Detroit's grand architecture
tells much of the story. Beaux-Arts facades, Art Deco towers and former
industrial buildings recall the city's extraordinary past, while its streets
are now home to a new generation of restaurants, galleries and cultural spaces.
Food is as intrinsic to Detroit's
identity as its architecture. The city's burgeoning dining scene has produced a
new generation of chefs and restaurants, including James Beard-nominated
talent, while its selection as one of six cities for the forthcoming MICHELIN
Guide American Great Lakes is putting further focus on Detroit's culinary
credentials.
Some of the best places to
experience this meeting of architecture, design and dining are the city's
hotels. Across downtown, historic buildings have been reimagined as places to
stay, preserving their architectural character while introducing contemporary
interiors, considered design and restaurants worth travelling for.
Here are five of Detroit's most
distinctive addresses.
ROOST Detroit
Few Detroit hotels are as closely
connected to the city's architectural heritage as ROOST, which occupies part of
the restored Book Tower in downtown Detroit.
Designed by Louis Kamper in the
1920s, the 38-storey building was once one of the city's great landmarks. Its
restoration has returned many of its original details, including the
spectacular three-storey rotunda, where a cast-iron and brass dome incorporates
6,000 pieces of glass and 7,000 jewel-like embellishments.
The 117 rooms and suites take a
residential approach, with fully equipped kitchens, living areas and generous
proportions. Dining is equally central to the experience, with French brasserie
Le Suprême, Japanese restaurant Hiroki-San and rooftop bar Kamper's all housed
within Book Tower.
Shinola Hotel
If ROOST reflects Detroit's grand
architectural past, Shinola Hotel offers a more contemporary expression of the
city's long-standing relationship with design and craftsmanship.
The hotel brings together five
historic buildings on Woodward Avenue, including the former T.B. Rayl hardware
and sporting goods store and the Singer Building. The main Rayl building dates
from 1915, while the Singer Building was designed by Detroit architectural firm
Smith, Hinchman and Grylls.
The restoration was guided by the
buildings themselves. Original materials were retained wherever possible, while
discoveries made during the renovation informed the interiors. A paint chip
found in the Singer Building, for example, inspired the colour now known as
Shinola blue.
That attention to craftsmanship
continues through the 129 rooms and suites, where custom furnishings and a
residential feel take precedence. Larger suites and penthouses add fireplaces,
living spaces and terraces overlooking Woodward Avenue.
Food is central to the hotel,
with Italian restaurant San Morello and the hotel's bars adding to its appeal.
In 2024, Shinola became the first hotel in Detroit to receive a MICHELIN Key,
recognising its architecture, design, service and character.
Hotel David Whitney, Autograph
Collection
The David Whitney Building has
been part of Detroit's skyline since 1915. Designed by Chicago architect Daniel
H. Burnham & Co., the Neo-Renaissance landmark was commissioned as a
prestigious address for Detroit's medical professionals and today houses Hotel
David Whitney, Autograph Collection.
Its four-storey atrium remains
the defining space, with a vast skylight illuminating the marble and terra
cotta detailing below. The Library Bar brings a more intimate atmosphere, with
bookshelves, rich wood interiors and a piano.
The 160 rooms and suites continue
the building's grand proportions, with high ceilings, generous windows and
furnishings inspired by its architectural heritage. The lobby has also received
a Detroit Design Award.
Detroit Foundation Hotel
The former Detroit Fire
Department Headquarters has found a very different purpose as the Detroit
Foundation Hotel. Built in 1929, the building retains much of its original
firehouse character, including the scale and industrial detailing of its former
engine room.
That space now houses the
Apparatus Room, the hotel's restaurant and bar, where contemporary dining takes
place beneath the high ceilings of the former fire station.
The result is a hotel where the
building's former life remains part of the experience, rather than simply
providing a backdrop for the interiors.
The Siren Hotel
The Siren brings a more
theatrical sensibility to Detroit's historic architecture. Housed in the former
Wurlitzer Building, the 1920s landmark was once home to the Wurlitzer Company,
whose musical instruments became part of American cultural history.
ASH's interiors take the building
in a more expressive direction, using colour, pattern and texture across its
public spaces, restaurants and bars. The 106 rooms and suites are more
intimate, with custom terrazzo bathrooms and retro-modern furnishings.
Recognised in Condé Nast
Traveler's Readers' Choice Awards in 2021, The Siren offers a more playful
interpretation of Detroit's design scene, with a scale and atmosphere that sets
it apart from the city's grander hotels.
Posted by: Visit Detroit
Posted on: 09/09/2026