5 Hotels that Prove Age is Just a Number
Bedroom in the 400 year old AD hotel
The next great hotel opening, newest tech advances or the most recently hired CEO are headlines that flood any hospitality news source these days. But what about the old hotels?
In the hospitality world being old can actually be a unique selling point! Who doesn’t want a little history with their stay? Here are 5 pretty old hotels that can hold their own with (and in some cases exceed), the quality of any new build!
Orso Grigio
How can a hotel (the actual building) be in two places at once? In the Orso Grigio hotel’s case, this is exactly what happened…kind of. This hotel opened in 1300 as the “Grauer Bär” (grey bear) in a picturesque Austrian city. However, the province was annexed after WWI and is now located in Italy with the same name, just in Italian.
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan (try to say this one five times fast!)
Located in Yamanashi, Japan, this hotel holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest hotel in the world, as well as, the oldest continuously-operating business. The Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan opened its doors in the year 705 and has been owned by 52 generations of the same family.
Zum Roten Bären
Located in Freiburg, Germany, the Zum Roten Bären is actually older than the town it’s located in, with its grand opening dating back to the year 1120. This hotel has seen the Black Plague, witch hunts, World War I and World War II. And despite its many renovations, the hotel has still kept its original name along with some of its original artwork, stored in the basement.
Willard InterContinental
At only 170-years-old The Willard is actually pretty young compared to the other hotels on this list. Formally founded in 1847, the Willard has gone on to become a Washington D.C. icon and every president since Franklin Pierce has stayed at or visited the Willard at some point. Another interesting claim to fame is that Martin Luther King Jr. made final edits to his “I Have a Dream speech” in the Willard’s lobby hours before delivering the famous address. The Willard also happens to be one of our favorite clients!
The AD Place Hotel
The inspiration for this article, the AD Place Hotel in Venice is a 4-star luxury property that’s 400 years old! One of our associate’s relatives just visited and said it was a great place to stay!
For even more old hotels check out “17 of the Oldest Hotels in the World” by thrillist.com.
