Out-of-towners visiting Saint Louis University will soon have the luxury of staying on campus at The Water Tower Inn.
The Inn, which is a part of the Salus Center, formerly Compton Heights Hospital, is located at the northeast corner of Grand Boulevard and Lafayette Avenue, just south of the Health Sciences Center. SLU purchased Compton Heights Hospital earlier this year and converted it into offices, classrooms and 68 hotel rooms.
“The rooms are similar to the typical hotel room,” said Ed Kidd, director of University event services.
Each of the rooms holds a TV set, two double beds or a king-sized bed and a bathroom with a shower. Despite the fact that no suites are offered at the moment, they are being discussed by University officials.
Hotel patrons may also use the state-of-the-art fitness center, a satellite of the Simon Recreation Center. A cafeteria is also available to those who wish to dine on campus.
Guests cannot only enjoy this part of the hotel, but can also use the University shuttle-bus services.
The University can expect guests at the Inn at the end of November, when the hotel is expected to open. “I have been getting about five calls a day from people asking about the hotel,” said Kidd.
Guests of the hotel are expected to be a collection of parents, athletic teams, alumni, special guests, faculty and families of extended-stay patients at SLU Hospital. “I am currently working on arrangements with teams from other schools,” said Kidd.
SLU has been planning with consultants from the Drury Inn chain of hotels, who will be providing their expertise in management and operations, and are assisting in the design of the Inn.
The Water Tower Inn receives its name from the old stone water tower located in the middle of Reservoir Park, which is located on Grand Boulevard, just across Interstate 44 from the Inn.
The tower and park were used about 100 years ago when different parts of the city were marked by their ornate water towers. However, since the reservoir’s closing many years ago, it has become a St. Louis landmark, and an integral part of the city’s skyline.
