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We all have that hard-to-buy-for someone in our life and with the holidays right around the corner, the pressure is on to find a thoughtful, nuanced present. Good thing the squad at Aparium Hotel Group just unleashed a new gift-card program that’s sure to keep you in your bestie/boo/beau/bethroed’s good graces.
We’ve come up with five ingenious ways to be the ultimate Santa Claus with a little gift-card love from Aparium Hotel Group.
5) Treat Your Guest to the Ultimate Staycation! Given that the Crossroads Hotel is located smack-dab in the middle of the metro’s arts district, it’s a no-brainer to check out nearby galleries, visit Union Station, or catch the streetcar and venture out a bit farther if you so desire. Or feel free to sleep in bliss-filled luxury until 2 p.m. and order room service. We’re not here to judge. You deserve that R&R or P&Q (uh, peace and quiet). “You have everything you need right at your fingertips if you want to just rest,” says Jason Pirock, the Director of Marketing. “You’re able to enjoy a beautiful, comfortable room in a wonderful location. And say you want to venture out—well, you’re in a killer locale that’s very walkable.”
4) Old School Italian Meets Old School Hip Hop. We have it on good authority that Lazia’s executive chef tweaked the to-die-for menu about a bazillion times before she was happy with it. As our food critic once wrote: “Given Lazia’s willingness to take risks and try new things—there’s no telling what exactly might come next. But we’re excited to find out.” Now the hotel’s chic Italian ristorante is the place to see, be seen and socialize. “It’s the perfect place to treat your friends and family to a family-style dinner in a hip, cool environment,” says Pirock. “Or have cocktails and split a giant bowl of pasta.” The restaurant is designed to be a conversational experience. So enjoy each other’s company and some amazing food. (Pirock says the burrata appetizer will change your life.)
Want something a little more low-key with an upscale happy-hour vibe? Bop over to XR, the hotel’s trendy all-day lounge for dining, drinking, and insanely decadent wood-fired pizzas.
3) Take your act on the road! Besides Kansas City, there are two other Aparium hotels where your gift card will serve as your passport to adventures in a new city. You can decompress in Detroit or mellow out in Minneapolis. Want a long weekend or road-trip? You could enjoy Hewing’s all-season patio, plunge pool, and spa-like sauna experience in Minneapolis. “At Detroit Foundation Hotel, meanwhile, their main restaurant—The Apparatus Room—is led by a two Michelin-star chef,” says Pirock.
Even better? The Aparium Group currently has eight posh properties in the U.S. and will be rolling out more hotels into the gift-card mix through 2020.
2) Out(side) and about(side). Of course, the weather isn’t conducive right now, but you can always visit Percheron—the hotel’s expansive rooftop bar—once spring hits. The views are spectacular—as is the eye-candy. Select from a litany of craft beers or creative cocktails. Grab a friend or two—or ten—and make an afternoon of it. (And, yes, the hotel’s WIFI works superfast from up-top. We may have killed many an afternoon there. Just sayin’ …) “There’s a lot to do—indoor or outdoor—at Crossroads Hotel,” says Pirock. “Grab your colleagues because it’s a perfect place to treat them to cocktails and soak in the views of the Kansas City skyline.”
1) Party hearty! Besides relentless hospitality, if there’s one thing that Crossroads Hotel knows how to do—it’s throw a party. Their inaugural New Year’s Eve party last year helped to put them on the proverbial map. You can give the gift of a luxe weekend of revelry and shenanigans while ringing in the new year at their upcoming blowout. Pirock mentions the introduction of a brand-new cocktail menu that’s sure to dazzle. “We’re always introducing or switching out things to meet the needs—and tastebuds—of our guests. We like to keep it interesting and fresh,” he says with a laugh.
But wait—there’s more! “Sure, we’re ending the year with our holiday pop-up galleries and New Year’s Eve bash, but there’s going to be plenty of fun next year—local concerts, art shows, guest performers. Your gift card will come in handy even after the new year.”
If you haven’t had the chance to visit the metro’s hippest hotel, it’s time you swung by and made the rounds—because ‘tis the season. “Crossroads has become a place to see and be seen. It’s constantly buzzing with activity,” says Pirock. “And at Crossroads Hotel, we’ve done a nice job of curating the right music, the right vibe, the right menu—and making it an experience. No wonder it’s taken off.”