Forbes Says This Is Missouri’s Only Four Star Luxury Hotel

This Missouri hotel in St. Louis renews its four-star rating from Forbes Travel Guide, remaining the only four-star luxury hotel in the state. Even more impressive, it's the twenty-second year in a row the hotel received four stars from the only global rating system for luxury hotels, spas, and ocean cruises.

The Ritz-Carlton St. Louis is a hotel in the Clayton neighborhood of St. Louis. Forbes Travel Guide gives the hotel four stars for its combination of big-city sophistication and Midwestern warmth.

Bosther Kusich, General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, says, “Our highest mission is to create a space of genuine care and comfort for our guests. It is a privilege to serve as the leading luxury property in the region, providing the finest personal service and offering an unforgettable guest experience to our Ladies and Gentlemen.”

The inspector from Forbes Travel Guide shares the highlights of their visit to the Ritz-Carlton St. Louis on the Fobes site:

• The hotel's location in the Clayton area, where the streets are lined with art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants.
• The spa's locally inspired treatments, like a Missouri Red Rock Massage to soothe the muscles.
• The hotel's state-of-the-art health club. Including health club trainers and staff. Spacious locker rooms with a sauna and steam rooms. As well as a generous number of fitness machines and free weights for guests.
• The hotel's iconic Lobby Lounge offers over 200 martinis, an intimate sushi bar, live entertainment, and the hotel's signature Afternoon Tea.

Forbes Travel Guide also likes the Ritz-Carlton for its proximity to shopping at the St. Louis Galleria and numerous luxury boutiques like Kate Spade and Cole Haan. The hotel's location is across from MetroLink's Forsyth Boulevard Station, so you can get around without a car. And finally, the hotel's Cigar Club.

If you think staying there is going to be affordable, think again. If you're anything like me, luxury is more upgrading to a suite at the casino hotel or staying downtown instead of in the suburbs. A place like the Ritz, just isn't in the budget most of the time.

The rates at the Ritz-Carlton are not for the faint of heart or the budget-minded traveler. One Friday night in late February, the cheapest room listed was going for $793. Looking at flexible dates, the lowest rate I spotted was $754 on a Friday evening in March.

If you can afford it, a stay at the Ritz in St. Louis might be the elegance you're looking for. However, you could put that $800 towards staying in the Presidential Suite at The Fontaine or a Loft or Parlor Suite at the Ambassador in Kansas City. You can read more about that here!