A historic West Virginia high school built in 1923 by Italian stonemasons has reopened its doors 103 years later as a 40-room boutique hotel. Former classrooms have been turned into guest rooms, lounges and shared spaces for visitors. The Hill Hall Hotel, located in downtown Fayetteville, marks the completion of a major restoration of the town’s original stone high school and a nearby midcentury middle school. Developed by real estate firm Mountain Shore Properties, the project has brought new life to a historic school campus that had been closed to the public for more than a decade.According to Travel + Leisure, the hotel is located at the gateway to New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. It combines the building’s historic features with modern, residential-style interiors. The hotel is part of Design Hotels, a portfolio within Marriott Bonvoy. The original high school first opened to students in 1923. It was built by stonemasons who had moved from Piedicavallo, Italy, to Fayette County. The campus served local students for more than 70 years before school consolidation plans led to the main building’s closure in 1999. The middle school later briefly housed a local police station, but the entire complex was closed in 2014.
Local developers preserve community heritage
The decision to buy and restore the abandoned school was led by Fayetteville native Stephen Wendell, founder and chief executive officer of Mountain Shore Properties. Wendell’s family has strong connections to the site, with several generations attending the school over the years. A report by industry publication CityBiz said the redevelopment was planned to support the tourism economy created by the nearby national park while protecting an important piece of local history. “Fayetteville has always been more than a gateway to the Gorge, and I hope Hill Hall gives visitors another reason to spend time in town,” said Stephen Wendell, founder and chief executive officer of Mountain Shore Properties, in a press statement accompanying the opening. “If someone comes here for the Gorge and ends up staying an extra night, having dinner in town, meeting people who live here, or finding a local business they want to come back to, that’s a great outcome for us.” The original school’s different room sizes and layouts meant the hotel needed custom designs for each of its 40 guest rooms. Options include standard queen rooms measuring 240 square feet and larger 660-square-foot double king suites with separate living areas and wet bars.
Interior styling honours regional culture and family history
Mae Pate, head of design at Mountain Shore Properties, led the hotel’s interior design. The project includes features that reflect the school’s history and the culture of the region. Charleston-based architect Aric Margolis served as the architect of record and oversaw the conversion of the historic property with main contractors David E. Looper & Company. According to Mountain Shore Properties, former school hallways and central meeting areas have been turned into lounges, reading corners and social spaces. The main lounge features a large mural by West Virginia artist Nichole Westfall, along with vintage photographs, handmade ceramics and a selection of books. The hotel’s main restaurant, Patsy’s, is named after Wendell’s late grandmother, Pat “Patsy” Wendell. She was an important supporter of historic preservation and helped establish the official Fayetteville Historic District. The restaurant serves Appalachian-inspired dishes and family recipes, including local Clear Water trout and regional meatloaf.The hotel also has a 24-hour guest pantry called Patsy’s Provisions, outdoor fire pits and community gathering spaces. Nearby buildings on the former school campus now include coworking spaces operated through the state-backed Ascend WV initiative. The hotel’s opening comes as visitor numbers to the New River Gorge region continue to grow after the area was officially redesignated as a National Park in late 2020. Guests can easily reach local outfitters offering white-water rafting, rock climbing and mountain biking across the surrounding gorge.
