Dearborn Inn, Autograph Collection

Henry Ford’s Historic Dearborn Inn Reopens in Michigan - AFAR

"Originally commissioned by Henry Ford in 1931 and designed by Albert Kahn, this Georgian-style, National Register–listed airport hotel reopened on March 19, 2025 after a two-year restoration that aimed to preserve its most storied elements while updating guest amenities. The restoration — led by Ford Land with Ford archival teams, the Ford family, and design partners including AvroKO, Dash Design, Kraemer Design Group, and Quinn Evans — retains features like the lobby’s checkerboard Italian marble floor chosen by Ford and the original green marble fireplace, and displays archival artifacts such as guest scrapbooks and vintage menus (one even signed by Walt Disney). Interiors celebrate Michigan makers with Knoll Warren Platner and Eames seating, Loja Saarinen–inspired rugs, aviation nods (including a Tri‑Motor–themed photobooth), and guestrooms with four‑poster walnut beds, archive‑inspired artwork, and bathrooms clad in Ford Pantone blue tiles; the property offers 135 rooms, 19 suites plus a Presidential Suite, and summer additions of five standalone houses inspired by literary figures that can be booked individually or as a buyout. Dining highlights include Clara’s Table, a tribute to Henry Ford’s wife Clara featuring herb-forward dishes like Welsh rarebit, cipollini and pear tatin, and short rib croquettes sourced from the hotel’s garden, and Four Vagabonds, a study‑like cocktail bar serving local beers and themed cocktails such as the Georgia Bound and the Smoky Trail; a private dining room with a mural by Detroit artist Ryan Herberholz seats up to 20. Set on 23 acres adjacent to the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village and about 15 minutes from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, the property blends aviation and automotive history with contemporary design and rates beginning around $350 per night." - Devorah Lev-Tov