Located on Washington Avenue in the heart of the St. Louis Garment District, The Last Hotel was built inside of a historic shoe factory. Thoughtfully designed, the hotel maintains touches of the building’s history, while boasting a spacious, modern and (for the most part) accessible interior.
Room Rates & Reservations
The cost of a hotel room at The Last Hotel varies, with prices influenced by demand. Rates typically start at $159 per night. Given the oftentimes high rates at other downtown hotels, I would consider The Last Hotel to be a good deal on most nights — if the location and room accessibility work for you.
Reservations for accessible hotel rooms can be made online via the hotel website.
Wheelchair Accessible Hotel Room
The Last Hotel offers four different mobility accessible room types: the deluxe queen or executive king with a roll-in shower, and the junior suite or executive king with a transfer shower.
I stayed in the executive king with transfer shower, and I found the room to be spacious.
The exposed brick wall and ceiling ductwork gave the room a sense of character, and the large king bed was most inviting. The bed height was 27 inches, with 7 inches of clear floor space underneath. The bed was accessible on both sides, with plenty of room to maneuver and turn a wheelchair.
A small closet, recessed into the wall, did not have a lowered bar for hanging clothes.
The desk, television and mini-bar were all accessible to me, though some alcoholic beverages stored on the top shelf were out of reach.
Wheelchair Accessible Bathroom
The wheelchair accessible bathroom was spacious and clean. Although not fully accessible, it was close.
The accessible transfer shower had many of the features required by the ADA, including a handheld shower wand and grab bars. There was no wall-mounted shower seat, however, and I had to request a portable plastic one. Since I was only staying for one night, I agreed to use it, but I would feel safer using an ADA compliant shower during a longer stay.
The bathroom sink was accessible, with room to roll a wheelchair under the wash basin, and an easy to operate faucet. The hotel provided soap, shampoo, conditioner and body wash in large, reusable and more environmentally-friendly bottles. These aren’t the size that you take home with you.
The toilet had grab bars on the two adjacent walls and plenty of space to park a wheelchair directly alongside for a safe, lateral transfer.
Swimming Pool
Rooftop pools are becoming increasingly popular, and The Last Hotel has a beautiful one with a great view of the downtown skyline and the adjacent City Museum…
Unfortunately, there is no swimming pool lift to help wheelchair users in and out of the pool. Although it was cold outside during my stay, guests visiting in the summer are likely to enjoy a swim. The pool must be made accessible to all guests.
Location & Transportation
St. Louis has a relatively small downtown and nearly everything is within rolling distance. The Last Hotel is one block away from the popular City Museum, and within a half mile of the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, the Enterprise Center (home of the Stanley Cup champions, St. Louis Blues), Union Station and more.
Several city bus routes operate nearby, and the closest light rail station is Convention Center at 0.6 miles, or Civic Center at 0.7 miles.
I thought the hotel was well-located, even if not in the true city center. I was able to walk to have my favorite pizza at Imo’s on Delmar Boulevard, which is only 4 blocks away!
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re traveling to St. Louis for a postseason baseball game (as I was), for a weekend away with friends, or for a business meeting, The Last Hotel is a modern accommodation in a nice part of the city. If the accessibility described here will suit your needs, give the hotel a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy St. Louis!
