TL;DR

Historic gem: A 1920s Art Deco landmark in Downtown Tulsa.
Renovated luxury: Restored in the early 2000s with modern comforts and historic touches.
Iconic feature: Neon rooftop sign is a city favorite.
Great choice: Perfect for history lovers and downtown explorers.
Check prices here

One fun fact about Downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma is a surprisingly extensive collection of 1920s-era Art Deco architecture.

The Mayo Hotel is one; a truly stunning building tucked within a handful of lesser, contemporary offerings.

It’s on the National Register of Historic Places, but spent many years in disrepair.

After extensive repairs in the early 2000s, the bulk of the hotel is modern luxury, but studded with historical detail. The neon rooftop sign is our personal favorite.

The interiors don’t have quite the same elegance, but they’re soft and easy and have enough personality to be going on with.

This place is for those who can feel the joy of returning to a cultural monument each evening, but also an excellent option for just about anyone.

What are the rooms like?

Number of rooms: 102, ranging from King Doubles to spacious Suites.
Style: Black, white, red, and gray with a touch of wood.
Comfort: Plush King beds and satin pillows.
Amenities: Kitchenettes, Keurig machines, TVs, and walk-in showers.
See each room in detail here

Rooms are a little bit more luxurious than chic, a lot of white, black and red, with a range of buttery grays and a few rooms with gleaming wood flooring.

The overall effect is fine, and the quality excellent, but we wouldn’t say it’s inspired. It’s more pretty luxury and excellent amenities in a gorgeous stone package.

There’s a nice range of room options, with connecting rooms perfect for groups. They’re almost all King beds, plush and dotted with satin pillows.

Amenities are well-considered. Even the King Singles and Doubles have butler kitchenettes, and within the wide variety of Suites you’ll find full kitchenettes, dining areas and jacuzzi tubs.

Whatever your kitchen-y area is like, it will have water bottles and Keurig machines. All rooms also have TVs and walk-in showers.

What are prices like?

Check prices here

And what’s the food like? Any facilities we should know about?

Rooftop bar: The Penthouse offers great cocktails and city views.
Dining: Onsite café and restaurant, though downtown options are better.
Wellness: 24-hour fitness center for workouts.
Events: Mayo Museum doubles as a stylish meeting space.

The Mayo was once the tallest building in the city, and while that’s not technically true anymore, the views from the rooftop are still fantastic.

We know this due to the lovely rooftop bar, The Penthouse. It’s mostly drinks, with an excellent cocktail list and wines. We recommend a glass of prosecco with the sunset.

Downstairs, there’s a Starbucks-fuelled café and a restaurant with a decent menu, but it’s not much to write home about. In such a location, we recommend you head out for meals.

Besides the food and drink, the hotel has a 24-hour fitness center perfect for those with an exercise regime, and a business center for anyone who needs to get some work done.

If you need a meeting space, the Mayo Museum is a lovely event space with the property’s original flooring and a lovely set of framed artwork gallery-hung on the walls.

How is the neighborhood? Anything interesting nearby?

Downtown hub: Surrounded by Tulsa’s Art Deco treasures.
Nearby culture: Blue Dome district, Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie Centers.
History: Black Wall Street and Tulsa Race Massacre memorials.
Outdoors: Riverwalk and Route 66 attractions nearby.

If you like to be in the thick of it, Downtown Tulsa is the best choice. You’ve got many attractions in walking distance.

Anyone with an appreciation for Art Deco can use the Mayo Hotel as the perfect base for a walking tour.

The highest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the city are between 3rd and 8th street, meaning the Mayo is smack-dab in the middle.

You’re also just a 15-minute walk from the Blue Dome neighborhood. Here you’ll find cute restaurants, and some more of Tulsa’s best cultural highlights.

Americana and music fans can head to the Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie Centers.

History buffs can explore the tragic but enduring legacy of Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre, both memorialized near the east side of Downtown.

To the west is the Arkansas River, and the pretty lovely riverwalk that runs along it. This is a bit of a hike from the hotel, but if you’ve got wheels it’s an easy drive.

Once you’re in the car, take a turn down Route 66. Tulsa’s one of the best places for roadside attractions.

Both the Route 66 Gateway, and the Cosmic Cowboy are within Tulsa proper, with many others nearby.

And what about the reviews? What did other guests think?

Some things guests liked:

“An elegant style, unmatched in the area. When you’re at The Mayo, you feel a part of history….”

“The history the staff everyone was amazing and helpful and so friendly ! The room was like having our own little apt downtown! Nice valet service and room service well she hand makes everything and it’s delicious. Definitely gotta get a brownie!…”