Wichita hotel housed in historic spot ranked among best in Midwest by Condé Nast
A Wichita hotel with historic roots just received a “milestone” recognition.
Condé Nast Traveler released its ranking of the 15 best hotels in the Midwest Oct. 7, and the Ambassador Hotel at 104 S. Broadway was named the ninth best.
In a social media post, staff of the Wichita hotel called the recognition a milestone.
“We couldn’t have done it without our incredible guests,” the Oct. 17 Facebook post reads. “Your loyalty and enthusiasm inspire us every day.”
The top 15 hotels were selected by Condé Nast readers, and every hotel was given a score out of 100. The Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee took first place in the ranking with a score of 99.96. The Ambassador Wichita scored 98.17.
The Ambassador Hotel downtown is in a building first opened in 1926 as Union National Bank. It eventually opened as a hotel in 2014.
The building also used to house Dockum Drug Store, the site of the 1958 Dockum Drug Store Sit-in. A key moment in the Civil Rights Movement in Wichita, a group of Black students sat at the lunch counter until closing every day for two weeks to protest the restaurant only serving white customers. Eventually the establishment agreed to serve the students, ending segregation at the drug store.
The hotel now has a speakeasy bar named Dockum. It offers other amenities like a fitness center, valet parking and dry cleaning. Additionally, it houses upscale dining restaurant Siena Tuscan Steakhouse. Prices for a stay depend on the room type and dates, but usually range from around $200 a night to more than $1,000 for a luxury suite.
Other Midwest hotels recognized by Condé Nast this year include three Kansas City hotels: Ambassador Hotel KC, The Fontaine and Crossroads Hotel.
This isn’t the first time this year Wichita’s Ambassador received recognition. In March, it was named the second best hotel in Kansas by U.S. News and World Report.
The Eagle reached out to the Ambassador Hotel for comment on the Condé Nast accolade.
This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
