Biltmore Hotel

Built In

1922

History

Designed by Warren & Wetmore, this hotel opened on June 6, 1922. In addition to guest accommodations, the building housed six restaurants, drugstore, printing shop, carpentry and upholstery shop, and photo lab. During Hurricane Carol in 1954, the Biltmore's lobby and elevator shafts flooded. Debt caused the hotel to close on January 14, 1975. It had been, however, the only hotel downtown so a private consortium called The Business Development Company of Rhode Island formed for the purpose of saving it. After renovations including the addition of a glass-enclosed exterior elevator and the illuminated "BILTMORE" sign to the roof, the hotel reopened in 1979. The hotel has been owned by a variety of hotel companies.