I stayed at The Raphael Hotel from November 1-3, 2025, the weekend after my birthday, and it was such a wonderful experience from check-in to check-out. My first room, a standard room overlooking the Plaza, had a minor issue with the TV and telephone. I went back to the front desk, and without any hesitation or questions, they immediately moved me to another room,actually, a suite. What a lovely surprise! I enjoyed relaxing late at night, watching movies, and enjoying cauliflower pizza from Martin City Brewery, just a couple of blocks away. The bed was very comfortable, and the water temperature and pressure were perfect. I highly recommend The Raphael Hotel to anyone looking for a great stay on the Plaza. read more

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I reserved a Plaza-view room via Marriott BonVoy. I am Gold Elite. However, upon check in, the only room available was room 101. (You know it's bad when the front desk apologizes before you've even seen the room.) For Gold Elite, that's unacceptable -- that's a "walk in off the street" room. Just poor run of house management by the booking staff. Indeed, I walked around the corner from the front desk to find that the room was small, dated, didn't smell good, the "plaza view" was an up-close view of the valet stand, and the bed felt decades old. Any room in a Marriott "budget" property is better than that, never mind a so-called Autograph Collection property. I went back to the front desk to cancel the room, and miraculously in the five minutes since check-in, two other rooms had become available, but neither was a plaza view, though they offered to refund me the difference. I was considering whether I wanted to change rooms when, at that moment, I saw a man walk into the lobby, ushering someone I can only describe as a "lady of the evening" with him into the elevator. No subtlety at all -- that's the kind of property this is. I asked to speak to the manager on duty, but of course there was no manager on the property. No wonder it's the wild west at this place! I immediately declined the alternate room and cancelled my reservation. I appreciate the courteous assistance from Amy at the front desk, but this property is gross all the way around -- it needs a total tear-down/reno. It's an embarrassment as an Autograph property. Marriott has some work to do to acquire a truly high-end property in downtown KC. read more

If you are ever staying in Kansas City, this hotel should be at the top of your list. Perfectly placed next to the plaza, this place is a throw back to the luxury stay we rarely see anymore. The rooms are spacious and elegant. The view is amazing. The restaurant is a huge highlight, with live music. This is easily the best hotel I've stayed at. read more

I wish I had cancelled my reservation! I too booked a plaza view suite. They put me in 101 a two-room suite adjoining my son's room 102. Both with a ground level view. Very dated and tight bedrooms, with long wait times for hot water in the shower and during the mornings you ran out of hot water. Too make matters if the noise outside wasn't bad enough, the restaurant and lounge was RIGHT below you. The coffee maker made more coffee than the hotel provided mugs could hold..."fill to here". The entire hotel is dump! I moved my reservation to this hotel after the Marriot Residence Inn said ALL their elevators were broken. My name is Francis X. Maloney, and I accept complete responsibility for this review read more

Stayed here on a snowy early spring night while visiting Kansas City and I have to say from a recommendation from a friend, its one of the best hotels I have stayed in. Amazing service, wonderful room, great old school hotel feel, great basement bar and restaurant serving some of the best hotel cocktails I have ever had. Absolutely loved my stay. read more

Website is unusable, want not able to book a room. This was a terrible website, very hard to use, very confusing. They need a new tech guy.

The Raphael is our favorite place to stay in KC. The hotel is in a fantastic location and the hotel has amazing historic charm The staff went out of their way to make my mother's 75th Birthday special. A big thank you to Yolanda the guest service manager, Amy, Asher, & Gavon! read more

Beautiful Hotel in Kansas City STAY HERE. TRUST ME In the downtown plaza. Awesome location and view of KC. Super fancy big room safe feeling quiet Staff was so nice. Coffee early in the AM. Cookies at night. Everyone in my trip was happy Short drive to ballparks ! Tracee, Yolanda, Nia were smiling and friendly and helpful read more

The Raphael Hotel - Front of the hotel is nice - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Yolanda on the front desk was great! The Chaz Club ladies were fabulous and welcoming!!! Yes will come back for sure!! Customer service was top notch. read more

Outstanding Location is perfect Dinning and bar is awesome Rooms are really well kept and up to date Staff is beyond friendly. Stay here! read more

The Raphael Hotel - The downstairs bar / restaurant. - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

We had an incredibly disappointing experience at the Raphael Hotel in Kansas City. Despite booking and prepaying for our room in advance, we were informed upon arrival that the hotel had overbooked and no room was available for us. There was no meaningful apology, no compensation offered, and no attempt to rectify the situation beyond a simple "too bad." This happened after a long drive, and with local graduations and events happening, hotel rooms across the city were nearly impossible to find. It took us two hours to locate alternative lodging--and we were lucky to find the last available Airbnb downtown. This is completely unacceptable for any hotel, let alone one that presents itself as high-end. A reservation--especially a prepaid one--should mean your room is guaranteed. I cannot recommend the Raphael Hotel and would strongly caution others considering staying here. Your confirmed plans might mean nothing. read more

I absolutely love this hotel. We've stayed here three times now and won't even consider going elsewhere when in Kansas City. The courtyard, the restaurant, the rooms, the comfy beds and linens, etc. It always feels like splurging when we're here. read more

The Raphael Hotel - A sign from our window. - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

A simply old school elegant hotel. Founded over 100 years ago as a boarding house it's gone through many changes. But what I love is many of the original parts remain... tile in our bath, the mahogany in the lobby and other items around this grand dame. Staff is so good, Rick gave us the first tour.... but everyone from the valet (awesome) to the front desk just wanted to help. Our suite was the perfect size (room 302) and we could walk to so many shops and restaurants. Room service is back and we had breakfast included which helped. And delicious btw. The bar downstairs is called Chaz and it's a fantastic place to hear music and eat.... and drink great wine. All in all, I found my new hotel in KC! read more

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Beautiful old school hotel near the country club plaza. Extremely courteous staff in all positions interacting with the customers, starting even before our arrival when I interacted due to our extremely late arrival. Tastefully decorated with sensible upgrades paired with old charm. We definitely enjoyed our weekend getaway. Only deduction due to mattress being in dire need of replacement. read more

The Raphael Hotel - Chair in lobby - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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Great service. Amazing downstairs bar/restaurant. Strong drinks. Fantastic staff. Good valet. Walking distance to the plaza. Luxurious rooms. read more

The Raphael during the holiday season is such a treat! We stayed just after the New Year when the Country Club Plaza lights are still glowing and a plaza view room is magical. The hotel is gorgeous with modern amenities and old-world charm. All the staff is attentive and Chaz restaurant is a wonderful way to "stay in" and enjoy delicious food and live music without driving or walking anywhere on a snowy evening. Bring a bottle of red wine to enjoy (for a $25 corkage fee) with the Steak Diane and Black Forest German Chocolate Cake for dessert. Finish with a drink in the bar (they make a mean Manhattan) and live music (Wednesdays and Sundays). Our definition of a perfect date night, especially after the craziness of the holidays! read more

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Valet staff, front desk person, room service were all amazing and attentive. I stayed in a premier suite with a jetted tub. It was so relaxing. The restaurant staff was awesome. The food was very good. I had the flat iron steak. I would recommend the Raphael Hotel as well as the restaurant, Chaz. read more

Very beautiful historical Hotel on the KC Plaza. Room was very nice and comfortable. Loved the String on the Green event, so nice sitting outside and listening to jazz. All employees were very nice and friendly. read more

What an absolutely cute hotel. Now a Marriott but it is a historic hotel that has been updated. Amazing bar with craft cocktails right at the hotel. Polite bellmen and good coffee. read more

The Raphael Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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This hotel DEFINES 5 star. From the moment you pull up, someone is there to open your door, take your bags and give you a delightful welcome. Guest check in made us feel like royalty and the staff takes great pride in explaining fun facts about the history of the hotel. It is old and beautiful, immaculately updated with the latest luxury. To make the night even better, I received an upgrade due to my Marriott status and it was truly an upgrade. Room 405 has a jetted tub, with separate tub/shower. The regular tub is so deep it could act be a soaker tub. Big comfy living area with squishy pillows and a large king bedroom. I travel a lot for business and I would normally say that there is no hotel better than home...until I stayed here. The hotel has little amenities you wouldn't think of, like earplugs, heated lamp in the bathroom, and the sofa in the bedroom for stretching out with a blanket and a good book. I had the most relaxing night after dinner soaking in the tub with a bottle of wine, Netflix and a comfy robe. I was sad to go and I can't wait to go back. read more

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Really enjoyed my stay in this classic hotel. Originally built in 1927 as the Villa Serena Apartments, the building was converted to a hotel, opening as the Raphael in 1975. The rooms at a tad smaller that most Marriott property rooms, but that is to be expected in a historic old buIlding. My room was clean and cozy, and provided everything need for a comfortable two-night stay on this business trip to K.C. The individually packaged toiletries were much appreciated, and there were several not usually found in your average hotel room. The staff was also exceedingly polite and professional. The location is also ideal, as it is just a 3-minute walk from the historic Country Club Plaza shopping district, which is PACKED with countless stores and and high scale dining choices. read more

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My husband used to stay at The Raphael on business trips in the 1980's and always had positive experiences here. I am a teacher and NEEDED a short weekend getaway so we booked online. The staff were helpful and attentive. I appreciate the understated luxury and historic, intimate feel of the hotel. The bed linens were superb and furnishing's were comfortable. The low rating is due to the fact that room 207 should have never been designated as a guest room! We are unable to open the drapery as our "view" would literally allow any person walking up the parking lot ramp to enter inside, a clear, eye-level view of our sitting area! Our "view" is the hotel dumpsters and employee break area. The fact that room 207 shares the wall of the exit door hallway makes certain that we hear frequent loud banging as the door closes behind guests exiting. Room 207 should essentially be used only as a hotel supply area as it does not offer an iota of quiet , charm for guests who were simply looking for a quiet weekend to relax. Room 207's location essentially feels like a service entrance. Would have loved to experienced a more thoughtful accommodation, as overall the hotel is lovely. I have never left a review and my husband and I prefer to look for the positive aspects with gratitude of life experiences, however, we feel future guests should be made aware that under no circumstances should they accept room 207 at booking. read more

My favorite autograph hotel in the Midwest and leads me to reminisce of Italy. the Marriott rewards upgrade may have ruined me. So gorgeous- a favorite pampering. The view from my room's windows overlooked the Raphael fountain and the Plaza. It's a favorite. The service is abundantly courteous, anticipates needs and does everything graciously. Love this Midwest hospitality!! Flight delay kept me from being able to enjoy the live Jazz in the Restaurant here-- so many great reasons to stay. read more

The Raphael Hotel - Circle drive with Raphael fountain overlooking Plaza - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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horrible bed bug infestation in room 503. do not stay at this hotel. my wife and I woke up with 15 bed bug bites each all over our body. definitely steer clear read more

We had a brief stay here on a road trip and loved the ambience. It's situated close to the Plaza on Ward Parkway overlooking the shops and decor. The lobby smells incredible and has lavish decor. We were greeted by a lovely woman at the front desk who quickly checked us in. The parking was easiest to manage of all the hotels on our journey across the country. The room was clean and charming, and we enjoyed the fitness center. This would definitely be a spot we'd return to. read more

We booked a one-night weekend stay. As a Bonvoy Platinum guest, I was upgraded to a Plaza view king suite and provided two vouchers for a complimentary continental breakfast (which we were able to use for room service). The view of the Plaza from our room was excellent! The breakfast was fantastic. We upgraded one to the eggs benedict (which my wife loved) and I got the continental breakfast which had one of the best scones I've ever had. We didn't use the mini-bar, but $4-5 beers, $5 mini liquor bottles, and $20 for bottles of wine seemed very reasonable. We did appreciate they had a second empty mini-fridge for guest use. The service through the hotel was very polished for the most part. They were very warm and accommodating. They seem to be doing a great job complying with COVID-19 protocols. While the rooms aren't large, this is a great hotel due to its proximity to the Plaza and it's not a massive property so the service is much much more personalized. Often, most of the staff remembered us by name. The valet was $16, which I thought was reasonable and especially convenient as there is almost no street parking due to the Plaza lights. I would highly recommend this property. read more

The Raphael Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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We stayed here for our anniversary. Everything was perfect: The staff, cleanliness, upkeep of the hotel the view from our room and more ... I wish I had a photo of the plaza lights to share read more

I was coming to KC for a work trip and since it was short, I decided to stay in a nice hotel vs an extended stay like I normally do. I am so glad I chose The Raphael!! Finding the hotel was easy because the arches are lighted 24/7 and I recognized them from the hotel pbotos. It is located on Ward Rd by the river, which makes it in a really cute part of the city. The bellman wasn't initially available because he was valeting another vehicle, but he came in and valeted my vehicle, which is complimentary. Self parking is also complimentary. At check-in, Alexa was so nice and welcomed me. She explained that they have live jazz during happy hour M-F and answered all my questions. I was wowed by my room. I had a studio king suite, which had a living room with a sofa bed, sitting chair, desk with a work chair, coffee table, TV, and side table. In the little "hallway" to my room, there was a Keurig with decaf and regular coffees and green tea. My bedroom was amazing!! The king bed was so luxurious and the sheets and pillows were so comfortable! The bathroom was equally as nice. I'm not a huge fan of white subway tile, but The Raphael pulls it off quite well. The soaking tub is great size to really relax.The amenities they provide in the bathroom are your standard shampoo, conditioner, and soap PLUS a shoe mitt, earplugs, makeup wipe, sewing kit, bath salts, and mouthwash. Let's talk about how the towels were so thick and soft!!! The fitness center is basic but you can definitely get a good workout. It had a recumbent bike, an elliptical, 3 treadmills, dumbells, 2 weight benches, and a very versatile weight machine to do both upper and lower exercises. One thing I did notice (while I was soaking in the tub) is the caulking was done poorly and looked so sloppy. Some of it started to come up, which defeats the purpose of caulking and just looked sloppy in general. Yes, it's a minor detail, but in a hotel of this caliber, I feel it should have been better. All in all, I LOVED my stay at the Raphael and would definitely come back! read more

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The property is absolutely beautiful and almost every aspect of our stay exceeded our expectations. We loved Joe--- the valet/bellman and our server in Chaz. Both were caring, engaging and went out of their way to make sure our needs were met. If I owned a property, I would want employees like them. Room and Restaurant It appears that most if not all of the rooms in the nine story hotel are suites varying in size. We were in a smaller suite (rm 714) with a great view of the Plaza on the seventh floor. The bedding was extremely comfortable, the amount natural light was a real treat, and the Chaz Restaurant is located on the lower level. Front desk Experience As a regular patron of Marriott Properties, I am routinely treated as a valued guest. With same, I can not ever recall a time over the years where a bottle of water was not offered at check in at a 4 star+ Marriott property. When I inquired about a bottle of water at the front desk, I was informed bottles are only given "upon special request". I took that to mean asking once was not quite special enough. To add to the "upon special request" discussion, Supervisors Nancy & Aaron were talking with a guest about staffing changes as I approached the counter. The parties continued their conversation as I stood there which seemed a bit inappropriate and interestingly, no one said "I will be with you shortly" nor did either of them step away from the water cooler type discussion to assist me. The guest even looked back and stepped to the side , but it seems both in position of authority were too entrenched to notice. Funny enough, I stopped at the counter to pick up a breakfast voucher in the place of points as a PE member. Traditionally breakfast or points are offered at check in. It seems at The Raphael, the choice is made for you or at least for us it was. When Aaron acknowledged me and asked how he could help, his initial tone was less enthusiastic than it was when he engaged the other guest or my partner (who has a very different physical appearance) as he approached while I was being helped. However, he instantly became accommodating and attuned after realizing I was a PE member. .... An hour later (after breakfast), I stopped by again to inform both supervisors of how I perceived the interaction and their disposition upon seeing me. It goes without saying they were caught off guard but did apologize. IMO, all guests should be valued no matter how they look physically or their reward status level and I sincerely hope that no other person is treated in this manner at this property ever again. That aside, the property is beautiful, reasonably priced and a place I would return. read more

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My wife and I came here for our honeymoon, because she had always wanted to stay here since she was a little girl. For this review, I will be detailing the Premier Suite with whirlpool. It has a living room/dining room, a three-section bathroom, with a separate bedroom and a chaise lounge. We arrived on Friday, May 17th at around 9pm. After a busy day with our wedding, plus a long trip, we were tired and wanted to retire for the night. Upon parking in the front, we were met by Phil Martin, a most excellent valet. Rick, the Bellman, gathered our luggage for bringing to our room. My wife and I are asthmatic, so as we were just getting through the doors we encountered some cigar smoke (a smoker's patio area is the ONLY smoking area) and had light trouble. The desk clerk, Curtis, immediately perceived our trouble and had bottled water waiting for us at the counter. He didn't even ask, he just had it waiting. Very astute! He quickly had us checked in and we quickly made our way to our room, which was very close to the front, so not much walking was needed. Upon entering our room, Rick, the Bellman, began to give us a history of the hotel. It was most illuminating, as was his service. He explained the breakfast card to us so we could have a tasty meal the next morning. After refreshing ourselves, we decided on a quick bite at Chaz on the Plaza. Upon arrival, we met the most amazing waiter, Tiago. My Yelp review is posted for Chaz, so more can be read there. Upon retiring for the evening, we relaxed with the whirlpool and then a cozy bed waiting for us. The next morning, we had a lovely breakfast. I had steak and eggs with OJ, where my wife had the Raphael omelette with some tomato juice. It was wonderfully yummy! There were thunderstorms most of the day, so we decided to spend it indoors relaxing since the barometric pressure change affects us negatively. That night, after we returned from dinner and some city driving, we decided some dessert was in order. So delicious I would would have had three bowls if I could. While the stay was, in many ways, perfect, we did experience some unfortunate glitches. But Craig, the General Manager, was gracious and generous in responding to our concerns and ensuring we departed happy guests. We had another yummy breakfast Monday the 20th and then proceeded to return to our home city of Omaha. Such a magical experience, one that I will never forget. read more

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Wow. What a beautiful hotel w wonderful staff. I had a tram meeting back in feb 2022 and Patrick Joyce was great to work with and my team loved the hotel and vicinity to the plaza. My wife and I just stayed here and it was so nice to see the plaza lights and had a cocktail in the quaint Chaz lounge. My only ding is why no live music on weekend! Would have been nice to hear a little holiday music while having a cocktail and looking at the lights. Tracee the front desk person was so nice when we checked in! Just wonderful all the way around and will be back for sure! Thank you all read more

The Raphael is a great place to stay in KC. It's located downtown close to the power and light district. There's lots of shopping and dining opportunities located close by. The rooms are small but that is due to the historical architecture of the hotel. Located downstairs is a great restaurant that features a great menu, offers live music, and has a speakeasy style decour. The restaurant also has a variety of top shelf whiskies including multiple whiskeys from Japan. I highly recommend the Raphael. The staff is very accommodating, the hotel is conveniently located, the rooms are first class, and the dinning is first rate. read more

The Raphael Hotel - Red water. - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

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The Raphael is a landmark hotel in the popular Country Club Plaza.It blends Kansas City history with Marriott Autograph Collection service into a beautiful and convenient stay. My family booked three rooms with varying lengths over a weekend. We also had three different experiences with check-in, parking, housekeeping, and billing. Consistency of service seems to be be the biggest issue, but the only one that I'm dinging the Raphael Hotel on is the billing because it took numerous phone calls and 4 weeks to figure out. The structure is a historic apartment building that opened in 1928 so it has a lot of charm of bygone times. That's a nice way of saying it's old. The rooms and layouts definitely speak to a different era and hotel experience. In the future, I'd stay at the Raphael Hotel again, but more for it's convenience and Marriott Rewards Points than for its history and charm. read more

The Raphael Hotel - Entrance to the Raphael Hotel - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

Horrible experience. I trusted this hotel to provide an amazing experience for the first night after getting married. Front desk staff is incompetent and put us in wrong room because they didn't pay attention to details. Then they give you attitude when you ask them to fix it. Absolutely will never stay here again. They had one chance to make my stay an amazing experience and they dropped the ball. Complete waste of money. read more

I would leave 0 stars if possible. Stayed there with my wife and 2 daughters. The bed we slept in had a mattress pad that wreaked of urine!!!!! Woke up and the clothes my wife had on, I had on, and my 2 year old daughter had on smelled like urine. Horrible, horrible, horrible. To add to the insult, they paraded 4 employees into the room, including the manager Amy, and all of them conveniently smelled nothing. At least own it Amy. SMH. When they left, I pulled a housekeeping lady from the hallway who had no idea of the situation and asked her to smell the mattress pad. Her response, "smells like pee". Next time just own it! read more

My stay here as always pampered. Very customer focused and service oriented with a nice touch of class makes the Rafael my favorite place to stay on the plaza. read more

Meh... it is beautiful here but there a few flaws. Namely, the sink is broken in our room and only allows us to use the hot water. Also on the topic of water, there is no complementary water and since I can't drink the super hot sink water, I'm stuck having to pay $4 for the water from the mini bar. I am just super thirsty mostly. And hot... the room felt warm to me. Overall, it's very cute but could be better. read more

We went to The Raphael for lunch to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was not busy, we may have actually been the only people there. The service was awesome and the food was delicious. My 10-year-old daughter, who complains about almost everything except McDonalds raved about her meal. My sandwich was stellar. Then, at the end, they brought out a special balloon and treats for my mom's big day. Very impressed. read more

The Raphael Hotel - Celebrating my mom's birthday. - Hotels Near Me - Kansas City, Missouri

This hotel was pretty close to perfect. Location, beds, low noise level, gym, staff, onsite delicious restaurant with nightly entertainment, low cost valet, water pressure, and large rooms. We were in KC for two nights and this location was perfect. You can walk to the plaza for shopping/dining or jump in your car for a short trip to other locations. The gym had a Peloton which and allowed me to get in 2 spin sessions while on vacation. That was a huge plus. We had breakfast at Chaz, in the hotel, and the eggs and bacon were some of the best I have ever eaten! Service was spot on during the entire stay. It was nice to see they did not use single use plastic garbage bags in the cans. Go Green! Only con was the a/c system blew right on us at night. I realize this is a perk to many, but we don't like the airflow on us and there was no way to redirect it away. read more

Our stay at The Raphael Hotel was above and beyond; I'd called about a week before our stay, inquiring if they'd be able to hold a cake in a fridge before room was ready. Tracee was more than happy to help and did so with white-glove service! This was a particularly busy weekend in KC with a two-night concert in-town and they went above and beyond in checking us in early and even provided us with a complimentary upgrad. read more