History

Discover the Marriott Syracuse Downtown whose rich history has been maintained in the design as well as in the notable works of art that grace the property.

Marriott Syracuse Downtown was constructed during the “Roaring Twenties,” in which flappers, the radio, and the Art Deco movement defined the age. Originally known as the Hotel Syracuse, this property was considered to be the largest and most prestigious hotel in Syracuse, New York, for nearly 90 years. It was built from 1922-1924 by architect George B. Post and Sons as a community hotel with local shareholders. Its doors officially opened to the public in August 1924.

It was a magnificent structure, consisting of three towers connected to a base. It housed over 600 guestrooms that featured only one single or two double beds, and a small bedroom. In addition to the guestrooms, the Hotel Syracuse had beautiful ballrooms, the Persian Terrace and the Grand Ballroom, where many elegant events occurred. In the early 1980s, the largest space, the Imperial Ballroom, was added to the hotel. There were also retail stores at street level, an emergency hospital, and tennis, squash, and handball courts.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating pieces of history at this Syracuse hotel is the 40-foot by 6-foot mural depicting 20 key events during the first 100 years of Syracuse’s history. These include the discovery of salt springs near the shore of Onondaga Lake, the formation of the Iroquois Confederacy, and the rescue of a slave named William “Jerry” Henry from the Syracuse Jail in 1851, just before the Civil War. This mural was painted for the hotel by Carl Roters, a professor at Syracuse University’s College of Fine Arts. It was completed in 1948, 24 years after the hotel opened. The mural covered a concrete wall that was above the reception desk. In the early 1980s, the mural was covered by mirrored panels to keep up with the popular glass and brass look that was emerging during that time.

In addition to the mural, Roters also completed four panels of work in the Cavalier Room. Other important artistic features were uncovered and preserved during the restoration process, including the hand-painted detail of the ceiling in the lobby and the Persian Terrace, and the original cloud mural on the ceiling of the Grand Ballroom. It is tremendous that these historic works of art continue to have a place in the Marriott Syracuse Downtown.

In 2017, Marriott Syracuse Downtown was awarded the exclusive AAA Four Diamond rating; this distinction is shared by less than six percent of the nearly 28,000 AAA-approved properties nationwide. Nowhere in Syracuse will visitors find a more historical hotel than at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown. It may have a brand new look but the memories remain unchanged.

Hotel Timeline

Architect William Stone Post of George B. Post & Sons designed the Hotel Syracuse as an early 20th-century modern community hotel.

Ground was broken for the Hotel Syracuse, with the building constructed as a locally backed community hotel.

The Hotel Syracuse opened to the public in August 1924, with child star Jackie Coogan among its first guests. In September, the hotel celebrated its official opening with a stockholders’ dinner in the Grand Ballroom.

Charles Lindbergh visited the hotel to speak about his transatlantic flight aboard the Spirit of St. Louis.

Artist and Syracuse University professor Carl Roters completed a 40-foot by 6-foot mural depicting 20 key events in Syracuse history.

The hotel was renamed Hilton at Syracuse Square in 1980 and expanded with the Imperial Ballroom and a new tower wing.

The hotel left Hilton and returned to its original Hotel Syracuse name.

After bankruptcy struggles, the 790-room Hotel Syracuse closed.

Developer Ed Riley purchased the vacant hotel in July 2014 after the city seized it through eminent domain.

The hotel was fully restored and reopened in 2016 as Marriott Syracuse Downtown, preserving major historic spaces including the lobby, Persian Terrace, Grand Ballroom, murals, and ceiling details. Marriott Syracuse Downtown was inducted into Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Marriott Syracuse Downtown earned the AAA Four Diamond rating.

The building celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Guests gathered in August 2026, to celebrate 10 years since the hotel’s restoration and reopening.

1921

1922

1924

1927

1948

1980

1990s

2004

2014

2016

2017

2024

2026

The Architecture

Built from 1922-1924 by architect George B. Post and Sons as a community hotel with local shareholders. The original structure consisted of three towers connected to a base. It housed over 600 guestrooms that featured only one single or two double beds, and a small bedroom. In addition to the guestrooms, the Hotel Syracuse had beautiful ballrooms, the Persian Terrace and the Grand Ballroom, where many elegant events occurred. In the early 1980s, the largest space, the Imperial Ballroom, was added to the hotel. There were also retail stores at street level, an emergency hospital, and tennis, squash, and handball courts. A 40-foot by 6-foot mural depicting 20 key events during the first 100 years of Syracuse’s history has been restored. The events depicted include the discovery of salt springs near the shore of Onondaga Lake, the formation of the Iroquois Confederacy, and the rescue of a slave named William “Jerry” Henry from the Syracuse Jail in 1851, just before the Civil War. This mural was painted for the hotel by Carl Roters, a professor at Syracuse University’s College of Fine Arts. It was completed in 1948, 24 years after the hotel opened. The mural covered a concrete wall that was above the reception desk. In the early 1980s, the mural was covered by mirrored panels to keep up with the popular glass and brass look that was emerging during that time.