NEWPORT – Almost a year from the date that a four-alarm fire destroyed part of the building and forced its closure, the Wayfinder Hotel announced Tuesday its intention to partially reopen this summer, with a full-scale reopening slated for fall.
The May 22 blaze included responses from more than 90 firefighters from multiple fire departments, three of whom were treated for injuries.
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A Tuesday press release noted the 197-room hotel on Admiral Kalbfus Road in the city’s North End will reopen under the management of the Boston-based Pyramid Global Hospitality company, with plans to “rebuild and revitalize the property.”
“We look forward to partnering with the fantastic team at Dovetail + Co to reinvigorate this remarkable property,” said Chris Devine, chief investment officer of Pyramid Global Hospitality.
The two companies also own and operate Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa in Bermuda.
“Wayfinder Newport has a special place in Dovetail’s heart as our first property,” said Phil Hospod, Founder and CEO of Dovetail + Co. in Tuesday’s statement. “We love Rhode Island as a second home. We are eager to open our doors again, continue contributing to this dynamic community, and excited to build a great team with Pyramid Global that shares our appreciation for this beautiful state.”
According to the announcement, Wayfinder is currently rehiring all positions including general manager, director of sales, and kitchen and service staff.
Hospod could not be reached for comment on the reopening timeline.
Dovetail purchased the former Mainstay Hotel & Conference Center in 2019 for $14.34 million, rebranding the site as a boutique hotel, first opening in 2020 and managed by Haynes Group Inc.
On Tuesday, Newport communications officer Thomas Shevlin said the owners would not need to go through a separate rebuilding approval process with the city so long as they are utilizing the property’s existing footprint.
Shevlin added that investigators with the R.I. State Fire Marshal’s office determined the fire was accidental. A follow-up investigation by the owners’ insurance representatives found that the fire “most likely started as a result of discarded smoking materials in a mulch bed.”
The 115,000-square-foot hotel had included a fitness center, outdoor pool, full-service restaurant, cafe, and event spaces. Construction and design work is now being done by Newport-based Cordtsen Design Architecture, HR Construction Group and Camera-O’Neill Consulting Engineers Inc., according to a social media post by COCE.
(Update: Comment from Shevlin updated, adds comment from fire marshal)
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.
