Devastated by a major fire just two years ago, the Wayfinder Hotel is now planning its full reopening and will rejoin Newport’s busy hospitality scene by the end of the summer season.
Just two years after acquiring The Wayfinder, which underwent a $16 million renovation and rebranding to open the new boutique hotel, the property was hit by a major fire that caused one of the building’s roofs to collapse, forcing the hotel to close just before the 2022 summer season.
The state fire marshal had to suspend his investigation into the cause of the fire indefinitely because the building proved too unstable for investigators to safely enter. The ignition source, the fuel that first ignited and the cause of the fire are still officially undetermined. However, information obtained by the Newport Daily News from the file indicates that the agency has identified two possible causes of the fire: “carelessly discarded smoking material” and “energized electrical conductors, connections or equipment.”
While the Newport hotel was being repaired and renovated after a fire, parent company Dovetail + Co. began expanding the brand to other popular destinations. In 2023, the company unveiled the new Wayfinder Waikiki in Honolulu, and in July 2024, it opened another Wayfinder hotel near the High Sierras in Bishop, California.
The Newport location finally partially reopened the less damaged and undamaged areas of the hotel in May 2023.
The newly renovated Wayfinder has 185 hotel rooms, including 115 with double beds and 30 suites with separate sitting areas, wet bars, microwaves and larger refrigerators, according to a reopening fact sheet from Dovetail + Co’s public relations firm. Near the lobby, guests will find B-Side Café, which serves nitro coffee and grab-and-go food. Poolside, guests can enjoy ice cream and alcoholic beverages at The Pool Shack. This summer, Nomi Park Bar will open at the hotel, offering cocktails and small snacks, while Nomi Park Restaurant, which has been closed since the fire, will remain closed until 2025.
This article originally appeared in the Newport Daily News: Newport’s Wayfinder Hotel prepares for full reopening after fire
