Stay at The Truitt: A Whimsical, Design-forward Hotel Near The Nelson
A weekend at The Truitt feels like a getaway at your fancy friend’s house in the city.
All photos by Katie Currid
When you walk up to The Truitt, a colonial revival home built in 1916, it looks like many of the other stately historical homes in the neighborhood behind the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. But as you walk around to the back entrance, a hot pink neon sign with the hotel's name greets you from the glass windows, and you know there’s something a little more fun happening here. And that’s just the vibe its owners, Ryan Hiser and David Tran, wanted to create.
Ryan and David, a couple that has been “engaged for 100 years,” according to them, renovated The Truitt in 2021. The property has had many roles in its 100+ years. It was originally built by Elmore Shelton Truitt, the hotel’s namesake, as his family home. It was later a bed in breakfast in the 1990s, though Ryan and David acquired the property from the Kansas City Art Institute, which used it as their alumni house.
Mr. Truitt, as Ryan and David refer to him, is sort of a character throughout the house and inspired the decor for some of the rooms. My favorite room in the hotel is what Ryan and David refer to as “Mr. Truitt’s library,” a stately room painted in black (including the windows and ceiling) with dark room tones. It’s a masculine, moody room that feels like a hug from a grandfather who smells like leather and tobacco. Vintage sports memorabilia hangs on the walls and a portrait of a man looks over the leather couches — Ryan and David jokingly refer to the unknown man in the portrait as Mr. Truitt.
The layout of the hotel involves common areas downstairs, which include the library, an ice room, a sitting room, a common half bath, a plant-filled sun room, and a self-serve coffee bar. There’s also a patio outside, nestled next to the carriage house, which also has two bookable rooms available. There are eight rooms in total to book at The Truitt, each of them uniquely decorated and the height of cozy.
Though the home was once a bed and breakfast, Ryan and David wanted to modernize the place so it didn’t feel old-fashioned or stuffy. There is no concierge or hotel desk inside — rooms are accessed through contactless check-in, though the owners are available to assist guests as needed. It’s like the perfect blend of a hotel and Airbnb.
Lovers of art and design will adore the Truitt — not only is it within walking distance of the Nelson and a short jaunt to the Plaza but Ryan and David have filled the place with thoughtful design. The two visit Palm Springs at least once a year and love the character and personality of boutique hotels in that area. They wanted to bring that fun, design-forward experience to Kansas City — something whimsical, a little unexpected, and fun.
“We wanted it to feel like you were spending the weekend with your rich friend in the city,” says David. And it absolutely does – thoughtful touches like Christopher Elbow chocolates in your room, a minibar filled with the best snacks, a comfortable bed with fluffy Matouk linens, luxurious Nest Fragrance bath amenities, and cozy robes that you’ll want to spend your stay wearing (I did) make your stay feel extra special.
Definitely treat yourself to a stay at the Truitt – friendly and charming, David and Ryan are the perfect hotelier placeholders for your rich friend in the city if you’re short on city connections. You can book a room at The Truitt at thetruitt.com. Rooms start at $150/night.
