Ada Hotel

Situated between the Thornapple and Grand Rivers, Ada, Michigan is a burgeoning smalltown set to rekindle long-standing ties to the hospitality industry through the reimagining of the historic Ada Hotel, which has welcomed guests since the early 1900s. Partnership with the community has proven key to the redevelopment of this property while also spurring the opening of restaurants, boutiques, and leisure destinations in a tree-lined downtown center.

Building on a long-standing client relationship, OTJ Architects has reconceived of the Ada Hotel as a community-focused destination that will welcome guests from near and far while driving the germination of local business through corollary increased foot-traffic. The program, comprised of one-bed king rooms, two-bed queen rooms, and suites, offers guests an array of plush accommodations from which to explore neighboring cultural and culinary offerings. On-site dining options include Rix, a 130-seat restaurant named in honor of the town’s founder, Rix Robinson, as well as a family-friendly 110-seat pub, The Post Tavern. In addition, a state-of-the-art fitness center is sure to appeal to wellness-minded guests. Lastly, the hotel is intended to serve as a fulcrum for community engagement and will feature an oversized second-level lounge that can be reserved by local groups for popup social and civic events.

Aesthetically, the design nods to the village’s historic landmarks. Ada’s beloved wood-truss covered bridge, for example, is evoked by warm wood interior finishes that serve as a visual conduit between the atrium and the first-floor restaurant. Soothing graphic elements such as a typographical pattern expressed in understated tones and deployed on the atrium ceiling reference the hotel’s pastoral surroundings. OTJ is proud to have worked in tandem with the stakeholder team to develop and elevate initial concepts on a limited timeline without compromise to the design’s integrity.