Kansas City, Missouri
The building that now houses Crossroads Hotel was constructed in 1911 as the home of the Pabst Brewing depot. When Prohibition came, it’s rumored that the building was used to bootleg liquor. Today, the building has been repurposed into a modern boutique hotel with 131 rooms and unique spaces, including a small dining room in a former vault and an open three-story lobby with walls made from the historic wood planks of the floors. With the slogan ‘Quintessentially KC,’ Crossroads Hotel celebrates the Kansas City community with its artist residency program, art gallery, and in the details in each room from local creatives. The hotel has become a fixture in the neighborhood for travelers and locals alike. It hosts live music, vinyl nights, a running club, and yoga classes. 2101 Central, Kansas City.
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Springfield, Missouri
Located in downtown Springfield, Hotel Vandivort is housed in a former Masonic Temple that dates back to 1906. After hosting local Masons for 75 years, the four-story building was renovated into offices with drywall and dropped ceilings, hiding the original character of the building. Today, those original details are once again exposed and highlighted by the hotel’s modern furnishings. Guests can choose from a variety of rooms and suites, some with balconies, all impeccably outfitted. The hotel has two dining options: The Order serves locally sourced Midwest cuisine, and Vantage offers an extensive cocktail list and small plates on the rooftop terrace. 305 E. Walnut, Springfield, Missouri.
Indianapolis, Indiana
From 1930–1964, Coca-Cola bottled its soda in what’s now the Bottleworks Hotel. The building still retains all of the Art Deco details from its storied past. The lobby’s green- and goldenrod-colored tiles are bordered with an ornate gold trim. The original terrazzo floors shine as if they were new, and just beyond the doors of the lobby, you’ll find the crown jewel of the hotel: a grand spiral staircase that winds its way up to an Art Deco chandelier. The hotel’s prominent location in the Bottleworks District means that, in addition to the in-room dining menu, you’ll be surrounded by lots of dining options, including traditional steakhouses, sushi, and casual bar food at The Garage Food Hall, located across the street. 850 Massachusetts, Indianapolis.
Detroit, Michigan
Just behind the red doors of this former firehouse, you’ll find the Detroit Foundation Hotel. Built in 1929 and occupied by the Detroit Fire Department until 2013, the hotel juxtaposes historic and modern touches with its original terrazzo floors and wood-paneled walls, which provide a backdrop to the hip furnishings and eye-catching cascade of light bulbs that hang over the bar in the Apparatus Room. The halls of the Detroit Foundation double as an art gallery, showing work from local artists. The hotel prioritizes using local businesses in everything from chocolate and spirits to the denim vests worn by the bartenders. 250 W. Larned, Detroit, Michigan.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
As evidenced in the name, Brewhouse Inn & Suites is housed in the former Pabst Blue Ribbon brewery. The building, which dates back to 1844, operated as a brewery for more than 150 years before closing in 1996. It remained vacant until 2006, when it was purchased as part of a larger plan to not only reimagine the iconic building but also help revitalize the neighborhood. Today, the district is home to restaurants, apartments, and breweries. Many of the original details are visible in the Brewhouse Inn, including the copper brewing kettles and stained-glass window of the patron saint of beer, King Gambrinus. At On Tap, the hotel’s gastropub, guests can pair cheese curds and beer-brined wings with a Wisconsin draft beer or one of 40 available craft beers. 1215 N. 10th St, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Grinnel, Iowa
Hotel Grinnell is located in the 1921 building that served as the city’s junior high school until the late 1970s. Nearly 40 years later, the historic school was repurposed as a boutique hotel, but its original purpose is still evident in its design. Guests sleep in former classrooms, complete with original hardware floors, vaulted ceilings, and chalkboards, while the old locker rooms have been transformed into a bar. The school’s scoreboard hangs in the lounge. The gymnasium is now a modern ballroom, and the auditorium hosts performances, conferences, and weddings. The independently owned hotel provides nods to its past with playful details that make the experience a bit like going back to school. 925 Park, Grinnell, Iowa.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Once a brick-and-timber warehouse constructed in 1897 to support Minneapolis’s agricultural industry and rail-fed commerce, the Andrews Building is now home to the Hewing Hotel. The building was adapted into a hotel in 2016. The design preserved many of the industrial elements that defined its original purpose–massive 19th century pine and cedar beams, exposed brick walls, and high ceilings provide a backdrop for custom glasswork, iron details, and furnishings inspired by Minnesota’s Scandinavian heritage. Even the hotel’s name is a nod to the giant pine beams throughout the building and the logging industry that helped shape Minneapolis. The result is a hotel that feels distinctly of its place, from its Nordic-influenced restaurant to its rooms filled with natural textures and locally made touches. 300 N. Washington, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Chicago Athletic Association Hotel
Chicago, Illinois
For more than a century, the Venetian Gothic building on Michigan was home to one of Chicago’s most exclusive private clubs. The building that now houses the Chicago Athletic Association was completed in 1893. After the club closed in 2007, the landmark underwent an extensive restoration and reopened as a 241-room hotel in 2015. Many of the building’s original details remain, including elaborate millwork, marble and mosaic tile floors, stained-glass windows, and fireplaces. The hotel also pays homage to its athletic past with old squash court flooring lines in the elevators, pommel-horse-inspired benches in guest rooms, and the former swimming pool as an event and recreation space. Today, the former members-only club is open to everyone, with restaurants and bars, including the rooftop Cindy’s that overlooks Millennium Park and Lake Michigan. 12 S. Michigan, Chicago, Illinois.
