10 Best Historic Hotels in the U.S.
The popularity of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton has made history cooler than ever. In fact, it’s inspired groups to meet at historic hotels, including the 10 Best Historic Hotels of 2017, selected as part of USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Travel Awards. (There were some new additions compared to last year's list.)
The annual list, which consisted of the following properties, was released earlier this month. The awards also included the 10 top hotel luxury brands, pools, restaurants, spas, destinations, bars, waterfronts and more.
Swipe right or click through to see the list.
1. Grand Hotel — Mackinac Island, Michigan
Grand Hotel is home of the world’s longest porch. Presidents, governors and powerful leaders have met there, and so can your group. There’s 22,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including the two-story. 16,000-square-foot Woodfill Conference Center, with six meeting rooms under one roof. Grand Hotel offers meeting rooms, AV and coffee breaks at no additional fee in most scenarios. All 393 guest rooms have unique decor.
2. Mission Inn Hotel & Spa — Riverside, California
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa opened its doors in 1876. Groups can meet there just as former presidents, royalty, and the movers and shakers of business did years ago. The Mission Inn stays true to its past with Spanish Mission-style architecture, but has made necessary updates to accommodate modern meetings. It offers 238 guest rooms and 20,000 sq. ft. of flexible function space.
3. The Peabody Hotel — Memphis, Tennessee
Meetings have been held at The Peabody Memphis since 1869, and it has a longstanding reputation of being the city’s business and social hub for presidents, celebrities and socialites. Guests can quack up at ducks waddling passed during the famous Peabody Ducks March. The “South’s Grand Hotel” is on the National Register of Historic Places; is a Forbes Four Star, AAA Four-Diamond rated property; and is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and National Trust Historic Hotels of America. It has 80,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 464 guest rooms.
4. The Hermitage Hotel — Nashville, Tennessee
The Hermitage Hotel is Nashville’s only Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond hotel, and has been a meeting destination since its grand opening in 1910. Babe Ruth, President John F. Kennedy, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and many other entertainers and politicians have walked through its doors over the years. Meeting professionals have several options to choose from, including boardrooms and the Veranda. Coming in at just under 2,500 sq. ft., the grand ballroom has an ornate ceiling and Russian walnut paneling. The Hermitage Hotel also has 250 acres of farmland, with a 2,400-square-foot barn that can be rented for private events. Attendees are greeted in the lobby by a painted glass skylight and can enjoy the hotel’s Beaux Arts style during their stay in one of the 122 guest rooms.
5. Mohonk Mountain House — New Paltz, New York
Attendees can get swept off their feet at a Victorian castle in upstate New York. Mohonk Mountain House is nestled in a 40,000-acre forest. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the resort offers a 2,400-square-foot conference center with 14 meeting rooms, and the new Grove Lodge can accommodate small meetings. This historic hotel, which opened in 1869, has 259 guest rooms and suites, plus five cottages.
6. The Broadmoor — Colorado Springs, Colorado
One of the most unique resorts in the world, The Broadmoor offers a wide range of activities to guests. It features shopping, a spa, tennis, golf, horseback riding, mountain biking, archery, canoeing, fly-fishing, rock climbing, falconry and more. The Broadmoor also includes Penrose Rooms, the only Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond restaurant in Colorado. Open since 1918, the nearly 100-year-old hotel has 185,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 784 guest rooms. The hotel prides itself in going green and giving back to the community. Guests can dine on food from “mountaintop to tabletop,” as Broadmoor Farms grows veggies, herbs and more.
7. The Don CeSar — St. Pete Beach, Florida
Get tickled pink at The Don CeSar! Go back in time at this Gatsby Era hotel. The Great Gatsby author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, even visited this classic hot spot. The hotel is located on Florida’s Gulf Coast and has 277 guest rooms, which were remodeled in 2012. Its 38,000 sq. ft. of function space can host events big and small. Attendees can dip their toes in the sand or pool while enjoying their stay in the Sunshine State. The Don CeSar has appeared in films and on TV shows.
8. The Royal Hawaiian — Honolulu
Add some aloha spirit to your next meeting at The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort on Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. This year, the resort is celebrating its 90th anniversary. There was a tremendous turnout of 1,200 people at its 1927 grand opening gala—which cost only $10 per plate. To this day, the 12,000 sq. ft. of indoor meeting space and 66,000-square foot Ocean Lawn remains a choice property for event professionals. Nicknamed the “Pink Palace of the Pacific,” The Royal Hawaiian has 528 guest rooms with vintage and exotic decor, historic photos and indigenous art. The hotel went through a renovation in 2009 and debuted upgrades to Mailani Tower in April 2015. The hotel offers twice-weekly historical tours every Tuesday and Thursday at 1 p.m.
9. The American Club — Kohler, Wisconsin
The American Club has an interesting history. At one time, it was a dorm for immigrant employees with a pub, bowling alley and barber. It transformed into a glamorous hotel in 1981 and has gone on to achieve a Forbes Five Star and AAA Five Diamond rating. Various ballrooms, a theater and a boardroom serve as great settings for meetings. The American Club is poised to host the 2020 Ryder Cup on its four championship golf courses. The property features 241 guest rooms, nine restaurants and Kohler Waters Spa, one of only 35 spas in the world to receive a Forbes Five Star rating.
10. The Omni Homestead Resort — Hot Springs, Virginia
The Omni Homestead Resort has hosted 23 U.S. presidents from the 18th century to the present. Groups can take in the beauty of the Allegheny Mountains at this 2,000-plus-acre property that boasts hot springs, two historic and challenging golf courses, a water park, ziplining and ice skating. Omni Hotels and Resorts partnered with Feed America to help address hunger issues. All Omni properties, including The Omni Homestead Resort, pledged to provide one meal per room night booked as part of a group reservation.” There are 483 guest rooms and 72,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, with the largest meeting room measuring 13,485 sq. ft.
