21 Aug Boutique hotel style
When you think of Kentucky, horses and bourbon probably come to mind, right? And then you might also think about the Derby, so it’s fitting that what is now the Hotel Covington was originally built with winnings from a bet on a race near the turn of the century at a nearby racecourse. That’s according to Cov200, a coalition formed to celebrate the city’s bicentennial in 2015.
Of course this is a recent photo taken by yours truly on a quick visit there to watch tennis at the Western Southern Open. My friend advised us to stay here, and it didn’t disappoint.
When you step inside, this display of bourbon barrels catches your eye with a map and the saying, “If these United States are to be considered a body, then Ohio would be its Heart and Kentucky its Soul.” Being an Ohio native, I love that.
First the building contained a dry goods store but then transformed into the region’s largest high-end department store named Coppin’s, after its founder, John R. Coppin. In 1907, he commissioned the seven story skyscraper. That was big for its day. It would maintain that status for decades to come.
It was known as a high end department store with high fashion and high ambitions.
In Coppin’s heyday, it outperformed nationally known retail chains like Sears and Roebuck and J. C. Penney Co. But eventually, suburban flight and the opening of a nearby mall in 1976 led to the department store’s closure in 1977. That must have been a sad day. But any of us old enough to remember the birth of the malls know what it did to downtown businesses. Sad.
Just look closely at the prices!!! And they advertise that the store was air conditioned. If Mr. Coppin could only see the first floor now!
Covington based developers, the Salyers Group, gutted and designed the hotel. But they kept the rich history of Coppin’s in mind as they worked to transform the space by maintaining certain touches like the 20-foot ceilings with the original pillars.
The display case features items from the department store that were donated by former employees or customers. I adore the way the sparkling broaches are styled.
And then there are men’s collars, women’s hats, gloves and other merchandise that pays homage to what came before this hip boutique hotel and what was considered stylish in another era. I think it all still stands the test of time.
The spacious open lobby welcomes visitors before they walk into the restaurant and bar which have great style.
But I’d have to say my favorite space of all is the courtyard which you can see from the dining area. They did a magnificent job of combining the old and new.
I adore the cascading flowers spilling from the planters on the old walls that define the space that focuses on the connect 4 game surrounded by tables and chairs.
This feels like you’re in the middle of Italy to me. What a cool venue for a private party too!
This is the view from my room on the fifth floor. I regret not getting a picture of the room before I scattered my things about the space, but you can see pictures of the spacious rooms on their website. Trust me. They are very nice with large bathrooms. The hotel’s general manager sees the Hotel Covington as a springboard for the building’s, and the community’s rebirth.
I hope that’s the case. I love seeing the urban centers of cities that once thrived having a resurgence. My friends and I sure loved our stay. After a full day of watching tennis nearby, we were ready for the comfort of this lovely retreat.
The Hotel Covington is located at the corner of 7th and Madison in Covington, Kentucky. That’s about a four hour drive from Nashville and just minutes from the heart of Cincinnati. Thanks for following Stylish Retreats. We welcome your comments. Just go to the home page and while you’re there, you may want to look through my previous posts!
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