City: Kansas City, MO

Category: Accommodations

Telephone: (816) 630-5500, (800) THE-ELMS

Address: 401 Regent

Description: You never know whom you might meet at this retreat just 30 minutes from Kansas City; Presidents Harry S. Truman and FDR slept here. So did Al Capone. In fact, plenty of national celebrities and much of Kansas City society have stayed here. The Elms’s history actually precedes its grand opening date of 1912: The property was originally built in 1888 as a luxury resort to take advantage of the area’s mineral waters. When the building’s wide wooden verandas and pine interiors twice were destroyed by fire, they were replaced by native Missouri limestone. The hotel is still a haven of serenity and style, with 153 guest rooms and suites. A world-class spa and wellness center includes Swiss and Vichy showers, massage treatments, facials, manicures, and pedicures. In 2009, readers of KC Magazine rated it “Best Day Spa.” With its 16 acres of gently rolling hills, the Elms also provides plenty of opportunities for an afternoon stroll or jog.When you’re ready for cocktails you can unwind in the lobby lounge or the second-level library lounge. The Elms’s Dining Room serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner or sumptuous weekend breakfast buffet in a graceful setting with a wall of windows overlooking the landscaped grounds.If you can pull yourself away from that late-morning massage, there’s plenty to do in Excelsior Springs. Along with golf courses and antiques shops, there’s the fascinating Hall of Waters Spa and Mineral Baths, where you can choose your favorite bottled water from around the world or indulge in other spa treatments. And the Jesse James Farm and Museum in nearby Kearney, Missouri, provides a fascinating look at the area’s favorite bandit hero.