Hotel Magnolia, in downtown Saint Louis is part of the Tribute Portfolio, a new brand within Starwood Preferred Guest Marriott. I had business in St. Louis earlier this year, and saw this property when looking for a hotel, so I decided to check it out. I’ve been to St. Louis many times, but this hotel joined the Tribute Portfolio in late 2016. It was rebranded as Hotel Magnolia 2014. I’m often a creature of habit, but I embraced this chance to try something new.
What is Tribute Portfolio?
Yes, another brand under the Starwood umbrella, and soon to be part of the even larger Marriott portfolio. There are 29 brands currently. I follow this stuff closely, but I can barely keep up. Here is a reminder:
Tribute Portfolio currently contains 28 properties, mostly in North America, but 10 in Europe, South America and Asia. The Starwood website describes these hotels like this:
Tribute Portfolio hotels give you access to exceptional independent hotels around the world with all the rewards of Starwood Preferred Guest®. From boutique resorts to exciting hotels in prime urban locations, each Tribute Portfolio hotel offers inspired style and superior service.
Hotel Magnolia St. Louis Junior Suite
I so often stay in hotel chains, the idea of a boutique hotel seemed kind of interesting. The building opened in 1925 as the Mayfair Hotel. Apparently Mayfair salad dressing was invented there. Don’t worry, I had to look it up too. While the rooms are small, the renovations have done well to modernize things relatively well.
I was upgraded to a junior suite for my stay, presumably thanks to my SPG Platinum status which was a nice touch. That said, there weren’t other benefits provided as part of my status; for example, breakfast was not included. Free wifi and bottled (Voss) water is available in all rooms. For my needs on this trip, it was no major issue. The property is located on 8th Street in downtown St. Louis, and a few blocks from a Metrolink (light rail) station. I rarely rent a car in St. Louis since the Metrolink usually goes where I need to, and one line terminates at the airport.
Some minor issues with my room included a undrained bath tub when I arrived. Gross! Easy to fix, but an obvious housekeeping oversight. Also, the gym is on the top floor (down the hall from the Cary Grant Suite). The basics are there, but it is very small, and apparently not refreshed very frequently. After visiting a few times, I noticed there were no clean towels. At least the weather was decent, so during my stay I went for a run outside.
Hotel Magnolia Final Thoughts
Staying in a unique property while still earning points was a nice change of pace. The Hotel Magnolia was fine, and convenient for my needs on this trip. I’d consider this spot on future trips to St. Louis. The suite was nice, even though I was traveling alone. I do somewhat miss the option of a club lounge that I get at other places in town. I miss a place to grab a drink or snack whenever convenient, but obviously those usually are in much larger hotels, so the more intimate setting is the trade-off. The rooms and public areas are recently refurbished, so I had no issue with the hotel being over 90 years old.
