Hospitality group unveils Lantern Hotel Columbia plans in Vista district

Hospitality group Raines has a name for its upcoming boutique property in the capital city: The Lantern Hotel Columbia.

This initiative combines an adaptive reuse of Columbia’s historic firehouse with a team of hospitality professionals with special abilities, according to a news release. The company intends for Lantern Columbia to be a purpose-driven property that will serve as a “beacon of inclusion and pride” for the Columbia community.

The Lantern is located in Columbia’s Vista neighborhood, near the University of South Carolina, the State House, and the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, and will collaborate with both the university’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and CarolinaLIFE, a program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the release said. The hotel will provide hospitality career paths through training and gainful employment for the students in the CarolinaLIFE program and others in the community that have historically faced barriers to employment, according to the release.

Alongside these students will be the next generation of hospitality leaders from USC’s hospitality program.  This initiative represents the heart of The Lantern Hotel — empowering individuals and enriching lives through intentional hospitality, the release stated.

“Looking back on our decades of experience in hospitality and the relationships we’ve built over the years, this one feels different,” Grey Raines, managing partner of Raines, said in the release. “The Lantern has the ability to impact lives. The conversion of one of Columbia’s great historic buildings into an incredible boutique hotel is one thing, but this collaboration with two of USC’s great programs will show guests and visitors coming to Columbia the best of our city.”

The property will be transformed into a 59-key boutique hotel with a food and beverage program. Kevin Johnson, James Beard Foundation Award nominee and USC alumnus, will design the food and beverage program, including the hotel’s restaurant, Ladder 13.

The deep ties among the ownership and development team are another key feature of this project, according to David Tart, managing partner of Raines.

“We also have deep roots in the Columbia community,” Tart said in the release. “Many of the individuals involved in this project are USC alumni, including myself, which makes this mission and these partnerships even more meaningful. Being part of this community ourselves, we understand the importance of giving back and creating opportunities right here at home.”

The Lantern Hotel will be a signature property in the Raines “Woven” portfolio, a collection of lifestyle hotels.

Raines Development is leading the development efforts, Garvin Design Group is the design and architecture firm for the hotel, and Mashburn Construction as the builder.  The Lantern Hotel anticipates a fall 2025 opening, with plans for The Lantern Rock Hill to follow soon, with plans to open in fall 2026.

Raines is a hospitality management, development and investment organization offering a comprehensive approach to its property portfolio and client base.

Led by managing partners, Grey Raines and David Tart, company portfolio includes brands such as Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt as well as boutique hotels such as Hotel Theo in New Orleans, The Foundry Hotel in Asheville and Hotel Florence in South Carolina’s Pee Dee. Raines currently has 55 hotels and 5,949 keys throughout the Southeast, the release stated.

Raines is headquartered in Florence with a secondary regional office in Charleston.