On August 1, 2012, plans were announced for a local developer to reopen the Bentley, with luxury condos, a 96-room hotel, meeting rooms, and restaurant.
On October 11, 2012, the sale of the hotel to Hotel Bentley of Alexandria LLC, headed by local entrepreneur and preservationist Michael Jenkins was completed. The sales price was $3.4 million.
We wish the new owner best wishes in renovating and reopening this historic structure.
This web site deals with the history of the hotel, and is in no way connected with its ownership and operation. |
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The Hotel
Bentley on Third Street in downtown Alexandria, Louisiana has been the "flagship" hotel of central Louisiana upscale lodging since its opening early in the 20th Century.
The hotel stands as a architectural monument to excellence and high standards in luxury travel and elegant lodging.
The hotel, opened in 1908, is the
namesake of Joseph A. Bentley, a local lumber mogul
who had moved from Pennsylvania, by way of Texas, to Rapides Parish
in 1892. It was expanded in the 1930s with a 7-story addition on the north side of the building.
The Hotel Bentley experienced visits during the WWII Louisiana Maneuvers by several military notables, including Major General George Patton, Lieutenant Colonel Omar Bradley, Colonel Dwight David Eisenhower, and Second Lieutenant Henry Kissinger. Various entertainers and Hollywood stars have been registered guests at the Bentley over the years, including John Wayne and Roy Rogers.
As recently as the 1980s, the Bentley was designated a four star hotel, the only four-star hotel in Louisiana outside of New Orleans. In the late 1990s, the hotel changed ownership and became affiliated with the Radisson chain, and known as the Radisson Hotel Bentley.
The Hotel Bentley was featured in the SyFy Channel's reality show Ghost Hunters TV series in February 2011. Read more at www.Alexandria-Louisiana.com
The hotel was closed in 2004, but a new owner purchased it in 2012 with plans to restore the hotel to its original elegance.
The hotel occupies a entire city block in downtown Alexandria, bounded by Third Street, DeSoto Street, Jackson Street and Main Street.
The main columned portico faces to the south; the official address is 200 DeSoto Street, 71301.
A new breath of life occurred in October 2012 when the hotel was purchased by a successful local businessman and developer, Michael Jenkins, who has ambitious plans to reopen the facility.
According to recent news reports, the original part of the building will be reopened as a hotel featuring about 100 rooms. The newer "tower" section, added in the 1930s, will be converted to upscale condominiums. Seven floors of condos with up to three units on each floor will be available.
The hotel restaurant and Mirror Room lounge are also planned for reopening.
Buyer Hopes to Reopen Hotel Bentley by Summer of 2013 (Alexandria Daily Town Talk - 03/08/2013)
Sale of Hotel Bentley furniture and other items (Alexandria Daily Town Talk - 03/09/2013)
 November 2010 - The Louisiana History Museum announces availability of Hotel Bentley 1908 DVD, featuring previously unpublished photographs, and the music played during the hotel's dedication (November 2010) - Click for more information about the DVD, and how to order
City
of Alexandria - Agreement Reached in
Downtown Hotels Initiative (December 2, 2009) 
City
of Alexandria (Consolidated) Initial Report on the Hotel Bentley
(October 28, 2008)
This website is an extension of the
Web sites of the Louisiana
History Museum and the Alexandria
Retrospective, both dedicated to the history of Alexandria. Included are photographic
images, postcards, and Bentley
artifacts.
Hopefully the site serves as a place where
all of us can recall
memories of this magnificent hotel during the 20th Century, and celebrate its renewal in the 21st Century. |
 Hotel Bentley, "The million dollar hotel of Central Louisiana" ... showing the original configuration as built in 1908 |
 Hotel Bentley after the addition of the tower ... as seen circa 1940s |
 The Mirror Room in the Hotel Bentley |
 The Canteen Room of the Hotel Bentley in Alexandria, La |
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 Hotel Bentley from the corner of Third and DeSoto during the 1960s |
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