Downtown St. Louis Hotels Near the Arch
Downtown St. Louis stretches from the Gateway Arch on the Mississippi riverfront west to Union Station, and the listed hotels cluster along that line. Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark and Hotel Indigo St. Louis Downtown are a few minutes on foot from the Old Courthouse, Embassy Suites and the Courtyard Convention Center sit beside the America's Center convention complex and the National Blues Museum, and the Drury Plaza Hotel at Union Station is a five-minute walk from the St. Louis Aquarium. Most of these hotels have an indoor pool, several include breakfast, and nearly all charge separately for parking. The MetroLink light rail links downtown stations to Lambert International Airport, about twenty minutes away by car.
Downtown St. Louis is a riverfront grid shaped by the Gateway Arch, with the domed Old Courthouse framed between the Arch legs and the glass towers behind it. Busch Stadium and Ballpark Village fill with red shirts on Cardinals nights and fall quiet on off days. To the north, Laclede's Landing keeps its cobbled streets and brick warehouses by the Eads Bridge, while Washington Avenue's former garment lofts and the City Museum give the west side a different, more residential feel leading toward Union Station.
Where to stay
Arch, Ballpark or Union Station Side
A downtown base keeps the Arch grounds, Busch Stadium, the Convention Center and Union Station within walking distance or a short MetroLink ride. It suits Cardinals fans, convention visitors and families who want an indoor pool after a day at the Arch or the aquarium. The listed hotels are mostly large, practical properties rather than boutiques, and the differences that matter are breakfast, the pool and how far you are from the venue you came for.
For a stay built around the Gateway Arch and a ballgame, the eastern end of downtown is the place. Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, the most reviewed hotel here with more than 5,800 guest reviews, is a four-star high-rise with a rooftop bar, several eateries and an indoor pool, a two-minute walk from the Old Courthouse. Hotel Indigo St. Louis Downtown is about four minutes from the same courthouse and also has a rooftop bar, a gym and a restaurant. From this corner, the Arch grounds, the riverfront and Laclede's Landing are all reachable on foot within a few minutes.
Convention visitors will find the most practical options around America's Center and the National Blues Museum. Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Louis Downtown, rated 8.6, is an all-suite hotel with a free made-to-order breakfast, an indoor pool and a gym, two minutes on foot from the Blues Museum and the Convention Center. The Courtyard by Marriott St. Louis Downtown/Convention Center, also rated 8.6, has airy rooms, some with city views, about four minutes from the museum. Hampton Inn St. Louis-Downtown at the Gateway Arch adds a free hot breakfast, an indoor pool and an Irish pub on site.
The western side of downtown, around Union Station, is the strongest choice for families. The Drury Plaza Hotel at Union Station scores 9.2 from 2,100 guest reviews and includes breakfast, an indoor pool, a hot tub and a fitness room. The St. Louis Aquarium inside the restored Union Station train shed is about five minutes away on foot, and the station's Ferris wheel and restaurants are in the same complex. The Enterprise Center, where the Blues play hockey, is also close, so this side works for winter sports nights as well as summer family trips.
Longer stays and car trips call for a slightly different choice. The Residence Inn by Marriott St. Louis Downtown is an extended-stay hotel with a bar, an indoor pool and free breakfast, about a seven-minute taxi ride from the Gateway Arch, though its 7.6 score is the lowest on this list. The Courtyard by Marriott St Louis Downtown West has a restaurant and a coffee shop, around nine minutes by taxi from the Arch. Both make sense if you plan to drive out to Forest Park or the Missouri Botanical Garden, but parking is charged separately, as it is almost everywhere downtown.
A traveler's perspectiveMy pick for most visitors is the Drury Plaza Hotel at Union Station: it holds the best guest score on this list at 9.2, includes breakfast, and has an indoor pool and hot tub, with the St. Louis Aquarium five minutes away on foot. For a Cardinals game, I would choose Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, a high-rise with a rooftop bar and indoor pool, two minutes from the Old Courthouse and across the street from Busch Stadium. Note that breakfast is extra there.
Drury Plaza Hotel Louis At Union Station
2,100 reviews
Five minutes from the Aquarium at Union Station
Check availabilityWhy guests love itDrury Plaza at Union Station is one of the easiest family bases in St. Louis. The St. Louis Aquarium is a five-minute walk, so you can spend a morning there and be back for a rest without a car. Free hot breakfast keeps costs down, and the indoor pool and hot tub work in any season, which helps in cold Missouri winters. A 9.2 rating from about 2,100 guests is reassuring. Parking is extra, so budget for it.
Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Louis Downtown
2,337 reviews
All-suite rooms two minutes from the Convention Center
Check availabilityWhy guests love itEvery room at the Embassy Suites St. Louis Downtown is a suite, which I find makes the biggest difference for families: a separate living space instead of everyone around one bed. The free made-to-order breakfast is cooked each morning, and the indoor pool gives children a swim whatever the weather. The National Blues Museum is a two-minute walk. Pets are accepted, parking is paid, and 2,337 reviews give it 8.6.
Courtyard by Marriott St. Louis Downtown/Convention Center
1,014 reviews
City-view rooms by the Convention Center
Check availabilityWhy guests love itFamilies can reach the National Blues Museum in four minutes on foot, and the Gateway Arch grounds and Busch Stadium are within a short walk or taxi ride, which keeps sightseeing days simple. Rooms are airy, and a higher-floor room with a city view adds interest for children. There is no pool listed, so families who need one may prefer another downtown hotel. Parking costs extra, and the airport is about twenty minutes by taxi.
Hampton Inn St. Louis-Downtown (At the Gateway Arch)
2,262 reviews
Indoor pool and an Irish pub near the Arch grounds
Check availabilityWhy guests love itHampton Inn St. Louis Downtown at the Gateway Arch serves a free hot breakfast every morning, which gets families out the door quickly for a day near the Gateway Arch. The indoor pool gives children a swim in any season, and the National Blues Museum is a five-minute walk for parents curious about the city's music history. An Irish pub on site makes dinner easy, pets are accepted, and parking costs extra. Guests rate it 8.6 from 2,262 reviews.
Courtyard by Marriott St Louis Downtown West
986 reviews
A coffee shop and gym on downtown's western edge
Check availabilityWhy guests love itDistance is the main question here: the Gateway Arch and the riverfront are a short taxi ride away rather than a walk, so plan transport for each outing. The on-site coffee shop and restaurant simplify early starts and tired evenings, and pet-friendly rooms help if the family dog travels too. Parking is charged separately. Families who want to walk to the Arch or Union Station's aquarium may prefer a more central downtown hotel.
Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark
5,844 reviews
Downtown high-rise at Broadway and Market, two blocks from Busch Stadium
Check availabilityWhy guests love itTwo blocks from Busch Stadium and across the street from the Old Courthouse, this Hilton lets a family do a Cardinals game, the Arch and the riverfront without moving the car. That is the main argument for children: short walks, then a swim in the indoor pool before dinner, which matters in a city where summer afternoons are hot and winter weekends are grey. The Old Courthouse, reopened in 2025 with an elevator and a mock 1850s courtroom where visitors can act out a trial, works well with school-age kids. The trade-off is scale: 671 rooms mean queues at the lifts after a game. City Museum is about 2 km west on Washington Avenue, a short drive. The St. Louis Zoo, in Forest Park, is further out, so families planning several days around the zoo and the park's museums may prefer a base near Forest Park.
Residence Inn by Marriott St. Louis Downtown
1,516 reviews
Kitchens and an indoor pool for longer downtown stays
Check availabilityWhy guests love itEvery room at the Residence Inn St. Louis Downtown has a kitchen, a real advantage for a family stretching a visit past a weekend without eating out at every meal. The free hot breakfast covers mornings, and the indoor pool works in any season for an evening swim after a day downtown. The bar handles a casual drink without leaving the building. The Gateway Arch is about seven minutes by taxi, and parking costs extra.
Hotel Indigo St. Louis - Downtown by IHG
612 reviews
Rooftop bar steps from the Old Courthouse
Check availabilityWhy guests love itHotel Indigo St. Louis Downtown suits families who like to explore on foot: the Old Courthouse is a four-minute walk, and the downtown grid makes a car optional once you have checked in. The ground-floor restaurant serves breakfast, and pet-friendly rooms help a family driving in with a dog. The rooftop bar looks toward the Gateway Arch skyline in the evening. Parking costs extra, which I would factor in before arriving by car.
Local tips
- 1Reserve a Gateway Arch tram time slot in advance, since the ride to the top sells out on summer weekends and holidays.
- 2Use MetroLink between Lambert International Airport and downtown stations such as Convention Center, 8th & Pine or Union Station to avoid parking fees.
- 3Check the Cardinals schedule before booking: hotels near Busch Stadium fill quickly on home game dates, especially on weekends.
- 4Budget for parking, as almost every downtown hotel on this list charges for it separately, and confirm whether the garage allows in-and-out access.
- 5Visit the City Museum on Washington Avenue with children, and plan at least half a day for its climbing structures and tunnels.
- 6Walk the riverfront under the Eads Bridge to Laclede's Landing in the evening for restaurants in its old brick warehouses.