Category Archives: Historic Hotels

Best in Travel, Historic Hotels, Historic Preservation, Hotels & Resorts

The Broadmoor, Amway Grand Plaza Among 2017 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Winners

Mohonk Mountain House, the grand resort in New Paltz, New York, was honored with a 2017 Historic Hotels of America Award for Excellence for Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year, the Smiley Family © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The Broadmoor of Colorado Springs, The Dunhill Hotel of Charlotte, Mayflower Park Hotel of Seattle, West Baden Springs Hotel of Indiana, Amway Grand Plaza of Grand Rapids were among the winners of Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence for 2017 by Historic Hotels of America® and Historic Hotels Worldwide®. The winners were announced at a special ceremony and gala at The Omni Homestead Resort (1766) in Hot Springs, Virginia. Honors were given in multiple categories ranging from Hotelier of the Year and Hotel Historian of the Year to Best Historic Resort, Historic Hotelier of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement.

Each year, these Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence honor, encourage, and recognize the most exemplary historic hotels, hoteliers, and leadership practices. The Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence are presented to historic hotels and hoteliers demonstrating innovative leadership, stewardship, and contribution to furthering the recognition, preservation, and celebration of these preeminent historic hotels and their histories.

From more than 200 nominees, the following Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide hotels and hoteliers were honored with these prestigious annual awards for 2017: 

Best Small Historic Inn/Hotel (Under 75 Guestrooms): The Dunhill Hotel (1929) Charlotte, North Carolina

Best Historic Hotel (76-200 Guestrooms): Mayflower Park Hotel (1927) Seattle, Washington

Best Historic Hotel (201-400 Guestrooms): West Baden Springs Hotel (1902) West Baden Springs, Indiana

Best Historic Hotel (Over 400 Guestrooms): Amway Grand Plaza (1913) Grand Rapids, Michigan

Best City Center Historic Hotel: Marriott Syracuse Downtown (1924) Syracuse, New York

Best Historic Resort: The Broadmoor (1918) Colorado Springs, Colorado

Best Historic Restaurant in Conjunction with a Historic Hotel: Penrose Room at The Broadmoor (1918) Colorado Springs, Colorado

Historic Hotels of America New Member of the Year: The Georges (1789) Lexington, Virginia

Best Social Media of a Historic Hotel: The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (1876) Riverside, California

Sustainability Champion: Inn at the Presidio (1903) San Francisco, California

Hotel Historian of the Year: Jim Hewes at The Willard InterContinental, Washington DC (1847) Washington, DC

Ambassador of the Year (Quarter Century of Service): Woodrow “Woody” Pettus at The Omni Homestead Resort (1766) Hot Springs, Virginia

Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in Europe: Hotel Waldhaus Sils (1908) Sils Maria, Switzerland

Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in Asia/Pacific: Alsisar Haveli (1892) Jaipur, India

Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in the Americas: Fairmont Le Château Frontenac (1893) Québec City, Canada

Historian of the Year: Chef Walter Staib, author, twelve time Emmy Award winning TV host of A Taste of History©,and chef and proprietor of City Tavern Restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Stewards of History and Historic Preservation Award: R.D. (Dan) Musser III at Grand Hotel (1887) Mackinac Island, Michigan

Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year: The Smiley Family at Mohonk Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York

Historic Hotelier of the Year: Philip Wood at The Jefferson, Washington, DC (1923) Washington, DC

Lifetime Achievement Award: Duane and Kelly Roberts at The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (1876) Riverside, California

“The winners of the 2017 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence represent more than 231 years of history and include the finest iconic and legendary historic hotels from across the United States of America and from around the world,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “We applaud these magnificent historic hotels and their hoteliers for their dedication, passion, stewardship and success in preserving these treasures and their stories for future generations of travelers.”

Award recipients are selected from nominees received from historic hotels, historic preservation supporters, prior award recipients, and leadership from Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. As official programs of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide provide the recognition to travelers, civic leaders, and the global cultural, heritage, and historic travel market that member hotels are among the finest historic hotels across America and around the world. The Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence program recognizes the pinnacle of this distinct group of nominees in a range of categories.

Historic Hotels of America® is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. Historic Hotels of America has more than 300 member historic hotels which have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the United States, including 46 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Historic Hotels of America is comprised of mostly independently owned and operated historic hotels. More than 30 of the world’s finest hospitality brands, chains, and collections are represented in Historic Hotels of America. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance. For more information, visit HistoricHotels.org.

Historic Hotels Worldwide® is a prestigious collection of historic treasures, including historic hotels, castles, chateaus, palaces, academies, haciendas, villas, monasteries, and other historic lodging spanning ten centuries. Historic Hotels Worldwide represents the finest global collection of more than 260 historic hotels in more than 36 countries. Historic Hotels Worldwide is dedicated to promoting heritage and cultural travel to prestigious historic treasures. Hotels inducted into Historic Hotels Worldwide are authentic historic treasures, demonstrate historic preservation, and celebrate historic significance. Embracing luxury hotel brands, chains, collections, and the finest independent historic hotels, participation is limited to those distinctive historic hotels that adhere to the following criteria: minimum age for the building is 75 years or older; historically relevant as a significant location with a historic district, historically significant landmark, place of a historic event, former home of a famous person, or historic city center; hotel celebrates its history by showcasing memorabilia, artwork, photography, and other examples of its historic significance; recognized by national preservation or heritage buildings organization or located within UNESCO World Heritage Site; presently used as historic hotel. To learn more visit www.HistoricHotelsWorldwide.com 

 

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Historic Hotels, Historic Places, Historic Preservation

St. Francis Inn, Oldest Inn in America’s Oldest City, Restored after Hurricane Devastation

St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine, Florida, America’s oldest inn in America’s oldest city, when I visited © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

(We stayed at the St. Francis Inn some years ago, so we were devastated to learn of the damage from Hurricane Matthew in October 2016 and thrilled to get this report that the inn ,which dates from circa 1791 in St. Augustine, Florida, making it the oldest inn in America’s oldest city, has been painstakingly and lovingly restored and is better than ever. Here’s the report:)

St. Augustine, Florida (February 2017) – The historic St. Francis Inn (circa 1791) sees the light at the end of the tunnel with an extensive Inn restoration that has taken nearly 5 months since the force of Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. The horrific storm changed the grand old structure’s destiny. What have emerged are property restorations to many of its buildings and deeper trusted friendships throughout the staff. Owners Joe and Margaret Finnegan will never forget their two goals and the driving force to complete the restoration: keep our staff employed and make our guests comfortable.

Deconstructing the St. Francis Inn

Losing all of the Ground Floor throughout the St. Francis Inn

It’s a complex multi-faceted project when you lose the floor of a landmark building from the late 1700s. Imagine tearing up the floorboards throughout the inn and finding that there are many layers of history represented the deeper you go. The surprise was discovering 3 floors leading to the original tabby floor structure that must have been built at least 18” down from street level!

Losing the St. Francis Inn’s Kitchen

Day after day the workers had to first de-construct the entrance, lobby, parlor, dining room, two ground floor guest rooms and the entire kitchen before beginning the restoration. Next to the main inn, the popular Cottage (which served as a cookhouse during the early years) has undergone significant restoration and the pool needed extensive refinishing too.  Additionally the Inn’s award-winning gardens and vegetation were demolished by the storm’s winds and waters ~ now waiting for Spring plantings and regeneration. Many of the St. Francis Inn’s guests’ favorite amenities were temporarily taken away: antique furnishings, fireplaces, Jacuzzis, fishpond and the famous dining room that has been a gathering spot for nearly 230 years.

But a miracle happened and the St. Augustine Historical Society bestowed a wonderful temporary dining option to the Inn and its guests ~ The Finnegans could move their entire dining room’s tables, chairs, sideboards and breakfast to Llambias House across the street from the Inn and call it ‘home’ each day, until the inn was ready to host guests again upon completion of the restoration.

Llambias House Comes to the Rescue

The Llambias House (circa 1565-1763) dating back to the first Spanish colonial period of St. Augustine, has become a cherished opportunity for the Inn guests. They get to enjoy breakfast in the gardens and inside one of the prime examples of architecture first developed by the Spanish and later modified by the British during the colonial period. Recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the Llambias House stands as an important reminder of the influence of Spanish and British colonialism in Florida and their lasting impacts on the United States.  

Llambias House – Temporary Dining Room for St. Francis Inn Guests

Inn Staff Goes Above and Beyond

How have the St. Francis Inn staff, and the sister property Casa de Suenos staff weathered the half year changes? With true hospitality to each other and their guests! The two bed and breakfast inns are on opposite north/south sides of historic St. Augustine. Yet each day the breakfast buffets, famous nightly desserts and catered events have been prepared in the Casa de Suenos kitchen and transported to the Llambias House and St. Francis Inn courtyard for meals and events.

“Our staff has always been close but having to pull together so the Inn could be cleaned up quickly was definitely a team effort,” says Kelly Brooks, Inn Manager. “We felt lucky that Joe and Margaret worked it out with the construction crew so that we could stay open during the cleanup and restoration so that we could keep our jobs (a huge financial strain on the Finnegans). We learned to be flexible so that we could move from room to room…while keeping reservations coming in and having to locate our daily supplies that needed to find a new home every day. We rolled with the punches many days, because the next day we had to do it all a different way with a new plan!” 

Additionally, two of the fulltime innkeepers lost their homes. The St. Francis Inn launched a GoFundMe account to assist in temporary lodging for moving them and their families to a safe haven. Co-workers, prior inn guests and business vendors supported this effort, another commendable example of people coming together to support each other.

The Finnegan’s trying to salvage the Inn’s furnishings and equipment

 

St. Francis Inn Completes Restoration

There are many new and beautiful additions to the St. Francis Inn including a state-of-the-art kitchen where guests love to peek in at the cooks and dishes being prepared, new carpeting, paint and furnishings. 

St. Francis Inn, St. Augustine, after restoration.

“Our staff has made miracles day after day to work within our two inns, juggling beach cottages and guest accommodations to insure their comfort and vacation expectations,” reflects Joe Finnegan. “We didn’t lose one employee during this turbulent time and each employee was flexible with whatever tasks they had to achieve. At the same time, many of our guests enjoyed being a ‘part of history’ when they could view some of the restoration projects and experience dining in the Llambias House ~ but mostly living through the next generation of our Inn’s historic story”.

St. Francis Inn, 279 St. George Street, St. Augustine, Fl 32082, 904-824-6068, www.stfrancisinn.com

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Cultural Travel, Historic Hotels

3 Berkshires Hotels Offer Value-added Art Appreciation Packages This Winter

The historic Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, MA, immortalized in Norman Rockwell's painting © 2016 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
The historic Red Lion Inn, Stockbridge, MA, immortalized in Norman Rockwell’s painting © 2016 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

STOCKBRIDGE, MA  – Widely recognized as a Northeast hub for culture and music, the Berkshires are enticing travelers to find artistic inspiration this winter during Art Appreciation Season. Three renowned properties under the Main Street Hospitality Group umbrella, Porches at MASS MoCA in North Adams, Hotel on North in Pittsfield and the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, have banded together to offer visitors value-added stays and access to the region’s  leading museums.

“Art has a year-round home in the Berkshires with more than 30 museums and several renowned theater companies in the region. We’ve coined this Art Appreciation Season to help visitors find creative ways to enjoy the quieter winter months in the Berkshires,” says Janet Eason, vice president of marketing at Main Street Hospitality Group. “Each of the three properties are conveniently located with an array of cultural events and inventive regional cuisine nearby for guests to enjoy.”

While seasonal favorites like Tanglewood and Jacob’s Pillow “take five” for the winter, visitors can tour numerous indoor galleries at places like the Clark Art Institute and Williams College Museum of Art in Williamstown or MASS MoCA, one of the country’s largest contemporary art museums, in North Adams. and the Norman Rockwell Museum (9 Route 183 Stockbridge , MA 01262, www.nrm.org). In Pittsfield, the 10×10 Upstreet Festival draws a crowd each February with ten 10-minute plays by 10 playwrights at the Barrington Stage Company and “10 Days of Play” at the Berkshire Museum.

Main Street Hospitality Group welcomes Art Appreciation Season with three value-added packages, including:

“Museum Mania!” at Porches Inn at MASS MoCA in North Adams, MA

Located across from MASS MoCA in North Adams, Porches Inn offers guests overnight accommodations with the “Museum Mania!” package. Also included are breakfast and two passes for two to MASS MoCA and the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Rates start at $219 on weekdays and $275 on weekends, per night. Offer valid now through May 19, 2016, based on availability. Blackout dates may apply. For more information, call 413-664-0400 or visit http://www.porches.com/.

“Museum Break” at Hotel on North in Pittsfield, MA

In celebration of the fifth annual 10×10 Upstreet Festival, Hotel on North invites guests to make winter break a true work of art with the “Museum Break” package, available from February 12 through 21, 2016. The package includes overnight accommodations and two adult passes to the Berkshire Museum. Children’s tickets can be purchased at the hotel’s front desk. Kids also eat for free when ordering from designated kids menu and receive a special Lego toy upon check-in (10 years and under). Prices start at $270 per night, based on double occupancy. Blackout dates may apply. For more information, call 413-358-4741 or visit http://hotelonnorth.com/.  

“The Norman Rockwell Experience” at Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA

A living museum in its own right, Stockbridge’s Red Lion Inn offers guests overnight accommodations, breakfast for two and two passes to the treasured Norman Rockwell Museum. Rates begin at $235 on weekdays and $305 on weekends, per night, inclusive of taxes and meal gratuities. Offer valid for booking now through May 26, 2016, based on availability. Blackout dates may apply. The Red Lion, made famous in Norman Rockwell’s painting, is a member of Historic Hotels of America. For more information, call 413-298-5545 or visit http://www.redlioninn.com/.

For more information on Art Appreciation Season, visit the dedicated landing page here.

Formed in 2013, Main Street Hospitality Group is a hotel management company founded originally at The Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, with a long tradition of excellence in preservation, innovation, sustainability and operations. As owners and operators of some of the most distinctive hotels in the Berkshires, the company’s mission is to deliver unparalleled experiences for guests, employees and owners through an authentic approach to hospitality, service, and management. Main Street’s management hotel portfolio includes The Red Lion Inn, The Porches Inn at MASS MoCA, North Adams, MA, The Williams Inn, Williamstown, MA, and Hotel on North, Pittsfield, MA.  For more information, visit www.mainstreethospitalitygroup.com or call 413-298-1610.

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Historic Hotels, Hotels & Resorts

Historic Hotels of America 2015 Awards of Excellence Winners Announced

The view of from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park just steps away from the lodge operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Xanterra which operates the lodges in several national parks, was named Historic Hotels of America's 2015 Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion © 2015 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
The view of from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park just steps away from the lodge operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts. Xanterra which operates the lodges in several national parks, was named Historic Hotels of America’s 2015 Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion © 2015 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

West Baden Springs, Indiana –Historic Hotels of America 2015 Awards of Excellence winners were announced at West Baden Springs Hotel (1902) at French Lick Resort in West Baden Springs, Indiana. Honors were given in multiple categories ranging from Hotelier of the Year and Hotel Historian of the Year to Best Historic Resort, Historic Hotelier of the Year, and others.

Each year, these awards honor, encourage, and recognize the most exemplary historic hotels, hoteliers, and leadership practices. The Awards of Excellence are presented to historic hotels demonstrating the highest contribution to furthering the celebration of history and demonstrating leadership and innovation.

From more than 200 nominees, the following Historic Hotels of America hotels and hoteliers were honored with these prestigious awards:

Historic Hotels of America New Member of the Year
• Hilton Chicago (1927) Chicago, Illinois

Best Small Historic Inn/Hotel (Under 75 Guestrooms)
• Green Park Inn (1891) Blowing Rock, North Carolina

Best Historic Hotel (75-200 Guestrooms)
• The Jefferson, Washington, DC (1923) Washington, DC
Best Historic Hotel (201-400 Guestrooms)
• Loews Don CeSar Hotel (1928) St. Pete Beach, Florida
Best City Center Historic Hotel
• Hawthorne Hotel (1925) Salem, Massachusetts
Best Historic Hotel (Over 400 Guestrooms)
• The Peabody Memphis (1869) Memphis, Tennessee
Best Historic Resort
• Grand Hotel (1887) Mackinac Island, Michigan

Hotel Historian of the Year
• Michaelene Lusk Norton, The Lancaster Hotel (1926) Houston, Texas

Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year
• The Lusk Family, The Lancaster Hotel (1926) Houston, Texas

Best Historic Restaurant in Conjunction with a Historic Hotel
• Plume, The Jefferson, Washington, DC (1923) Washington, DC

Best Social Media of a Historic Hotel
• French Lick Resort (1845) French Lick, Indiana

Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion
• Xanterra Parks & Resorts

Historic Hotels of America Ambassador of the Year (Quarter Century Service)
• Bill Ott, 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa (1886) Eureka Springs, Arkansas

2015 Historic Hotelier of the Year
• Dean Lane, Palmer House®, A Hilton Hotel (1871) Chicago, Illinois

2015 Lifetime Achievement Award
• Gayle Cook

2015 Historic Hotels of America Historian of the Year Award
• Stanley Turkel, Author and Consultant

2016 Historic Hotels of America Journalist of the Year Award
• Peter Greenberg, Travel Editor for CBS News

“Historic Hotels of America is proud to congratulate the 2015 Awards of Excellence winners,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “These historic hotels and hoteliers represent the pinnacle in historic hotels and their achievements from Portland, Oregon to St. Pete Beach, Florida.”
The hotels were nominated by fellow members, past award recipients, and honorees. A panel of experts judged and weighed the nominees in each category in order to determine a winner. As the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America provides the recognition to travelers, civic leaders, and the global cultural, heritage and historic travel market that the members’ hotels are among the finest historic hotels across America.

Historic Hotels of America, founded in 1989 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to recognize and celebrate the finest Historic Hotels, has more than 275 members. These historic hotels have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the United States of America, including 44 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Historic Hotels of America is comprised of mostly independently owned and operated properties. More than 30 of the world’s finest hospitality brands, chains, and collections are represented in Historic Hotels of America. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; have been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance. For more information, visit HistoricHotels.org.

Click here to see the About Historic Hotels of America video. To view the Historic Hotels of America 2015 Annual Directory ebook or download the free app on iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, and the  Windows Store.

 

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Historic Hotels, Hotels & Resorts

Historic Hotels of Europe Name Best of 2016 Award Winners

Castle Hotel Sonnenburg, in St. Lorenzen, Valley Pustertal, Italy was awarded Historic Hotels of Europe's Best Castle Historic Hotel 2016.
Castle Hotel Sonnenburg, in St. Lorenzen, Valley Pustertal, Italy was awarded Historic Hotels of Europe’s Best Castle Historic Hotel 2016.

Castles, a convent, elegant country houses and a former tobacco store are  among the 10 luxury hotels named winners of Historic Hotels of Europe awards for 2016.

Guests voted for their favorite hotels in 10 categories, including romance, legend, fine dining, and spa facilities.

Historic Hotels of Europe (HHE) chairman Barbara Avdis said: ‘These awards are an opportunity to reward the outstanding effort that the staff at our member hotels put in to ensure their guests are happy.

“It’s also a celebration of the commitment our members make to maintain the incredibly rich heritage and stories encapsulated in these buildings – and to recognize their constant striving to provide an excellent service for their guests.”

HHE is a not-for-profit umbrella company championing more than 500 of Europe’s most historically-significant hotels.

Each member hotel is unique and each is wrapped inextricably into the history of their location – and of Europe beyond. That’s why the organization selected ten separate categories for the judging.

“The HHE members are so diverse in location, history and type, so having one common measure would be unfair to all,” Barbara Avdis commented.

The winners of the fourth HHE awards were announced in November at a gala dinner at Château de l’Epinay in Saint-Georges-sur-Loire, France.

Winners include Chesa Salis in Bever, Switzerland. Owners Jurg and Sibylla Degiacomi describe their hotel as ‘your home in the Engadin’, so they were delighted to take home the award for best customer care. Little wonder Chesa Salis is a frequent retreat for celebrities escaping the bustle of nearby St Moritz.

Another winner is Aigialos Hotel, in Santorini, Greece. The 16 renovated neoclassical houses that make up the hotel were originally the homes of the island’s noble captain families. Named best historic hotel with a story to tell, the Aigialos charms visitors with its cobbled walkways, overlooking deep blue seas and the island’s volcano.

Winner of the most romantic hotel is Vadstena Convent Hotel, in Sweden. The property has a remarkable history: originally a royal palace, in the 1300s it was the scene of lavish parties thrown by King Magnus Eriksson and his wife Blanche. But the place underwent an abrupt change of fortune when it was transformed into a monastery and convent so austere that log fires, even in a Swedish winter, were strictly forbidden. Vadstena has even been a nursing home for wounded soldiers during wartime – but today it’s a luxury hotel packed with historic charm.

“Our historic hotels are eclectic and authentic, and we aim to take our guests on a journey of inspiring experiences beyond the expected,” Avidis commented

The winners are:

1. Best Castle Historic Hotel 2016
Winner: Castle Hotel Sonnenburg
Country: Italy
Member of: Schlosshotels & Herrenhäuser

2. Best Countryside Historic Hotel 2016
Winner: Hotel See-Villa
Country: Austria
Member of: Schlosshotels & Herrenhäuser

3. Best Customer Care Historic Hotel 2016
Winner: Chesa Salis
Country: Switzerland
Member of: Swiss Historic Hotels

4. Best Historic Hotel Spa Award 2016
Winner: Szidónia Manor House
Country: Hungary
Member of: Hungarian Castle Hotels Association

5. Best City Historic Hotel 2016
Winner: Hotel Elizabeth
Country: Slovakia
Member of: Historic Hotels of Slovakia

6. Best Historic Hotel New Member Award 2016
Winner: Hotel Marpessa
Country: Greece
Member of: Yades Greek Historic Hotels

7. Best Historic Hotel with “A Story to Tell” 2016
Winner: Aigialos Hotel Santorini
Country: Greece
Member of: Yades Greek Historic Hotels

8. Best Adventure and Activities Historic Hotel 2016
Winner: Knutholmen
Country: Norway
Member of: De Historiske

9. Historic Hotel Best Restaurant 2016
Winner: Marlfield House
Country: Ireland
Member of: Ireland’s Blue Book

10. Most Romantic Historic Hotel 2016
Winner: Vadstena Convent Hotel
Country: Sweden
Member of: Countryside Hotels Sweden

 

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Historic Hotels, Hotels, Hotels & Resorts, online travel planning, travel apps, Travel Through History

Find Inspiring Destinations with Historic Hotels of America’s New Online Vacation Planning Tool

Historic Hotels of America has published new sites that make it easy for families to find historic hotels that make living in history fun. Travel to Tennessee and hop on board at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, a train-themed hotel, where you can actually sleep in one of 48 authentic Victgorian train cars and enjoy the magic of the 106-year old terminal station © 2015 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com
Historic Hotels of America has published new sites that make it easy for families to find historic hotels that make living in history fun. Travel to Tennessee and hop on board at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, a train-themed hotel, where you can actually sleep in one of 48 authentic Victgorian train cars and enjoy the magic of the 106-year old terminal station © 2015 Karen Rubin/news-photos-features.com

Historic Hotels of America has launched a new Super Site that lets you follow your American Dreams and choose from a variety of different vacation ideas, including family getaways, road trips, national parks and lands, culinary destinations, urban adventures, and more (http://americandreams.historichotels.org/index) featuring more than 260 historic hotels across the United States from Puerto Rico to Hawaii.

“Exploration has always driven the American Dream. It’s this inquisitive spirit that has helped write our history books, shape America’s iconic landmarks and pave new roads to make way for memorable journeys,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director – Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide.  “In honor of 350 years of travel, Historic Hotels of America has launched an all-new Super Site — American Dreams. This second Super Site follows on the heels of the Romance Super Site, which Historic Hotels of America launched in early February.”

Need a travel-inspired playlist? Check out these Road Trips Songs (http://americandreams.historichotels.org/road-trips/road-trip-songs)  Want to salute our freedom? Book a historic hotel then visit these five national monuments. Feeling hungry? Scope out the best BBQ joints, bourbon trails and wine country by perusing the site’s culinary adventures.

When visiting the American Dreams Super Site homepage, a number of navigational tools help travelers peruse the site’s many inspirations.   The main navigation: The site is divided into six content sections — Family Vacations, Road Trips, Heritage & Culture, Culinary Destinations and Urban Adventures — with each of these pages showcasing article thumbnails. When a consumer clicks on the image, they navigate to that feature story. These stories include hotel advertorials, which solely feature participating hotels, and topical editorials, which highlight select destinations based on editorial content.

Family Vacations

Focus your family vacations in and around historic hotels. Most historic hotels include family-fun recreation and kid-friendly attractions. Whether you’re looking for a weekend getaway or a family vacation, Historic Hotels of America offers up everything from family beach vacations to amusement park thrills.

Travel to Hershey, Pennsylvania, experience and Explore Hershey Park, an amusement park full of candy land thrills. After a day of fun, check into Hershey Park’s official resort, The Hotel Hershey®, built by chocolate magnate Milton S. Hershey in 1933. Or, travel to Tennessee and hop on board at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, a train-themed hotel. Once an operating train station in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the 106-year-old terminal station was converted into a beautiful hotel in 1973, where guests can opt to sleep in one of 48 authentic Victorian train cars.

Road Trips

Pack up the car for a road trip, or scenic drive and stay in a historic hotels (http://americandreams.historichotels.org/road-trips). For example and long before the “interstate” was born, road trippers looked to Route 66 to venture across America. This 2,448 mile stretch is among America’s most famous roads, connecting a number of states between Chicago to California, with historic hotels along the way.  Every road trip, whether spontaneous or planned, needs a few essential items — an adventurous route, road trip music and a reservation at Historic Hotels of America.

There are plenty of historic hotels located along Route 66, with comfortable lodging and fantastic amenities. In Oklahoma City, Skirvin Hilton provides respite for the weary road traveler. This 1911 beauty was named after its founder, oil tycoon William Balser “Bill” Skirvin. Meanwhile, Colcord Hotel, the city’s first skyscraper, is another overnight stop in Oklahoma City. For a one-of-a-kind Historic Hotel experience, stray an hour away from Route 66 to stay at La Fonda in Santa Fe. Well worth the extra miles, you’ll experience an authentic Pueblo-style inn.

National Parks & Lands

Discover and Explore parks, lands, and heritage sites in and around historic hotels across the nation (http://americandreams.historichotels.org/national-parks). America is filled with innumerable treasures. Here’s a nod to the many parks, forests, monuments and byways that have long captured the hearts of the American traveler.  For example, he Appalachian Mountains offer up the east’s breathtaking Blue Ridge Parkway and a myriad of national parks, protected forests many with nearby historic hotels. Scattered throughout the Blue Ridge Mountains, quant towns greet America’s road trippers, like Banner Elk, North Carolina, where the population barely peaks 1,000. In Banner Elk, The Mast Farm Inn provides a historic country retreat for travelers. The main inn features charming rooms with four-posters beds, claw-foot tubs and endless farmhouse charm.

At the other end of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the boarder of North Carolina and Tennessee. Just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in Asheville, North Carolina, one of the country’s most celebrated resorts calls the Blue Ridge Mountains home — The Omni Grove Park Inn. This AAA Four Diamond Property is listed on Fodor’s “Top 10 Luxury Spa Resorts” and in Travel + Leisure’s rankings of “Top Spa Resorts” in the world.

Heritage & Cultural Getaways

Interested in ghost stories and the paranormal? Make your vacation truly memorable. Add a little heritage and a dash of culture by visiting one of many attractions near Historic Hotels of America (http://americandreams.historichotels.org/heritage-culture). Take in a nostalgic festival, visit a national monument or explore a historic battlefield. Your adventure awaits.  We have legendary stories to share at Historic Hotels of America.

Many historic hotels are rumored to have played host to more than just their paying customers. Whether or not you believe these ghosts stories, one thing is certain — these friendly hauntings leave guests talking about their hotel experience for years!  Known as “America’s most haunted hotel,” the ghost stories are plentiful at 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa. It’s said that one of the Irish stonemasons, known as “Michael,” plunged to his death after falling from Room 218 during hotel construction. Guests report a number of strange activities from this room.

The inspiration for Stephen King’s “The Shining,” The Stanley has lots of haunting appeal, especially when guests tour the creepy underground tunnel that runs beneath the hotel. But that’s not the hotel’s most haunting aspect. The hotel’s original owner, F.O. Stanley is known to haunt the hotel. He and his wife have been seen dressed in formal attire on the main staircase and in other public areas, and Flora’s piano occasionally echoes in the ballroom.

Culinary Destinations

Experience culinary destinations, spirits, wine, food, festivals and trails throughout the country (http://americandreams.historichotels.org/culinary-destinations). There’s nothing like local flavor to add a little extra zing to your trip. From food festivals to fine dining, from Sonoma’s Wine Country to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Historic Hotels of America tips its glass to these culinary destinations.  Interested in the latest vintages in the heart of Napa Valley? Nestled into the heart of Napa Valley, the Napa River Inn stands out as an upscale boutique hotel. The inn adjoins the historic Napa Mill, which offers dining, shopping and 7,300 square feet of outdoor reception space in the Riverbend Performance Plaza for wine-induced celebrations.

For more then 200 years, generations of Bourbon brewers handed down secret-family recipes and time-honored processes that shaped today’s legendary Kentucky distilleries. Experience the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and check into a Historic Hotel of America to enjoy more Kentucky history. Not far from the Bourbon Trail is The Seelbach Hilton, the height of Kentucky luxury. During the roaring 1920s, The Seelbach was the most glamorous spot for cards, attracting infamous gangsters, like Al Capone and the Beer Baron of the Bronx, during Prohibition.

Urban Adventures

Bustling city centers located throughout the United States from New York to San Francisco are a great way to experience famous cultural icons, museums, and history while staying at nearby historic hotels (http://americandreams.historichotels.org/urban-adventures). Choose from 11 hotels in Washington, DC. The Jefferson, DC is a luxury hotel that celebrates and embodies the spirit of one of our founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson. Just four blocks from The White House, this downtown hotel affords a treasured account of its significant history alongside thoughtfully appointed accommodations, opulent meeting rooms, and gracious hospitality and service.

Discounts from Historic Hotels Worldwide

National Trust for Historic Preservation members save up to 30% off best available rates at participating Historic Hotels Worldwide. HistoricHotelsWorldwide.com promotes heritage and cultural travel by featuring a prestigious collection of historic treasures, including historic hotels, castles, chateaux, palaces, monasteries, haciendas and other historical lodging properties spanning twelve centuries.

Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation® for recognizing and celebrating the finest Historic Hotels. Historic Hotels of America was founded in 1989 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation with 32 charter members. Today, Historic Hotels of America has more than 260 historic hotels. These historic hotels have all faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the United States of America, including 44 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Historic Hotels of America is comprised of mostly independently owned and operated properties.  More than 30 of the world’s finest hospitality brands, chains, and collections are represented in Historic Hotels of America. To be nominated and selected for membership into this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; has been designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historic significance.

For more information, visit HistoricHotels.org. To receive the free Discover & Explore e-newsletter each month with advance notice about Insiders Savings, special discounts, epic package, and up and coming events in historic hotels in 30 countries, plus free or reduced rate admission to historic and cultural sites, click here.

To view the Historic Hotels of America 2015 Annual Directory eBook, click here or visit HistoricHotels.org/Directory to download the app.

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