Cascade Hotel, a Tribute Portfolio

At the intersection of Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza and the city’s legacy as the “City of Fountains,” the Cascade Hotel, a Tribute Portfolio by Marriott reimagines a Mediterranean escape within an urban setting. Inspired by the Plaza’s sister city of Seville, Spain, the design draws from historic influences and contemporary expression, creating a layered environment shaped by water, light, and movement. The hotel introduces renewed energy to the district, honoring the architectural language that defines the Plaza.

Arrival unfolds through a choreographed sequence. Intricate brickwork and metal detailing establish a façade that resonates with the Plaza’s material character. A perforated brick screen filters daylight into the lobby, linking outdoor gathering spaces, landscaped terraces, and a gently flowing fountain to the interior experience. Beneath the porte cochere, a rippling ceiling of light and textured metal introduces the project’s central theme, where the movement of water becomes the guiding force.

Inside, water carries through the interiors, instilling a sense of flow and renewal. Public spaces shift between a series of social environments. Warm terracotta finishes, copper accents, and patterned textiles shape an inviting lounge anchored by a dramatic cobalt feature wall. By day the space offers relaxed gathering. By night it transforms into a lively social hub.

A grand stair leads to meeting rooms and a ballroom glided by a cascading metallic chandelier that visually connects the floors. Above, the rooftop Momentum KC Signature Lounge opens to panoramic Plaza views within a setting drenched in deep green velvet seating and sculptural lighting.

Each of the 177 guestrooms is a quiet retreat for rest and reflection. Modeled after the Spanish botijo, a porous clay vessel used to store water, the design draws on the idea of returning to a source, with spaces that restore as much as they shelter. Textured wood and natural stone, with cobalt accents and marble veining, echo the calm of water at rest—where movement and stillness coexist between place and escape.