When you drive into Blackwater, Missouri, you pass the sign that touts the population. It’s about 170. Still, for a small town, Blackwater has much to offer, and Iron Horse Hotel is a showcase of Blackwater’s finest. Built a few years after Blackwater was founded in 1887, this hotel was a boarding house and a private home that also served as a doctor’s office. In 2002, after a lengthy renovation, it opened as the Iron Horse Hotel.
Iron Hotel in Blackwater, Missouri, Celebrates Train History
The name is fitting. Located next to the replica of the train depot that once served the Missouri Pacific Railroad, the Iron Horse Hotel celebrates Blackwater’s railroad history. Each of the nine guest rooms is named for a famous train line. There is the Orient Express, Reading Railroad, and the Calais Coach in the mix. Beautifully appointed with antique furniture and artwork, rooms have their own unique flair. Some have doors that open to an upstairs porch. Others overlook the train tracks and depot.
A Hotel Where Woodwork Gleams and Antiques are a Perfect Fit
Throughout this hotel, woodwork gleams, and stained-glass windows are exquisite. I was so impressed with each room I explored. Because we stayed in the middle of the week off-season, we were among the few guests. We were the only ones staying on the 2nd floor. The other guests stayed in a room in the annex next door.
Exposed brick, fireplaces (that are now just decorative), fabric wallpaper, high ceilings, and gleaming hardwood floors with large area rugs blend modern sensibilities with a feel of history. Each piece of furniture fits perfectly in its spot. Armchairs, side tables, small couches, wardrobes, lighting, no matter the piece, the dimensions, shapes, colors, and style seemed flawless in the rooms’ designs.
Our Room
My husband and I stayed in the Southern Belle room, a gorgeous, spacious room overlooking the Blackwater Depot and Main Street. The Southern Belle was the line that ran between Kansas City, Missouri, and New Orleans, Louisiana, from 1940 to 1969.
The four-poster bed with its cream-colored bedspread, vintage-style pillows, antique wardrobe, side tables, large area rug, and private bathroom with a clawfoot tub and pedestal sink is an inviting, warm space.
My husband noticed the earplugs on the bedside table. There was a reason. Freight trains do pass from time to time. I didn’t hear a train pass by our room in the night, and I don’t sleep with earplugs.
In the morning, when I heard a train coming, I headed outside to watch it pass. If train noises bother you, stay on the other side of the hotel. Each room is equally gorgeous. You can’t go wrong.
Common Areas and Old-Fashioned Fun
Rooms on the 2nd floor are on either side of the expansive hallway. One of the rooms is a common room with a refrigerator, microwave, and coffee maker for guest use. It’s also a place where guests can visit. There are wine glasses in an antique wall cabinet and coffee mugs. I also found coffee and assorted teas. As a plug for Missouri and Blackwater things to do, a coffee table has Missouri travel magazines.
For those looking to unplug a bit from entertainment, there aren’t any TVs. The Iron Horse Hotel is designed for people to visit and escape.
On the first floor, in another common space in what doubles as a dining room during group events like wedding receptions, there is a cabinet with games. Checkers, chess, dominos are options. Those with a creative streak can use the drawing pad and colored pencils as the muse strikes.
The hotel’s living room space has lovely spots for hanging out as well. Here, there is a cabinet of antique train toys and a book on train history. If not plugging into an electronic device bothers you, there is Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.
In the morning, the staff came in to make coffee. In warm months, the outdoor patio at the hotel is a lovely spot. We headed a few doors down to Christina’s Place for a comfort-food style breakfast.
Blackwater, Missouri, Has Charm Worth Visiting and History Nearby
- Buy Travel Insurance
- Get a Car Rental
Unfortunately, due to timing, we left in the morning before Blackwater, Missouri’s shops opened. There are antique and boutique shops in this charming downtown that beckoned me. Alas, no time to buy. This is a town I would return to even for a quick detour.
Before we headed out of the area, we did go to Arrow Rock, a historic town about 15 minutes away. I highly recommend this slice of Missouri, not far off of I-70.
I found the Iron Horse Hotel when I did a Hotels.com search, but I booked directly through the hotel’s website. After I decided Blackwater, Missouri, was a perfect place for an overnight, Hotels.com booking said the hotel was full. I figured it wasn’t, so I checked the hotel’s webpage and had success.
Check rates for Iron Horse Hotel, Blackwater, Missouri online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
As we were driving, I received a call from Nichole, the hotel’s manager and niece of the owner, who gave me instructions about checking in. Because we were to arrive at night, she wanted to make sure we knew how to access the property. What a lovely person and a lovely find of a hotel. When we arrived, she had not yet left.
