| It
doesn’t take many years of business travel to
realize that, whatever the city, all too often you’re
walking into the same old hotel room. But in St. Louis,
a city well known for its German and Irish traditions,
one can find something different- very different- at
a comfortable hotel with a Tudor face and British pretensions.
The Cheshire’s low-slung complex of restaurant
(“Inn”) and hotel (“Lodge”)
is some 10 minutes away by highway from the city’s
main commercial district. Across the street lies Forest
Park, St. Louis’s largest and loveliest, and the St. Louis Zoo.. |
Take
note when driving into the Cheshire— traffic drives
on the left. Once over the brick floor of the entrance
hall and through oak doors into the registration area,
you are immediately struck by a mass display of European
antiques. Anywhere you look, you’ll see something
different and often unexpected- such as a Gothic confessional
in use as a small coat room. No two rooms are alike
at the Cheshire. Each spacious and quiet room is well
appointed with comforts such as heavy linen draperies
and bedspreads, a writing desk and wing chairs. Television
sets are discreetly tucked away in cabinets. |
The
Cheshire has been a beloved landmark in St. Louis for
over 40 years. |
The
moment you set foot in your room, you’ll sense
the quality. The walls are over a foot thick to ensure
a quiet night’s rest and each king size bed has
six pillows! In a few of the suites you may find yourself
in a canopy bed raised four feet from the floor. (Don’t
jump out of bed in the morning; take the step-ladder!) |
 |
Fare
Guests
have a choice of places to dine. In the Lodge
itself you'll find the Fox and Hounds
Tavern, where the barman will set down an
English beer while you munch on a cheese and
sausage board. The beautiful and
serene European Beer Garden is just outside
the hotel and offers light fare, in season. Across the
parking area, the now separately owned and operated Cheshire Inn serves meals in rooms
filled with armor, pewter antiques, tapestries
and dark wood.
The Inn remains closed as negotiations continue to
re-open it as a Quality Restaurant. |
1967
Cheshire Inn patrons enjoy an elegant dinner in the main dining hall. |
History “Inn” the Making
The
Cheshire Inn Restaurant is still known as the "old Medart
place" by older residents of St. Louis. Nearly 70 years
ago, a dashing young member of a well-to-do local family,
Bill Medart, opened a luncheonette in a log cabin on
the site (part of the cabin survives to this day). Along
with his wife, Donal Blossom, said to have been a former
silent-film actress, Medart built a thriving business
on the not so-humble varieties of hamburger. As the
business prospered, the Medarts became great travelers,
providing much grist for local society pages- their
young daughter married the Earl of Coventry. |
In
1951, Bill Medart fell from his Paris hotel window and
with his death, the fortunes of his restaurant began
to decline. A man from another local family, Stephen
J. Apted, bought the building and remodeled the restaurant
into what is the Cheshire Inn today. A family of restaurateurs,
Mr. Apted's mother, Mrs. Florence Hulling had started
a comfortable cafeteria-style restaurant in the 1940's
called Miss Hulling's which quickly grew and became
a tradition in St. Louis. Even though her restaurants
have since closed, her famous pies, cakes and salad
dressings are still sold in grocery stores and specialty
shops around the city. |
A
Hotel on the Park
Legend
has it that the entire Cheshire complex came
from an idea developed when Mr. and Mrs. Apted
visited an old Tavern nestled in the back streets
of London named Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese. He
chose to recreate the concept at the corner
of Clayton and Skinker Road for its proximity
to Forest Park and easy highway access. The
hotel’s location is still one of its best
attributes.
|
The
Jewel Box in beautiful Forest Park. |
|
Four
years after opening the new restaurant, Mr. Apted built
the Lodge and furnished it with antiques
and collections from his world travels. British details
were everywhere from the long
riding coats of the houseman to the English accents
of the operators. The glass enclosed, yearround
pool/conservatory was the first of its kind in the city.
The Cheshire’s horse-drawn carriage
rides and Double Decker buses became part of the St.
Louis streets. Before long, the
Cheshire Inn & Lodge was the most popular restaurant
and hotel in St. Louis. Dozens of celebrities
and politicians have stayed here over the years and
it seems that every St. Louisan has a
special memory at the Cheshire. |
Happiness
is a Good Tavern |
|
| A
visit to the cozy Fox and Hounds Tavern is a favorite
pastime for guests and locals alike. The Tavern is a
re-creation of a room in an English home where the host
might entertain his guests before and after the hunt.
Sit in a plush chair by the fireplace and enjoy one
of more than 40 cold and hot cocktails. Distinguished
tastes will appreciate the 15 varieties of Irish, American
and Scottish whiskey. If you're feeling adventurous,
you may even try a yard of ale! |
|
The
mischievous Fox & Hounds Tavern Beer Gnome |
Bill
Benson, blind since the age of 12, had been singing
and playing the piano in the Tavern since
the hotel opened. In 2007, Bill became ill and could no longer entertain. In hopes of re-kindling the same great music and song that Bill portrayed for years, we have asked Dick Zelle to return to The Cheshire. Dick was a longtime favorite in the 70's and 80's at the Cheshire Inn. Dick is known as a "great tickler of the Ivories" and will be a wonderful part of the Fox & Hounds.
|
|
Independent
Status
The Cheshire Inn restaurant had been a favorite dining establishment in the 60's until mid-90's, when it became a separate entity from the Lodge. The unfortunate demise of management and quality ownership in the late 90's forced the restaurant to close. Being a separate entity from the hotel, we can only hope to have a new operator owner by 2008 to bring back all the services of a great restaurant. |
Serendipitous
Suites
In
the fall of 1987, a burning candle was accidentally
knocked over by a guest and Room 315 endured a great
deal of smoke damage. Rather than restoring the chamber
to its earlier décor, Mr. Apted decided to turn the
charred space into a themed suite. He polled the employees
and they agreed on a Safari theme complete with mosquito
netting and a zebra skin rug. Within days of completion,
the Safari Rainforest was booked solid for 3 months.
Consequently Mr. Apted created another five "Fantasy
Suites" and added Jacuzzi tubs to each of them. These
extraordinary rooms continue to be the most popular
attraction of the hotel and must be booked months in
advance for a Friday or Saturday night stay. |
The ever-popular
Safari Rainforest Fantasy Suite |
| All
6 of these suites were completely renovated in 2003
and are now even more luxurious than before. |
While
the Cheshire Lodge is known for its Olde World charm,
the amenities of the 21st century are important to
today's business traveler. That's why in the spring of 2005, we added high speed wireless internet
to many of the rooms. Continuous upgrades to the corridors,
guestrooms and lobby are being made within the hotel
to ensure a pleasant and comfortable stay.
Today, the hotel’s legacy of
British hospitality and charm continues as guests
from all over the world call it their home away from
home while visiting St. Louis. Whether it’s
for business or pleasure, we welcome you to visit
us and experience a piece of St. Louis history.
Cheers! |
