This Indiana Hotel Is Reopening to Guests for the First Time Since the 1970s — Here's What It Looks Like Today

It's not very common that a hotel reopens after closing its doors for a half-century, but that's exactly the story of a newly renovated property in northern Indiana.

Built in 1923, the nearly century-old Hotel Elkhart welcomed its last guests in the early 1970s, The Elkhart Truth reported. After a years-long $23 million renovation, the hotel will once again open to visitors on Sept. 28 — this time as part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection.

With a new, modern makeover, the nine-story Hotel Elkhart will offer 93 guest rooms, two restaurants, a ballroom, meeting space, and a rooftop bar.

Sitting in the heart of downtown Elkhart, just five miles east of South Bend, the hotel began renovations in 2018. The opening was originally slated for 2020, but work on the property was delayed for more than a year even before the pandemic, which only further stalled the process, according to the Associated Press.

The renovation was completed in partnership with Cressy Commercial Real Estate and Mno-Bmadsen, which is the non-gaming investment arm of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. The project also received support from government entities, including the city of Elkhart.

"We're incredibly honored to be a partner on this investment and are excited to see this property brought back to life in what are the ancestral lands of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians," said Julio Martinez, CEO of Mno-Bmadsen, in a news release.

In the decades after shutting down as a hotel, the building has served as an office space, an apartment complex, restaurants, and retail spaces.

With its reopening, Hotel Elkhart hopes to regain its status as a hub for both business and leisure travelers, as well as celebrities. In its heyday, Hotel Elkhart was no stranger to prominent figures like Ed Sullivan and Robert Kennedy.

For more information about the property, head to the Hotel Elkhart website.

Jessica Poitevien is a Travel + Leisure contributor currently based in South Florida, but she's always on the lookout for her next adventure. Besides traveling, she loves baking, talking to strangers, and taking long walks on the beach. Follow her adventures on Instagram.