WASHINGTON, D.C.—August 29, 2023, Historic Hotels of America® is pleased to announce the nominee finalists for the 2023 Historic Hotels of America® Awards of Excellence. The Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence recognize and celebrate the world’s finest historic hotels and hoteliers, through categories of excellence such as Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Resort, Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion, and Historic Hotels of America Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year.
The 2023 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala will take place at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Arizona, USA, on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at 7 p.m. The award winners will be announced in front of an audience of owners, general managers, senior decision-makers, and guests representing many of the finest historic hotels from around the world. The Wigwam, originally opened to guests in 1929 by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, is an award-winning Arizona resort that offers an unparalleled experience, combining over a century of hospitality, southwestern charm, casual luxury, and rich history.
Nominee finalists are selected from nominations received from historic hotels, preservation supporters, prior award recipients, community leaders, and leadership from Historic Hotels of America. As an official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America provides the recognition to travelers, civic leaders, and the global cultural, heritage, and historic travel market that member hotels are among the finest historic hotels from around the world. The Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence program recognizes the pinnacle of this distinct group of nominees in a range of categories.
From more than 350 nominations received, the awards committee evaluated and after careful consideration selected the following 2023 Historic Hotels of America Awards of Excellence nominee finalists:
Historic Hotels of America New Member of the Year
- The Inn at Diamond Cove (1910) Portland, Maine
- JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District (1912) Savannah, Georgia
- Ellis Hotel Atlanta, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel by Marriott (1913) Atlanta, Georgia
- Hotel Grinnell (1921) Grinnell, Iowa
- The George Washington Hotel (1923) Washington, Pennsylvania
- Historic Americus Hotel (1926) Allentown, Pennsylvania
- 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis (1926) St. Louis, Missouri
- Hotel Ändra Seattle – MGallery Hotel Collection (1926) Seattle, Washington
- Hotel Trouvail Miami Beach (1940) Miami Beach, Florida
- The Balfour Hotel Miami Beach (1940) Miami Beach, Florida
- The Highlander Hotel (1967) Iowa City, Iowa
Historic Hotels of America Best Social Media of a Historic Hotel
- The Omni Homestead Resort (1766) Hot Springs, Virginia
- The Red Lion Inn (1773) Stockbridge, Massachusetts
- Mohonk Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York
- Palmer House®, A Hilton Hotel (1871) Chicago, Illinois
- St. James Hotel MN (1875) Red Wing, Minnesota
- 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa (1886) Eureka Springs, Arkansas
- Casa Monica Resort & Spa (1888) St. Augustine, Florida
- Hotel Colorado (1893) Glenwood Springs, Colorado
- Airlie (1899) Warrenton, Virginia
- Hotel Boulderado (1909) Boulder, Colorado
- JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District (1912) Savannah, Georgia
- HOTEL DU PONT (1913) Wilmington, Delaware
- Fairmont Olympic Hotel (1924) Seattle, Washington
- La Valencia Hotel (1926) La Jolla, California
- Hilton Chicago (1927) Chicago, Illinois
- Silver Birches (1927) Hawley, Pennsylvania
- Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- Skytop Lodge (1928) Skytop, Pennsylvania
- Lord Baltimore Hotel (1928) Baltimore, Maryland
- Alisal Ranch (1946) Solvang, California
- The Edgewater (1948) Madison, Wisconsin
- The Lodge at Nemacolin (1968) Farmington, Pennsylvania
Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion
- Mohonk Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York
- St. James Hotel MN (1875) Red Wing, Minnesota
- Ledges Hotel (1890) Hawley, Pennsylvania
- Hotel Colorado (1893) Glenwood Springs, Colorado
- The Colony Hotel (1914) Kennebunkport, Maine
- The American Club (1918) Kohler, Wisconsin
- Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
- Hilton Chicago (1927) Chicago, Illinois
- The Graylyn Estate (1932) Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Mauna Kea Beach Hotel (1964) Kohala Coast, Hawaii
- The Lodge at Nemacolin (1968) Farmington, Pennsylvania
Historic Hotels of America Best Small Historic Inn/Hotel (Under 75 Guestrooms)
- John Rutledge House Inn (1763) Charleston, South Carolina
- The Middlebury Inn (1827) Middlebury, Vermont
- Glasbern (1870) Fogelsville, Pennsylvania
- The Cliff House at Pikes Peak (1873) Manitou Springs, Colorado
- Napa River Inn (1884) Napa, California
- Wentworth Mansion (1886) Charleston, South Carolina
- The Lodge at the Presidio (1894) San Francisco, California
- XV Beacon (1903) Boston, Massachusetts
- Castle Hill Resort and Spa (1905) Cavendish, Vermont
- Southern Hotel (1907) Covington, Louisiana
- Hotel La Rose (1907) Santa Rosa, California
- The Ashton Hotel (1915) Fort Worth, Texas
- The Andrus Hotel (1917) Dillon, Montana
- The George Washington Hotel (1923) Washington, Pennsylvania
- Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
- Alisal Ranch (1946) Solvang, California
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (76-200 Guestrooms)
- The Red Lion Inn (1773) Stockbridge, Massachusetts
- Cork Factory Hotel (1865) Lancaster, Pennsylvania
- La Posada de Santa Fe, a Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa (1882) Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Jekyll Island Club Resort (1886) Jekyll Island, Georgia
- Hotel Colorado (1893) Glenwood Springs, Colorado
- Chicago Silversmith Hotel & Suites (1897) Chicago, Illinois
- Airlie (1899) Warrenton, Virginia
- The Churchill Hotel Near Embassy Row (1906) Washington, D.C.
- Hotel Boulderado (1909) Boulder, Colorado
- The Hermitage Hotel (1910) Nashville, Tennessee
- The Peregrine Omaha Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton (1912) Omaha, Nebraska
- The Henley Park Hotel, Washington DC (1918) Washington, D.C.
- La Fonda on the Plaza™ (1922) Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Hotel Saranac, Curio Collection by Hilton (1927) Saranac Lake, New York
- Skytop Lodge (1928) Skytop, Pennsylvania
- The Graylyn Estate (1932) Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Royal Palms Resort and Spa (1948) Phoenix, Arizona
- Surf & Sand Resort (1948) Laguna Beach, California
- The Statler (1956) Dallas, Texas
- The Dewberry (1965) Charleston, South Carolina
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (201-400 Guestrooms)
- Omni Bedford Springs (1806) Bedford, Pennsylvania
- Hamilton Hotel (1851) Washington, D.C.
- The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (1876) Riverside, California
- The Mansion at Ocean Edge (1907) Brewster, Massachusetts
- The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City (1911) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- The Georgian Terrace (1911) Atlanta, Georgia
- HOTEL DU PONT (1913) Wilmington, Delaware
- Hilton Fort Worth (1921) Fort Worth, Texas
- Francis Marion Hotel (1924) Charleston, South Carolina
- The Westin Poinsett (1925) Greenville, South Carolina
- The Don CeSar (1928) St. Pete Beach, Florida
- The Hotel Hershey® (1933) Hershey, Pennsylvania
- Melrose Georgetown Hotel (1947) Washington, D.C.
- The Edgewater (1948) Madison, Wisconsin
- Rancho Bernardo Inn (1963) San Diego, California
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (Over 400 Guestrooms)
- The Peabody Memphis (1869) Memphis, Tennessee
- Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel (1875) San Francisco, California
- Hotel del Coronado (1888) San Diego, California
- The Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton (1898) New York, New York
- Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa (1901) Waikiki Beach, Hawaii
- The Fairmont Hotel San Francisco (1907) San Francisco, California
- The Broadmoor (1918) Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Fairmont Olympic Hotel (1924) Seattle, Washington
- The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection (1925) Washington, D.C.
- Hilton Chicago (1927) Chicago, Illinois
- Omni Shoreham Hotel (1930) Washington, D.C.
Historic Hotels of America Best City Center Historic Hotel
- The Willard InterContinental, Washington DC (1847) Washington, D.C
- Hamilton Hotel (1851) Washington, D.C.
- Omni La Mansión del Rio, San Antonio (1852) San Antonio, Texas
- Palmer House®, A Hilton Hotel (1871) Chicago, Illinois
- 21c Museum Hotel Kansas City (1888) Kansas City, Missouri
- The Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton (1898) New York, New York
- Chicago Silversmith Hotel & Suites (1897) Chicago, Illinois
- The Union Station Nashville Yards (1900) Nashville, Tennessee
- The Fairmont Hotel San Francisco (1907) San Francisco, California
- Hotel Boulderado (1909) Boulder, Colorado
- The Georgian Terrace (1911) Atlanta, Georgia
- The Peregrine Omaha Downtown, Curio Collection by Hilton (1912) Omaha, Nebraska
- HOTEL DU PONT (1913) Wilmington, Delaware
- The Henley Park Hotel, Washington DC (1918) Washington, DC
- Fairmont Olympic Hotel (1924) Seattle, Washington
- Francis Marion Hotel (1924) Charleston, South Carolina
- Hilton Chicago (1927) Chicago, Illinois
- Hilton Milwaukee City Center (1928) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- The Edgewater (1948) Madison, Wisconsin
- The Statler (1956) Dallas, Texas
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Resort
- Mohonk Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York
- Eagle Mountain House (1879) Jackson, New Hampshire
- Grand Hotel (1887) Mackinac Island, Michigan
- Casa Monica Resort & Spa (1888) St. Augustine, Florida
- White Stallion Ranch (1900) Tucson, Arizona
- Omni Grove Park Inn (1913) Asheville, North Carolina
- Claremont Club & Spa, A Fairmont Hotel (1915) Berkeley, California
- The Broadmoor (1918) Colorado Springs, Colorado
- La Valencia Hotel (1926) La Jolla, California
- Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- The Don CeSar (1928) St. Pete Beach, Florida
- Skytop Lodge (1928) Skytop, Pennsylvania
- Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort (1929) Tucson, Arizona
- The King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort (1935) St. Simons Island, Georgia
- Rancho Bernardo Inn (1963) San Diego, California
- The Lodge at Nemacolin (1968) Farmington, Pennsylvania
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Restaurant
- 1796 Room at Omni Bedford Springs Resort (1806) Bedford, Pennsylvania
- The Smokehouse Restaurant at Antrim 1844 (1844) Taneytown, Maryland
- The Grand Dining Room at Jekyll Island Club Resort (1886) Jekyll Island, Georgia
- The Savoy at 21c Museum Hotel Kansas City (1888) Kansas City, Missouri
- Eighteen95 Restaurant at Portland Regency Hotel & Spa (1895) Portland, Maine
- Castle Hill Restaurant at Castle Hill Resort and Spa (1905) Cavendish, Vermont
- The Gloriette at Southern Hotel (1907) Covington, Louisiana
- Spruce Farm & Fish at Hotel Boulderado (1909) Boulder, Colorado
- Stone & Webster Chophouse at JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District (1912) Savannah, Georgia
- Le Cavalier at HOTEL DU PONT (1913) Wilmington, Delaware
- The Wisconsin Room at The American Club (1918) Kohler, Wisconsin
- La Plazuela at La Fonda on the Plaza™ (1922) Santa Fe, New Mexico
- The George at Fairmont Olympic Hotel (1924) Seattle, Washington
- Santé at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- The Settlers Inn at Bingham Park (1927) Hawley, Pennsylvania
- Peacock Room at Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
- The Circular at The Hotel Hershey® (1933) Hershey, Pennsylvania
Historic Hotels of America Ambassador of the Year (Quarter Century of Service)
- Romally Dominguez, Human Resources Manager, at The Willard InterContinental, Washington DC (1847) Washington, D.C.
- Juan Rodriguez at The Pfister Hotel (1893) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Michal Lesko, Engineer, at Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton (1898) New York, New York
- Peter Vigil, Banquet Chef, at La Fonda on the Plaza™ (1922) Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Kyrk Pyros at The George Washington Hotel (1923) Washington, Pennsylvania
- Craig Schorr, Bell Captain, at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- Edward Hoersh, Fitness Instructor and Hike Leader, at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- Librada Gonzales, Housekeeping Supervisor, at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- Rob Blake, Chief Engineer, at Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
- Cataline Avila Ramos at Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
- Elmer Smith, Security Officer, at The Wigwam (1929) Litchfield Park, Arizona
Historic Hotels of America Hotel Historian of the Year
- Robin Miller and Lynne Turner, co-owners, at The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center (1828) Staunton, Virginia
- Robert Watson, Chef Concierge; Honorary International President Les Clefs d'Or U.I.C.H., at The Willard InterContinental, Washington DC (1847) Washington, D.C.
- Nell Boucher at Mohonk Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York
- Sherri Zacher at Jekyll Island Club Resort (1886) Jekyll Island, Georgia
- Bob Tagatz at Grand Hotel (1887) Mackinac Island, Michigan
- Tara Williams, Rooms Division Manager and On-Site Historian at Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton (1898) New York, New York
- Renee Dee at The Mansion at Ocean Edge (1907) Brewster, Massachusetts
- Lisa Condrey Ward at Southern Hotel (1907) Covington, Louisiana
- Laurel McKown at Hotel Boulderado (1909) Boulder, Colorado
- Trevor Hollis at The Georgian Terrace (1911) Atlanta, Georgia
- Ed Pulsifer, Hotel Historian, at La Fonda on the Plaza™ (1922) Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Edward Roe at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- Kathleen Hutton at The Graylyn Estate (1932) Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Austin S. Faulkner, at The Edgewater (1948) Madison, Wisconsin
Historic Hotels of America Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year
- The Harrington Family at Concord’s Colonial Inn (1716) in Concord; Hawthorne Hotel (1925) in Salem; and Publick House Historic Inn (1771) in Sturbridge, Massachusetts
- The Banta Family at Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn (1766) Rhinebeck, New York
- The Eustis and Fitzpatrick Families at The Red Lion Inn (1773) Stockbridge, Massachusetts
- The Smiley Family at Mohonk Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York
- The Clark Family at The Otesaga Hotel (1909) Cooperstown, New York
- The Kohler Family at The American Club (1918) Kohler, Wisconsin
- The Jackson Family at Alisal Ranch (1946) Solvang, California
- The Sturdivant and Jones Families at The King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort (1935) St. Simons Island, Georgia
- The Hardy Family at The Lodge at Nemacolin (1968) Farmington, Pennsylvania
Historic Hotels of America Historic Hotelier of the Year
- Amy Finsilver, General Manager, at XV Beacon (1903) Boston, Massachusetts
- Frank and Gina Day at Hotel Boulderado (1909) Boulder, Colorado
- Dee Patel at The Hermitage Hotel (1910) Nashville, Tennessee
- Jamie Lemon at JC Resorts
- Paul Tormey at Claremont Club & Spa, A Fairmont Hotel (1915) Berkeley, California
- Edward Roe at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
- Michael Kouvelas, President and CEO of Aris Hospitality Management LLC and Owner at Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
- John Wells at Hilton Chicago (1927) Chicago, Illinois
Historic Hotels of America’s sister collection, Historic Hotels Worldwide®, also announced its nominee finalists for the Awards of Excellence this week. See the news about those nominees here.
“It is an honor to congratulate all the 2023 Historic Hotels of America Awards of Excellence Nominee Finalists,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “The nominee finalists exemplify the finest historic hotels and hoteliers in the United States. The historic hotels nominated include historic inns, boutique hotels, lifestyle hotels, and legendary resorts. They represent small towns and large cities as well as national historic districts. We applaud the dedication and passion of the thousands of individuals working at these iconic and legendary historic hotels that keep the stories alive from the past and make staying or celebrating special occasions at these historic hotels memorable experiences.”
Tickets for the 2023 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala are available. The 2023 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala will take place at The Wigwam in Litchfield Park, Arizona, United States of America, on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at 7 pm. Ceremony and Gala Tickets are $500. To register for the Ceremony and Gala ONLY, click here. To register for the 2023 Historic Hotels Annual Conference, held October 9-12 and ending with the 2023 Historic Hotels Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala, click here.
About Historic Hotels of America®
Historic Hotels of America® is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing, celebrating, and promoting the finest historic hotels in the United States of America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation was chartered by U.S. Congress in 1949 and is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is leading the movement to save places where our history happened. To be nominated and selected for membership in this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historical significance. Of the more than 300 historic hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America from 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, all historic hotels faithfully preserve their sense of authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity. For more information, please visit HistoricHotels.org.
MEDIA CONTACT: Katherine Orr
Historic Hotels of America │ Historic Hotels Worldwide
Director, Marketing Strategy and Communications
Tel: +1-202-772-8337
korr@historichotels.org
