Detroit Foundation Hotel

Nobody builds hotels anymore, at least not from scratch — and now that repurposed and reused structures are in high demand among the hoteliers of the world, the city of Detroit suddenly finds itself sitting atop a hospitality gold mine. The Detroit Foundation Hotel makes its home in the former headquarters of the city’s fire department, a neoclassical brick structure whose grandeur, both inside and out, would be impossible for a new build to replicate.

Plenty of original architectural detail remains, from tile and marble to weathered brick. The institutional vibe is warmed up considerably by generous helpings of local artwork, as well as contemporary design furniture in the public spaces and the guest rooms. The accommodations are a sort of unpretentious luxe — comfortable but not ostentatious, and retaining some of the rugged, utilitarian charm of the building’s former use.

The Apparatus Room serves New American fare using Midwestern ingredients, and Chef’s Table is something a bit unusual: a multi-course dinner around a communal table that seats 12, prepared by chef Thomas Lents, who earned two Michelin stars in Chicago before decamping to Detroit.

And while the large-scale industries that made Detroit famous may have moved on, it’s a city that’s home to no end of small-scale artisanal producers — and just about everything you see, from the staff members’ uniforms to the fixtures and furnishings in the room, is locally made, and much of it is for sale in the hotel’s showroom.