USA TODAY 10Best
Grand Hotel wins title of Best Historic Hotel
Best Historic Hotel (2017)
In today's travel landscape dotted with sparkling new resorts and ultra-modern skyscraper hotels, these 10 winners for Best Historic Hotel stand out from the crowd for their historic roots and unique sense of place.
The top 10 winners in the category Best Historic Hotel are as follows:
- The Omni Homestead Resort - Hot Springs, Va.
- The American Club - Kohler, Wis.
- The Royal Hawaiian - Honolulu
- The Don CeSar - St. Pete Beach, Fla.
- The Broadmoor - Colorado Springs
- Mohonk Mountain House - New Paltz, N.Y.
- The Hermitage Hotel - Nashville
- The Peabody Memphis - Memphis
- Mission Inn Hotel & Spa - Riverside Calif.
- Grand Hotel - Mackinac Island, Mich.
Photo courtesy of Omni Hotels & Resorts
No. 10:
In 1764 Capt. Thomas Bullett received a 300-acre land grant containing seven natural mineral springs. The captain and his militia company quickly cleared the land and built an 18-room wooden hotel called the Homestead. While the hotel has undergone some significant changes since then — it now boasts 483 guest rooms and suites — the Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Va. has managed to maintain its historic charm.
Photo courtesy of The American Club
No. 9:
The prestigious American Club began as a housing unit for single immigrant workers at the Kohler company in 1918 — it included a pub, bowling alley, barbershop and offered English lessons for workers. In 1981, the property re-opened as a luxury retreat, now famous for its world-class golf courses, award-winning restaurants and a Forbes Five Star spa.
Photo courtesy of The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort, Waikiki
No. 8:
An icon of Waikiki, the 528-room Royal Hawaiian sits amid coconut groves and tranquil pools along Honolulu's trendiest beachfront. Built in 1927 in the Spanish-Moorish style popular at the time, the "Pink Palace of the Pacific" was leased to the U.S. Navy during World War II for use as a rest and recreation facility before reopening to guests in 1947. It's been helping visitors fall in love with Hawaii ever since.
Photo courtesy of The Don CeSar
No. 7:
This historic St. Pete Beach hotel, part of the Historic Hotels of America, is known as the “Pink Palace,” for its colorful rose exterior. Inside, guests and staff often claim to experience paranormal activity. Some rooms are rumored to be haunted, and visitors can sign up for ghost tours of the area that include the Don CeSar. As the stories go, perhaps the ghost here is the original owner and his forbidden lover, or patients who died here when the hotel was using as a veteran hospital in the ‘40s.
Photo courtesy of Preferred Hotels & Resorts
No. 6:
The history of The Broadmoor — an iconic hotel in Colorado Springs — dates back to 1918 when it welcomed its first guests. John D. Rockefeller was the hotel's first celebrity guest, staying the night of June 1, 1918. Today, the 5,000-acre resort offers a full-service spa, three golf courses and a stellar hotel restaurant, The Penrose Room.
Photo courtesy of Jim Smith Photography
No. 5:
The Smiley family founded Mohonk Mountain House in 1869, and today, the Victorian castle resort in New York's Hudson Valley is still owned and operated by the Smiley family and continues to welcome guests. The newest buildings on the property date back to 1910. Famous guests throughout the years have included Andrew Carnegie, the Rockefeller family, Theodore Roosevelt and Bill Clinton.
Photo courtesy of Preferred Hotels & Resorts
No. 4:
The historic Hermitage Hotel was constructed in 1908 as Nashville’s first million-dollar hotel. No expense was spared in adorning the Beaux-Arts building with a grand staircase, mahogany-paneled guestrooms, Italian marble columns, a painted glass skylight and Circassian walnut cabinetwork. Numerous presidents and dignitaries number among the guests of this Nashville icon.
Photo courtesy of Preferred Hotels & Resorts
No. 3:
The grande dame of Southern hotels, the historic Peabody, is a treat for the senses; opulence abounds, a dynamite restaurant pleases the palate and the famed ducks entertain both adults and children at this hotel dating back to 1869 (it's been at its current location since 1925). The old time-y pool area is a throwback to the glamour days of indoor hotel pools.
Photo courtesy of Mission Inn Hotel & Spa
No. 2:
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, a National Historic Landmark, started out modestly as a 12-room adobe boarding house in the late 1800s when wealthy East Coast residents and Europeans began moving to Riverside, Calif. for the warm weather and growing citrus industry. Today, the charming AAA Four Diamond hotel offers 238 guest rooms and some of the most stunning hotel architecture out there.
Photo courtesy of Grand Hotel Mackinac Island
No. 1:
Guests at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island might find themselves on rocking chairs on the world's longest porch overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. This historic hotel opened in 1887 to cater to summer vacationers from Chicago Montreal and Detroit. In 1895, Mark Twain gave lectures in the Grand Hotel Casino for $1 a ticket.
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to picked the initial 20 nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote. Experts Marla Cimini (USA TODAY), Claire Endean-Cance (Luxury Travel Diary), Eric Grossman, Lawrence Horwitz (Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide), Gerrish Lopez, Eileen Ogintz (Taking the Kids), Christopher Parr (Pursuitist) and Nancy Trejos (USA TODAY) were chosen based on their knowledge and experience of the hotel scene across the nation.
Congratulations to all these winning historic properties!
About 10Best Readers' Choice Awards
Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best.
The Experts
Christopher Parr
Christopher Parr is the Founder and... Read More
Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Pursuitist, one of the world’s most influential luxury lifestyle and travel guides. Named a "Top 10 Luxury Travel Blogger” by USA Today 10Best, Parr has also been selected as the official winner in Luxury Lifestyle Awards’ 2023 list of the “Top 50 Best Luxury Influencers and Bloggers in the World.” In addition to Pursuitist, Christopher is a contributor to numerous travel and luxury publications and TV shows, including being the host of Travel Tuesday on CBS. Follow along on Twitter.
Christopher Parr
Christopher Parr is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Pursuitist, one of the world’s most influential luxury lifestyle and travel guides. Named a "Top 10 Luxury Travel Blogger” by USA Today 10Best, Parr has also been selected as the official winner in Luxury Lifestyle Awards’ 2023 list of the “Top 50 Best Luxury Influencers and Bloggers in the World.” In addition to Pursuitist, Christopher is a contributor to numerous travel and luxury publications and TV shows, including being the host of Travel Tuesday on CBS. Follow along on Twitter.
Claire Endean-Cance
Claire Endean-Cance is the co-founder of Luxury... Read More
Claire Endean-Cance is the co-founder of Luxury Travel Diary– a blog about the best luxury accommodation and the most exclusive transport for your travels. Additional features hi-light essential style & fashion items required for luxury travel. The site also hosts their own online auctions, allowing users to bid on a dream holiday or luxury items.
Claire Endean-Cance
Claire Endean-Cance is the co-founder of Luxury Travel Diary– a blog about the best luxury accommodation and the most exclusive transport for your travels. Additional features hi-light essential style & fashion items required for luxury travel. The site also hosts their own online auctions, allowing users to bid on a dream holiday or luxury items.
Eileen Ogintz
Eileen Ogintz, a leading national expert on family... Read More
Eileen Ogintz, a leading national expert on family travel, is the author of the Tribune Interactive syndicated column Taking the Kids that appears around the country, creator of the popular website TakingtheKids.com and co-chair of the TMS Family Travel Conference which draws top family travel influencers and major travel brands. She is the author of the 11-book Kids Guideseries; The Kid’s Guide to Acadia National Park is being released in April 2019. The Kid’s Guide to NYC is now in its 3d edition and The Kid’s Guide to Washington, DC the second edition.
Eileen Ogintz
Eileen Ogintz, a leading national expert on family travel, is the author of the Tribune Interactive syndicated column Taking the Kids that appears around the country, creator of the popular website TakingtheKids.com and co-chair of the TMS Family Travel Conference which draws top family travel influencers and major travel brands. She is the author of the 11-book Kids Guideseries; The Kid’s Guide to Acadia National Park is being released in April 2019. The Kid’s Guide to NYC is now in its 3d edition and The Kid’s Guide to Washington, DC the second edition.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food/drink writer who has visited more than 60 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Lawrence Horwitz
Lawrence Horwitz is Executive Director of Historic... Read More
Lawrence Horwitz is Executive Director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. Based in Washington DC, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide, the official programs of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, include more than 300 of America’s most prominent historic hotels and more than 300 of the finest historic hotels in 45 countries worldwide. As the leader in marketing to the global historic, heritage and cultural travel market, both programs include historic hotels from more than 40 of the finest global chains, brands, and collections. As active partners of organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, White House Historical Association, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Organization of American Historians, and National Park Foundation, Horwitz leads a global marketing and tourism organization dedicated to increasing the recognition and celebration of the finest historic hotels and to promoting cultural and heritage travel to the world’s greatest prestigious treasures.
Lawrence Horwitz
Lawrence Horwitz is Executive Director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. Based in Washington DC, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide, the official programs of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, include more than 300 of America’s most prominent historic hotels and more than 300 of the finest historic hotels in 45 countries worldwide. As the leader in marketing to the global historic, heritage and cultural travel market, both programs include historic hotels from more than 40 of the finest global chains, brands, and collections. As active partners of organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, White House Historical Association, New England Historic Genealogical Society, Organization of American Historians, and National Park Foundation, Horwitz leads a global marketing and tourism organization dedicated to increasing the recognition and celebration of the finest historic hotels and to promoting cultural and heritage travel to the world’s greatest prestigious treasures.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music... Read More
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a writer with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (and combining those whenever possible)! As an avid globetrotter, she encourages respecting and learning about other cultures while traveling. She has visited Hawaii multiple times, and has explored destinations worldwide, including the Mediterranean region, South America, Asia and more. Marla is a contributor to Fodor’s Hawaii guidebooks (Oahu and Kauai 2020) and her articles have appeared in a number of international publications. She calls New Jersey (Philadelphia area) home. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter and read her travel tips and adventures on her website.
Nancy Trejos
Nancy Trejos is the travel and hotels reporter for... Read More
Nancy Trejos is the travel and hotels reporter for USA TODAY, where she writes about her favorite hobby: Traveling. She's been all over, from Chicago to Colombia, Nevada to Nairobi, Boston to Beirut. She's also covered education, Iraq, and personal finance.
Nancy Trejos
Nancy Trejos is the travel and hotels reporter for USA TODAY, where she writes about her favorite hobby: Traveling. She's been all over, from Chicago to Colombia, Nevada to Nairobi, Boston to Beirut. She's also covered education, Iraq, and personal finance.
