As we're all getting ready for summer, some of us are looking for that weekend getaway to Kansas City or St. Louis. Maybe we're heading to a ball game. Maybe we're looking at just enjoying a weekend taking in all the city has to offer. Or maybe we're heading to a concert or a festival. One thing's for sure, none of us want to wind up at a hotel where we're afraid to sit on the toilet or get comfortable on the bed.

I'll admit I'm a little OCD when it comes to hotels. I like to travel with those antibacterial wipes. The ones that kill germs. I can't get comfortable in a hotel until I do my own wipe-down of all the surfaces. Everything from the desk to the tops of the dressers, the remote, the desk chair, the tables next to the bed, the toilet, the bathroom counter, the door knobs, all of it. If it has a surface that can be wiped down. I wipe it down. After that, I can finally get comfortable -- after I check the bed for bedbugs or anything else that might gross me out.

Anyway, finding the best hotels in any given place is pretty easy. Pick your favorite travel review site and read the reviews. Expedia is the one I tend to use since it's a little more curated than some of the others, and isn't totally driven by users. Over the years too, it's easy to expect a three-star review there in most cases won't put you in a hotel you regret.

Finding the worst hotels isn't as easy, as a Google search, tends to turn up a lot of reviews with folks talking about the hotel experience that's the worst they had. I did, however, find this site, Top-Rated Online, that lets you find the top-rated places in a variety of categories and cities and the worst-rated. I believe they use Google reviews by people who had the experience. So read on to find out what the worst-rated hotels in Kansas City and St. Louis are.

The Worst Hotel In Kansas City

Ranking at #1 on Top-Rated Online's list of the worst hotels in Kansas City is America's Best Value Inn & Suites Kansas City. The hotel at 11801 Blue Ridge Boulevard in Kansas City has a 2.30 rating on Google Maps based on 534 reviews. The average rating score is 3.86.

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A survey of the reviews that Top-Rated Online was sharing on their site paints the picture of a tired hotel with rooms that desperately need a refresh. I'm talking rooms without furniture except for the bed, or folding chairs. Rooms with poor lighting, or the only light being from the bathroom fixture. Wet carpets. Not to mention rooms that really aren't being taken care of by housekeeping. Additionally, reviewers used terms like sketchy and scary, and disappointing.

Other hotels in Kansas City that Top-Rated Online listed as the worst in Kansas City include The Midtown Inn & Suites, Econo Lodge Airport, Regency Inn, and Arrowhead Inn. There's more too, but you can check out their list here.

The Worst Hotel In St. Louis

I can't even tell you if the worst-rated hotel according to Top-Rated Online in St. Louis is even open. The Google Maps picture of the Economy Hotel St. Louis, at 4545 Woodson Road taken in November of 2022, shows chain link fencing around the entire hotel including the driveways. When I tried Economy Hotel's reservation number, which was a local Atlanta number, I just got a recording telling me they were helping another customer, and I could leave a message. That said, it's still listed on Economy Hotels website, and still on most travel sites.

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The Economy Hotel St. Louis gets a 2.20 rating on Google Maps based on 238 reviews, and the average rating is 3.83. Mostly, what I was able to glean from the reviews pulled by Top-Rated Online is that the hotel and its rooms are dirty. Additionally, they don't give refunds after 15 minutes if you want to check out a room. Some folks also cited issues with reservations and overbooking. One person even warned that the hotel doesn't look anything like the pictures on the website, and another said one of the windows in his room was boarded up.

Other hotels that Top-Rated Online listed as the worst in St. Louis include Budget Inn St. Louis, Page Inn, Carousel Motor Hotel, Quality Inn Airport, and Craigshire Suites. You can check out their list here. You might find more if you look at other cities around St. Louis too.

The Bottom Line

First, remember we're all different. One person's bargain can be another person's nightmare. There are probably folks who have stayed at these places, that for their money, had a decent experience, or for the money they spent were OK with their accommodations. Just as if you look hard enough at the best hotels, you'll find that handful of people that had a bad experience.

Want to avoid a bad hotel experience? Do your homework. Read reviews on a variety of websites. Don't get hung up on one or two poor reviews. Look for the common themes. What keeps popping up, good and bad, in a variety of reviews on a variety of sites? That will probably give you a good overview of what that property does well and what they need to work on. Also, look for the hotel's response to negative reviews. Good operators try and take care of their customers, and work to make the experience better.

Finally, if you find yourself somewhere needing a hotel last minute and you haven't done your research, go with your gut. If your gut tells you you are not in a good situation, I'd keep on moving down the road. Our bodies and brains are pretty good at keeping us safe if we pay attention to them. Besides, a hotel's no good in my opinion, if you're going to be up all night disgusted with the accommodations or worried about your safety.

A Look At the Abandoned Once Great Millennium Hotel In St. Louis

The abandoned Millennium Hotel near The Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium was once one of St. Louis' great riverfront hotels. Since its abandonment several years ago, time, decay, and urban explorers have all taken their toll on the building. Unconfirmed reports of asbestos or other contamination in the building make it even more unattractive and expensive to rehab or tear down and redevelop. Millenium Hotels, who still apparently own the hotel, don't seem all that interested in redeveloping, remodeling, or selling the facility either.

Check out these photos, from a video shot several years ago before time began to ravage the complex. They're from a Youtube video shot by BackyardExploration seven years ago. You can check out more recent photos of the hotel's decline here.

WARNING: Under no circumstances should you enter this property. By doing so you risk bodily harm and/or prosecution for trespassing on private property.

Check Out The Sad Story of One of Kansas City's Formerly Great Hotels

At one time this hotel which was located near I-435 and Front Street was one of the bigger hotels in Kansas City, and somewhat swanky. The hotel's downfall included anarchy, employees that just walked away from their post, an owner who escaped Kansas City for Brazil, and an eventual implosion of the buildings. Pictures come from Youtube videos created by Steven Downing and Exploring the Abandoned.

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