Renaissance Providence Hotel

Providence, RI

For 75 years, the Masonic Temple in Providence, Rhode Island, loomed incomplete and in considerable disrepair. A $100M restoration created a luxury 272-room hotel by restoring its historic neoclassical facade and replacing the interior structure with new, state-of-the-art construction. The project is the largest historic preservation effort ever undertaken in the state of Rhode Island.

Inspired by the building's architectural detailing, the interior architecture and design were shaped to convey a sense of grandeur and theater befitting the hotel's location adjoining the city's concert hall and its adjacency to the McKim Mead & White designed State House.

Upon entering guests see unexpected "Art Chairs", which tell the Masonic story in an artistic, whimsical interpretation. Paying homage to the cultural and theatrical arts defining Providence, guests are placed "on stage" in the theatrical lobby where velvet draperies at the reception desk accentuate plush, upholstered seating anchored by richly colored hand-tufted carpets set upon beaux-arts style marble floors.

Descending a stone-clad grand staircase is the fanciful restaurant appropriately named, "Temple", which features Gothic-like architectural elements from the original Scottish Rite Temple. Marble floors inlaid with Masonic iconography suggest an inner sanctum, and artwork was created by a graffiti artist who had previously tagged the abandoned temple.

Guestrooms, presented an architectural challenge due to the building's column spacing. Angled entry foyers were created to visually divide the rectilinear spaces resulting in rooms that appear wider, with lofty ceilings and high windows furthering the sense of spaciousness. Tall, inlaid mahogany headboards, sumptuous seating and elegant fabrics embrace the history and drama, providing an authentic, unique experience.