Newport, RI The Wayfinder Hotel, formerly known as The Mainstay Hotel & Conference Center, is a reimagined boutique-style hotel in an emerging innovation district that incorporates modern and uniquely local vibes. Located at 151 Admiral Kalbfus Rd., The Wayfinder stands at the gateway to the town. 

This getaway features unique designs and materials from locally sourced artisans. Antique furniture can be seen featured throughout the space; the pool area features art by a local artist; and many of the materials used throughout construction were sourced locally in an attempt to offset any lost time due to the pandemic. 

Transforming this hotel into an innovative and distinctive getaway was Haynes Group, Inc., an established, local, family-owned company serving Eastern New England. Known for their unique industry process of blending personalized service and relationship building, the team operates with the philosophy that they are an extension of their clients and take all necessary steps to create a seamless understanding and partnership to reach the same goals. 

“Our desire to understand our client’s business and what’s important to their guests is what makes these projects so appealing to us,” said Michael Haynes, co-founder of the Haynes Group. Haynes Group has nearly 20 years of experience working with some of the region’s top hospitality brands, but what made this project so intriguing was its location. 

“Newport has a rich history and a strong sense of community,” said Haynes. “We were excited to have the opportunity to help transform the neighborhood with The Wayfinder.” 

Summer is the area’s busiest time, as construction on rooms and individual common spaces were wrapping up, guests were moving in for a weekend or week-long stay. It was critical that certain phases of construction were finished and ready to accommodate vacationers – from check-in, to dining, and of course their rooms.

Haynes Group’s team worked together to ensure that each phase was completed as seamlessly as possible. Whether on site or behind the scenes, the team worked long hours to ensure that The Wayfinder could accommodate their guests in a comfortable way. 

The result was a transformed, 115,000 s/f boutique-style hotel featuring 197 guest rooms, a lobby, fitness center, an outdoor pool, pool shack, solarium, a full-service restaurant and bar, café, and new meeting and event spaces. 

“Former guests and locals who have revisited The Wayfinder after the renovation are astonished by the transformation of the property and new guests have been raving about the design and tell us they cannot wait to visit again, which is the best result a hotel can ask for,” said James Kot, chief development officer for Dovetail + Co.

The project team included:

• Haynes Group - Construction Manager
• Zap’s Electrical LLC - Electrical
• American Flooring United Flooring
• GESI Hospitality - Card Readers
• AH Painting - Painting
• Pella Windows - Windows
• K&M Communications - Integrated Security/Audio Visual