed of horse called Percherons was used to transport beer within the building. A name you may recognize by now. Another nod to the preservation of its roots, Crossroads Hotel’s rooftop bar is its namesake. Climbing the elevator to the top for a cocktail, event, or live music at the Percheron rooftop bar is a Kansas City must. While the views and vibes are unforgettable, knowing the history again elevates the significance.
In 1920, when Prohibition interfered with the building’s function as a beer bottling facility, it was purchased by none other than Kansas City political strong-arm Tom Pendergast as, get this, a combination of office spaces and a “water” bottling facility. Between its suspicious proximity to Union Station’s rail yards and Kansas City never seeing a single felony alcohol arrest throughout Prohibition because of corrupt powers like Pendergast, I’m sure you can deduce what the building was used for. A comprehensive look at Tom Pendergast’s Kansas City influence is an article or book in itself, so we’ll limit our brief discussion to his Brooklyn-born right-hand man, John Lazia. Another name that might ring familiar — John Lazia — is arguably responsible for bolstering the political influence Tom Pendergast was able to attain and maintain for so long in shaping Kansas City. Fittingly, Crossroads Hotel named their on-site Italian restaurant Lazia to claim this additional connection to our city’s rich, mob-ridden history.
Through a blue curtain in the lobby, Lazia is described as an Old World Italian restaurant where classic Italian flavors meet modern flair, but personally speaking, I simply know it now as my favorite Italian restaurant in KC, and your girl likes pasta. A combination of tasteful and charming service, an all-Italian wine menu to die for, and two of the best pasta dishes I’ve had in a while almost had me calling it quits on the remainder of our date night. Despite overeating (always), we still had enough food for dinner the following night. After a short rest, I managed to rally so we could walk around the Crossroads and dip into a few of the neighboring places for music and a nightcap (or two).
Before dinner, Kyle organized a photo shoot in the lobby and adjacent art gallery with the hotel’s permission as a present for our anniversary. The hotel had countless aesthetically impressive and Instagram-worthy photo spots to commemorate our night and ten-year marriage milestone. I love that we have such gorgeous photos to celebrate not only our anniversary but also the reminder that occasionally we’re more than parents. Crossroads Hotel gave us an absolutely unforgettable night.
While Kyle and I have separately visited the lobby bar, Lazia, and the rooftop bar at Percheron, staying in the hotel where you’re granted access to all three spots without leaving, and can “charge it to the room,” was the perfect staycation. But for anyone visiting Kansas City, I’d argue this might be one of the most elite one-stop shops to experience the best of KC. Crossroads Hotel is where food, drinks, art, culture, and entertainment are wrapped in Midwestern kindness and tied with a bow of reverence for KC’s history.
Thank you, Crossroads Hotel. It’s clear why you’ve made Condé Nast’s Readers’ Choice list of the best Midwestern places to stay once again. We can’t wait to come back.
Written by Mollie Talbot for The KC Scene