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Downtown Dayton thrives with wave of hotel developments
There are hotel projects that have been recently completed or are in the works for downtown Dayton.
• AC Hotel and Fairfield Inn & Suites: These two hotels are already in operation, on opposite sides of the Dayton Dragons’ Day Air Ballpark. The 134-room AC Hotel opened in early 2023. The 98-room Fairfield Inn launched in 2018.
• Hotel Ardent: This century-old historic building at 137 N. Main St. has been transformed into a boutique hotel, which opened in February. Part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, it is very close to key downtown attractions including the Victoria Theatre and the Schuster Center.
• Hilton Garden Inn: As part of the historic Dayton Arcade, the Hilton Garden Inn will feature a bar and restaurant that overlook the plaza at Courthouse Square. It is scheduled to open later this year.
• Dayton Vitality Hotel: It is planned for the vacant former Crowne Plaza Dayton hotel, which is currently undergoing renovations, across Fifth Street from the Convention Center.
• Other hotels the works: Weyland Ventures, a Kentucky-based developer, is planning a boutique hotel at the site of a vacant church and parish hall at 239 Wayne Ave. in the Oregon District. Also, a new “headquarter” hotel will be built on a city-owned plaza, just north of the Dayton Convention Center.
• Map: Here is a look at downtown hotel locations, including those that are in various stages of planning, development and construction.
A look inside Hotel Ardent, where the interior design pays tribute to Dayton’s history
Admirers of historic architecture will enjoy the thoughtful interior design of the Hotel Ardent.
• Building history: The Renaissance Revival-style building originally opened as the Barclay Building a century ago.
• Design choices: Much of the interior design pays tribute to Dayton’s history of invention and innovation, which is woven into the fabric of the hotel’s identity.
• Front desk: There you will find a display case with a curated collection of invention-themed artifacts and nods to Dayton’s industrial past, including model airplanes and mechanical pieces that hint at the city’s ties to early aviation and technology.
• Guestrooms: Each guestroom includes subtle references to local innovations — think Edison bulb-inspired lighting, custom artwork celebrating historic patents and industrial-style finishes.
• The bar: It features a one-of-a kind Negroni Machine, best known for crafting the signature Flywheel Negroni, featured on the beverage menu. The machine, a one-of-a-kind invention, involves a series of steps resembling a Rube Goldberg machine to deliver the cocktail.
• MORE PHOTOS: The interior design of Hotel Ardent in Dayton