From Gold Rush-era boltholes to storied estates frequented by the rich and famous, many centuries-old lodgings in the USA have tales to tell. These 50 hotels all played a part in the development of America and have welcomed dignitaries and celebrities from around the world. Read on to find out more about the nation's most historic hotels.
There's been a hotel on this site since 1852, when the first Battle House was opened at the location of a one-time military headquarters. Throughout the years, it has hosted notable guests, including Winfield Scott and Oscar Wilde, plus Stephen A. Douglas on the eve that he lost the presidency to Abraham Lincoln. Former president Woodrow Wilson also stayed at the Battle House and it was here that he uttered his most famous statement: "the United States will never again seek one additional foot of territory by conquest".
Located in the heart of Downtown Anchorage, the Historic Anchorage Hotel first opened in 1916 and has seen a lot of changes through the decades. A severe lack of maintenance led to the demolition of parts of the building in the 1960s, but today its 26 comfy rooms evoke a bygone era. Artist Sydney Laurence, known for his paintings of Denali (then Mount McKinley), once lived and had a studio here. The hotel is also said to be haunted by some of Anchorage's historical figures, including the city's first chief of police, Jack Sturgus.
The Wigwam was built by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company in 1929 and originally intended as a lodging for sales executives. Today, it's a luxury resort. The first nine-hole golf course opened in 1930 and the rest of The Wigwam continued to expand to its current size of 331 rooms, three golf courses, nine tennis courts and three swimming pools. Although it has steadily grown over the decades, a portion of the original structure – The Organizational House – remains largely unchanged.
When in Little Rock, it's impossible to miss the Capital Hotel, with its ornate Victorian façade complete with decorative columns. Opened in 1876, the hotel has hosted everyone from presidents to film stars and even, rumour has it, Ulysses S. Grant and his horse too. In 2007, a £17.5 million ($24m) renovation project, funded by local banking billionaire and current owner Warren Stephens, gave the hotel a new lease of life.
Among the most iconic lodgings in America, The Beverly Hills Hotel is where Humphrey Bogart and Marlene Dietrich spent a lot of their free time, where John Lennon and Yoko Ono went to escape the press and where Nixon's chief of staff learned about Watergate. The hotel also has a unique Mediterranean Revival style and carefully designed rooms and bungalows with peachy pink interiors and palm-leaf motifs. Some will also recognise it as the cover of the legendary Eagles album Hotel California.
Guests can experience the spirit of the Wild West at the Strater Hotel. Located two blocks north of Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, the hotel has deep roots in Colorado's Gold Rush and silver-mining heritage. Built in 1887, it also holds the largest collection of American Victorian walnut antiques in the world.
More a luxury hotel than an inn, the Inn at Middletown has a long history that dates back to 1810 when the building was the grand home of the president of Middletown National Bank. Surrounded by Main Street's shops, boutiques and restaurants, the hotel oozes old-school New England charm and now has 100 rooms, a high-end restaurant and an indoor pool.
Built in 1913 to rival the grandeur of Europe's finest hotels, the Hotel DuPont was in part the vision of European craftsmen, who spent several years working on the marble and carved-wood interiors and the artisan ceilings. It was owned by one of the most esteemed families in Delaware (who share the hotel's name) and a recent renovation has ensured it remains among the finest spots in the country. Its DuPont Theatre has one of the largest stages in America, the Green Room restaurant has earned a AAA Four Diamond rating and its guest rooms have hosted many US presidents, including Warren Harding, JFK and Obama.
Occupying a spot on Key West's historic Duvall Street, The Southernmost House is, as the name suggests, the southernmost hotel in the continental United States. The charming beach bolthole was built in 1896 and has hosted many famous names including Louis Armstrong, Truman Capote and Ernest Hemingway. The oceanfront portion of the property, including the pier, is great for a sunset stroll, while the open-air restaurant has a laid-back, tiki-style atmosphere.
Check out our full guide to Key West and the rest of the Keys
The essence of Southern hospitality is captured in every aspect of the Hamilton-Turner Inn, a boutique hotel in historic Savannah. A gorgeous mansion built in 1873, it was owned by Samuel Pugh Hamilton, a businessman who also served on the staff of a Confederate colonel during the Civil War. Today, the small hotel has 17 antique-filled luxury rooms and is located on Lafayette Square, right in the heart of the historic district.
Love this? Follow our Facebook page for more travel inspiration
The pink-hued Royal Hawaiian has been attracting visitors since 1927, when it first opened as a 400-room luxury resort. A stand-out among the rest of the oceanfront properties, the hotel went on to serve as a major rest and recuperation centre for soldiers and sailors in the Pacific during the Second World War. Since the war, it's gone through several major renovation projects, including the addition of the Royal Tower wing in the 1960s and the new Mailani Tower wing in 2015. Locally known as the pink palace, it also offers free tours of the historic building.
Dedicated ski lodges were pretty much unheard of up until the Sun Valley Lodge opened in 1936. Modelled on a Bavarian inn, the 108-room resort sits in the Sun Valley, surrounded by Dollar and Bald Mountains. The hotel went through a large renovation project in 2016, and the country's first destination ski lodge is now a must-visit not only in winter, but also in summer, when guests can enjoy horseback riding, fly-fishing and hiking.
This opulent Chicago landmark was built as a wedding gift from business magnate Potter Palmer to his bride Bertha Honoré for their nuptials in 1871. The original building burnt down 13 days later during the Great Chicago Fire, but tenacious Palmer rebuilt it and reopened the hotel in 1873. It was the city's first hotel with electric light bulbs and phones in the guest rooms. It's also hosted US presidents and celebrities including Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra.
Opened by Dr William Bowles as a wellness retreat (thanks to its proximity to the therapeutic water of Pluto Mineral Springs), the French Lick Springs Hotel was a popular retreat for the wealthy during the 1920s. The hotel has hosted the PGA Championship and was also the unofficial home of the Democratic party in the 1930s. It's a popular destination for golfing, spa weekends and conventions, and the 200-foot (61m) lobby dome is a particularly impressive sight.
The history of Hotel Julien Dubuque can be traced as far back as 1839, when the first lodging house opened on this site. The current hotel building was completed in 1915 and allegedly served as a hiding place for the notorious mobster Al Capone when things got complicated in Chicago. During his time as the leader of the mob, Capone reportedly also owned the hotel and had an underground garage in the area in order to hide his personal cars.
There really isn't much the Midland Railroad Hotel hasn't seen in its time. Opened in 1899, it was a popular stop along the Union Pacific Railroad between Kansas City and Denver and, during the Great Depression, the hotel's third floor was apparently turned into a chicken coop. Although the hotel continued operating through the 20th century, it eventually closed in 1978. The historic building fell into disrepair until it was bought by the Wilson Foundation in 1997, which restored it to its former glory.
When these lodgings opened in 1923, there wasn't much to Downtown Louisville. However, the debut of this Old World-style hotel, with its chandeliers and plush interiors, inspired a boom in theatres, offices and restaurants. The area eventually grew to a place to see and be seen in the week leading up to the Kentucky Derby. In the following years, it also served as a gathering place during the great Ohio River flood of 1937 and a first-stop home for the Second World War soldiers returning from Fort Knox.
New Orleans is blessed with a roster of intriguing historic hotels, but the French Quarter's iconic Hotel Monteleone really shines. Opened by Sicilian immigrant Antonio Monteleone in 1886, the hotel is still owned by the family today. Writers like Capote and Hemingway used to hide out here while writing, taking an occasional break (or two) at the legendary Carousel Bar which is, as the name implies, a carousel.
The Westin Portland Harborview was the largest hotel in New England when it opened in 1927 as 369-room Eastland Park. It has gone down in history as the place that refused to let Eleanor Roosevelt stay with her dog and later became famous as Ozzy Osbourne tossed pool furniture off the rooftop. The hotel fell into disrepair until 2011, when it underwent a £36.5 million ($50m) renovation project and reopened under the current name.
A Baltimore destination since 1928, Lord Baltimore Hotel features perfectly preserved and restored 1920s interiors with a magnificent lobby, vaulted fresco ceiling and Murano glass chandeliers. Figures like Martin Luther King Jr have stayed at the hotel and the murals in the Calvert Ballroom are one of a kind. In 1982, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Omni Parker House, built in 1927 where the original stood in 1855, claims to be the longest continuously operating hotel in the United States and has seen its fair share of history. Emeril Lagasse, Malcolm X and Ho Chi Minh reportedly all worked here, while the guest list features people like Babe Ruth, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Henry David Thoreau. It's also the birthplace of Boston's signature dessert, the cream pie.
Visiting the Grand Hotel feels like stepping back in time – cars are banned from Mackinac Island so horse-drawn carriages or bicycles are the preferred mode of transport. The hotel itself, opened in 1887, claims to have the world's longest front porch, measuring 660 feet (201m), where guests and non-guests mingle from May to October. Mark Twain used this as a regular location on his speaking tours of the Midwest and the first public demonstration of Thomas Edison's phonograph was hosted by the hotel as well.
St. James Hotel in Red Wing has only had three owners since it opened in 1875. More humble than some of the others on this list, the hotel is all about the local community and family connections. It's not without its celebrity clientele, though. Throughout the years, it's hosted everyone from former US presidents to Bob Dylan.
This 19th-century hotel has nothing to do with the president's home. The White House Hotel was actually established by Cora White, the wife of Gulf Coast lawyer and later judge Walter White, who started accepting boarders in their home in Biloxi in the 1890s. Business boomed and eventually the Whites bought the house next door, joining the two together to create a lobby, a dining room and a ballroom in 1910. After a 30-year vacancy, the hotel was restored in 2013/14.
Opened in 1926 during a construction boom in Kansas City, the hotel operated as the President Hotel until it closed in 1980. During its history, it served as the headquarters for the Republican National Convention, which nominated Herbert Hoover for president in 1928. The hotel's Drum Room lounge famously attracted performers from all over the country including Benny Goodman and Frank Sinatra. The hotel reopened in the 2000s as a Hilton hotel.
With a design inspired by Hotel Astor in New York City, the Hotel Finlen stands on the site where the old McDermott Hotel stood. The copper-mining boom meant more visitors poured into Butte, which was the largest town between Chicago and San Francisco at the time. So, when James Finlen purchased the McDermott in 1902, he immediately tore it down and built a 200-room, nine-storey Second Empire masterpiece that's still as elegant today as it was in Butte's heyday.
Hotel Deco is an important piece of Omaha's artistic puzzle, and the hotel's modern interiors have preserved as many of the original 1930s details as possible. It still stands as Nebraska's greatest Art Deco building and is one of the only AAA Four Diamond properties in the state.
Opened in 1906 as Hotel Nevada, the Golden Gate remains the oldest continuously operating hotel in Las Vegas. It only has 122 rooms, which is extremely small by Las Vegas standards, and it still serves the 50-cent shrimp cocktail that was invented here – a parfait glass with shrimp on the rim and a dollop of cocktail sauce inside. However, the price has increased significantly since it was first served in 1959.
Wentworth by the Sea has been looking over the Atlantic since its opening in 1874. The 161-room hotel has been restored and rebranded as a Marriott Hotel & Spa, but its history can still be felt within its walls and within the three original Victorian towers. In 1905, delegates from Japan and Russia gathered here to sign a treaty to end the Russo-Japanese War and Teddy Roosevelt went on to win a Nobel Peace Prize for his role in the negotiations.
Dating from 1816, the Congress Hall Hotel claims to be the oldest seaside resort in America. The lemon-yellow building in the Jersey Shore town of Cape May has been a favourite with notable figures throughout history, and president Benjamin Harrison liked it so much, he even made it his summer White House. Today, the hotel has 108 rooms, a spa and a beach club across the street.
La Fonda's current building wasn't erected until 1922, but lodgings of some kind have occupied these grounds since 1601, meaning this is tipped as the oldest hotel site in America. The current hotel has 25-foot (8m) high cathedral ceilings, stained-glass skylights and tin chandeliers.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Sagamore opened in 1883, financed by several prominent Lake George summer residents. It was damaged by fire twice and today only one wing belongs to the original structure, while the rest of the white clapboard building was finished in 1930. Through its history, The Sagamore has been a social gathering place for wealthy tourists and residents of Millionaires' Row – the stately mansions along Lake George's western shore.
When George Vanderbilt designed his stunning Asheville estate in the 19th century, he wanted to open a grand inn overlooking the spectacular grounds. However, it never happened in his lifetime. In fact, it wasn't until 2001 that The Inn On Biltmore Estate opened, alongside the moderately priced Village Hotel and the Cottage, the only lodging here that dates back to Vanderbilt's time.
Throughout its history, Hotel Donaldson has been a beacon of change in the city. After a fire ravaged most of Fargo, the hotel building was one of the first to be finished and opened in 1893. Then, after decades of disrepair, the restoration of the hotel in the early 2000s revitalised the then-neglected Downtown. The opening of the new hotel sparked the area's revival and now the 17-room boutique hotel, with each room designed by a local artist, is a destination in itself.
The oldest continuously run business in the state of Ohio, the Golden Lamb is another presidential favourite, having housed 12 of the former US presidents. It began as a simple tavern in 1803, providing a resting spot for travellers on their way from Cincinnati to the old National Road (now US-40). It offered simple rooms and stiff drinks, a tradition that hasn't changed much since.
The first skyscraper in Oklahoma City, the Colcord Hotel opened its doors in 1910. Despite several contemporary renovations, many of the original details have been preserved and the hotel still oozes the grandeur and the charm of the Roaring Twenties. The original marble columns and walls of the main lobby, the nickel and bronze letterbox and elevator doors, and the ornamental plaster ceiling look just as stunning today.
If the exterior of Timberline Lodge seems familiar, it's probably because Stanley Kubrick used it as a stand-in for exterior shots of the notorious Overlook Hotel in his film The Shining. Built on Mount Hood's highest driveable location from 1936 to 1938, the Timberline Lodge is a popular spot with skiers and snowboarders. The hotel has comfy rooms and a spa, as well as the Blue Ox Bar, which is known for its wood-fired pizzas and Oregon craft beer.
One of the oldest on this list, The Gettysburg Hotel is located within walking distance from the Gettysburg battlefield – site of the infamous three-day Civil War conflict – and it's the perfect base for history buffs. Established in 1797, the hotel has welcomed presidents including Abraham Lincoln, and even served as a temporary command centre for President Eisenhower. The restaurant, One Lincoln, dishes up American classics from crab cakes to cheeseburgers too.
One of the most popular destinations for beach holidays in the 19th century, Rhode Island was frequented by wealthy northeasterners, and nowhere brought in the upper echelons of society like the Ocean House. Opened in 1868, this Victorian-era resort featured upscale rooms, croquet on the lawn and a cabana-lined beach. The original closed in 2003, but a replica was finished by 2010 – lemon façade and all – and furnished with everything that was salvaged from the old property.
One of the top equestrian destinations in America, Aiken – and luxurious hotel The Willcox – has been attracting high-society horse-lovers since 1898. Established by British immigrant Frederick Willcox, the white Colonial Revival-style building is the epitome of Southern elegance. Now guests can also spend time being pampered at the spa or feast on upscale New American dishes at the on-site restaurant.
Now check out Europe's most historic hotels loved by the rich and famous
Construction on the Hotel Alex Johnson – now part of Hilton's Curio Collection – began the day before work started on Mount Rushmore and it opened in 1928, spearheaded by railroad tycoon Alex Carlton Johnson. The Germanic Tudor architecture is a tribute to the state's German immigrant heritage and the place is filled with relics from indigenous artists too. The hotel is also famous for its ghost, the so-called Lady in White, a bride who allegedly jumped out of the window of room 812 in the 1970s.
A true Southern classic, The Peabody first opened in 1869, but was moved to a newer building at its present location in 1925. A unique tradition, which sees resident ducks placed in the fountain to splash around, began in the 1930s and still continues. The ducks arrive twice a day via a red carpet.
Though The Driskill's facade is Romanesque and the hand-laid marble floors feel Italian, this hotel is Texan through and through. Adorned with stuffed cattle heads, a nod to the hotel's original owner cattle baron Jesse Driskill, the hotel dates back to 1886 and remains one of Austin's treasures. The hotel has an extensive collection of art and has also hosted numerous governors' inauguration balls. It was here that Lyndon B. Johnson awaited the results when he ran for president too.
Built in 1910 by the Peery family to cater to those working in Utah's mining industry, The Peery Hotel, now under the Hilton umbrella, is a Salt Lake City landmark. Famous for its sharp grey and white exterior and its prairie-style interiors, The Peery was remodelled in 1999 as a luxurious boutique hotel.
More a resort than an inn, Woodstock dates back to 1793 when it began life as a tavern. Taking pride in its charming location in Woodstock town, the luxe resort has a spa, an organic garden and an elegant restaurant. Established by Laurance and Mary Rockefeller, the inn was previously known as The Eagle Hotel. The name has been preserved in the hotel's logo and the large, golden eagle sculpture mounted above the entrance.
The Homestead was founded in 1766 which means it's as old as the US itself. It's built on land that encompassed seven natural mineral springs and Thomas Jefferson reportedly enjoyed a soak here in 1818. Today, the hotel is a luxury resort with golf courses, zip lines and a spa with thermal treatments.
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel has been a pillar of Seattle's social scene since 1924, when a grand opening event debuted the glittering hotel. Located on the original site of the University of Washington, this epic 450-room property is still much-loved by locals who come here to feast on oysters at Shuckers bar.
Opened in 1778, The Greenbrier – popular for its natural hot springs – has been at the very centre of American history over the centuries. More than half of the 46 US presidents have stayed here and during the Second World War it housed diplomats from Germany, Japan and Italy, before it was converted into a hospital for soldiers. It's still a top choice for history lovers, and you can even take a tour of an emergency Cold War fallout shelter built beneath the property.
Built in 1893 by businessman Guido Pfister, The Pfister is a Victorian masterpiece and it has an enormous collection of Victorian art to boot. It's famous for its grand lobby and its trompe l'oeil ceiling, and the 23-storey tower (added in the 1960s) has a modern cocktail lounge offering scenic Lake Michigan views.
First opened in 1904, the remarkable Old Faithful Inn is the creative work of architect Robert Reamer, who focused on using materials found in the park. The lodgepole pine was cut some four miles (6km) south of the hotel site, while 500 tonnes of rhyolite rock for the lobby chimney was quarried about five miles (8km) away. The 327-room property is mere steps away from the world’s most famous geyser and while rates aren’t exactly cheap, some rooms offer front-row seats for the eruption of the Old Faithful.
Have your own Yellowstone adventure with our guide to Northern Wyoming