Historic Hotels

A look at some of the country's most well-known historic hotels--and their unique architecture and decor.

Owners steeped in Colonial-period history finish the restoration of a 1760 house that served as an inn during the Revolutionary War.

By Caryn B. Davis

white clapboard façade of the Clifton Inn

Southern Historic Sites

Just outside Charlottesville, Virginia, in the shadow of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Clifton Inn captures the true spirit of Federal-era hospitality.

Owners Hall Cannon and Miles Refo revived Sir Heaton Rhodes’ “Daffodil Day” tradition of inviting the public to view the lodge and grounds during peak blooming season.

Historic Hotels

Architecturally speaking, there’s not much that can compete with the majestic natural beauty of New Zealand’s South Island. But Otahuna Lodge, a seven-room luxury hotel set amidst the rocky hills south of Christchurch, is a prime contender.

Northeastern Historic Sites

To understand why the Palmer House is so special, you need only enter the lobby.

Historic Hotels

Catch a few winks with the spirit world by checking into one of these historic hotels where reports of paranormal activity abound.

Historic Places

Resident owners share the wealth to afford their dream house, The Inn at Forest Oaks.

Repairs & How To

One of the oldest tools ever invented, a ladder is an old-house essential. To be safe, choose one that suits the job and is sturdy enough.

The hotel's façade was gutted and covered with a brick wall during one remodel; restoring it meant replicating original window trim.

Historic Hotels

Hidden architectural gems and custom designs restore the character of an iconic 1920s political hangout.

The new kitchen is in a big old room that was, improbably, long used as a garage. It’s 21' square and includes a fireplace, now restored. “We made the fireplace part of the kitchen, creating a sitting area with a couple of wing chairs,” Larry Stanley says. The old floorboards had been irreparably stained and damaged, so the floors are new. Salvaged sections of old flooring have new life as the built-in cabinet in a corner next to the fireplace. The room is simply furnished with mid-19th-century cabinets inspired by Shaker design. “We chose cherry for the cabinets because it would age to the same color as the beautiful old beams, which are chestnut treated with tung oil,” Larry explains. Natural granite countertops with a soft, honed finish complete the look.

Old House Styles

The large center-hall Georgian was built as an inn. After removing 1940s accretions and reconfiguring rooms for residential use, the current owners decorated it in fine Colonial Revival tradition.

The private, shady courtyard provides a quiet respite from the French Quarter.

Southern Historic Sites

A collection of charming cottages echoes the French Quarter’s blend of history and culture.

A vision in blooms awaits visitors, many of whom arrive by carriage.

Historic Hotels

A visit to this gracious beauty, The Grand Hotel, located on an island between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, is a rite of passage for Midwesterners.

The Hotel del Coronado's iconic red roof.

Historic Hotels

The inn's houses traverse the block, a lasting testament to the status of their original owners.

Historic Hotels

To stay at the Inn on Ferry Street is to experience old Detroit. Not the Detroit of the Model T, but the city of the 1880s, when railroad and lumber barons reigned supreme.

Arts & Crafts movement ideals live on at Grove Park, evident in the building's design.

Historic Hotels

Despite many changes of hands over the years, the façade of the Driskill Hotel still looks remarkably like it did in 1885.

Southern Historic Sites

The legendary Romanesque landmark brings a Lone Star brand of grandeur to Texas’ state capital.

A vintage postcard depicts one of the Grove Park Inn's massive stone fireplaces.

Historic Hotels

We've curated 7 of our favorite Arts & Crafts fireplaces across the country.

The hotel's first restoration, in the 1980s, uncovered the magnificent painted-glass skylight in the lobby.

Southern Historic Sites

The Governor's grand main entrance is a tribute to classical architecture, complete with pilasters, columns, carvings, and Greek key detailing.

Western Historic Sites

The elegant Georgian Room at the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.

Western Historic Sites

A local preservation expert highlights the best historic hotels in Seattle.

Grand columns on the porte-cochere were but a memory before restoration brought back the Moana’s original glory.

Western Historic Sites

The Moana Surfrider Hotel in Hawaii is a historic hotel.

Open porches offer transitional spaces to the home's interior and natural surroundings.

House Tours

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Kitchen Cabinetry

Crown Point Cabinetry offers custom cabinets for period style kitchens, baths, offices, laundry rooms, home bars and more. Styles include Shaker, Arts & Crafts, Early American, Victorian and Transitional.