Rubell Hotels Reopens Historic Lord Baltimore Hotel, Following Multi-million Dollar Restoration

By Adrian Maties, Associate Editor

The Lord Baltimore Hotel officially reopened on Thursday, March 27, following a restoration project that brought the old building back to life. Baltimore City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Baltimore City Councilman William Cole and other dignitaries attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.

The hotel was constructed in 1928, in the heart of downtown Baltimore. It was designed by famous architect William Lee Stoddart, in the French Renaissance style. At that time, the 23-story building was considered one of the crowning architectural jewels of Baltimore. It is included in the National Register of Historic Places and is a member of Historic Hotels of America.

From its 289-foot height, The Lord Baltimore kept watch over the city and, as the years went by, it saw many things change and experienced many changes as well. It changed ownership several times, it even changed its name; but, most importantly, it seems that the old hotel finally managed to change its luck for the better.

In March 2013, Rubell Hotels acquired the Lord Baltimore for $10 million. The family-owned company is known for renovating architecturally significant and historic hotels and turning them into affordable cultural hubs. Rubell Hotels immediately started work on a multi-million dollar top-to-bottom renovation of the historic hotel.

Now, a year later, the Lord Baltimore has been restored to its former glory. Its 440 guestrooms and suites feature dark wood tones with clean lines, contemporary art, velvet drapes and plush mattresses, as well as high-speed internet, HD TVs, refrigerators and coffee makers. Rubell Hotels has brought on Scott Sanders, formerly of the Ralph Lauren interior design department, for the redesign of the rooms. He also worked on reimagining the French Kitchen restaurant, the LB Bakery, the LB Tavern, the hotel’s lobby, and the more than 20.000 square feet of meeting and event space, including the historic Calvert Ballroom.

The restored Lord Baltimore will feature a signature gift shop called SideShow, an outpost of the American Visionary Art Museum’s museum shop. Rubell Hotels also plans to hold art exhibitions throughout the hotel’s public spaces.

Photo credits: The Lord Baltimore Hotel