The former Urbana-Lincoln hotel was built in 1924 and has been a local landmark since it's opening.

Jumer Castle Lodge, Inc. purchased the hotel in early 1977 and immediately commenced the complete remodeling of the entire structure. The upper floors were gutted to the exterior walls, with 62 new rooms and suites fitted into the structure, all new walls, ceilings, windows and bathrooms.

The rooms' carpet design was adapted from a century old German oriental carpet, re-colored and rescaled for the room areas. The fabric for draperies, spreads, and bathroom wall covering was then designed to correlate with the carpet pattern. Imported German net curtains hang at the windows with antique textured and glazed walls, custom designed cherry and oak furniture, Belgian velvets and hand embroidered crewel fabrics for canopies and furniture covers complete the warm, comfortable feeling of the rooms.

Public areas of the hotel were also extensively renovated working from the original architectural drawings. When you enter the grand lobby you are surrounded with the elegance of a bygone era. Massive carved baroque antique cabinets, hutches, grandfather clocks, a magnificent painted square grand piano, dated from around 1830, bronze porcelain statuary, fine antique paintings, sofas, and chairs in tapestries, cut velvets, crewel embroideries; all of the lobby furnishings were selected by Mr. Jumer in countless European buying trips, carefully reconditioned in Jumer's own cabinet shop, and now enhance the lobby of the Urbana landmark.

The magnificent beamed and buttressed ceiling of the original hotel was saved and Jumer craftsmen duplicated portions for the new lobby. The original wrought iron chandeliers and sconces were also retained, and carefully duplicated where more lighting was needed.

A museum collection of English titled nobles hangs in regal procession around the walls of the Great Hall dining room. Imported German wall tapestries, deep green velvet draperies elaborately fringed and taselled in gold, and specially made high back chairs create an intimate atmosphere around each table. The custom made gilded chandeliers complete a quietly lit formal atmosphere for dinner.

For a more informal surrounding, visit the Library dining room and Alumni Tap lounge glittering with the warm glow of brass and copper against walls of cut velvet, tapestry and suede, with custom crafted oak cases holding thousands of books.

In 2006, wireless Internet was installed in the hotel.