2023 is shaping up to be a big year for hotels in Detroit. With new hotels like the Cambria, Godfrey, and Roost Hotel in the Book Tower set to open this year, and many more planned, Detroit is about to get a lot more places to stay. This also means long-standing hotels need to compete with newer offerings, and we've seen some upgrades taking place around the city.
The latest is the Atheneum Suite Hotel and Conference Center in Greektown, which is renovating 173 guest suites, along with the hotel's lobby, bar, and restaurant. The hotel is working with St. Clair Shores-based design firm, Olon Interior, and the renovations are expected to be completed in May.
Gerard + Belevender
“We are completely invested in and remain dedicated to the Greektown area,” said Athina Papas, an executive at The Atheneum Suite Hotel. “The Atheneum offers a unique guest experience due to our dedicated staff and great location, which will only be elevated with this renovation.”
Upgrades in the rooms include new carpeting, artwork, furnishings, linens, and amenities. The hallways of the hotel will also be replaced with new carpet and flooring. A new restaurant and and updates to the bar in the hotel were already completed.
The building that holds the Atheneum Hotel was originally part of a group of Ferry's Seed Warehouse buildings in Greektown; the original building dates back to the 1920s and was designed by George Mason. The concrete columns you can see in some of the hotel rooms are reminders of its history. It was converted to the hotel in the early 1990s.
There's been a push to add more hotel rooms to Detroit in recent years in order to land bigger events. The NFL Draft is set to take place in the city in a year. The NCAA tournament will take place here next spring, while the Final Four is coming to Ford Field in 2027.
Additional hotels in the works include a large one next to Huntington Place, a new build and a conversion within the District Detroit plans, and hotel space in the upcoming Hudson's site.
