Best Historic Hotels to Stay in Detroit
Detroit's historic hotels come in very different forms: a five-star club, a small inn, an aparthotel in a historic building and a boutique hotel in Corktown. The Detroit Club is a historic five-star property with a spa and a French-inspired restaurant, The Inn on Ferry Street is a historic inn in the city centre with breakfast included, and Trumbull and Porter sits in the historic Corktown neighborhood. Detroit Foundation Hotel and Kasa Cadillac Square also list a historic building, while The Inn at 97 Winder offers a historic property with a hot tub and garden. I compare them by building, neighborhood and what each does best.
Detroit mixes downtown landmarks with the older neighborhood of Corktown, and its historic hotels range from a five-star club to small inns.
Detroit historic stays from clubs to Corktown
Detroit's historic stays are spread between downtown, Cadillac Square and Corktown, so the choice comes down to neighborhood and the kind of building you want. Some listings call the property historic itself, others name a historic neighborhood, and I keep the two apart. I also point out the practical points that decide a stay, such as spa facilities, kitchens and breakfast, using only what the listings say.
The Detroit Club is the most formal historic address here. Its listing calls it a historic five-star property with air-conditioned rooms, city views, a spa, a hot tub and sauna, a fitness center and a billiards room, and its Grille Room serves French-inspired American cuisine. Guests rate it 8.5 across 261 reviews. I would choose it for a weekend where the building and the wellness facilities are the point, rather than for a quick stop, because the club setting rewards a slower stay with dinner and spa time inside the same property.
The Inn on Ferry Street and The Inn at 97 Winder are the smaller historic options. The Inn on Ferry Street is a historic inn in Detroit's city centre with old-world elegance, contemporary amenities, complimentary coffee and pastries each morning and pet-friendly rooms. It scores 8.1 from 337 reviews. The Inn at 97 Winder is a historic property with spa facilities, a garden, a hot tub, concierge services and paid private parking, and it is described as suitable for romantic getaways and family stays, with a score of 8.8 from 109 reviews.
Downtown, Detroit Foundation Hotel and Kasa Cadillac Square both list a historic building. Detroit Foundation Hotel is pet-friendly, with city views, an American restaurant, a bar, a fitness center and a lounge, all within walking distance of the major attractions, and guests give it 8.9 from 196 reviews. Kasa Cadillac Square is an apartment-style aparthotel with fully equipped kitchens, private check-in, city views and pet-friendly units, close to historic sites, scoring 7.8 from 308 reviews. I would choose Kasa for a longer stay and Foundation for a conventional hotel feel with a restaurant and lounge on site.
Three more hotels suit different plans. Trumbull and Porter is a newly renovated boutique hotel in the historic Corktown neighborhood, with a bar and coffee shop, a courtyard music venue and a beer garden. The Godfrey Detroit, Curio Collection by Hilton has city views, an American restaurant, spa and wellness facilities and a 24-hour front desk. ROOST Detroit has private balconies and a family-friendly restaurant. The listings place them near historic sites rather than inside historic buildings, so I recommend them for atmosphere and location, not for architecture. Trumbull and Porter scores 7.7 from 1,166 reviews, The Godfrey 8.9 from 608 and ROOST 9.2 from 194.
A traveler's perspectiveIf I were choosing a historic stay in Detroit for a couple, I would book The Detroit Club for its historic five-star setting, spa and Grille Room. For a smaller, quieter stay, I recommend The Inn on Ferry Street, whose listing mentions complimentary coffee and pastries each morning. For a lively base in Corktown, I would pick Trumbull and Porter, although its listing describes a historic neighborhood rather than a historic building.
ROOST Detroit
Detroit
194 reviews
Pet-friendly apartments with private balconies in downtown Detroit
Check availabilityWhy guests love itROOST Detroit gives families a downtown base with private balconies, a welcome bit of outdoor space in the city centre. The restaurant is family-friendly and serves a range of international cuisines, so mixed tastes at the table are easy to please. Rooms come with free WiFi and modern amenities, the location suits exploring downtown attractions and historic sites, and pets are accepted, which helps families who travel with a dog.
Detroit Foundation Hotel
Detroit
196 reviews
Historic downtown hotel with modern amenities and pet-friendly comfort
Check availabilityWhy guests love itDetroit Foundation Hotel is a pet-friendly hotel in central downtown Detroit, set in a historic building. Rooms are air-conditioned with a private bathroom, city views, free WiFi and streaming services. An American restaurant, a bar, a fitness center and a lounge are on site, and major attractions are within walking distance, which suits a visitor who would rather leave the car parked. Guests rate it 8.9 from 196 reviews.
The Godfrey Detroit, Curio Collection By Hilton
Detroit
608 reviews
Modern comfort with city views, dining, and spa facilities in Detroit
Check availabilityWhy guests love itI would book The Godfrey for a Detroit stay that leans toward comfort and a polished city feel. Guests score it 8.9 across 608 reviews, and the rooms bring city views, a walk-in shower and a proper work desk. The American restaurant and the bar keep dinner in the building, a fitness room covers workouts, and the 24-hour front desk helps with late arrivals. Pets are welcome, and spa and wellness facilities round out the offer.
The Inn at 97 Winder
Detroit
109 reviews
Historic inn with spa facilities, a hot tub, and city views
Check availabilityWhy guests love itThe Inn at 97 Winder is a historic property in Detroit that suits families who prefer character over a large chain hotel. Rooms are air-conditioned with private bathrooms and city views, and the garden gives children some outdoor space. Parents can use the spa facilities and the hot tub, and the concierge helps with plans in the city. Free WiFi runs throughout, and on-site private parking is available for a fee. An 8.8 score across 109 reviews shows guests leave satisfied.
The Detroit Club
Detroit
261 reviews
Historic luxury with a spa, hot tub, and French-inspired dining
Check availabilityWhy guests love itA billiards room and a historic setting give The Detroit Club a character that I think older children and teenagers will enjoy more than toddlers. Parents get a spa with a hot tub and a sauna, a fitness center and the Grille Room, which serves French-inspired American cuisine. Rooms are air-conditioned with city views and free WiFi. This is a formal, elegant hotel rather than a playful one, and no pool is listed. Guests rate it 8.5 out of 10 over 261 reviews.
The Inn on Ferry Street
Detroit
337 reviews
Historic elegance meets modern comfort in downtown Detroit
Check availabilityWhy guests love itThe Inn on Ferry Street suits families who prefer a historic inn to a large chain hotel. Complimentary coffee and pastries each morning make for an easy start before a day out, and the pet-friendly policy lets the family dog come along. Its central Detroit location keeps the city within reach. The amenities are those of an inn rather than a resort, so I would choose it for families with older children who enjoy period character.
Kasa Cadillac Square Detroit
Detroit
308 reviews
Apartment-style living in downtown Detroit with fully equipped kitchens
Check availabilityWhy guests love itKasa Cadillac Square works like an apartment in downtown Detroit: each unit has a fully equipped kitchen, a washing machine and city views, which suits families on longer stays or with picky eaters. Check-in is private, so arrivals are flexible. GM World and Saint Andrew's Hall are within easy walking distance, and the downtown convention center is close. Pets are accepted, so the dog can come along.
Trumbull and Porter - Detroit Downtown
Detroit
1,166 reviews
Boutique hotel with artistic flair in historic Corktown
Check availabilityWhy guests love itTrumbull and Porter is a renovated boutique hotel in Corktown, Detroit's oldest neighborhood, and I think it suits parents who want character over kids' facilities. The bar and coffee shop make an easy breakfast stop, and rooms have a refrigerator for drinks and snacks. The courtyard music venue and beer garden give it a lively, adult feel, so light sleepers with young children should ask for a quieter room. A 7.7 score across 1,166 reviews is fair.
Local tips
- 1Choose The Detroit Club for a historic five-star stay with a spa, a hot tub and sauna and a billiards room.
- 2Pick The Inn on Ferry Street for a smaller historic inn with complimentary coffee and pastries each morning.
- 3Book Kasa Cadillac Square Detroit if fully equipped kitchens matter, as it is an apartment-style aparthotel in a historic building.
- 4Choose Trumbull and Porter for Corktown's atmosphere, with a courtyard music venue and a beer garden.
- 5Check the listing wording: Trumbull and Porter, The Godfrey and ROOST are near historic places but do not describe themselves as historic buildings.
- 6Bring a pet to Detroit Foundation Hotel, The Inn on Ferry Street or Kasa Cadillac Square, which all list pet-friendly accommodation.