The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza, an iconic property which opened more than 100 years ago located on route 66 in St. Louis, has been inducted into Historic Hotels of America. The designation makes the Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza one of more than 300 hotels and resorts throughout the U.S. recognized by Historic Hotels of America for preserving and maintaining its historic integrity, architecture and ambiance. Historic Hotels of America is the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s official program recognizing, celebrating and promoting the finest historic hotels in the U.S.
To be selected for membership in Historic Hotels of America, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; have been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance.
“Historic Hotels of America is delighted to induct The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza, an iconic hotel that unites the elegance of the Italian Renaissance-style Chase Hotel, built in 1922, with the striking 28-story Art Deco Park Plaza, completed in 1930,” Lawrence Horwitz, executive vice president of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide, said in a statement. “We commend the leadership teams of The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza and Sonesta International Hotels for their careful historic preservation work, stewardship and vision that will allow future generations of travelers to experience this unique historic destination.”
“Every St. Louisan has a Chase Park Plaza story,” said Amy Ruffner, general manager of The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza. “Whether it’s a couple’s wedding day or memories of watching Wrestling at the Chase, this iconic landmark is deeply woven into the city’s fabric in both personal histories and the greater story of St. Louis. The Sonesta team is honored to write the next chapter of the Chase Park Plaza’s legacy. Recognition by Historic Hotels of America will help us in that endeavor.”
Storied Past
Construction on The Chase Hotel began in December 1921 and the 500-room Italian Renaissance project was completed in nine months. The building was designed to demonstrate classic symmetry, arched windows and ornamental detailing of the Renaissance Revival style. The hotel opened to the public in September 1922, and several of its original architectural elements remain in place today.
The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza has played host to notable guests and major events over the years, including a 1920s prohibition raid that made headlines in The New York Times; more than 17 U.S. Presidents and many foreign dignitaries; and the 1956 Miss America Contest.
The hotel’s Chase Club, meanwhile, was one of the more popular nightclubs in America in the 1950s, according to the company, bringing entertainers like Ethel Merman, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole to the city.
The hotel underwent a major renovation and modernization in the early 2000s. In 2017, the property was acquired and came under the management of Sonesta International Hotels, becoming The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza, a full-service hotel with nearly 400 guest rooms and more than 65,000 square feet of event space.
Other historic properties in The Royal Sonesta portfolio include The Benjamin Royal Sonesta New York, The Clift Royal Sonesta San Francisco, The Stephen F. Austin Royal Sonesta and The Allegro Royal Sonesta Chicago.