The Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch

The Hyatt Regency St. Louis at The Arch building has a long history, much like the city that is part of its name. The original structure was built in 1907. It reopened in 1984 as the Adam's Mark hotel. In 2008, Hyatt purchased the property and began a massive renovation of the hotel’s guest rooms, lobby, dining areas, and wedding event space. Guest rooms now come with pillow-top beds, flatscreen TVs, and marble countertops in the bathrooms. Add to that on-site dining and views of St. Louis’s best-known monument, the Gateway Arch, and the hotel adds up to one of the Midwest’s most sought-after romantic escapes.

Part of the hotel’s $63 million dollar renovation went toward upgrading its 910 guestrooms and suites. Room changes include new décor with earth tones and red accent pillows; flatscreen TVs; iHome clock radios; Hyatt Grand Beds with 13.5" pillow-top mattresses; and marble countertops in the bathrooms. Rooms also have desks and wi-fi. For the ultimate romantic stay, book one of the hotel’s 765-square-foot arch view deluxe rooms on the seventh floor. They overlook the Gateway Arch, which is especially beautiful when lit at night.

Dining options include the Brewhouse sports bar, a tribute to St. Louis’ famous brewery history. Several local beers are on tap here and in the fine dining Ruth’s Chris Steak House. The hotel’s main restaurant, Red Kitchen and Bar, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Top-selling dinner menu items at Red Kitchen include certified Angus beef ribeye steak and spaghetti alla Bolognese with veal, pork, beef, and tomato ragout served with shaved parmesan. For lunch, the Red Kitchen’s Farmer’s Market lunch buffet includes a salad bar with soups, artisanal cheeses, breads, and made-to-order pasta dishes.

Many brides and grooms choose to have a reception in the 18th floor Gateway East Ballroom. The nearly 7,000-square-foot space, which can accommodate around 150 guests, has several large windows and floor-to-ceiling doors that open up onto a terrace with a nearly close-up view of the Gateway Arch. At night the terrace’s pool becomes a dance floor with an illuminated translucent deck placed over it and white lights shining through. For larger weddings, the Regency or Grand ballrooms are options as they measure 16,000-20,000 square feet, respectively.

The Amour Package includes champagne and truffles served bed-side, breakfast for two in Red Kitchen and Bar, and a 3 p.m. late checkout.

Since the hotel doesn’t have a spa (it does have a spacious workout facility with cardio and strength training equipment), most guests use the hotel to simply sleep and eat. Those who stick around can bring a bottle of wine up to the hotel’s outdoor terrace on the 18th floor and enjoy a glass al fresco while admiring the Gateway Arch. (The terrace does not have food or drink service but does allow guests to bring their own.) For sports-minded guests, the Brewhouse has a private room with a large plasma-screen TV for sporting events, as well as a Nintendo Wii system and karaoke machine.

The Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, a 90-acre park that includes the Gateway Arch (which you can ride to the top of) is within walking distance. So is the Citygarden sculpture park with works both humorous and thought-provoking. Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, is also close. You will need a car to tour the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and Forest Park, home to St. Louis’s zoo and art museum. After a day of sightseeing, stop by Bailey’s Chocolate Bar in Lafayette Square and order the signature martini made with chocolate vodka, Irish cream, pure dark chocolate, and milk.

For couples interested in history, nearby attractions such as the Gateway Arch, which is the tallest national monument in the U.S. at 630 feet; the Old Courthouse, which was the site of the Dred Scott case in the mid 1800s; and the Cathedral Basilica, which has the world’s largest collection of mosaic art, are selling points. You can also become part of the hotel’s history by competing in its ongoing Burger Challenge. Winners who finish the Brewhouse’s giant burger with three pounds of meat, a pound of bacon, a pound of cheese and a pound of fries on the side, get their photo placed on the restaurant's wall.

Because the hotel caters to conventions, noise in the hallways can get loud and may filter into your room. The lobby area can also be congested and noisy. The good news is the hotel’s customer service takes complaints seriously and attempts to remedy them. The hotel also lacks on-site activities but guests can still find romantic things to do including booking a booth for two at Ruth’s Chris Steak House (it becomes a private dining experience when you pull the booth’s curtain shut) and listening to live jazz music at Red Kitchen and Bar on the weekends.