Park City, UT — Pilot Hotels, owner of Washington School House Hotel, today announced the iconic historic landmark property, just steps from Park City’s historic Main Street, will be listed for sale at $31 million, making it the second most expensive listing for the area in recent history. The 12-room luxury boutique hotel has been a Park City icon for well over a century and is built on .3 acres comprised of five lots. The 11,763-square-foot property, originally a schoolhouse built in 1889, features its original 16-foot schoolhouse ceilings; a stunning historic living room; chic ski lounge; detached two-car garage with view deck; and a heated pool terraced into the hillside.
“When we purchased the property in 2009, our original intent was to restore it as a home for our family,” said Marcy Holthus, CEO of Pilot Hotels and current owner of Washington School House. “After we started the renovations, it became evident that we couldn’t keep this stunning gem to ourselves and thus, I became an accidental hotelier,” she said. “With vigilant attention to detail, we were resolute in preserving and restoring the building’s authenticity while creating inspiring spaces and a truly extraordinary property.”
While the property currently operates as a successful hotel, it could be purchased and converted into a private residence with minimal renovations, and therefore is being marketed for both opportunities. “Washington School House offers a unique opportunity for buyers as it can continue to be operated as an award-winning luxury boutique hotel, or it can be turned into a gorgeous family home,” said Gretchen Hudgens, an agent with Windermere Real Estate, the brokerage representing the sale of the property. “This is a special legacy trophy property for someone who wants to be in the heart of Park City near Main Street, but also loves the outdoors and enjoys skiing, hiking, mountain biking, and more.”
HISTORY
A National Historic Registry landmark built in 1889, Washington School House was named after George Washington and remains one of the last surviving original schoolhouses in the United States. Though close to going up in flames in Park City’s Great Fire of 1898, the schoolhouse survived but after enrollment declined following the stock market crash of 1929, it was sold in 1936 to the Veterans of Foreign Wars who used it for dances and social events until the 1950s. In 1984, the building was purchased and renovated into a bed and breakfast, dubbed The Washington School Inn, which served its visitors and community until Marcy Holthus, the seller and owner of Pilot Hotels, purchased the property in 2009. Masterfully renovating the property, while respecting the building’s historical integrity including maintaining the original quarried limestone exterior, the interiors were completely reimagined and taken down to the studs. Rebuilt with modern design elements and a brilliant floor plan to preserve the two-story double-hung windows, the 12-room luxury boutique hotel opened in 2011 as a destination-defining architecturally significant gem.
DESIGN + ROOMS
The design team Paul and Shannon Wehsener of Paul Allen Design and architect Trip Bennett created 12 spectacular suites and rooms each meticulously finished with original reclaimed oak barn wood floors, locally quarried Utah quartzite, mountain ice-white marble bathrooms, heated floors, walk-in showers and period fixtures. The Penthouse Suite, which was built as a pied-à-terre for the current owner and her family, is located on the top floor and boasts magnificent 270-degree views of the town of Park City, stretching 500 miles to the High Uinta Mountains. Accessed through its own private keyed elevator, the cleverly designed floor plan allows the suite to become a three-bedroom with adjoining rooms and a private hall. Additional highlights include a spacious living room, fireplace, galley kitchen and sophisticated accents throughout, including a 19th-century French wine table, original artwork, crystal chandeliers, and more.
INSPIRED SPACES
The building’s stunning living room features 16-foot ceilings and nine-foot windows that illuminate the room with plenty of natural light. A roaring fireplace and 10-foot gold gilded antique mirror from an opera house in the south of France serve as a focal point, while a one-of-a-kind custom-made antler chandelier dipped in white lacquer and layered with Swarovski crystals hangs from above. A carefully curated collection of European antique furniture, exquisite fabrics, vintage modern paintings, and custom pieces bring a refined opulence and elevated level of sophistication to the interiors. All furnishings and decor besides a few personal items are included in the sale.
Outside terraced into the hillside is a heated pool and spa enveloped by aspens, spruce and boulders. With fabulous views, heated floors surrounding the pool and plenty of space to lounge year-round, the pièce de résistance is undoubtedly the outdoor fire pit – a steel Olympic torch from the 2002 Winter Olympics.
At street level is a fabulous chic ski lounge nestled into the foundation of the schoolhouse. Its linear fireplace and locally quarried quartzite floors make it a perfect spot for suiting up for a day of skiing or mountain biking or settling in at the day’s end for après-ski or après-bike.
LOCATION
Sitting atop Park Avenue, one block from historic Main Street where Park City’s annual Sundance Film Festival takes place, Washington School House has had the pleasure of hosting outstanding luminaries in the film industry over the years. Mere steps from world-class museums, galleries, spas, dining and shopping, Washington School House is also 150 footsteps from the back gate to the bottom of Park City Mountain Resort’s Quit’n Time run, making it secretly ski-in/ski-out. Centrally located, Washington School House is just 45 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and Million Air Jet center; 25 minutes from Heber Airport; 50 minutes from Snowbird, Alta, Brighton and Solitude Mountains; and 45 minutes to Sundance Resort.
The Hudgens & Harrison Team and Grady Kohler of Windermere Real Estate are representing the seller, Marcy Holthus. For more information, qualified buyers can view the listing online here or should contact:
Residential inquiries:
The Hudgens & Harrison Team
Windermere Real Estate
435-901-1015
Commercial inquiries:
Grady Kohler
Windermere Real Estate
801-815-4663
About Pilot Hotels
Created by accidental hotelier Marcy Holthus, Pilot Hotels launched in 2018. Founded on the mission to create extraordinary boutique hotels in curated destinations for the most discerning international travelers, Pilot Hotels is a bold and ambitious brand often creating new rules and always setting new standards. The brand is resolute in its dedication to crafting stunning design in historically and architecturally significant properties, preserving authenticity with layers of fresh design, and delivering unparalleled service. Received with wide acclaim, Pilot Hotels’ portfolio currently includes Washington School House Hotel in Park City, Utah and Hotel Château du Grand-Lucé in France’s Loire Valley. For more information about Pilot Hotels, visit https://pilothotels.com/ or follow on Instagram @pilot_hotels.
Media Contacts:
Windermere Real Estate Media Contact:
Shelley Rossi
VP Communications
Windermere Real Estate
Pilot Hotels Media Contact:
Lauren Kita
Senior Vice President
J/PR