Hotel Saint Louis, Autograph Collection

The Union Trust Building was designed by Louis Sullivan and his partner Dankmar Adler and completed in 1893. The 16-story tower was commissioned by the Union Trust Company, one of St. Louis's prominent late-19th-century financial institutions, to serve as the company's downtown headquarters and as commercial office space for additional tenants. The building was one of the tallest in St. Louis at the time of construction and was among Sullivan's most significant works during a peak decade of his architectural production (he and Adler designed the Wainwright Building in St. Louis in 1891 and the Auditorium Building in Chicago in 1889).

Sullivan's distinctive ornamental style is most visible across the building's exterior — Louisiana-pine terra cotta detailing, oversized arched window openings on the lower floors, and the famous Sullivan corner motif that integrates structural and decorative elements. The interior preserves the original marble lobby, mosaic floors, vintage elevators, and substantial portions of the original architectural ornament. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and received additional National Historic Landmark designation recognition over subsequent decades.

The Union Trust Company occupied the building through the mid-20th century before relocating to a more modern downtown tower. The Union Trust Building served various commercial tenants through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s before facing the same decline that affected much of downtown St. Louis during that period. Several restoration proposals across the 1990s and 2000s did not materialize; the building sat partially vacant for over a decade before the Hotel Saint Louis conversion was announced in the mid-2010s. The conversion project required substantial historic preservation review and was completed in 2019.

Hotel Saint Louis has 140 guest rooms and suites spread across floors 5 through 16 of the original Sullivan building. Room types include standard king and queen rooms, premium higher-floor rooms with city views, junior suites with separate sitting areas, and the larger executive suites and the property's small number of penthouse-level luxury suites. Room sizes range from approximately 250 square feet for standard rooms to over 800 square feet for the penthouse suites.

The room aesthetic combines preserved historic elements (oversized windows from Sullivan's original design, restored architectural moldings, original window casing details) with contemporary luxury furnishing (modern bedding, walk-in showers with rainfall shower heads, marble bathroom surfaces, large flat-screen TVs, Nespresso coffee setups, premium linens). The design is genuinely successful at blending the 19th-century architectural bones with 21st-century luxury expectations; many guests rate the rooms among the most architecturally interesting Marriott Autograph Collection rooms they've experienced.

Higher-floor rooms have notably good views — east-facing rooms see the Gateway Arch and the Mississippi River; west-facing rooms see the downtown St. Louis skyline. Some corner rooms on the higher floors have unusually generous views in two directions. The penthouse suites on the top two floors have private terraces and panoramic city views; rates for these suites typically run $600-900 per night.

Hotel Saint Louis's rooftop pool and bar — known as the Stallion Room Rooftop — sits on the 16th floor of the building and offers panoramic views of downtown St. Louis, the Gateway Arch, and the Mississippi River. The pool itself is a relatively small but tasteful resort-style swimming pool surrounded by lounge seating, an outdoor bar serving cocktails and light food, and a portion of indoor lounge space for cooler-weather use. The rooftop is typically open from approximately 11am through midnight (later on Friday and Saturday) and operates seasonally for full pool access (May through September).

The on-site restaurant — the Caitlin's Restaurant & Lounge — is named after Sullivan's daughter and serves contemporary American cuisine in a dining room that preserves substantial portions of the original Sullivan-designed interior. The menu rotates seasonally and emphasizes Midwestern ingredients with contemporary execution. The restaurant operates daily for breakfast (typically 6:30am-10:30am), lunch (11:30am-2pm), and dinner (5pm-10pm); the bar adjacent to the restaurant has a strong cocktail program and stays open later.

Additional hotel amenities include a 24-hour fitness center (full free-weight and cardio equipment), a business center, complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi throughout the property, valet parking (typically $35-45 per night), and a small concierge desk in the lobby. The hotel is pet-friendly with a $50 fee per stay; the property accommodates pets in standard guest rooms without size restrictions. A small spa offering massage services operates by appointment.

Standard room rates typically run $200-350 per night with substantial seasonal and weekend variation. Weekday business-traveler rates can sometimes be lower (especially Sunday through Wednesday nights during the winter months); weekend leisure rates and Cardinals home-game dates run higher. Major event dates — the Cardinals playoffs, the Route 66 Centennial Gala on November 11, 2026, and similar high-demand events — drive rates to $400-500 per night or higher.

Booking through the Marriott Bonvoy app or the marriott.com website is generally the most efficient approach; the Autograph Collection rate structure includes regular promotional pricing for Marriott loyalty program members. The hotel participates in standard Marriott loyalty program point earning and redemption; high-tier Bonvoy members may receive room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and other benefits. Third-party booking sites (Expedia, Booking.com) typically match Marriott's published rates without offering meaningful discounts.

Best value generally comes from booking weekday nights in the spring (March-April) or fall (October-November) months when leisure demand is lower but the weather is pleasant for downtown St. Louis exploration. Summer is peak tourism season and rates are higher; winter holiday weeks (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year) also drive elevated rates. The hotel's cancellation policy allows cancellation up to 24 hours before check-in for standard rates; non-refundable rates are available at slight discount.

Hotel Saint Louis is two blocks from the Gateway Arch and three blocks from the Old Cathedral, making it the most convenient luxury option for Route 66 travelers anchoring at the Arch. The classic two-night St. Louis itinerary: arrive afternoon on Day 1, check in at Hotel Saint Louis, walk to Pappy's for an early dinner (15-minute walk or 5-minute drive), evening at the rooftop bar; Day 2 morning Gateway Arch (3-4 hours, walking distance), lunch at Crown Candy Kitchen (10-minute drive), afternoon City Museum (15-minute walk), evening at Caitlin's restaurant or downtown alternatives; Day 3 morning Chain of Rocks Bridge (15-minute drive), afternoon Ted Drewes (10-minute drive), departure southwest on Route 66 toward Pacific, Cuba, and Springfield.

For Route 66 travelers continuing the Mother Road journey, the hotel is well-positioned for the typical southwest departure pattern. Highway access to I-44 (the modern alignment most closely following historic Route 66) is straightforward — about 5 minutes from the hotel to the I-44 onramp. Springfield is 200 miles southwest and a 3-hour drive; Cuba is 75 miles southwest and a 1.5-hour drive (the natural overnight if the second Missouri night is outside St. Louis).

For families, Hotel Saint Louis is a more sophisticated option than the chain hotels typically used for Route 66 itineraries — pricing is higher but the historic building, the rooftop pool, and the architectural quality produce a memorable family experience. The pet-friendly policy without size restrictions also accommodates traveling families with dogs. The location within walking distance of the Arch, the Old Cathedral, and the downtown St. Louis riverfront makes it possible to leave the rental car parked for substantial portions of the visit.