City: Kansas City, MO

Category: Accommodations

Telephone: (816) 474-4400, (800) 228-3000

Address: 1 Pershing Rd.

Description: Thank goodness for the Hall family, owners of Hallmark Cards, who converted an eyesore called Signboard Hill into one of the city’s most exciting tourist areas. At its heart is the Westin, whose five-story lobby waterfall makes dramatic use of the original hill’s natural limestone. The 724-room hotel’s location just keeps getting better and better with a $10 million renovation. Trust us, the Heavenly Bed® deserves its name. Even your pooch gets a special dog bed while a guest! The Westin’s neighbor is Union Station, with several excellent restaurants, entertainment, and Science City, all accessible via an elevated walkway that looks like something out of Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. But you can enjoy plenty of action without leaving Crown Center. Enjoy a burger in a converted streetcar, take in a movie, or shop dozens of unique boutiques. Kids can learn new artistic skills at Kaleidoscope or simply color a placemat at Crayola Cafe. As a guest of the Westin, you’ll have a ringside seat for the activities at Crown Center Square, including summertime concerts, hunting for the Great Pumpkin, and lighting the mayor’s Christmas tree. Even when there’s nothing happening outside, the downtown skyline view from Benton’s rooftop steakhouse is stunning.