The oldest hotel in the United States is thought to be the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA. It has been in business since 1773. I would have thought that the oldest hotel in the 13 original colonies would be in New York City. This city is known for its hotels, but the oldest hotel there now is not considered a luxury place to stay. It’s the SoHotel in The Bowery. This hotel describes itself as the oldest continuously operating hotel in the city of New York. It has been in business since 1805, when it began its hotel life as The Westchester. There are 5 luxury hotels still in existence in New York that are considered top end.
Five absolutely unbeatable hotels in New York City that have been around for a long time include The Carlyle, The Mark, The Plaza, The Saint Regis, and The Waldorf Astoria. There are others, but these are all legendary. The art deco Carlyle is the youngest having been around since only 1930. The also art deco Mark one block from Central Park preceded it by 3 years. It’s sometimes said to be the most expensive hotel anywhere. The chateau-style Plaza Hotel on Fifth Avenue across the street from Central Park first opened in 1907. The Saint Regis Hotel was built by John Jacob Astor in 1904. He died on the Titanic 8 years later. The Waldorf Astoria opened in 1893 and was expanded 4 years later. The original building was razed in 1939 to make way for the Empire State Building.
The Grand Hotel on Michigan’s Mackinac Island has a porch that is 660 feet long. It’s the world’s longest. The Grand Hotel has been in business since 1887 on an island where cars are banned and carriages are the main means of transportation.
The Omni Parker House is Boston’s venerable hotel that has stood the test of time. It opened in 1855 and is still in business and thriving. It’s now the longest continuously operating hotel in the United States. Its guest list includes Franklin D. Roosevelt and Charles Dickens.
The final 2 hotels are familiar to Ruth and me. We have spent time in both. They are The Menger Hotel in San Antonio, TX that has been opened since 1859 near the Alamo. It still has lots of guests like the DeSoto House in Galena, IL. The latter is a Victorian Style hotel with the impressive staircase seen twice yesterday on this blog. That’s it just above from the outside. At 230 South Main in this Illinois town with enough hills to support nearby skiing, the DeSoto has been around and part of history since 1855.
Hank
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