Construction is in the early stages for the new Courtyard by Marriott hotel coming to Main Street, but this isn’t the first hotel to occupy this historic spot in downtown Lexington. 

With the grand opening for the 116 E. Main St. hotel projected for spring 2027, Lexington County Museum Director J.R. Fennell calls this a “full-circle moment” for the historic plot of land that will house its second hotel. 

From 1830 to 1916, the Drafts-Meetze Hotel stood at the present-day construction site and served the community as the only hotel in Lexington before the Civil War. 

The hotel was accessible to travelers using the nearby train depot, located near today’s railroad crossing at Highway 6. As the only hotel in the area, the Drafts-Meetze Hotel contributed to the growth of early Lexington. 

“A business that allows people to stay and spend money was great for the area,” Fennell said. 

Different from modern hotels and resorts, the Drafts-Meetze Hotel had the appearance of a large, two-story house. 

Like many hotels of that era, it’s believed the building had a fully functional kitchen to prepare and serve meals to its guests. 

The hotel remained in business until the Great Fire of Lexington devastated downtown, destroying the Drafts-Meetze Hotel. 

While the hotel didn’t survive the fire and was never reestablished, former owner Minnie Meetze built another structure on the site. 

In 1952, Lexington’s first department store, Sessions Department Store, opened, and, like the Drafts-Meetze Hotel before it, quickly became a major part of the community until its closure in the early 2000s. 

After the department store closed, the lot was cleared in 2005 and remained vacant. 

Downtown traffic and parking may look different when the new hotel is complete. 

According to state Department of Transportation data, U.S. 1/East Main Street from Interstate 20 to North Lake Drive saw over 27,000 cars daily in 2024. 

“The town improved downtown traffic flow with the one-way pair project in 2018, increasing throughput by more than 10% and reducing delays,” Mayor Hazel Livingston said. “The new hotel is providing parking on-site, and the town is adding a nearly 100-space municipal lot just north of it. Most hotel guests are already visiting Lexington for business, sports or family, and staying downtown means they can walk to restaurants and shops.” 

The 100-space lot is not yet under construction. It will be located along North Church Street between East Butler Street and Corley Street, where the old Liverman Hospital was.  

Upon completion, Lexington’s new Courtyard by Marriott hotel will be four stories, including 111 guest rooms and a second-floor terrace overlooking Main Street.  

“The hotel will also include a state-of-the-art fitness center, flexible meeting and event spaces, and The Bistro offering fresh meals, Starbucks coffee, and cocktails,” according to a Sept. 30, 2025, press release from Mashburn Construction. “The project features a wood-framed structure with an Arriscraft limestone veneer, complemented by a second-floor terrace with a glass railing and gas fireplace. The lobby will showcase a monumental stairwell with three-inch maple floating treads leading to the second-floor balcony, along with media pods for modern functionality.  

“The main entry faces Main Street, and the site includes a fully revamped underground stormwater retention system connected to the newly installed Town of Lexington stormwater infrastructure. A brick veneer in the ‘Old Lexington’ style will honor and align with the character of downtown’s historic buildings.”