Hotel History
We take you with us through the sordid history and scandals of some of the world’s most famous – and infamous – hotels.https://www.hotelhistory.com
The Billionaire Who Took Budget Suites to Space
How did a boy who grew up hearing UFO stories and watching nuclear testing during the Cold War make his childhood dream of exploring space come true? He founded a wildly successful short-term hotel chain and funneled his profits directly into an aerospace company that would eventually partner with NASA. But that's not all he used his fortune to do.
Summer is coming to a close, but we still have a few Cosmic Summer stories left to tell!
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Hotels That Framed a Legend: Where Marilyn Monroe Stayed
June 1, 2026, marked Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday. Her life made her a star, but her untimely death made her a legend. And almost 64 years later she is still an enigma.
From the first time she walked through the Ambassador Hotel's doors to sign a modeling contract in 1945, hotels became her classroom, her stage, and often her home. We’re looking back at the way her presence—sensual, glamorous, endearing, at times even shy—forever marked the hotel lobbies she walked through.
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Hotels that Come with Horses: 100 Years of the Dude Ranch
From Hollywood Westerns to working cattle ranches, the dude ranch has been part of the American travel story for more than a century. In this episode, we sit down with Bryce Albright, executive director of the Dude Ranchers' Association, to explore the origins of the dude ranch, how these iconic destinations evolved into a uniquely American hospitality experience, and the role the association plays in preserving their legacy today.
Along the way we discuss the influence of National Park champion Teddy Roosevelt, Hollywood portrayals like City Slickers and Yellowstone, the myths and realities of ranch life, and...
From the Loading Dock to the Top Floor: The Art of Hospitality with Susan Barry
We love a candid and meaningful conversation with someone in hospitality, so lucky us (and you) that Susan Barry of Top Floor Podcast is both of those—and warm and funny to boot! We tackle working your way up in hospitality, trends that just might make history, and some of her favorite hotels and hotel stories.
Listen to her weekly conversations with hospitality insiders here.
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The Town That Chose to Believe: Roswell’s Reinvention after the Incident 🛸
Something strange happened in Roswell, NM, many years ago, and we don't mean the famous flying saucer story. In this episode we discover how a small Southwest town known for ranching and rockets transformed its tourism industry by making the most of a Cold War government cover-up,
This episode is part of our Cosmic Summer series. Be sure to check out our other UFO- and cosmos-themed episodes!
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Checking In at the Edge of the Cosmos
"We know we are approaching the grandest of mysteries," said Carl Sagan in his seminal PBS series, Cosmos. Hotels throughout the world have tapped into our desire to contemplate those mysteries under dark skies with open-sky villas and domes, telescopes, and on-site observatories, where you can gaze into the night sky with wonder (and a convex lens).
Coincidentally, nearby some of those same hotels are corridors known for UFO/UAP sightings.
We're continuing Cosmic Summer with three unique stargazing hotels and a scoop of UFO lore on the side.
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Take Me to Your Innkeeper: Adventures on the Extraterrestrial Highway
Welcome to Cosmic Summer, where we'll be exploring strange skies all over the world and the hotels that cater to them. First up is the lonely road that crosses south central Nevada and runs parallel to the secret base the U.S. government swore didn't exist for decades—Area 51. On our way there, we stopped in Tonopah, NV, a former mining town with gorgeous historic hotels and an even more beautiful ghost haunting one of them.
Then we drove down the Extraterrestrial Highway and stopped at alien hunter HQ, also known as the Little A'Le'Inn—the closest road...
Route 66: One Hundred Years of Roadside Motels and Funky Americana (recorded at The Eden Hotel)
Route 66—perhaps the world's most famous patch of asphalt—is turning 100 year this, so we sat down with LA Times travel writer Christopher Reynolds to discuss his 2,400-plus-mile journey from Chicago to Santa Monica. This episode was recorded at the Eden Hotel, which overlooks the Pacific and sits across the street from the unofficial end of Route 66 at the Santa Monica Pier.
To read more about Route 66 (or anywhere else Christopher has traveled), go here.
Check out our bookshelf about Route 66 here.
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The Art of Hotel Design
What exactly goes into designing an iconic hotel? How do hundreds of design decisions—some tiny, some substantial—shape the guest experience?
We interview Paige Byrd of Thiel & Team, the design firm behind the restoration of the historic Baker Hotel, to dig into the details that make you want to check in... or out.
Learn more about the restoration of the Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, TX here.
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The Sheraton Stockholm
Fresh off a three-year renovation, the five-star Sheraton Stockholm Hotel is combining its reputation for international elegance with its Scandinavian roots. In a conversation with the hotel's general manager, Elin Roquet, we discuss this national landmark 's redesign, from the smallest details like texture and scent to the hotel lobby bar, Sally's, a glamorous nod to the Disco Era.
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The Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Looking for a pink palace perched on the shores of paradise? Welcome to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki aka the Pink Palace of the Pacific. Once the playground of Hawaiian monarchs, it soon became a premiere destination for the well-heeled, followed inevitably by Hollywood celebs. Its doors have seen everyone from World War II sailors to American presidents and from child star Shirley Temple to the Shah of Iran.
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Hidden Hospitality: The History of Black Hoteliers
As we wearily check into our hotels, BnB's, and roadside lodges after a long day of travel, we seldom stop to think about the difficulties minority travelers faced doing those exact things in the not-too-distant past. Calvin Stovall Jr. is the author of Hidden Hospitality: Untold Stories of Black Hotel, Motel, and Resort Owners from the Pioneer Days to the Civil Rights Era, a book that explores the often-overlooked experiences of Black travelers and the entrepreneurs who created the thriving businesses that catered to their needs. From the days of wagon trails all the way to the Civil Rights...
Book Club: Last Call at the Savoy with Brisa Carleton
Our first live episode! We got to interview the queen of literary cocktails (and acclaimed Broadway producer) Brisa Carleton live at the Algonquin Hotel's historic Round Table, where literary greats like Dorothy Parker once lunched and quipped. We discuss Carleton's debut novel, Last Call at the Savoy, which spotlights the forgotten history of London's first female bartender, Ada Coleman. She also lets us in on her writing process along with some extra history tidbits about the Savoy and the Algonquin.
Buy your copy of Last Call at the Savoy here.*
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Secrets on the Line: The Life & Times of the Hotel Phone
Thank you for calling. Your call is important to us. Please hold. Dial 0 for the operator. These familiar expressions began 150 years ago when Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call in Boston. It didn't take long for luxury hotels to adopt the technology, and eventually the phone became a commonplace amenity used to request room service, wakeup calls, and extra towels. But behind the hotel's phone lines were the women running the switchboard... and keeping the secrets of their celebrity guests.
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Cloistered for the Night: Hotels in Monasteries
It's Christmas Eve, and we're taking you to divine lodgings, aka hotels in monasteries. Some of these hotels may not offer room service, wifi, or even bellhops (though some definitely do). Instead, they offer the chance to walk in the footsteps of pilgrims, stroll sacred hallways, spend time in quiet reflection, and contemplate life's big questions. From Mt. Sinai to Montserrat, you can sleep near the saints and dream of miracles.
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The Key to Söder: NOFO Hotel 🇸🇪
NOFO Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, is making all the right moves. From interesting room design to curated activities for guests to a hip wine bar, this boutique hotel experience might just make Stockholm your next destination.
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"Backbay Lounge" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-
Where Hemingway Sat: Stories from Iconic Hotel Bars
Ah, the hotel bar—a traveler's best friend. Over the years, they've made a name for themselves outright and are sometimes more famous than the hotel that spawned them. We take you from Hollywood to New Orleans to Europe to tell the stories of some of the most iconic hotel bars in the world, where celebrities hide their misdeeds, writers look for inspiration, and a martini is always stirred.
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The Origins of Room Service
From having a hearty stew sent to your room in the local inn to scanning QR codes, room service has changed its form but never its allure—tasty fare with minimal effort. One hotel in particular made modern room service a necessity for luxury establishments, and others quickly followed suit. What are the most common and most bizarre room service orders? And how do some hotels elevate their offerings from more than a $20 club sandwich and $5 bottle of water?
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Book Club: The Paradox Hotel
Rob Hart's The Paradox Hotel is a genre-bending sci-fi thriller with an arsenal of mystery, action, heart, and, um, dinosaurs? We discuss our love/hate relationship with the main character, how a hotel dedicated to helping the uber wealthy time travel might run a little differently than a normal one, and the theory of time travel itself, naturally.
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Ghost Stories from the Brown Palace Hotel
Footsteps in the hallway. Cold spots in your room. A child's laughter bouncing off the walls. And phone calls full of static. Learn about the hauntings in one of Denver's oldest luxury hotels, the Brown Palace, and a century-old double homicide that could account for some of the paranormal activity.
Read more about the Brown Palace murders here.*
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Ghost Stories from the 1886 Crescent Hotel
As the veil between worlds thins, the ghosts come out to play. And the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, has so many, it's been named the most haunted hotel in America by a number of ghost hunters. From a hopeless romantic Victorian gentleman to the notorious "Doctor" Baker, you'll meet these ghosts and more in this aubergine castle in the Ozarks.
Read more about the hauntings at the Crescent Hotel here.*
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Tribe Hotel – Nairobi, Kenya
When Shamim Ehsani and his brother envisioned a brand new luxury hotel for Kenya's capital city of Nairobi, they knew exactly what they wanted: A creative outlet for chefs, designers, and other visionaries. A platform for the arts. A place of authenticity. And most importantly—a home for the human tribe. They built all those things and more at Tribe Hotel, a five-star boutique hotel that has woven itself into the fabric of this vibrant city.
Visit Tribe Hotel.
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The Beverly Hilton
Hollywood thinks it knows drama? It could take a page from the Beverly Hilton's book. From star-studded events to political scandals to celebrity tragedies, few hotels have packed quite so many sordid happenings into seven decades of history.
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TWA Hotel: A Jet Age Time Capsule
Not too long ago, jets from TWA airline ruled the skies, and its terminal at JFK was a marvel of futuristic design. Its name conjured images of fashionabLe flight attendants, first class service, and eccentric billionaire owner Howard Hughes. Today the airline is no more, but its terminal lives on as the TWA Hotel, where you can travel back in time for a night or just a layover.
You can learn more about the Jet Age here.*
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Book Club: Fly Girl
For our latest bookclub episode, we discuss Ann Hood's memoir of her time as a TWA flight attendant at the end of the "glamorous" Jet Age in Fly Girl. To stay up to date on our current read, join our book club here. 📖
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The Omni Parker House
If you're going to call yourself the longest continuously operating hotel in America, you'd better have some juicy history to back it up. Luckily, the Omni Parker House delivers. Predating the Civil War by 10 years, the Parker House has hosted celebrities, politicians, revolutionaries, assassins, and at least one ghost. Not to be outdone, its restaurant is responsible for culinary delights like the Boston cream pie. The Omni Parker House has carved out a place as a true American icon.
Find works by famous Parker House guests here.*
🇺🇸 Listen to the entirety of JFK's speech about the Fo...
Bashar Wali on Practicing Hospitality
Bashar Wali wants to be your hotel guy, and you really couldn't find someone who knows hospitality as intimately. With 30 years of experience as a hotelier and hundreds of hotel stays notched on his bedpost, he knows a thing or two about happy customers. For Wali, everything in hospitality comes down to one thing—human connection.
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The Lodge at Marconi Part 2
Part two! The Lodge at Marconi is a picturesque escape an hour north of San Francisco on Tomales Bay, But don't let its tranquility fool you—its history still packs a punch. We interview General Manager Leah Fritts Vitali to find out how this property, spanning 62 acres on a state park, has transformed from its first inception as a radio receiving station—and later on the site of an infamous cult—into a chic 70s-inspired nature retreat for families, business professionals, and nature lovers.
Find out more about the events discussed in this episode here.*
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The Lodge at Marconi Part 1
The Lodge at Marconi is a picturesque escape an hour north of San Francisco on Tomales Bay, But don't let its tranquility fool you—its history still packs a punch. We interview General Manager Leah Fritts Vitali to find out how this property, spanning 62 acres on a state park, has transformed from its first inception as a radio receiving station—and later on the site of an infamous cult—into a chic 70s-inspired nature retreat for families, business professionals, and nature lovers.
Find out more about the events discussed in this episode here.*
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Cannes Hotels with JQ Louise: Hotel Martinez & Palm Beach Cannes
Part two of our foray into Cannes' most historic (and luxurious) hotels continues our interview with travel writer JQ Louise and digs into the history of the Hotel Martinez and the iconic casino and members club, Palm Beach Cannes. Don't forget to check out part one about the Carlton Hotel.
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Cannes Hotels with JQ Louise: The Carlton
We're dreaming of blue waters, sandy beaches, and beautiful people, which means we're off to the French Riviera (figuratively). With the Cannes Film Festival happening this week, we're bringing you two episodes about its most historic (and luxurious) hotels, the Carlton and the Martinez, along with the iconic casino and members club, Palm Beach Cannes. We interview JQ Louise from the JQ List about her many stays on the Côte d'Azur and her experiences there (pay no attention to the sounds of our piqued jealousy).
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The Seelbach Hilton Hotel
The Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, is known for its Old World grandeur, its relaxed, Southern style, and its proximity to the most exciting two minutes in sports—it's just a couple miles away for Churchill Downs, the site each year of the Kentucky Derby. While its history isn't quite as old as the famed horse race that kicks off the Triple Crown, the Seelbach has still stacked up plenty of stories in its 120-year existence. (Spoiler alert: Drinks, jazz, gangsters, and heists to come.)
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Book Club: A Gentleman in Moscow
We explore the very real history of the Hotel Metropol in Moscow through the lens of Amor Towles' bestselling novel, A Gentleman in Moscow. The fictional Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is a member of the aristocracy at a very inconvenient time—the Bolshevik Revolution. Saved by a twist of fate, instead of an execution, he faces house arrest at the Metropol for the rest of his days. Over the next few decades we see the Soviet dream rise and fall through the eyes of the Count and a cadre of comrades who all discover in their own ways just ho...
The Empire Hotel
We return to NYC for the iconic Empire Hotel. Perhaps best known these days as a recurring setting in the hit TV series Gossip Girl, it has more than 100 years of history on 63rd and Broadway. Its famous neon sign overlooks the popular rooftop bar and sweeping views of the city.
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The Mayflower Hotel Part 3
The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., has seen some incredible history. We finish up their centennial series with JFK and Jackie O through Russiagate, and then learn what's next for this stately Grand Dame.. Thanks again to Katherine Orr of Historic Hotels of America for your insightful answers on the past and future of historic hotels.
Learn more about the Mayflower and its famous guests here.*
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The Mayflower Hotel Part 2
We continue celebrating the Mayflower Hotel's centennial with part 2 of her incredible history. This episode takes us on a mid 20th century roller coaster ride, including the New Deal, World War II, and the Truman and Eisenhower presidencies. We also continue our interview with Katherine Orr of Historic Hotels of America.
Learn more about the Mayflower and its famous guests here.*
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The Mayflower Hotel Part 1
The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, is an icon, and she's turning 100 this month! Known as the Grande Dame of Washington, the Hotel of Presidents, and Washington's Second Best Address, we're digging into the history behind this storied landmark. We also interview Katherine Orr of Historic Hotels of America for her take on the significance and impact of the Mayflower and historic hotels like it.
Learn more about the Mayflower and its famous guests here.*
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The Romantic Villa Built for the Last King of Italy
The Grande Real Villa Italia Hotel and Spa in Cascais, Portugal, has been named Europe's most romantic destination of 2025. Sweeping seaside views, a Roman bath-inspired spa, and serene ocean- or garden-side suites will provide the romantic getaway you've been searching for. But behind all the amore is the story of the May King, the rise and fall of Italian fascism, and the end of the Italian monarchy.
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Hotels Above Par: Your Curated Guide to Boutique Hotels
Travelers looking for hotels that speak to the heart of a destination should immediately check out Hotels Above Par, a curated guide to the coolest boutique hotels and travel experiences. What began as a fun social media project during the COVID-19 Pandemic by founder Brandon Berkson has become a full-fledged media company covering the best of boutique hotels, restaurants, and destinations around the world.
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A Castle in the Sky: The Claremont Hotel
We sat down with Michelle Heston to talk about a Berkeley, CA, gem—the Claremont Hotel. Any hotel that starts out as a castle built on the American Dream is a guaranteed Hotel History destination!
Read more about the hotel here.*
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"Bedtime After a...
