Fodor's Expert Review The Elms Resort & Spa

Founded in the 1880s as a retreat for those seeking the healing mineral waters of Excelsior Springs valley, this historic building hosted Al Capone and Bugsy Moran during the Prohibition, and President Harry S Truman the night he bested Thomas Dewey in the 1948 election. Though its rooms show their age, the resort features a full-service day spa with a treatment menu that make it worth the 45-minute drive from downtown Kansas City.