Looking for a cool place for visitors to stay that is more exciting than a run-of-the-mill chain hotel? We have a growing number of local lodging options offering character and coziness. This is part of an occasional series on unique lodging in and around Chadds Ford.

The new Francis Hotel & Suites opened its doors in downtown Kennett Square! This restored historic home had long been vacant before Square Roots Collective brought it back to life. Eight rooms, exposed brick, brass finishes, and a courtyard occupy a prime spot in the borough’s walkable downtown. It’s the kind of place that makes you wish you had out-of-town guests to justify booking it yourself.

Bespoke room design at The Francis Hotel

Consistent with Square Roots Collective’s mission, The Francis is more than a pretty renovation. Each room tells a specific chapter of Kennett Square’s history. The Underground Railroad. The Battle of Brandywine. The Lenape people. The families who built the town’s culture and industry. The design doesn’t just gesture at these stories; it commits to them with every detail of design and storytelling.

The Abolitionist room (private balcony, palette of umber, indigo, and parchment) honors the freedom seekers who found refuge in Kennett Square and the Brandywine Valley. The design team worked hard to make the space beautiful and fresh while also honoring the somber history of slavery.
The Gardener reaches back to Kennett’s lesser-known origin story of the flowers that came before the mushrooms. The space is filled with botanical textures and a private courtyard entrance that lives up to its name. The exposed brick in this room is so neat!
The Legacy takes a sharp, unexpected turn, pulling together the Pennock family’s entrepreneurial spirit and community legacy with, of all things, baseball. One of the family members played professional baseball, and the theme is carried throughout the room in charming details.
There are five other rooms, each with its own theme tied to Kennett’s rich history.

Each room is unique and feels more chic yet more “homey” than most standard hotel rooms. I think the bespoke design of each room makes it so much more than a long hallway with identical sleeping spaces.

Square Roots Collective Co-CEO Stephanie Almanza captured it well at the opening: “The story of Kennett isn’t just one story. It’s many stories. And we’re writing the story of our thriving community together.”

The Francis runs as part of Square Roots Collective, a Kennett-based social impact organization that funnels 100% of profits from its local ventures — The Creamery of Kennett Square, Artelo Hotel, and now The Francis — into nonprofit partners tackling housing, trail access, and Underground Railroad research in the region. Booking a room here does more than get you a good night’s sleep.

Every room comes stocked with a Nespresso machine, quality linens, and Grown Alchemist toiletries. The loft suites add kitchenettes. Guests can tack on Longwood Gardens tickets or reserved parking at checkout, and groups can book the entire property for weddings or retreats.

When guests come to visit, there are more than chain hotels to hunker down for a good night’s sleep. Lodging like The Francis Hotel wraps guests in the lush warmth of a storied history, making their stay a little more magical.

The Francis Hotel & Suites | 205 S. Union Street, Kennett Square | thefrancisksq.com