If the walls of these hotels could talk, they would regale guests with tales of lavish parties, milestone celebrations, newsworthy occasions and fascinating visitors. It would take quite some time to hear the stories too: These properties are all more than 100 years old, with one opening before the Revolutionary War.
Beekman Arms, Rhinebeck, New York
Beekman Arms has a storied past
(Image credit: John Greim / LightRocket / Getty Images)
A who’s who of influential — and infamous — Americans have spent the night at the Beekman Arms, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and Benedict Arnold. The inn opened in 1766 and is believed to be the oldest continuously running hotel in the United States.
During the Revolutionary War, “militia drilled on its lawn,” and “townspeople took refuge within its walls during the fighting,” said The Independent. Life here is much calmer today, with guests appreciating the inn’s “charmingly creaky floors, fireplaces and quaint bedrooms.”
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Beautiful views are guaranteed at Claremont Resort and Club
(Image credit: Claremont Resort and Club)
This Bay Area retreat has been a beloved spot for rest and relaxation since it opened in 1915. Guests can lounge by one of three pools, enjoy a treatment in the spa or unwind in their room, soaking up views of the San Francisco skyline.
Those who prefer a more active stay are in luck. At The Club, they can play a few sets on the lighted tennis and pickleball courts, take a fitness class and cycle through the dry saunas, steam rooms and whirlpools. The guest rooms were recently renovated in calming shades of soft blue and gray, and the “plush bedding and fluffy down comforters make the beds feel like clouds,” said Condé Nast Traveler.
Congress Hall, Cape May, New Jersey
Hotel guests are just steps away from the sand
(Image credit: John Greim / LightRocket / Getty Images)
Congress Hall bills itself as the country’s first waterfront resort, which has proudly survived “fires, hurricanes and war.” It started as a boarding house for summer visitors and during the Benjamin Harrison presidency was considered the Summer White House.
The rooms are “comfortable” and have an “air of seaside whimsy,” and the hotel offers plenty to do year-round, said Travel and Leisure. During warmer months, guests can “dine alfresco and swim in the seaside pool,” and come December, the grounds turn into a “festive Winter Wonderland” with holiday vendors and a train for kids.
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Fairmont Breakers Long Beach, California
Halo rooftop lounge has views from downtown Los Angeles to Catalina Island
(Image credit: Fairmont Breakers Long Beach)
The glamorous Fairmont Breakers Long Beach is ready for its close-up. The hotel is fresh off a renovation and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year with special culinary events and activations, themed suite experiences and tours.
Original details remain, like plaster molding and “ornate” exterior motifs, and are combined with modern furnishings for a “compelling blend of old and new,” said Afar. Rooms are decorated in “whites and soothing blues,” with bathrooms “clad in marble,” and the “polished design” extends to the hotel’s restaurants and venues like Halo, the rooftop bar.
The Inn at Hancock, Hancock, New Hampshire
The Masala Room offers guests a colorful place to rest
(Image credit: Inn at Hancock)
When The Inn at Hancock first opened its doors in 1789, it was a stop along a busy trade route, with lodgers arriving by stagecoach. Today, guests arrive via much faster transportation — but the property’s welcoming atmosphere remains.
The Inn at Hancock recently reopened after a three-year renovation, and the 15 suites are distinct, each one having its own decor, bespoke furnishings and period antiques. All of the dining options have unique characteristics as well, with the Restaurant spread out across three spaces: the Georgian-paneled Formal Room, bright and airy Garden Room and book-filled Reading Room.
The Inn at Stonecliffe, Mackinac Island, Michigan
Enjoy peace and quiet at The Inn at Stonecliffe
(Image credit: Inn at Stonecliffe)
The Inn at Stonecliffe, once a private summer estate, is now a “quaint” resort that feels like a “nearly perfectly preserved time capsule,” said Travel and Leisure. The Edwardian-style Tudor mansion dates back to 1904, and a renovation added modern updates like air conditioning but kept in place original details that “give the property its charm,” including hardwood floors, fireplaces and “beautiful” stained glass windows. Outside, guests have 15 acres to explore and can fill their day by playing games on the massive lawns, lounging in the Adirondack chairs facing the Straits of Mackinac and enjoying s’mores by the fire pits.
The NuWray Hotel, Burnsville, North Carolina
A recent renovation enhanced the vintage charm of The NuWray
(Image credit: NuWray Hotel)
What’s old is new again at The NuWray, North Carolina’s oldest continuously operating hotel. The 1833 property recently reopened after a renovation, and during that process the owners repurposed old materials, converting wood from the ceiling into a bar top and original laundry sinks into ice holders. Guests appreciate how “intentional” the owners have been about “preserving much of the history of the building,” said the Asheville Citizen Times. They also love the speakeasy-style Washroom Bar in the basement and Southern food served at the Old Ray Restaurant.
Omni Parker House, Boston
A gilded lobby welcomes guests at Omni Parker House
(Image credit: Omni Parker House)
Open since 1855, Omni Parker House is “as much a part of Boston’s history as the Freedom Trail itself,” said Condé Nast Traveler. It’s the birthplace of Boston Cream Pie and Parker House Rolls, with both still on the menu at Parker’s Restaurant.
The hotel’s downtown location puts the property in the “center of the action,” and its “sweeping marble lobby” makes a great first impression. Guests can learn more about Parker House history in the basement, where an “extensive” memorabilia display showcases some of the property’s “most memorable moments.”
The Wigwam, Litchfield Park, Arizona
Relaxation is the name of the game at The Wigwam
(Image credit: The Wigwam)
The Wigwam has always been a gathering place. It opened in 1918 as a retreat for Goodyear Tire & Rubber employees and not long after became a guest ranch.
Spread across 440 acres, the resort combines “historic charm with modern comfort,” and its “spacious” casitas are “ideal for families,” said Arizona Foothills Magazine. Over the last century, The Wigwam has expanded to include nine tennis courts, three swimming pools, a spa and 54 holes of golf across three courses.
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
