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Once a bustling train station dating back to 1894, St. Louis Union Station is an iconic landmark that has been transformed into a luxurious hotel. With its stunning Romanesque architecture, soaring Grand Hall, and upscale amenities, the St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton offers a unique blend of historic charm and modern elegance. The hotel’s updated guest rooms, dining selections and proximity to popular St. Louis attractions make it a great choice of accommodation for guests visiting the Gateway City.
I first stayed at this hotel in 2011, prior to my disability, when it was part of the Marriott portfolio. Since then, many updates have been done to make the St. Louis Union Station Hotel and the larger complex more attractive and welcoming to both leisure and business travelers.
Room Rates and Reservations
The cost of a hotel room at the St. Louis Union Station Hotel varies considerably, with prices ranging from less than $200 to more than $500 per night over the next year, inclusive of taxes. During my recent stay, rates averaged about $200 per night, however I did not actually book a room at this property (I was moved here by another hotel that was unable to accommodate my accessibility needs). The property’s website lists a number of wheelchair accessible hotel room types, with both one and two beds.
Room reservations for ADA accessible hotel rooms can be made via the St. Louis Union Station Hotel website.
Entrance to the hotel is somewhat complicated, as wheelchair users enter through a side door at the main bell stand, take the elevator up to the Mezzanine level, then pass through a second door into the grand hall. While the first (street level) door is staffed and offers automatic push button entry, the second door is manually operated and there are no staff to assist. For guests unable to operate the manual door, be sure to ask a bell person to accompany.
Check-in was a breeze and my room was located in an annex attached to the lobby level. For guests placed on another floor, the elevators are large enough to accommodate a wheelchair user and three to four other people.
Wheelchair Accessible Hotel Room at St. Louis Union Station Hotel
My guest room with a king sized bed was numbered 3002. The door was easily unlocked with the tap of a keycard, but it was somewhat difficult to open. The door featured two peepholes, one at a height of 59.5 inches and another at a reduced height of 48 inches.
The guest room was spacious, with more than enough room to navigate with my large power wheelchair. Large windows looked out onto a courtyard facing other hotel rooms (sadly, no view of the train tracks or ferris wheel).
The bed height was 26 inches measured from the floor to the top of the mattress. The bed was on a platform base that measured 7 inches tall, with a 7-inch boxspring between the platform and mattress. Removing the bed frame or boxspring would lower the height to approximately 19 inches, a reasonable accommodation that can be requested by calling the front desk.
The bed was comfortable and fairly soft, which allowed me to sleep extremely well. The room’s air conditioning was top notch, cooling the room to a low 62 degrees Fahrenheit, near my ideal sleep temperature of 60 degrees.
A flat screen television sat atop a desk and cabinet combo opposite the bed. Inside the cabinet, a small refrigerator was provided. The desktop measured 31.5 inches tall, with 27 inches of clearance underneath.
The bed was accessible from both sides, with easy to operate bedside lamps affixed to the wall above the nightstands. I charged my power wheelchair using an outlet on the wall to the left of the bed — although there were built-in power outlets in the lamp fixtures, they have a reduced current.
Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom with Roll-in Shower at St. Louis Union Station Hotel
The bathroom did not meet all of the accessible design expectations, but I found it manageable.
The roll-in shower featured a wall-mounted folding shower seat (18.5 inches above the floor), but it was a much smaller seat than required — it was just 18 inches wide by 14.5 inches deep and, as a fully grown man, I was somewhat hesitant to use it. Grab bars were located in the right places (35.5 inches above the floor) and the handheld shower spray unit and water controls were within reach of the seat.
Soap, shampoo and conditioner bottles were affixed to the same wall as the seat, which made them difficult to access. The shower curtain didn’t quite touch the floor — long enough to prevent my wheelchair from getting soaked, but allowing some water runoff into the larger bathroom area.
The roll-under sink had a countertop that was 34 inches high, with 26.75 inches of clearance below. This allowed me to roll my wheelchair right up to the bathroom sink and use it as intended.
The toilet measured 17.5 inches from the floor to the top of the toilet seat, and it was surrounded by grab bars on the adjacent side walls (35 inches tall). There was more than enough space to park my large power wheelchair next to the toilet, allowing for safe lateral transfers.
Location & Transportation
The Curio Collection Hotel by Hilton at St. Louis Union Station is located in downtown St. Louis and, while long-distance Amtrak trains no longer serve the former station, it is the site of a stop on the city’s MetroLink light rail service. You can read more about the light rail in the Guide to Wheelchair Accessible Public Transportation in St. Louis. The MetroLink’s Union Station stop connects riders to train bound for other destinations in the city, including Lambert St. Louis International Airport.
Many options for wheelchair accessible entertainment exist within Union Station itself, including the St. Louis Aquarium, The Wheel, a carousel and a miniature golf course. Some great restaurants are also within the facility, including Landry’s Steakhouse and one of my St. Louis favorites, The Train Shed.
Plenty more is within walking distance, including the iconic St. Louis Gateway Arch, Busch Stadium (where the Cardinals play), and CITY Park, home of the St. Louis City SC major league soccer team. Public transport can take you to many of the other wheelchair accessible tourist attractions in St. Louis.
Final Thoughts
The St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton offers modern accommodation inside one of the city’s most spectacular historic landmarks. While it may not be the most accessible hotel in the city, it will meet the needs of many and the location is difficult to beat. Proximity to top St. Louis attractions and the MetroLink train makes this hotel an incredible convenient place to stay.
