Hill Hall Hotel officially opened on September 1, 2026, in downtown Fayetteville, West Virginia. Developed by Mountain Shore Properties, the boutique property offers 40 guest rooms set within the town’s historic former high school and middle school buildings near New River Gorge National Park. Hill Hall is part of Design Hotels, a portfolio within Marriott Bonvoy.
Restoration of Historic School Campus
The hotel campus preserves Fayetteville’s original 1923 stone high school and the adjacent midcentury middle school buildings. These structures underwent extensive restoration to maintain their architectural heritage while transforming into a hotel environment. Original school layouts influenced the unique dimensions of guest rooms and
the preservation of open common areas that function as lounges and reading spaces.
Hotel Features and Dining Options
Hill Hall Hotel contains 40 guest rooms and features Patsy’s, its signature restaurant named after founder Stephen Wendell’s grandmother, Pat “Patsy” Phillips Wendell. Patsy’s serves dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The menu reflects Appalachian cooking traditions, guided by Executive Chef Jeffrey Toth, who previously opened Wood Iron Eatery in Fayetteville. The beverage program includes Old School Ale, an English-style pale ale brewed by Fayetteville-based Bridge Brew Works exclusively for
the hotel.
Design and Artistic Contributions
Mae Pate of Mountain Shore Properties led the interior design, incorporating materials and furnishings reflecting the building’s history and the New River Gorge environment. Architect of record Aric Margolis from Charleston, West Virginia, managed architectural aspects, with general contracting by David E. Looper & Company. Artistic elements include a large-scale mural by West Virginia artist Nichole Westfall and curated artworks overseen by Kevin Barry Art Advisory. Hand-painted signage by West Virginia designer Jordana Bungard and photography by David Robert Elliott and Braiden Maddox further emphasize regional character.
Local Partnerships and Traveler Amenities
Hill Hall collaborates with local businesses such as Gripped Fitness, New
River Bikes, New River Mountain Guides, and Mountain Surf Paddle Sports to offer guests access to fitness facilities, bicycle rentals, climbing instruction, and stand-up paddleboarding. Coworking spaces are available on site through Ascend WV in the former elementary school building on campus. Visitors receive in-room directories and complimentary Fayetteville Pocket Guides at the front desk to assist exploration of the surrounding area.
Stephen Wendell, founder and CEO of Mountain Shore Properties, said, “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. 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. We want Hill Hall to give people more time to get to know Fayetteville and everything happening here.”
Mountain Shore Properties, headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, developed Hill Hall Hotel. The company specializes in boutique and select-service hotels and was named Developer of the Year by Hyatt in 2019. Hill Hall’s affiliation with Design Hotels and Marriott Bonvoy places it within an international
curated portfolio of independently operated hotels.
