Royal Secrets Unearthed: The Rise and Fall of a Historic Missouri Hotel
Excelsior Springs, Mo. – Excelsior Springs, a town known for its mineral waters, holds stories not only in what flows beneath the surface but also in the tall buildings that still stand, casting shadows onto the street. One such structure, a remnant of the Royal Hotel, continues to tell its tale.
According to Missouri State Parks, the building at 201–209 South Street began as Wholf’s Tavern in 1898 before James Snapp transformed it into Grapple Tavern and then into the Snapp Tavern.
“He operated this for several years,” writes Sonya Morgan on The Idle Hour, “before selling it in 1905 to Elena G. Hill.”
Once Hill owned the property, renovations were underway as the building doubled in size with the addition of a six-story extension. The north and east facades were also refaced with maroon brick.
“The wrap-around porch was altered, and the windows replaced,” Morgan noted. On the southwest side of the original structure, “Mrs. Hill also constructed a small kitchen addition.”
After the renovations were completed, the Royal Hotel became a living mosaic of the Excelsior Springs community’s golden era.
Missouri State Parks described the eastern section of the hotel as four stories tall with “large, single-pane sashes with stained-glass transoms above” and decorative brick arches surrounding the building. The five-story west side addition, however, consisted of storefronts, and “at the roofline, brick posts and metal rails enclosed a portion of the roof as a terrace,” with a square tower topped by a red tile mansard roof.
Inside the storefronts, according to Morgan, were doctors’ offices, the Royal Hotel Beauty and Barber, the Royal Hotel Billiard Parlor, the Little Royal Café, a jeweler, and a cigar shop.
Not unlike other hotels in the area, the Royal dabbled in the mineral water industry and had its own source of water, coined “Royal Salt Sulphur,” that was served to guests in the lobby.
The Northeast News stated that the hotel also “bottled their mineral water,” selling it to overnight guests. Missouri State Parks noted the water was recommended for “stomach and bowel trouble, liver diseases, jaundice, gallstones, catarrhal conditions of the intestines, and ‘diseases peculiar to women.’”
The hotel included the iconic Royal Bath House, which operated separate departments for both men and women, “advertising ‘all white attendants’,” according to historical documents from Missouri State Parks. Treatments within the bath house section were similar to those of others in the area, including Salt Sulphur baths, vapor treatments, Turkish and Russian massages, Pack Douche treatments, and artificial Nauheim baths for heart disease. State Park records also indicate that physicians within the hotel would write prescriptions for guests tailored to the mineral water therapies available, pairing medical care with the overall experience.
Beyond mineral water treatments and guest rooms for out-of-town visitors, the Royal was also known as a place of celebration. “Many enjoyed dancing in the Grand Ballroom to the Royal Hotel Orchestra,” documented Morgan. Others relaxed on the hotel’s 200-foot verandas or in the sixth-floor Garden Room atop the rooftop tower, while some enjoyed a meal from the Royal Grille.
According to Morgan, the building eventually contained “45 hotel rooms and 40 apartments.” Into the late 1990s, it continued to house renters, guests, and permanent residents, marking the hotel a success for nearly 100 years.
Still, the Royal stood out for more than just the amenities it offered. It occupied, and can still be seen resting on, “nearly half a city block,” recalled State Park records, anchoring the corner of South Street and Marietta Street as the elevation in the area slopes toward River Street and the Dry Fork of the East Fork of Fishing River.
Preservationists from Missouri State Parks noted the integrity of the building, emphasizing, “The Royal retains a high degree of architectural integrity from its period of remodeling and additions,” and, unlike other buildings of its time, it never succumbed to fire, such as the Snapp Hotel and the Elms. Even VisitExcelsior.com confirmed, “It is the only major hotel with no history of fire.”
In 1998, according to Morgan, a new owner purchased the Royal Hotel with hopes of bringing it back to life. During this period, the steam room was updated with a new hot water tank, copper plumbing, and electrical system updates to meet 1970s code enforcement standards. But despite the improvements, the Royal closed its doors for good.
In June 2021, after a 23-year vacancy, the original, wood-framed, six-story section of the Royal Hotel began to collapse, attributed to years of water leakage, flooding, and storm damage.
Details from Missouri State Parks noted that even before the partial collapse, the building showed decay: “A metal projecting cornice with modillions is at the upper edge of the building. It is in poor condition and has fallen off in several sections.” The grand wrap-around porch also contained structural reinforcements, with brick piers supporting the porch underneath, but the area between the porch and the building had been filled with stucco. The remainder of the building was left largely untouched, resembling what it once was.
Today, remnants of the Royal remain, reflecting its community significance and the ambition of both James Snapp and Elena Hill. A new owner has recently stepped forward to continue the legacy of the building and restore it as an emblem of the Excelsior Springs community, ensuring it continues to hold a place in local history.
If you appreciate the value our local journalism brings to the community, please consider making a recurring contribution to the Excelsior Citizen!
