From Classroom to Hotel: Inside Washington School House
A Park City landmark for more than a century, Washington School House has a new story to tell.
Built with locally quarried Utah limestone in 1889 as a school for the children of miners, it is now a stylish hotel with 12 unique rooms and suites. | Photo: Courtesy Washington School House Hotel
After a decade in commercial banking—providing loans to real estate developers—and traveling the globe, staying at the world’s foremost properties, Marcy Holthus purchased the Park City, Utah, historic Washington School House in 2009. “My original intent was to restore it as a home for our family,” says the mother of five, but she soon realized, “We couldn’t keep this stunning gem to ourselves, and so I became an accidental hotelier.” It took more than a year of detailed planning and permitting before Holthus embarked on an eight-month-long renovation with the singular focus of restoring the building’s historical integrity while reimagining the interior for modern living.
Guests can relax in the living room and enjoy snacks and beverages—a specialty cocktail, local wine, microbrew or a hot cup of homemade soup—especially welcome after a day on the slopes. | Photo: Courtesy Washington School House Hotel
“The property has an original quarried limestone exterior, which we protected by installing a new standing-seam metal roof,” Holthus says. The inside had to be entirely gutted. She worked with San Diego-based Paul Allen Design and F.H. “Trip” Bennett, founding principal of La Jolla, California-based Arista Architects, to create 12 lofty rooms and suites within the original structure. Reclaimed oak floors, an all-white interior, European antique furniture, vintage rugs and custom pieces bring a refined opulence. Old photographs of children who attended the school add a homey touch.
A seasonal breakfast (included) features options such as steel-cut oats, scrambles and omelets, fluffy pancakes and just-baked pastries. There are always freshly squeezed juices, healthy smoothies and house-made sourdough bread with berry jam. | Photo: Photos courtesy Washington School House Hotel
The Washington School House Hotel opened in 2011. “It was a meticulous process of honoring the past while adding beautiful new design … with modern comfort and convenience,” Holthus says. She designed the penthouse with her own family in mind and stays in this suite when she is at the hotel. The building’s living room has 16-foot-high ceilings and nine-foot windows that bathe the room in natural light. The fireplace and a 10-foot-tall gilded antique mirror from an opera house in the south of France serve as a focal point. A custom antler chandelier—dipped in white lacquer and layered with Swarovski crystals—hangs above.
That first cup of coffee—room service—in one of the hotel’s vintage-style two-queen rooms. | Photo: Courtesy Washington School House Hotel
A heated pool (enveloped by aspen and spruce trees) is terraced into a hillside just behind the hotel. The pièce de resistance is the fire pit, crafted from the Olympic torch that illuminated the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Design is important, but hospitality is key. Services include a 24-hour concierge who organizes off-site activities like bobsledding and gallery tours. Children are welcomed with special amenities (toys and turn-down treats). “We cater to families—no matter if newborn or toddler or teenager,” says general manager Ryan Frye (he’s also the chef).
The 12 rooms and suites were designed with an understated elegance incorporating European antique furniture and vintage rugs. | Photo: Courtesy Washington School House Hotel
A hearty breakfast starts each day, and happy hour begins as the lifts are closing. Locally sourced cheeses and meats join freshly baked bread and seasonal cocktails. “In winter, we feature warming drinks,” says Frye. He also curates and cooks intimate and innovative 10-course dinners, which he calls “home-felt meals.” For Holthus, the Park City renovation was the start of a larger journey. She and her husband founded Pilot Hotels and have since acquired, restored and opened the 18th-century Hotel Château du Grand-Lucé in France’s Loire Valley. “I was drawn to both properties for their unique history and incredible locations,” she says. “Any similarities are a reflection of my personal design sensibility: a restrained spareness that doesn’t feel contrived or overdone.”
Washington School House Hotel offers a ski valet and chauffeured shuttle service to Park City Mountain or Deer Valley Resort. | Photo: Courtesy Washington School House Hotel
In the penthouse living room, a working fireplace is flanked by two gilded French-inspired chairs. The bathroom (at the left) is stocked with toiletries sourced from France. | Photo: Courtesy Washington School House Hotel
Chef Ryan Frye has a modern, organic approach to American cuisine. His creative 10-course dinners (reservations required) are popular with guests. | Photo: Courtesy Washington School House Hotel
A spiral staircase leads up to the bedroom in this king suite. | Photo: Photos courtesy Washington School House Hotel
