So much of the joy of travel centers around discovery — specifically, learning about the place that you’re visiting. From walking tours to visiting museums, shopping local to reserving unique dining experiences, travelers have a stronger desire than ever to connect with the locale when they’re away from home.
They’d be remiss, then, to overlook the hotel building they’re resting their heads in at night. Why? Because there are some really incredible examples of “adaptive reuse” — turning a building that was once designed for one thing into something else — in the hotel industry.
It’s time to explore some of the most historic hotels throughout the world. (Photo Credit: @kimptonfitzroy)
We’ve rounded up some of the coolest adaptive reuse, historic hotels below. When you’re inside their doors, you can almost feel the energy of their past lives.
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City
Built in 1863 and housing the National Bank of the Republic (the largest national bank in Utah) from 1895 — 1922, this building evokes the pioneering spirit of downtown Salt Lake City. It served many purposes throughout its history, from a modest bed & breakfast to the fanciest hotel for migrants and enterprising businessmen stopping through SLC after the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in 1869.
Part of the building even housed a popular bar & cigar shop called Harr’s No. 7, located where Kimpton Hotel Monaco’s current bar is. Historically, Harr’s was cited frequently for its alcohol violations and illegal gambling. With a grand entryway and a dramatic lobby in the Second Renaissance Revival style, the first two floors of the building still sport polished marble and carved stone faces found in the keystones above its arched windows.
The home of Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City was built in 1863. (Photo Credit: @thevaultslc)
Feast in a setting that pays homage to the hotel’s original banking days. (Photo Credit: @monacoslc)
The building pays due homage to its important banking days from 1895 — 1998 as bank teller windows still separate the restaurant hall from the restaurant’s main dining room. The hotel has a locally-loved, intimate cocktail bar called The Vault, with stunning original millwork. Restaurant Bambara is housed in the storied, once-was bank lobby, and retains its original polished marble floors and original vault door.
Stay Here: Kimpton Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City
Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam
In a city snaked with canals and dotted with historical landmarks lies Kimpton De Witt Hotel, whose walls house stories dating back to the 17th century. The three-story Little House, which is part of the hotel structure, is from the Dutch Golden Age era of buildings in the Palace Quarter neighborhood.
Even more special, it was the home of renowned playwright PC Hooft, who wrote several iconic Dutch plays between 1613 — 1626. Hooft’s work had such an impact on The Netherlands that, today, the iconic PC Hooftstraat, Amsterdam’s most high-end shopping street, still honors his name.
Welcome to Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam. (Photo Credit: @kimptondewitt)
The original hotel dates back to the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. (Photo Credit: @kimptondewitt)
The historic hotel is one worthy of this iconic capital city. (Photo Credit: @jolielot)
Within many of the guest rooms of Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam, you’ll still find the original beamed ceilings, along with pops of brilliant blues that are designed to be reminiscent of classic Dutch art and historic Delft tiles.
Stay Here: Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington, DC
“We doubt there is a building in the world more chaste and architecturally perfect than the General Post Office.” — Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, December 1859
Standing proudly for 200 years in DC’s Penn Quarter neighborhood, this hotel building was originally the General Post Office of the United States. A landmark building completed in 1842 and expanded in 1866, it features several wings, Carrara marble, and marble-treaded circular stairways with decorative wrought iron railings.
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington, DC was originally the General Post Office of the United States. (Photo Credit: @agriffinevents)
The hotel’s gorgeous architecture makes it a particularly popular spot for weddings. (Photo Credit: @cassaram)
Today, the hotel houses spectacular weddings, and couples love to take their wedding photos on the grand staircases. The building also features beautiful columns with Corinthian capitals, of which renowned Italian Renaissance architect Andrea Palladio wrote, “I have never seen any better or more delicately executed work.” An original arched carriage entrance remains present on the Eighth Street side of the hotel.
During your stay, keep an eye out for the many homages to history throughout the hotel. For instance, each guest room features a five-foot-wide architectural medallion of a lion’s head, paying tribute to the magnificent motifs adorning many of DC’s government buildings.
Stay Here: Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington, DC
Kimpton Las Mercedes Santo Domingo
Nestled in the heart of Santo Domingo’s Colonial City, which dates all the way back to 1502, Kimpton’s first hotel in the Dominican Republic blends 16th century architecture with traditional art and textiles throughout.
Kimpton Las Mercedes is nestled inside the colonial city of Santo Domingo. (Photo Credit: Sergio Lopez)
The building itself dates back to the 16th century, and was thoughtfully revitalized by award-winning Spanish architect Rafael Moneo to reflect the transformation of its traditional neighborhood into the bustling cultural hub that it is today. Many of the beautiful architectural features were well-preserved, including original arches and exterior ornaments.
Today, the hotel houses three unique restaurants and bars and a rooftop pool overlooking Santo Domingo. All of it spaces capture the timeless charm of this capital city in the Dominican Republic.
Stay Here: Kimpton Las Mercedes, Santo Domingo
Kimpton Fitzroy London
Kimpton Fitzroy London, in picturesque Bloomsbury, is steeped in history. The building was designed as The Hotel Russel in 1898 by the architect Charles Fitzroy Doll. It features a striking thé-au-lait (“tea with milk”) terra-cotta exterior marked by four British queens guarding the entrance.
Kimpton Fitzroy London dates back to 1898. (Photo Credit: @justpoppenin)
Inside, the hotel boasts stately marble as far as the eye can see, vaulted ceilings, an ornate Pyrenean marble staircase, and an interior sunken garden. Guests can’t help but notice the original Zodiac mosaic at their feet as soon as they step inside the hotel.
The hotel’s restaurant, Neptune, is said to be almost identical to the dining room on the RMS Titanic, which architect Charles Fitzroy Doll also designed. On the second-floor staircase, you’ll find “Lucky George,” a bronze dragon. An identical dragon was also on the Titanic.
Step back in time, to the Victorian era of London. (Photo Credit: @heatherchecksin)
Look down upon entering Kimpton Fitzroy London — you will be amazed. (Photo Credit: @janelouisebee)
Kimpton Fitzroy London was one of the few hotels in the area not taken over by the War Office during World War II, and it survived the war largely intact. It’s known today for its architectural grandeur, and the building still stops visitors in their tracks when they visit the neighborhood.
Stay Here: Kimpton Fitzroy London
Kimpton Armory Hotel Bozeman
Originally the National Guard Armory — built in 1941 — and dedicated just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the building that houses what is now Kimpton Armory Hotel in Bozeman, Montana sat idle and empty for years.
The 29,000 square foot concrete building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and belonged to Montana’s 163rd Infantry Regiment. Its 18” thick concrete walls and fortress-like exterior structure didn’t inspire action from real estate developers for many years, despite its prime downtown Bozeman location.
Kimpton Armory Hotel’s fortress-like exterior reflects its historic past. (Photo Credit: @kindtraveler)
Art-deco pieces can be found throughout the entire hotel. (Photo Credit: @armoryhotel)
Kimpton adapted the building, retaining its original three levels and building up, so that now it is the tallest building in the downtown area. This was done while retaining almost all of its unique art-deco style — in fact, 98% of the original structure is still intact. Today, the hotel houses 122 guest rooms and suites, three dining concepts, and even a concert venue.
Stay Here: Kimpton Armory Hotel
Kimpton Santo Hotel San Antonio
In the lively Central Business District of San Antonio lies Kimpton Santo. This eye-catching building is partly comprised of an 1858 schoolhouse, dedicated to poet and historian Frank Schiller, who wrote Ode to Joy. The schoolhouse is now reimagined into the hotel’s steakhouse, Dean’s Steak & Seafood, a courtyard bar called The Study, and eight delightful guest suites.
Kimpton Santo Hotel embodies the Texan spirit.
German Texans have a long tradition of ‘the Sunday house’ — a place in town where, from the mid-1800s to early-1900s, rural farmers gathered to celebrate with friends and family on the weekends. Kimpton Santo takes its inspiration from these community rendezvous. The building features local motifs rooted in missionary art as well as vintage craftsmanship that preserves the spirit of Old San Antonio.
Stay Here: Kimpton Santo Hotel
Do you love a building with a good story? A stay at one of these hotels with a lot of history could be a wonderfully inspiring travel experience.
