Dezeen Magazine

Shinola Hotel, Detroit by Gachot Studios

Five boutique American hotels in buildings with storied pasts

A suite of historic buildings across the US have been given new life as boutique hotels. We've rounded up five that would be ideal for whiling away the long Fourth of July weekend.


Shinola hotel by Gachot Studios

Shinola Hotel, Detroit, Michigan by Gachot Studios

New York firm Gachot Studios transformed a terracotta-clad building dating back to 1915 into this Detroit hotel for watch brand Shinola. Bedrooms feature a pared-back, muted decor that leaves the attention to the bones of the historic structure – including huge, arched windows.

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Maison De La Luz luxury hotel by Atelier Ace in New Orleans

Maison de la Luz, New Orleans by Atelier Ace and Studio Shamshiri

New Orleans luxury boutique Masion de la Luz occupies a six-storey building completed in 1907 as the former City Hall Annex, and has been used for various civic facilities since. Studio Shamshiri and Atelier Ace renovated the building, and furnished it as if it were the home of a well-travelled woman who has just returned to the city with an eclectic mix of souvenirs.

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Revival hotel by SL Design

Revival, Baltimore, Maryland by SL Design

A 1970s-style lounge, modernist designs and a curated art collection all feature inside this boutique accommodation in Baltimore's historic Mount Vernon neighbourhood. Called Revival, the hotel forms the next phase of life for a building, which is nearly 100 years old, and formerly served as a mansion for an art-enthusiast and also the site of the Baltimore Museum of Art's inaugural exhibition in 1923.

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The Woodlark Hotel by R&A

Woodlark Hotel, Portland, Oregon by R&A Architecture + Design

R&A Architecture + Design merged two 20th-century buildings in Portland –  the Woodlark Building and its neighbour, the Cornelius Hotel – to form this hotel. Blue leather, brass accenting, and black lacquer inside the property draw on Portland's eclectic spirit, while raw wood and plant materials provide a nod to the Pacific Northwest wilderness.

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The Windrose hotel by Basic Projects

Windrose Hotel, Savannah, Georgia by Basic Projects

Guests at Savannah's Windrose Hote are invited to indulge in cosy apartment-like suites designed by Basic Projects. The Charleston studio teamed up with local architect Sottile and Sottile to overhaul a four-storey brick building, creating a series of lofted units with 17-foot-tall (five-metre-tall) ceilings, lots of natural light, and views over the city.

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