Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Detroit’s Shinola Hotel Has Us Feeling Right At Home

Kelsey Machado
By
Shinola Hotel

Detroit has been called a lot of things over the years, not all of them good. The city that brought us cars and Motown seemed poised for total collapse not too long ago. Crime and poverty were on the rise while the population was rapidly declining as residents left in search of better opportunities. But many stayed, their love of the city making it impossible to leave. And it’s their passion that has turned Detroit around. The city has fought hard and recently earned a new, and well deserved, title: America’s Comeback City.

Two companies who refused to give up were Shinola (maker of luxury products) and Bedrock (a commercial real estate firm). Both companies have worked hard to improve Detroit through development and increased job opportunities. Collaborating together, they have created what is sure to become downtown Detroit’s newest hot spot: The Shinola Hotel. More than just a place to spend the night,  Shinola Hotel offers social gathering spots, shopping, dining, and an outdoor beer garden that will be reason enough to visit once it opens this spring.

Related Videos
1 of 5
shinola hotel first look living room 2
Shinola Hotel
shinola hotel first look living room 1
Shinola Hotel
shinola hotel first look guest room 2
Shinola Hotel
shinola hotel first look guest room 1
Shinola Hotel
shinola hotel first look guest room 3
Shinola Hotel

Working with architectural firm Kraemer Design Group and the design team at Gachot Studios, Shinola and Bedrock developed a hotel that honors Detroit’s history while helping to rejuvenate the downtown shopping district. The Shinola Hotel occupies two landmark buildings: the T. B. Rayl & Co. department store and a former Singer sewing machine storefront. Annexes join the two buildings, turning the block into a destination for everyone from tourists visiting the city to locals looking for a fun night out.

Located on world-famous Woodward Avenue (reportedly the first ever strip of concrete highway in the world), The Shinola Hotel offers something more than the typical hotel experience. The “living room” designed by Gachot Studios was created as a hangout spot for anyone looking for a comfortable, stylish space to relax, gather with friends, work, or enjoy a quick bite to eat.

Classic, sophisticated design details can be found around every corner of the hotel, paying homage to Detroit’s rich past. The bar feels plucked out of the 1920s, the living room space is an eclectic blend of contemporary, Mid-Century Modern, and Art Deco styles, and all were designed to be welcoming and warm with an added elegance that is bringing the city back to life.

The 129 guest suites, designed in 50 different layouts, are spacious and inviting, feeling more like luxurious city apartments than standard hotel rooms. Black steel framed windows add a subtle urban industrial edge to remind you that you’re in a gritty city with a storied past. And no Detroit hotel room would be complete without a way to listen to some music, so suites have been outfitted with Runwell turntables (one of The Manual’s favorites).

Shinola CEO Tom Lewand summed up the vibe of the new hotel best when he said, “We want to welcome people into our home.” The Shinola Hotel is sure to become every visitor’s home away from home, too.

Book Your Stay

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kickstarter, a Team of Designers, and a Determined Owner Brought the Jennings Hotel Back to Life
jennings hotel oregon feat

With the rise of boutique hotels offering high style at affordable prices, it’s getting harder for new places to stand out. Even hostels have started receiving trendy makeovers to appeal to a larger audience. So how do you create a hotel that is one-of-a-kind when everyone around you is offering the same thing? Just ask Greg Hennes, artist and owner of the Jennings Hotel.

The Jennings Hotel is the hotel that isn’t. It doesn’t offer food service. It doesn’t have a lobby. It doesn’t have televisions. And not all of the rooms have private bathrooms. But it isn’t a hostel. The Jennings is something all new in more ways than one.

Read more
This Brutalist Revival Home in Greece Stands Out By Blending In
patio house ooak design greece 19

Few countries in the world can boast an architectural pedigree like Greece. With structures like the Parthenon dating back to ancient times, the country’s historic style has influenced building designs around the world for over two millennia. Beyond the Classical style, Greece is also famous for the white stucco structures known as Cycladic architecture (think the cliffside villages of Santorini). So in a country full of rich architecture, how do you create something new?

That was the challenge for Swedish architectural firm OOAK. Located on the island of Karpathos, Patio House is unlike the standard Grecian home. While Karpathos is filled with the famous Cycladic style of brightly painted homes, OOAK went in the opposite direction, using the natural rocky landscape as inspiration.

Read more
Las Vegas’ Newest Pot Shop Is Equal Parts Dispensary and Entertainment Complex
Planet 13 Las Vegas

When the first American recreational marijuana dispensaries opened in Colorado, most patrons were just happy to have a legit outlet to purchase their bud. Beyond a decent menu, there was little expectation for pot shops to offer anything resembling a high-end experience. These days, however, there’s a lot more competition. Around the country, the best dispensaries promise smartly dressed, well-educated “budtenders,” designer decors, and a boutique shopping environment. With more discerning shoppers in mind, Las Vegas’ newest dispensary is not only a great place to buy your toke, but it’s a full-fledged entertainment outlet as well.

Situated a mile off the Vegas strip, Planet 13 is the city’s newest, largest, and most elaborate dispensary. Co-CEO Bob Groesbeck notes the inspiration for the name stems from “M” (as in “marijuana”) being the 13th letter of the alphabet — a branding decision that could only have come from the minds of quasi-existentialist stoners.

Read more