Sneak peek: Inside the not-quite-ready Ada Hotel

ADA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Crews are working to wrap up construction on Ada Hotel, a project years in the making that will bring 36 hotel rooms and two restaurants to the village’s downtown.

The Ada Hotel project dates back to 2018 , when CityFlatsHotel announced plans to build a boutique hotel in the village. AHC Hospitality took over the project in 2020 and announced it would be called The Ada House. The team later renamed it the Ada Hotel , after a hotel that used to be in the village in the early 1900s.

Construction started at 7415 River St. near Thornapple River Drive in February 2022 as crews worked to bring the three-story, 37,000 square-foot property to life.

Now, it’s getting ready to start taking reservations , with spots opening on its website by May at the latest, general manager Becky Jones told News 8. The grand opening is expected in mid- to late summer. The team previously said rates would be in the low to mid-$200s range, but Baton Collective CEO Loren Crandell said those rates are being reworked.

“We want it to be well-positioned within the community, but given the appointment and just how beautiful this property is going to be, the rates will be up there compared to other properties in and around the area,” the Baton Collective CEO explained to reporters during a preview of the hotel Tuesday.

The Baton Collective is owned by Cheri DeVos and is the business group behind the project.

Guests at Ada Hotel will have a variety of types of rooms to choose from, including a bunk room with a queen bed and two bunk beds, or one of the property’s two Peloton rooms featuring an exercise bike. There will also be standard king and double queen rooms, rooms with balconies overlooking the Thornapple River and suites.

“Our vision for Ada Hotel was to create a warm and welcoming environment for those visiting Ada or community members looking for a night out,” DeVos said in a release. “It’s exciting to see this project come to life, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience what makes this place so special.”

Walking into the hotel, guests will be greeted by a lobby and atrium that aims to be a welcoming “third space” for the Ada community, Crandell said. The lobby will have a variety of seating and gathering spaces, and up the stairs will be an open-floor atrium with more spots to hang out, a library and artwork.

To the left will be The Post, a restaurant with tavern and pub vibes that will seat up to 110. Crandell said it will have an open concept facing the lobby, as the team wants it to be inviting. He said guests can stop by for a burger or fish and chips and a pint of beer.

Community members can also buy a drink for a friend with the tavern’s “drink share” program, a nod to the post office.

“We’ll give you a postcard, you get to write out your little quip or comment and then we’re going to put in a cubby,” Jones explained. The post card will be put behind the bar organized by last name, and “if you got mail, you get to come back here and accept the drink.”

Upstairs on the third floor will be the Rix, named after Rix Robinson, known as the founding father of Ada. The lounge and dining space will seat up to 130, with a three-season outdoor terrace offering views of the river.

The casual cocktail lounge will offer a rentable private dining space and a variety of types of seating, Crandell said.

He said the team is excited for the community to see the property.

“It’s been a long time coming. We recognize that, and now that it’s spring, I think the general community is super excited to be able to realize this amazing property,” he said. “Now that it’s springtime and people are walking around Ada village, people are peeking into the windows and seeing how the construction is evolving. And I think the excitement just continues to build.”

Jones is in the process of hiring a restaurant general manager, an executive chef and an operation manager. Her management team is set to start on May 1.

She said one of the biggest roles for her will be developing the hotel’s culture, adding she envisions “just a fun place, a safe place for all.”

For Jones, the general manager position is a dream come true. Originally from the Detroit area, she’s been in West Michigan for two decades and has worked with AHC for 15 years, primarily in the food and beverage side of hospitality.

“This is a dream job to me, where it’s a food and beverage heavy hotel,” she said. “I’m really excited to open up the restaurants. … It’s a dream to be in a community like this and in a hotel, boutique hotel like this.”

She said Ada Hotel will serve as a good addition to the village, which has transformed over the last decade into a dense downtown with several shopping and dining options.

“It’s going to be the place to be. It really is,” she said.

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