Construction on Hotel Leighton, a boutique hotel in the Plein Air neighborhood in Taylor, Miss., broke ground on Thursday, Sept. 25. Founders of the traditional neighborhood development Campbell and Leighton McCool own the hotel, independent of major hotel chains, and aim to open doors in fall 2026.
The McCools began developing Plein Air in 2006. A 15-minute drive from Oxford, the rural residential and commercial neighborhood draws University of Mississippi students and locals who seek to temporarily escape the busyness of town. Lost Dog Coffee and Power Movement Pilates are staple businesses in Plein Air where college students gather.
Hotel Leighton is just one of many new developments in the neighborhood. Family-owned steak house Lusco’s, originally located in Greenwood, Miss., plans to open in Plein Air in October 2025. Construction on Vivienne Skin Spa and floral studio Studio Eight Design Co. is set to begin this month, as well, with plans to open in fall 2026.
Between four new businesses and many houses being built throughout Plein Air, Leighton McCool expects neighborhood development to be complete in three to five years. She hopes to find a vendor willing to open a bridal gown studio there, too.
The hotel will have 26 rooms and sit adjacent to community market Offbeat In General and wedding and event venue The Mill. Leighton McCool emphasized the hotel’s features will be cohesive with Plein Air’s traditional character.
“It’ll be terribly cozy, really plush beds, great decor,” Leighton McCool said. “We’re gonna have a super cool bar, outdoor patio, fireplace — just an incredible gathering place.”
Many Plein Air residents see the addition of Hotel Leighton as a useful resource. Because many residents downsize homes when they move to Plein Air, having a hotel nearby will offer a convenient option for hosting guests. Steve Corso is a resident of Plein Air who looks forward to the hotel’s arrival.
“It’s always special when something new arrives that not only brings fresh energy but also celebrates the unique character of our community,” Corso said via phone interview. “I believe Hotel Leighton will quickly become a place where guests feel welcome and where our community can gather and grow together.”
The downstairs bar at the hotel is expected to quickly become a gathering place for Taylor locals. Leighton McCool plans to host themed happy hours and holiday parties for the community — activities that will add to the atmosphere of an already vibrant neighborhood.
Plein Air homes emphasize the Southern front porch. The hotel bar, Leighton McCool hopes, will be an extension of the front porch and a place where community members and guests can mingle.
The McCools envision families and corporations renting out the hotel frequently for weddings and corporate trips. Plein Air currently hosts around 45 weddings per year.
“I really foresee people renting out the whole hotel, like for weddings, girls reunions. I’m an organizer and planner. I mean, I would do that in a heartbeat,” Leighton McCool said.
Leighton McCool added use of the honeymoon and bridal suite in Hotel Leighton will be free for couples who book The Mill for wedding receptions.
Notably, Hotel Leighton bears the name of its owner. The McCools brainstormed names for years, toying with literary names nodding to author William Faulkner.
“But (Campbell) comes home and he says, ‘What if we name the hotel after you?” Leighton McCool said. “What’s funny is that it doesn’t feel like me. It just truly feels like an incredible name for a hotel. … Even talking about it now, it just already feels like I’m removed from it.”
While the McCools have a background in brand marketing, Leighton McCool wants the marketing for the hotel to be organic. The core customer base she hopes to attract are parents of UM students who visit Plein Air often.
“The whole neighborhood is just very organically grown,” Leighton McCool said. “When people come out here, and they’re out here for the first time, it’s just a very magical experience. And then they come back, and it’s like their secret. They’ll bring a couple friends to this place out in Taylor. So, I don’t want any kind of mass marketing, per se. I want to be able to capture people that have already captured us.”
Dymond Mitchell, a senior sociology major from Prosper, Texas, has been traveling to Plein Air since her first visit to Oxford. The addition of Hotel Leighton will allow her to share her love for the area with her family and friends.
“Personally, I want my parents to stay there, because I know how much I love Taylor, so I can totally see that being the case for other students, too,” Mitchell said. “I think (the McCools) have just done a really good job of building that community. It’s just a good home away from home when you’re in Oxford — a place to retreat.”
Callie Scroggins, a senior integrated marketing communications major from Madison, Ala., discovered Plein Air on a visit to Lost Dog Coffee before the beginning of her freshman year. She drives to Taylor on Sunday afternoons, praising the neighborhood’s distance from campus as the perfect buffer from bustling student life on campus.
“Lost Dog is my weekly getaway to recharge before the week,” Scroggins said. “I would love to stay at the hotel once it opens. Plein Air would be the best place to stay (near) Oxford because it is so low key, but has great restaurants and things to do, as well.”
