Omni Mount Washington Completes Multimillion-Dollar Renovation

Omni Hotels & Resorts has completed a multimillion-dollar restoration of the Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa in New Hampshire. The project updated historic guest rooms, introduced a new cafe, and modernized the property's electrical systems while preserving its 1902 Spanish Renaissance Revival architecture as part of a broader $1.5 billion brand-wide investment plan [1].

Why did Omni Hotels & Resorts renovate the historic property?

The company initiated the restoration to preserve the emotional connection returning guests have with the property while updating its amenities for modern use, according to Hotel Dive [1]. Omni acquired the property, located along U.S. Route 302 in the White Mountains, in 2015 [1]. The hotel originally opened in 1902 as the Mount Washington Hotel [1]. New Hampshire industrialist Joseph Stickney developed the site over two years, employing 250 Italian craftsmen to execute the Spanish Renaissance Revival architecture and colonnaded veranda [1].

Omni approached the recent project under a design concept called "Generational Heirloom," which aims to refresh the property subtly so that returning families recognize the spaces they have visited for decades [1]. The resort's managing director, Michael Medeiros, stated the restoration honors the storied history of the building while reestablishing it as a travel heirloom [1]. The property earned National Historic Landmark status in the 1980s and previously hosted the establishment of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank during World War II [1].

What specific upgrades did the guest rooms receive?

Guest rooms in the historic wing underwent a complete refurbishment to combine Gilded Age aesthetics with modern comfort [1]. Omni completely updated the electrical systems throughout the building, allowing the company to install modern conveniences like refrigerators and coffee makers in the rooms [1]. This electrical update mirrors the building's original construction, as Thomas Edison personally designed the hotel's first electrical power plant and system [1].

Omni Senior Director of Interior Design Tonya Grine told Hotel Dive that the new room design features a color palette of blues and greens, drawing inspiration from the surrounding mountain landscape [1]. The design incorporates local flora and fauna into the new patterns, specifically utilizing a maple leaf motif on the guest room headboards [1]. The rooms also feature antique-inspired furnishings and woven accents [1].

How did the design incorporate the resort's royal history?

The interior design process deliberately added feminine, French influences across the property to honor Princess Carolyn, the former owner [1]. After original developer Joseph Stickney died months after the hotel opened, his wife Carolyn Stickney inherited the property [1]. She subsequently married a French royal and ran the hotel as Princess Carolyn until her death in the early 1930s [1].

Grine noted that nods to her nobility appear throughout the property [1]. Omni also retained the property's existing artwork, collaborating with the Historical Society of Bretton Woods to curate vitrines displayed across the resort to maintain the historical continuity guests expect [1].

What new public spaces and amenities were introduced?

Omni replaced an old business center and a small retail shop with a new all-day cafe called Labrador Tea & Coffee [1]. Grine explained this decision was made to provide guests with a central gathering hub [1]. The cafe features millwork painted in French patina blue and a design that incorporates native flowers and herbs [1].

Beyond the new cafe, Omni enhanced several existing amenities [1]. Medeiros reported that the company upgraded the resort's speakeasy, known as The Cave, alongside improvements to the property's spa and fitness center [1].

How does this project fit into Omni's broader investment strategy?

The multimillion-dollar restoration in New Hampshire is one component of a five-year, $1.5 billion commitment by Omni Hotels & Resorts [1]. Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Doane previously told Hotel Dive that this capital is allocated to support historic restorations, new developments, and international expansion across the portfolio [1].

Medeiros noted that the company invests this money to honor hotel history while keeping guests happy so they continue to return and build traditions at the properties [1]. The Mount Washington project follows two other major resort updates completed recently by the brand [1].