This century-old Athens telephone building is now a boutique hotel

Developers in Athens have opened a new boutique hotel in a somewhat unusual place — a historic telephone company building.

The Bell Hotel on West Clayton Street in downtown Athens opened earlier this week after two years of renovations, the development team said in a news release. The three-story brick building opened in 1916 as a telephone equipment building for Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co.

The yellow-brick building was originally designed by architect P. Thornton Marye, according to the release. Marye’s portfolio included Atlanta Terminal Station and the Fox Theatre.

The Bell Hotel in downtown Athens. The three-story building originally housed telephone company equipment. Courtesy of Jason Thrasher.

The Bell features only eight guest rooms and a four-bedroom suite on its third floor. The hotel also features a rooftop terrace with city views, a “parlor-style” lobby with a bar and banquet seating, custom illustrations by Georgia-raised artist Alex Robitaille and an elevator inspired by the works of Andy Warhol.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to breathe new life into this property and celebrate its historic significance,” developer Brad Foster said in the release.

Foster, his wife — nonprofit executive Marie Brumley Foster — and their sons — Nicholas, Drayton and Ben — led the redevelopment, the family said.

“Our family envisioned restoring its architectural beauty while reintroducing its rich story to the community, creating a space where history and modern hospitality come together,” Brad Foster said in the release. “Transforming the Bell into a vibrant destination that reflects the spirit of downtown Athens has been an incredible journey, and we’re thrilled to see it shine once again.”

A guest room is shown inside the Bell Hotel, a new boutique hotel in a former telephone company building in downtown Athens. Photo courtesy of Jason Thrasher.

The Foster family bought the building in 2022 and hired Architectural Collaborative, an Athens architecture firm, to help restore the building. Stacey Kirby of Atlanta-based Seiber Design, and Claudia O. Stimmel of Simplicity a Southern Lifestyle, designed the interior, according to the release.

Common areas are shown inside the Bell Hotel, a new boutique hotel in a former telephone company building in downtown Athens. Courtesy of Jason Thrasher.