Hotel Parq Central
"Why book? A thoughtfully reimagined 1926 railroad hospital, Hotel Parq Central offers a serene stay along historic Route 66 and between the city’s most-visited neighborhoods. While brimming with history, it still feels welcoming to today’s convenience-seeking travelers. Set the scene Once a hilltop outpost, Hotel Parq Central now sits in an urban sea that includes a pair of city hospitals. That location prescribes a heavy dose of doctors and hospital staff as hotel guests. The hotel’s buzzy Apothecary Lounge attracts locals, too. The backstory Hotel Parq Central got its start as an Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway employee hospital, and the Italiante-style building served as a infirmary of one kind or the other from the roaring ’20s until the 1990s. Local entrepreneurs purchased the languishing structure, undertook a four-year renovation, and reopened it as a boutique hotel in 2010. The transformation preserved the building’s National Register of Historic Places bona fides. The stone-and-stucco façade, including ceramic tiles and windows, as well as interior railings, staircases, and doors have been restored to their original grandeur. The rooms Original interior tiles inspired the hotel’s sea-glass color palette; shades of mint green and pale turquoise lend a peaceful ambiance to its 74 guest rooms. Wander the main building’s halls to take in curio cabinets with displays devoted to vintage hat boxes, railroad stakes, and other 1920s artifacts. Sun seekers enjoy the light-drenched Conservatory, originally a porte-cochere for arriving hospital patients before it was enclosed, while privacy-loving guests and large families love the nine-room former doctor’s residence housed in a separate building on the back of the two-acre property. Food and drink The hotel serves a morning pastry spread in the former hospital cafeteria. The rooftop Apothecary Lounge reimagines the former nurse’s station as a bar serving Prohibition-era Sazeracs and Pimms Pouches; modern-day cocktails, like prickly pear margaritas; and light bites, such as deep-fried green chile strips. Don’t miss clever details in the décor, including a wall papered with vintage witch hazel, castor oil, and tonic bottle labels and a coffin-trolley-turned-table. Panoramic downtown views await on the roof deck. The neighborhood/area Within easy reach of indie-shopping and dining district Nob Hill, the university area, and nightlife-rich downtown, EDo (East Downtown) is often overlooked among its attention-grabbing neighbors. It’s carving out its own identity with restaurants such as Holy Burger and The Grove Café & Market, locally owned boutiques, and yoga studios. The service Easy-going staff can arrange a ride for you in the hotel’s vehicle within three miles of its location. Eco effort The hotel offers a cursory sustainability nod with LED (energy-efficient) lighting and, when the guests request it, not swapping linens throughout their stays. Accessibility Hotel Parq Central is ADA compliant; however, some guests using wheelchairs have commented that small guest rooms limit mobility. Anything left to mention? Although a stone’s throw away from Interstate 25, the guest rooms and hotel’s outdoor courtyard are surprisingly quiet. If this is a concern, ask for a room at the west side of the property, the farthest away from potential traffic noise." - Ashley M. Biggers
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