NEWPORT, R.I. (WPRI) — The Wayfinder hotel in Newport is officially reopening two years after a massive fire devastated the building.

“You would have no idea it was engulfed in flames a little more than two years ago,” owner Phil Hospod told 12 News.

On May 23, 2022, heavy flames tore through four floors of the historic hotel on Admiral Kalbfus Road, forcing a complete rebuild.

“The timing was exceptionally unfortunate, right? To have to close your hotel in Newport in May, just before Memorial Day, is not ideal,” Hospod added.

Discover Newport CEO Evan Smith described it as the city’s largest commercial fire since 1998.

Hospod revealed to 12 News that a cigarette butt was the cause of the fire.

“You can’t plan all these things, and you get knocked down, you got to get back up,” he said.

Now, the Wayfinder has risen from the ashes.

Hospod emphasized that Rhode Island’s characteristics of grit and perseverance were crucial for the hotel’s revival.

Since the fire, it has undergone extensive renovations in preparation for its grand reopening.

“Without a doubt, the last two years have been extremely trying to get to where we are,” Hospod recalled.

Last summer, the hotel partially reopened the less-damaged areas for reservations. In the meantime, the company unveiled two new Wayfinder locations in Hawaii and California.

The lobby reopened in July. There, a tapestry hangs bearing the words, “Don’t Give Up the Ship,” which Hospod said has served as the hotel’s motto.

In this year’s Best of Rhode Island , Wayfinder Newport was honored as Rhode Island Monthly’s “Comeback Kid,” recognizing the hotel’s significant recovery efforts.

“It’s been coming back very quickly,” Hospod said. “We’re in a better place than we had expected, and now we’re going to keep building.”

The final step in the hotel’s full recovery is the reopening of its full-service restaurant, Nomi Park, which is set for next spring.

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