History, Heart and Hospitality

OUR HISTORY

 

Keeping silent watch over Fayetteville’s town square, the Grand Fayette Hotel has a rich history rooted in the vision of German immigrant Hugo Zapp in the mid-19 th century. Following a catastrophic fire in 1900, Mr. Zapp rebuilt the building (then called The Zapp Building) to further his mercantile business. The exterior design included beautiful red and yellow brickwork, which remains today, and front doors that face the heart of the historic charm of the town square. Since 1900, a series of businesses have called 201 West Fayette Street home, including a dry goods store, photography studio, hospital, pharmacy, school, café, boarding house and a speakeasy (in the basement during Prohibition). In 1972, Houston architects Clovis and MaryAnn Heimsath purchased the property, which became The Country Place Hotel, and their restoration included a lovely renovation in 1987. Forty-five years later, in 2017, two couples joined together and again purchased, renovated and redesigned the building they renamed The Grand Fayette Hotel. Joan and Jerry Herring along with Mary and Evan Quiros added the Wine Bar, run by Chefs George and Kathy Valtasaros, and transformed the art gallery into two luxury guest suites.

This beautiful 10-room hotel operated until early 2025, when renovations began under new ownership.