ForrestPerkins, a distinct studio of Perkins Eastman
A decade after its opening in 1910, The Hermitage Hotel became the headquarters for both opposing factions in the fight for women’s suffrage in Tennessee, the last state to vote to win passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. The Hermitage was designated a National Historic Landmark on the Amendment’s 100th anniversary in 2020.

The project to reinforce and beautify its legacy started in 2002, as ForrestPerkins helmed a significant restoration that repositioned the hotel as a top luxury destination, where it remains today—the only Forbes 5-Star hotel in Tennessee. Twenty years later, the hotel asked Forrest Perkins to return to direct a redesign/refresh to step into a more modern realm of finishes and furnishings.

Preserving the historic interior envelope was a priority, which included significant elements such as the lobby’s stained-glass skylight, Tennessee Marble floors and columns, and walnut paneling, in addition to the ballroom’s elaborate plaster ceiling that complements the vaulted ceilings in the lobby and Grand Veranda.

All guest rooms and suites have been refreshed with new finishes and bespoke furnishings. The suite bathrooms received a complete makeover with new marble vanities and fixtures. The stunning Hermitage Suite, overlooking the Tennessee Capitol, was re-imagined as a luxurious penthouse with a library dining room, an elaborate coffered ceiling, and an elegant bathroom with a free-standing soaking tub against an antiqued mirror alcove. Guest elevator lobbies and corridors each have a distinctive character, featuring curated artwork that celebrates the hotel’s illustrious past. The clever and subtle insertion of birds in key pieces of art delight guests and hearken back to the Grand Veranda, which depicts a tiny bird within the faux-painted cloud ceiling.