The Elms Hotel & Spa in Excelsior Springs, Mo., has completed renovations to its guestrooms, lobby, spa, ballroom, fitness center, outdoor space and dining areas that were inspired by the property’s original features.
The hotel’s upgrades, designed by Meri Meis, span the entirety of the 153-room property and have been underway since late 2020. The designs were inspired by original architecture of the hotel, including the mosaic tile flooring in the lobby, with the end product displaying a transitional-modern style that complements the historic design elements. By using the emerald and burgundy hues of the tiles as accents throughout the lobby, complementing these and the existing Craftsman style with more modern neutral shades of gray and beige, Meis created a cohesive aesthetic to tie together the common areas, guestrooms and spa.
The 28,000-square-foot Spa at The Elms introduced a new space where guests can unwind ahead of treatments. Seating can be set up for solo guests or groups. Once in the spa, guests also have access to new VIP treatment rooms. All of the spa upgrades were conceptualized in tandem with spa director Marissa Krems. Within the space, Meis incorporated tranquil, natural colors accented by blue hues to visually reference the element of water, drawing on the hotel’s location surrounded by 46 mineral springs. Tiles in the spa were handmade and the art was selected to further the water-inspired imagery and create a calming environment for guests to relax. The space also got a new mud bar where guests can exfoliate in mineral-enriched mud. The outdoor grotto area outside of the spa got a new zen garden.
For the ballroom, Meis brought in subtle gray tones to modernize the space while retaining the historic feel and designed a custom carpet with a nonrepeating pattern, ensuring cohesion with the rest of the hotel.
Additional upgrades to the property include a refinished indoor lap pool; updates to the fitness center; the incorporation of the lobby’s colors and styles in the boardrooms and meeting spaces; updated furniture and décor in The Tavern, the property’s cocktail bar; and the reconception of Three Owls (formerly The 88 Restaurant).
Newly added spaces in the hotel include the Café Soterian and The Market, both located in the lobby.
“The vision for the multimillion-dollar renovation at The Elms Hotel & Spa was to take the hotel back to its roots but give it a modern flair at the same time,” said James Gould, principal of Horizon Hotel Group. “We are incredibly excited to have past guests and new visitors stay at the property and experience everything from the new mud bar at our renowned spa to the Zen Garden for the ultimate place to unwind.”