Celebrating 125 Years

About

Historic Hotel Lewis

The Lewis Hotel is a historic building located in Cherokee, Iowa, United States. Robert A. Lewis was a New York City native who settled in the Cherokee area in 1872. He had a background in carpentry, but he established a nursery in Cherokee. After moving into town he started planning for his hotel around 1897. He served as the contractor for its construction, and it was completed two years later. The hotel remained in the care of his family until 1966.

The former hotel building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. It was included as a contributing property in the Cherokee Commercial Historic District in 2005.

In 2021, Zachary Z. Zoul, Owner and Managing Member, announced that Zoul Properties LLC had acquired the Historic Lewis Hotel. Plans include restoring its historic exterior elevation and interior configuration, specifically with the grand lobby and foyer. The building will consist of apartments for rent coming soon.

Historic Hotel Lewis

What We Offer

Apartments
Business Suites
The Cellar
Commercial
Lodging
Dining

Apartments

While steeped in 125 years of history, a total renovation of the Hotel Lewis apartments was completed in 2024. The new one bedroom and studio apartments feature all new finishes from floors to ceilings and are appointed with all new kitchens and baths, including modern appliances, walk-in showers, and new fixtures. The apartments offer an urban lifestyle in an historic setting in the heart of downtown Cherokee in walking distance to shops, movie theatre, restaurants, and entertainment. For the convenience of residents, the apartments are all-inclusive with utilities and WI-FI included with the monthly rent. Free parking and access are provided adjacent to the building. An in-house laundry offers convenience along with an elevator to all floors. Other amenities include use of the Grand Lobby and complementary use and priority reservations for the “Cellar” event center. Rents start at $800.

Business Suites

Located on the main floor of the Hotel, adjacent to the Grand Lobby is the Hotel Lewis Business Suites featuring ten individual offices that can be leased on either a short- or long-term basis. The Suites offer a convenient work at home option for Apartment residents and are also available to Cherokee residents. In addition to the Grand Lobby entrance, a separate street entrance with a private lobby is available from Maple Street.

The Cellar

Tucked away in the lower level of the Hotel is a step back in time to the era of the 1890’s with a speakeasy style events space – The Cellar. The Cellar is available for rental by private groups for receptions, parties, meetings, and special events. It provides a unique setting with the original stone and rock foundation walls as the “décor. Features include a service bar, cable television, and back of the house prep area.

Commercial

As a mixed-use property, the Hotel features a number of commercial office and retail spaces on both the lower level and first floor. Although largely finished, the spaces can be built to suit, and different sizes and configurations of the spaces is possible to accommodate the needs of businesses.

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Lodging

For those planning a visit to Cherokee or an extended short-term stay, the Hotel features several furnished Suites. These accommodations book by the night, but longer-term stays are available. The accommodations include everything from comfortable quality furnishings to linens, kitchenware, amenities, and even bath robes. Planning a stay will require packing nothing more than clothing. Bookings are available through Airbnb or by calling 888-731-0515. Commercial: As a mixed-use property, the Hotel features a number of commercial office and retail spaces on both the lower level and first floor. Although largely finished, the spaces can be built to suit, and different sizes and configurations of the spaces is possible to accommodate the needs of businesses.

Dining

Coming soon! Planned for a 2025 opening is the Railside Diner – a full-service upscale restaurant offering lunch and dinner. The restaurant will cater private events and dinners in The Cellar as well as the main dining room. Cocktails will be served at a full bar in the Grand Lobby.