Hotels for the history books: These old-school inns are filled with American mythology
This summer, Americans from sea to shining sea (and everywhere in between) are embracing our nation’s history.And if you’re searching for a stay in the heart of America the Beautiful, look no further than a truly old-school inn.From major political milestones to pop culture moments, hotels have seen it all, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation includes more than 300 properties on its list of Historic Hotels of America.Below, we’ve rounded up some of the most fascinating inns, oozing Americana, to celebrate our star-spangled 250th anniversary.From “the King of K St.” to Jack Abramoff, we all love to hate one of the most American of bloodsuckers: the lobbyist.
According to legend, they got their start at what is today the Willard InterContinental Washington, located steps from the White House at 1401 Pennsylvania Ave.Its lobby is where influence peddlers gathered to press flesh with lawmakers in the days of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S.
Grant, leading Nathan Hawthorne to write: “The Willard Hotel more justly could be called the center of Washington than either the Capitol or the White House or the State Department.”This is where Grant provided the smoke for the smoke-filled rooms and where Lincoln reportedly chose members of his cabinet prior to his 1861 inauguration.Wander through the hotel’s history gallery, and you’ll also learn that Martin Luther King Jr.
penned part of his “I Have a Dream” speech here.Book any of the property’s 335 rooms and suites (from $500 per night) before July 6 and enjoy a $250 hotel credit in honor of America’s 250th birthday.Fast-forward to July 1944: delegates from, appropriately, 44 countries convene at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire.
When they arrive, the British pound dominates international trade; by the time they leave, the US dollar is on top.The delegates meet in the hotel’s Gold Room to establish the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
Today, th...