How Jewelers Are Leading the Next Generation of Design Hotels

"Motor City was once a byword for urban decay, but in the past few years it has shifted up a gear with pockets of regeneration mapped out by creative artists. The once near-deserted neighborhoods of Corktown and West Village have been transformed by design incubators and a healthy pop-up restaurant scene; now it’s the turn of the downtown Woodward Avenue district. The Shinola Hotel sits across from a former sports store and a sewing-machine shop, with newly built additions (the eponymous shoe-polish brand was based in the city for decades before being reinvented as a watch and lifestyle label). Despite the industrial heritage, there are some organic touches, with bright pops of artwork and a homegrown narrative: In the lobby, a handwoven piece by local artist Margo Wolowiec catches the eye with panels depicting key Detroit imagery—the landmark Kern’s Clock, hip-hop graffiti, and Martin Luther King Jr., who led the Walk to Freedom here in 1963. The living room has an embroidered work by American artist Nick Cave, and mini libraries are dotted about the space—Shinola’s creative director has been collecting books for years. Other details include striped alpaca throws and Runwell turntables in the bedrooms, wallpaper from an original 1920s design, and bathroom fixtures inspired by watch-case backs. Chef Andrew Carmellini (Bar Primi, Lafayette) heads up the light- filled San Morello restaurant with southern-Italian-inspired plates such as scallops with fennel pollen and blue-crab pizza. Detroit has plenty of striking architecture, and this is a fine place from which to appreciate it. In the city’s eventful time line, it feels like a defining moment. —Meghan McEwen"