Saint Louis Hotel News May 2005 St. Louis Hotels Guide www.hotels-stl.com St. Louis Hotels Guide is a complete resource of hotels listed by area for your convenience. Please call ahead to confirm information or for reservations. St. Louis Hotel News spotlight on development and events at area hotels. "If it's happening in St. Louis, it's on St. Louis Front Page." St. Louis News St. Louis CitySide Business News Community Info St. Charles News Southwest, IL News Art Gallery News Restaurant News Local Attractions Entertainment Shopping Guide Weather Downtown Map Gateway Arch Busch Stadium America's Center Savvis Center Union Station Metropolitan Map Central West End Clayton Forest Park West Port Plaza St. Charles Lambert Airport Transportation How To Reach Us: St. Louis Front Page P.O. Box 1354 St. Louis, MO 63188 Voice: 314-771-0200 Fax: 314-771-0300 To submit restaurant news, contact: editor@slfp.com To advertise, contact: advertising@slfp.com

Archbishop Raymond R. Burke and St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay cut the ribbon in a ceremonial grand opening, May 18, for the Hilton St. Louis Downtown, located in the historic Merchants Laclede Building at 4th and Olive Street. (L. to R.) Charles Drury, founder & owner Drury Inns, Inc., Frank Bruner, director of brand performance, Hilton Hotels Corporation, Doug Johaningmeyer, general manager of Hilton St. Louis Downtown, Shirley Drury, Archbishop Burke, Mayor Slay, Charlie A. Dooley, St. Louis County Executive, Chuck Drury, president of Drury Inns, Inc. Hilton St. Louis Downtown Rolls Out Grand Welcome by Betty Magrath, SLFP.com ST. LOUIS, MO (SLFP.com), May 21, 2005 - St. Louis' newest hotel, the Hilton St. Louis Downtown, was officially opened, May 18, with a grand celebration in the historic lobby of the former Merchants Laclede Building. Guests enjoyed an opportunity to take guided tours of the hotel and sample hors d'oeuvres prepared by the staff of the hotel's restaurant, 400 Olive ... an Urban Grille. The eight-story, Romanesque-style Merchants Laclede Building, constructed in 1888 by Stephen Hatch and Cass Miller, features an intricate stonework facade and marble columns. Over the years, the building was occupied by numerous businesses, including a bank and an architect firm. In keeping with their love of historic buildings, Charles and Shirley Drury purchased the architectural gem and began a painstaking renovation to preserve its turn of the century beauty. Sculptor Harry Weber painted the portrait of Pierre Laclede in a mid-eighteenth century style with the guidance of renowned lithographer and painter Marcel Salina. In an interview following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mr. Drury explained that maintaining the historic value of a building is very gratifying. "We had a budget to do this building," stated Drury with a smile. "But when it came to putting marble on all the columns in the lobby that matched the original white Italian marble, that budget quickly went out the window. We also wanted to preserve the ornate ceiling and the original bank vaults." He proudly pointed out how well the new marble on the floor blended seamlessly with the original marble. Over 500 hours were spent restoring the two vault doors which open to a gift shop and a complimentary business center. Shirley Drury meticulously designed the interior of the new Hilton, from the exquisite Swarovski crystal chandeliers hanging in the lobby and meeting rooms, to period furniture and historic artwork depicting St. Louis. She spent hours researching photos at the Missouri History Museum to find images for the meeting rooms on the lower level. In addition to drop-down screens and wireless capability, each room is named after the ship pictured on the walls. The Admiral Room features historic B/W pictures of the aluminum-clad, art deco steamboat when it was used as an excursion boat before being converted into a gaming facility. The Drurys commissioned sculptor Harry Weber to paint a portrait of Pierre Laclede for the hotel's lobby. Weber, who created the statues of Lewis and Clark for the lobby of the Drury Plaza, enlisted the help of renowned lithographer and painter Marcel Salina. "No one really knows what Laclede looked like," stated Weber. "Marcel helped me paint the portrait in a mid-eighteenth century style." He added with a smile that perhaps there was some resemblance to Charles Drury in his younger days. Shirley Drury, who meticulously designed the interior of the new Hilton, stands with Gary R. Lucy, whose painting of the old St. Louis Riverfront at the reception desk is one of several hundred paintings throughout the hotel. Mrs. Drury also worked closely with artist Gary R. Lucy, whose beautiful painting of the historic St. Louis riverfront hangs behind the reception desk in the lobby. Nearly 300 paintings from Lucy's colorful work depicting 19th century life on the inland waterways of America hang in the guest rooms and throughout the hotel. All 195 executive-level guest rooms have complimentary high speed Internet access, "The Bed" by Hilton featuring a 3-inch mattress pad and 300-thread sheets, an in-room refrigerator, 27" television, two telephones with voicemail and data port, coffeemaker with complimentary coffee and tea, large work desk with desk-level outlets and ergonomic chairs, and an elegant marble bathroom with large makeup mirrors. In an effort to help guests be more productive and relaxed, custom-designed clocks feature a connection cable for MP3 players and other portable music devices. The new Hilton features 5,000 square feet of meeting space for business and social functions, an on-site, covered parking garage, in-room dining, an invigorating fitness center with circuit training strength machines and cardiovascular equipment by True Fitness, relaxing Jacuzzi whirlpool tub, and same-day valet dry cleaning. Together with a personable staff, every detail adds to the experience of staying in a beautifully renovated boutique-style luxury hotel in the heart of downtown St. Louis. The hotel is owned and managed by Drury Development Corporation and operated under a franchise license agreement with Hilton Inns, Inc., a franchising subsidiary of Beverly Hills-based Hilton Hotels Corporation. State-of-the-art fitness center features circuit training strength machines and cardiovascular equipment by True Fitness and an oversized Jacuzzi. The Hilton St. Louis Downtown's spacious guest rooms are uniquely integrated into the historic architecture with crown molding and large windows. Archived Hotel News: Hilton St. Louis Downtown Opens in Merchants Laclede Building Five Airport Hotels Offer Free Parking Drury Hotels Rated #1 in 2004 Hospitality Index Marriott Launches Diversity Outreach Initiative Marriott to Invest $190 Million in Global Bedding Makeover to Retain Guest Loyalty Holiday Inn Westport Undergoing $4 Million Renovation The St. Louis Hotels Guide is owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan Saint Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1997 - 2005 Moore Design Group.

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