Location, location, and, indeed, location. The Westin Michigan is at 1114 Washington Boulevard on the corner of Michigan Avenue, a walk to downtown and close to the road network that links with the highways. It has a surprisingly modern feel for a long standing city stopover.
The lobby is upstairs from street level, which has a reception area of its own, a steak house, coffee shop and a bar beside a second street entrance. Near the lobby is a roomy area for working or relaxing.
Our room, 1171, came with two beds, a sitting area and a large bathroom with both bath and shower.
The hotel, originally opened in 1924, hossts Neo-Renaissance architecture designed by Louis Kamper. Guests are greeted by a grand lobby with restored opulent details, including intricate plasterwork and elegant furnishings, evoking the glamour of Detroit’s “Fifth Avenue of the Midwest” vision. The Venetian Ballroom (formerly the Grand Ballroom) and Italian Garden retain recreated historic decor, offering a glimpse into the hotel’s storied past.
The hotel features 453 spacious guest rooms, including 35 suites, averaging 475 square feet. Rooms combine historic charm with modern comforts, featuring Westin Heavenly® Beds, Heavenly® Baths, 55-inch flat-screen TVs, ergonomic workspaces, and high-speed internet (for a fee). Deluxe rooms offer views of Washington Boulevard, Michigan Avenue, or Detroit’s sports arenas, with earth-tone palettes and natural light. Accessibility options and pet-friendly policies (with a $50 fee for cats, max 40 lbs) cater to diverse needs.
Dining Experiences: The hotel offers diverse dining options:
- Sullivan’s Steakhouse: Located on the ground floor, this premium steakhouse serves prime steaks, seafood, hand-shaken martinis, and features live music, with a modern design.
- Boulevard Room: A casual American restaurant offering upscale breakfast (e.g., blueberry-orange granola pancakes) and lunch, ideal for starting the day.
- Lobby Bar (Motor Bar): Housed in the original lobby, it serves craft cocktails and light dining, drawing inspiration from Detroit’s automotive history.
- Starbucks Reserve Store: The only one in downtown Detroit, offering specialty beverages and pastries for quick bites.
- WBC Gourmet Grab & Go: A street-level coffee and sandwich shop for convenience.
- 24-hour in-room dining is available for added flexibility.
Guests can enjoy a 24-hour WestinWORKOUT® Fitness Studio with cardio equipment, free weights, TRX, and Peloton bikes, alongside an indoor heated pool and hot tub (reopened after renovations). The Spa Book Cadillac offers 7,000 square feet of relaxation with treatments and retail space. Over 35,000 square feet of event space, including historic ballrooms and a new 11,000-square-foot ballroom, caters to weddings, conferences, and galas. Valet parking is available at $45 per day with in/out privileges, and a 10-story parking garage is nearby. Free Wi-Fi is provided, along with a full-service business centre, concierge, and Westin Kids Club®.
Centrally located in the Washington Boulevard Historic District, the hotel is within walking distance of Campus Martius Park (0.2 miles), the Guardian Building (0.3 miles), Comerica Park, MGM Grand Detroit Casino, and the scenic Riverwalk. The Detroit People Mover and QLine streetcar provide easy access to further attractions like the Henry Ford Museum and the Detroit Riverfront.
The hotel hosts major events like DigiMarCon Detroit 2025 (May 22–23) and IMAT 2025 (October 20–23), showcasing its role as a convention hub. A 100th-anniversary exhibition, in partnership with the Detroit Historical Society, highlights the hotel’s century-long legacy with on-site displays.
A $20 million renovation announced in November 2022 by new owners Oxford Capital Group was completed in 2023, refreshing guest rooms, public areas, and meeting spaces. This has led to brighter, modernised rooms with enhanced club lounge amenities, including a variety of hot breakfast and evening items and a new coffee machine. Reviews praise the clean, spacious rooms and updated facilities.
Marking its centennial (1924–2024), the hotel launched a historical exhibition in 2024, which continues into 2025, showcasing artifacts and stories from its past. However, some guests note a lack of visible anniversary signage or memorabilia, suggesting subtle nods like historical postcards could enhance the experience.
While Roast, the steakhouse by Michael Symon, closed in January 2022, Sullivan’s Steakhouse has filled the gap with vibrant dining and live music. The Starbucks Reserve remains a unique draw, with no new dining outlets announced for 2025.
The hotel continues partnerships with Hyperice and Bala for in-room recovery and strength training equipment, and with Strava for workout routes, enhancing its wellness offerings.
Historic corner
The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, originally the Book-Cadillac Hotel, is a historic landmark in Detroit’s Washington Boulevard Historic District, with a legacy spanning over a century.
Developed by the Book brothers, J. Burgess, Frank, and Herbert, the hotel was envisioned to transform Washington Boulevard into the “Fifth Avenue of the West,” competing with the nearby Statler Hotel. In 1918, they purchased the Cadillac Hotel (built 1888) at Michigan Avenue and Washington Boulevard. Designed by Louis Kamper in the Neo-Renaissance style, the 33-story, 1,136-room Book-Cadillac opened on December 8, 1924, as the tallest building in Detroit and the world’s tallest hotel. It featured luxurious ballrooms, a WCX radio station, and statues of historical figures like Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac and Chief Pontiac.
The hotel quickly became Detroit’s premier destination, hosting affluent visitors, conventions, and notable events, such as Lou Gehrig’s 1939 decision to end his 2,130-game streak in the hotel’s lobby. The Great Depression forced the Book brothers to lose ownership in the 1930s. In 1951, Sheraton acquired it, renaming it the Sheraton-Cadillac and modernising public spaces, replacing the grand staircase with escalators. By 1975, declining business led Sheraton to sell to Herbert R. Weissberg, who defaulted, passing ownership to the Bank of the Commonwealth and Radisson, which managed it as the Detroit-Cadillac. The hotel closed in 1984 after a failed mixed-use conversion plan, remaining vacant for nearly two decades.
Vacancy led to severe deterioration, with the Grand Ballroom exposed to the elements. After failed redevelopment attempts, including a 2003 Marriott Renaissance plan, the Cleveland-based Ferchill Group acquired the property in 2006. A $200 million renovation, completed in 2008, restored the hotel as a 453-room Westin with 65 luxury condominiums on the top eight floors. The project recreated historic decor in the Venetian Ballroom and Italian Garden, added a three-story annex with a new ballroom, pool, spa, and fitness centre, and built a parking garage. The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit reopened on October 31, 2008.
The hotel faced financial strain during the pandemic, leading to foreclosure proceedings against Ferchill Group. In December 2021, Oxford Capital Group acquired it for an undisclosed sum, announcing a $20 million renovation completed in 2023. The hotel celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024 with a historical exhibition, continuing into 2025. It remains a vibrant anchor in downtown Detroit, hosting major events and preserving its legacy as a symbol of the city’s resilience and revival.
The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit offers an experience steeped in history, modern luxury, and a prime location.
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