Best hotels in Detroit

Shinola Hotel, Detroit

The Shinola Hotel on Woodward Avenue is a stunning masterclass in historic preservation. Created by Detroit’s own luxury design brand Shinola in partnership with Bedrock, the 129-room boutique property seamlessly weaves together five distinct buildings. This includes two beautifully restored structures: the 1915 T.B. Rayl Co. hardware store and the 1936 neoclassical Singer Sewing Machine building.

“New independent hotels have played a vital part in Detroit’s regeneration. Though none embraces the city’s past, present and future as holistically as Shinola. It uses contemporary elements to highlight the city’s history.”

Featured in CN Traveler’s Best New Hotels of 2019.

Foundation Hotel, Detroit

Housed in a massive 1929 Neoclassical building, the Detroit Foundation Hotel is a brilliant piece of historic preservation. The five-story structure originally served as the Detroit Fire Department Headquarters, specifically built as the city’s first station designed for motorized fire trucks rather than horses. After the department moved out in 2013, local architect firm McIntosh Poris Associates and interior designers at Simeone Deary Design Group stepped in to transform the space into a stunning 100-room boutique hotel.

“In 2017, this 1929 fire station in the heart of the city was transformed into a boutique hotel that blends modern convenience and style with original architectural features and a strong sense of history. Rooms are spacious and comfortable.”

ROOST, Detroit

Located in downtown Detroit, ROOST Detroit offers an elevated extended-stay experience inside the city's iconic Book Tower. This 38-story masterpiece originally opened in 1926 and was designed by architect Louis Kamper in a striking Italian Renaissance style. After sitting vacant for over a decade, the building recently reopened following a meticulous, seven-year, $300 million restoration that Architectural Digest named one of the world's best repurposed projects.

“These studio-size apartments are perfect for extended stays, but can be a good choice for short-term guests who want to dine in. Accommodations combine sleeping and living areas and include a fully stocked kitchen and in-room laundry. ROOST is in the immaculately restored 1926 Book Tower with its remarkable stained-glass rotunda. The building houses a cafe, three restaurants and two bars.”

The Inn on Ferry Street, Detroit

The Inn on Ferry Street is a beautifully preserved slice of Detroit’s Gilded Age. Rather than one massive building, this boutique hotel is actually a collection of four stunning Victorian-style mansions and two historic carriage houses. The street itself dates back to the mid-1800s, when it originally served as a seed farm for the famous D.M. Ferry Seed Company before evolving into one of the city's most affluent residential avenues.

“Forty guest rooms fill a row of Victorian mansions right by the art museum. The lower-cost rooms at The Inn on Ferry Street are small but have deliciously soft bedding; the larger rooms feature plenty of antique wood furnishings.”

The Townsend Hotel, Detroit

Nestled in the upscale Metro Detroit suburb of Birmingham, The Townsend Hotel is a four-star luxury boutique property that opened on June 1, 1988. Designed by local architect Nathan Levine, the red-brick building draws inspiration from a grand English country manor, intentionally contrasting with the industrial, mid-century aesthetic often associated with the wider motor city region.

“Located in the heart of quaint Birmingham, Michigan, about 20 miles from downtown Detroit, The Townsend Hotel is a quick hop, skip and jump from designer shops and nationally acclaimed art galleries. This charming little city is easy to navigate by foot, and the luxury hotel itself is in the midst of it all.”

Atheneum Suite Hotel, Detroit

Located right in the heart of downtown Detroit's lively Greektown district, the Atheneum Suite Hotel is a major piece of the city's history. The building was constructed back in the 1920s by the famed firm Walbridge Aldinger and designed by prominent architect George Mason. It originally served as a massive warehouse for the D.M. Ferry Seed Company, from a time when Detroit was actually the world capital of seed production.

“Business travelers and visiting celebrities favor this downtown property. The spacious, individually decorated suites have Greek overtones, and the lobby bar bustles with activity.”

Daxton Hotel, Detroit

Located in Birmingham, a refined and highly walkable suburb just thirty minutes north of downtown Detroit, the Daxton Hotel brings an unexpected, avant-garde edge to the local luxury scene. Conceived by local entrepreneur Mark Mitchell and opened in the spring of 2021, this striking boutique property was designed by the Chicago-based architectural firm Booth Hansen, who crafted a minimalist glass and stone exterior that seamlessly blends into the historic Old Woodward Avenue streetscape.

“Located in Birmingham, Michigan, a 25-minute drive north of Detroit, Daxton Hotel is the newest luxury hot spot in Southeastern Metro Detroit. The instant you set foot into the 2021-opened property, you notice how the brilliant architectural elements and bold design touches complement a communal spirit throughout the boutique hotel.”

Hotel David Whitney, Detroit

Perched on the northern edge of downtown Detroit, the Hotel David Whitney, Autograph Collection, is a masterclass in architectural survival. Originally opened in 1915, this iconic 19-story Neo-Renaissance skyscraper was built as a premier medical office building and high-end retail hub. It was commissioned by the family of David Whitney Jr., a legendary Michigan lumber baron who amassed one of the city's largest fortunes.

“The Hotel David Whitney, a 160-room hotel located beside the Grand Circus Park, seamlessly combines the past and present. Situated within the ornate David Whitney Building, which opened in 1915, the structure is defined by a stunning lobby rotunda. Several rooms have a view of Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers.”

Featured in New York Times’ 36 Hours in Detroit, Michigan.

Hotel Courtyard Downtown, Detroit

Sitting right on East Jefferson Avenue, the Courtyard by Marriott Detroit Downtown offers an incredibly practical setup for exploring the Motor City. Built in 1984, the hotel is housed inside the sprawling Millender Center complex. It recently underwent a massive, top-to-bottom reimagining led by the Detroit-based team at Neumann/Smith Architecture alongside The Gettys Group, stripping away old hotel cliches for a sleek, highly contemporary look.

“One of Detroit’s more modern hotels, the Courtyard is connected by skyway to the Renaissance Center; the People Mover links the hotel to the rest of Downtown.”

The Siren Hotel, Detroit

Standing tall and narrow in Downtown Detroit’s theater district, The Siren Hotel is a masterclass in architectural resurrection. The 13-story, Italian Renaissance-style skyscraper originally opened in 1926 as the world headquarters for the Rudolph Wurlitzer Company. For decades, it was celebrated as the planet's largest music house—jam-packed with instrument shops, a recording studio, and a performance hall—before sitting completely empty and decaying for years.

“he Siren, in the beautifully restored Wurlitzer Building, takes full advantage of century-old architectural features, like original travertine floors and a wrought-iron lobby staircase. Pink- and navy-hued rooms range from cozy bunkbed lofts to expansive suites. Eat, drink and entertain yourself at an in-house coffee bar, cocktail bar, wine bar or Sid Gold’s Request Room, a piano karaoke bar.”