Originally built in 1931 by Henry Ford, the Dearborn Inn in Dearborn, MI, was one of the country’s first airport hotels, built across from what was once the Ford Airport. Today, the property stands refreshed following a restoration and renovation project that was led by Ford Land’s design and Ford Motor Company’s archival teams, in collaboration with the Ford family and partners including AvroKO, Dash Design and Kraemer Design Group, along with restoration architect Quinn Evans.
“The Dearborn Inn is 94 years old this year, so it felt like the right time to fully restore the hotel and enhance the guest experience,” said Julie Mendola, global portfolio director, Ford. “The renovation reinforces our commitment and investment to the legacy of Ford’s hometown and the region, and it was truly a labor of love. We’re proud to reopen this iconic landmark so new generations can appreciate it just as the great figures before them did. The renovation took just over two years to complete after the hotel closed on Feb. 1, 2023. Located within Ford’s Research and Engineering Campus, the inn is a restored amenity for the community and employees traveling to Ford’s campus. It is one of several renovations aimed at transforming the campus and the city Ford has called home for more than 120 years.”
The Georgian-style inn, which has joined Marriott’s Autograph Collection, was inspired by the New England inns that the Fords frequented and quickly became a retreat for notable luminaries who came into town to collaborate with Ford, such as Walt Disney, Orville Wright, Norman Rockwell, Eleanor Roosevelt and President Ronald Reagan. The design team restored many of the historical elements of the original property.
“The inn was originally designed by Albert Kahn and Henry Ford, and the design team preserved the most iconic features, respecting the original design intention,” said Mendola. “What guests will immediately see is that we preserved the property’s most storied elements to maintain the character and integrity of the inn, including the stunning checkerboard Italian marble flooring selected by Henry Ford himself, as well as the stately green marble fireplace, the original windows in the lobby and dining spaces and an original antique clock. Other elements like the slate roof and grand windows in the public spaces were all restored and maintain the property’s standing as a National Historic Landmark.”
Mendola pointed out that the goal of the design team was “to preserve the historic grandeur of the hotel while also introducing an elevated design and contemporary craftsmanship, so you’ll see aviation-inspired elements and Michigan-made furniture throughout.”
She added, “As an homage to the history of the space, we refitted an original phone booth, turning it into a photo booth that looks like the historic Ford Tri-Motor airplane, where guests are invited to commemorate their journey by taking a vintage-style ‘passport’ photo. The carpets that line the hallways leading to the guestrooms are inspired by the famed tapestries of Loja Saarinen from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, and Michigan-made furniture like Eames chairs can be found throughout. We also incorporated nods to the Ford legacy, such as Ford Pantone blue tiles in the bathrooms and artwork from or inspired by the company archives.”
In an homage to the inn’s history and Henry Ford himself, a collection of artifacts and artwork from the Ford Archives curated by art advisory firm Farmboy, was added throughout the property, including letters from guests who once honeymooned at the inn and vintage Dearborn Inn menus—one with a signature from Walt Disney.
“The team curated other artifacts, like vintage pilot goggles, that spoke to the legacy of aviation and the inn’s former role as an airport hotel,” said Mendola. “New artwork nods to Henry Ford’s industrial innovation and Albert Kahn-designed manufacturing sites. And a custom mural in the Private Dining Room tells the story of Henry’s famous camping troupe, the ‘Four Vagabonds.'”
The camping troupe, which included Thomas Edison, John Burroughs and Harvey Firestone, was the inspiration for the hotel’s new cocktail bar and lounge, Four Vagabonds, which was designed to mimic one of Ford’s studies and features natural woods and moody tones, anchored by a bar that subtly nods to the Ford tri-motor airplane wing.
The signature restaurant, Clara’s Table, is a tribute to Henry’s wife, Clara Ford.
“She was a passionate horticulturist and hostess,” said Mendola. “The restaurant’s design complements Clara’s passion with nature-inspired tones and lush plants, fresh flowers and herbs adorning the tables, which get lots of natural light from arched windows surrounding the dining room.”
A second phase of the renovation, which is expected to be completed in September, will add five colonial-style homes with 18 additional guestrooms, including suites inspired by the homes of literary icons such as Edgar Allan Poe and Walt Whitman.
“We will also introduce 17,000 sq. ft. of versatile indoor and outdoor event space for gatherings of up to 850 guests,” said Mendola.
