
Hotel Pontchartrain opened its doors in 1965. The hotel, located at 2 Washington Blvd., was built on the land of Detroit’s first permanent French Settlement, Fort Pontchartrain, later known as Fort Detroit.
The Pontch was dedicated on the 264th anniversary of Detroit’s Founding, July 24, 1965. The hotel, designed by King & Lewis, was knownfor the angular bay windows that provided every guest with beautiful views of Detroit and Canada.
Hotel Pontchartrain was also home to Chuck Muer’s Top of the Pontch, a notable restaurant located on the 25th floor of the hotel. The floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the Detroit River allowed for a dining experience like no other.
After years of operating as Hotel Pontchartrain, the building was sold. Throughout the years, the property experienced many changes in ownership and branding, until 2013 when the hotel re-opened as the Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Riverfront, today Fort Pontchartrain a Wyndham Hotel.