Mountain Shore Properties Announces Plans for Hill Hall, a Boutique Hotel Opening in Late Summer 2026 in Fayetteville, West Virginia

The forty-room boutique property will transform Fayetteville's historic school campus into a design-forward retreat near New River Gorge National Park.

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va., Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mountain Shore Properties announces plans for Hill Hall, a new boutique hotel opening in late summer 2026 in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Created within a restored former school campus—the 1923 stone building that once housed Fayetteville High School and the mid-century building formerly home to Fayetteville Middle School—Hill Hall will blend preserved architecture with warm, residential design to offer a welcoming retreat for travelers exploring the New River Gorge region.

Located just minutes from New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, Hill Hall is set to feature forty thoughtfully designed guest rooms across the two restored school buildings. Tall original windows, wide hallways, and preserved architectural elements are designed to be complemented by soft layers, natural materials, and an interior palette inspired by the surrounding landscape. While these tones shape the interiors, the deeper visual world of Hill Hall draws from vintage academic materials and the original campus's materiality, creating a sense of place that feels both familiar and quietly transportive.

The project is led by Mountain Shore Properties Founder and CEO Stephen Wendell and his father, Charlie Wendell, the company's Chairman. The Wendells have longstanding ties to West Virginia and a personal connection to Fayetteville. The development is inspired in part by Stephen's grandmother and her longtime commitment to preserving the town's heritage and sense of place, and it reflects a broader belief in the cultural vitality and long-term growth of the New River Gorge region.

"Hill Hall is personal for me because it's rooted in the people and the place that shaped our family," says Stephen Wendell. "My grandmother believed Fayetteville was worth preserving, and she spent years doing the work to protect its character and its place in history. We're carrying that forward by bringing new life to this historic campus with a hotel and a restaurant that feel warm, welcoming, and genuinely connected to the community. Our hope is that Hill Hall becomes a place locals feel proud of, and a place travelers can return to after a day in the Gorge and truly feel at home."

At the heart of the property, Hill Hall plans to introduce Patsy's, the hotel's signature restaurant, inspired by Wendell's grandmother and her family recipes. Drawing from regional home cooking and familiar flavors, Patsy's is envisioned as a warm, modern community table for both travelers and Fayetteville locals.

Public spaces throughout the property are designed to reinterpret the school campus's original function into contemporary gathering spaces, including the Mural Room, a relaxed lounge anchored by a commissioned work from West Virginia artist Nichole Westfall.

Hill Hall's brand identity is led by Zmmr, with design direction and interiors from Mae Pate, head of design at Mountain Shore Properties. Pate balances historic reverence with modern ease and a welcoming sense of comfort throughout the campus. Hill Hall is set to open as part of the Design Hotels™ portfolio—a handpicked collection of independently owned hotels that celebrate visionary hospitality, cultural authenticity, and thoughtful design, pushing the boundaries of how people experience place. As part of its anticipated affiliation, Hill Hall is also planned to participate in Marriott Bonvoy®, Marriott International's global travel loyalty program.

More information will be available on guest rooms, dining, amenities, and booking this spring as Hill Hall approaches its opening in late summer 2026. For updates, please visit www.hillhallhotel.com or follow @hillhallhotel.

About Hill Hall
Located in Fayetteville, West Virginia, at the gateway to the New River Gorge National Park, Hill Hall is a forty-room boutique hotel created within the restored historic Fayetteville school campus and reimagined with thoughtful design, layered textures, and a warm sense of place. Set to open in late summer 2026, the property reflects the region's character through its residential-style interiors and its signature restaurant, Patsy's, which draws on Appalachian cooking and the Wendell family's traditions. Hill Hall offers a welcoming retreat for adventure-seeking travelers searching for an intimate connection to the New River Gorge's landscape, culture, and creative community. For more information, visit www.hillhallhotel.com and follow along on Instagram at @hillhallhotel.

About Mountain Shore Properties
Mountain Shore Properties (MSP) is a real estate development company based in Charleston, South Carolina. MSP, which was named Developer of the Year by Hyatt in 2019, is focused on properties that create enduring value for communities and its investors. Founded in 2012 as a successor to related companies formed in the 1970's, the highly experienced MSP team has led the successful development of hotels, single- and multi-tenant office buildings, industrial buildings, mixed-use apartment/retail buildings, and single-family homes in 25+ cities across 8 different states, specializing in optimal locations that have high barriers to entry. They have developed or are currently developing 25 hotels to date, including select-service properties by Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hyatt House, Hyatt Place, Marriott Courtyard, and Residence Inn. For more information about Mountain Shore Properties, visit www.mountainshoreproperties.com

About Design Hotels
For 30 years, Design Hotels has been at the forefront of a movement in travel by crafting a handpicked portfolio of 300+ independently owned and operated hotels in over 50 countries. From cultural hubs in fast-paced cities to tiny off-the-beaten-path escapes, each hotel reflects the vision of its pioneering owner—or "Original"— who possesses a passion for genuine hospitality, cultural authenticity, thought-provoking design, and architecture. More than a collection of hotels, Design Hotels brings forward-thinking member hotels insightful travel industry expertise—from trend forecasting and creative consultancy, to PR, marketing, and global sales representation. Design Hotels is headquartered in Berlin, with branches in London, Los Angeles, New York, and Singapore. In 2019, the company partnered with Marriott Bonvoy®, expanding the reach of its member hotels and offering its community access to the industry's leading loyalty program.

SOURCE Mountain Shore Properties