Hotel Phillips Kansas City, Curio Collection By Hilton

Thr Speak Easy - PS. Brie and Vanity are excellent. Brie went above and beyond

Good location.

Thanks Jimmy and Andrew for the great valet service!

We absolutely love the history of the hotel. And the beauty that they've kept intact. We will be going back

The antique value of the facility and how it has evolved to modern comforts!

Matt was super helpful! We appreciated his input.

The staff was friendly and gracious and we loved exploring the beautiful lobby and mezzanine. Our room was clean and comfortable.

The Hotel Phillips certainly makes a striking first impression. Stepping into the lobby, you are immediately met with an undeniable historic charm and a sense of grandeur that harkens back to Kansas City’s Art Deco era. The staff are well-versed in the building's history, sharing intriguing stories behind various rooms that add a unique narrative layer to the stay. Additionally, the on-site speakeasy is a standout feature, offering a well-executed atmosphere and high-quality cocktails that capture the "hidden gem" vibe perfectly.
One of the property's strongest assets is its premier location. Situated in the heart of downtown, the hotel offers excellent walkability. Being able to step out the front door and easily walk to a variety of breakfast spots and dinner destinations is a significant plus for any traveler.
Unfortunately, the aesthetic appeal and prime location do not translate into a comfortable guest experience.
The most significant issue was the quality of the sleep environment. The beds were remarkably uncomfortable, leading to a very poor night's rest. For a hotel of this stature, a baseline level of mattress quality and comfort is expected, and this fell well below that mark.
Furthermore, the logistical experience was inconsistent. When requesting a mini-fridge for the room, it was clear that the equipment quality varies wildly; colleagues in my group received vastly different models, ranging from standard to substandard.
The most concerning aspect of the stay, however, was the condition of the bathroom. It was in clear need of a renovation. Not only was it dated, but the tiles were visibly chipped and cracked.
While the Hotel Phillips excels in atmosphere, history, and location, the lack of basic comfort and the presence of maintenance safety risks make it difficult to recommend for a restful stay until room updates are prioritized.

TLDR: found a cockroach in my room, manager refused to issue refund.

I recently stayed at Hotel Phillips Kansas City, Curio Collection by Hilton, 7/17/2026 - 7/19/2026.  

5 minutes after settling in I watched a cockroach crawl across our room. 

Image attached.

After killing it, I brought the cockroach to the front desk. An employee assisted me in switching rooms and assured me, even promised me, that the manager would reach out to me the next day and help me with a refund (7/18/2026).  (They did not reach out to me) 

The room we were switched to was not cleaned properly.  I have attached images of the second room as well.  

In our second room, we were met with stains, previous guests’ hair in the bathroom, an unpluggable sink, and damaged furniture.

It was uncomfortable to sleep with the knowledge that there is a roach infestation in the hotel.

Just felt dirty.

My true problem is with the lack of guest service during this fiasco.  

Being told by an employee that a manager would reach out to me the next day to address my concern was promising but it was not honored.  

I had to remind the front desk during check out that my issue was not resolved and I was again met with “the manager is not here, I’ll have him call you first thing when he gets in at noon.”

(Something I’ve noticed in other reviews is that the manager is seemingly always away).

I didn’t not receive a phone call until 4pm.  Another promise not honored by the staff.

The manager, Edmund Vaughn, apologized for the inconvenience but continued to give me excuses saying “It’s common for roaches to climb up water pipes in the summer.”  

That’s fine- but it’s actually not normal for a hotel room to have roaches in it regardless of weather, season, etc. It’s unsanitary.

He even mentioned that a previous guest had made a complaint about seeing an insect in the same room “but ECOLABS has already come by and cleaned it, I can send you the report.”  

What would that do?

I asked for a refund and he told me “it can be hard to issue refunds when 3rd parties are involved.” 

For reference, I booked with the app Vio.

He offered to give me 20,000 Hilton points, I told him on the phone I did not have an account connected to this stay.

He assured me I have an account then proceeded to send me a screenshot of my “account.”  The account had an entirely different name on it and phone number.  I had to reconfirm my actual number and email at several points with the staff.

So Edmund refused to give me the monetary refund and instead issued 20,000 points to an account I’ve never even seen.

My issue is still unresolved and I’m incredibly disappointed in the lack of professionalism from this staff.

I chose the Hilton Curio collection this time over several options in Kansas City because I had stayed at one (a curio collection) before and loved the authenticity of the space, and had great guest service.  Not this time!