The 2026 Historic Hotels of America® Annual Awards of Excellence Nominee Finalists are Announced
WASHINGTON, Aug. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Historic Hotels of America® today announced its Nominee Finalists for the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence, a prestigious awards program honoring outstanding historic hotels, hoteliers, and preservation leaders. Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a nonprofit organization chartered by the United States Congress in 1949, with the mission to recognize and celebrate the nation’s finest historic hotels.
Over 700 nominations were submitted by preservation supporters, prior award recipients, community leaders, historic hotels teams, and Historic Hotels of America leadership for 14 awards categories. This year’s categories include Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Resort, Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion, and Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel across multiple size categories. (Photos)
A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.
As an official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America signals to travelers, civic leaders, and the global cultural, heritage, and historic travel market that its member hotels are among the finest in the United States. Nominee Finalists represent the highest standards of hospitality, stewardship, innovation, and commitment to sharing the stories of these iconic destinations.
Winners will be revealed on Thursday, October 15, 2026, during the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony & Gala, the culminating event of the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Conference. The conference is being hosted this year by the Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection (1939) in Williamsburg, Virginia (USA). Part of Colonial Williamsburg Resorts, the historic hotel is adjacent to Colonial Williamsburg, the world’s largest American history museum. The gala will gather owners, general managers, senior decision-makers, and guests from many of the world’s most celebrated historic hotels for this occasion.
The awards committee selected the following Historic Hotels of America members as Nominee Finalists for the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence:
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America New Member of the Year
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Washington, D.C. (1842) Washington, District of Columbia
Mountain Lake Lodge (1851) Pembroke, Virginia
The Royal Sonesta Chase Park Plaza St. Louis (1922) St. Louis, Missouri
Harbor Court Hotel (1926) San Francisco, California
The St. Regis Washington, D.C. (1926) Washington, District of Columbia
Marcus Whitman Hotel (1928) Walla Walla, Washington
Arizona Inn (1930) Tucson, Arizona
The Eden (1940) Santa Monica, California
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Best Social Media of a Historic Hotel
Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa (1806) Bedford, Pennsylvania
Island House Hotel (1852) Mackinac Island, Michigan
Palmer House®, A Hilton Hotel (1871) Chicago, Illinois
Wentworth Mansion (1886) Charleston, South Carolina
Hotel Boulderado (1909) Boulder, Colorado
The Hermitage Hotel (1910) Nashville, Tennessee
Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa (1913) Asheville, North Carolina
Haywood Park Hotel, Ascend Hotel Collection (1923) Ashville, North Carolina
Francis Marion Hotel (1924) Charleston, South Carolina
The Wigwam (1929) Litchfield Park, Arizona
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion
The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center (1828) Staunton, Virginia
The Inn at Leola Village, Est. 1867 (1867) Leola, Pennsylvania
Palace Hotel (1875) San Francisco, California
The Pfister Hotel (1893) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Gasparilla Inn (1913) Boca Grande, Florida
Bear Mountain Inn (1915) Bear Mountain, New York
Fairmont Olympic Hotel (1924) Seattle, Washington
Inn on Boltwood (1926) Amherst, Massachusetts
Hotel Casa del Mar (1926) Santa Monica, California
Benbow Inn (1926) Garberville, California
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Best City Center Historic Hotel
The Pfister Hotel (1893) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Moana Surfrider, A Westin Resort & Spa (1901) Honolulu, Hawaii
The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection (1901) New York, New York
Hotel Boulderado (1909) Boulder, Colorado
The Gunter Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk (1909) San Antonio, Texas
La Fonda on the Plaza (1922) Santa Fe, New Mexico
Fairmont Breakers Long Beach (1926) Long Beach, California
The Hollywood Roosevelt (1927) Los Angeles, California
JW Marriott Essex House New York (1931) New York, New York
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Resort
Woodstock Inn & Resort (1793) Woodstock, Vermont
Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa (1806) Bedford, Pennsylvania
Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa (1847) Point Clear, Alabama
The Sagamore Resort (1883) Bolton Landing, New York
Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort & Spa (1901) Honolulu, Hawaii
Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa (1902) Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
The Mansion at Ocean Edge (1907) Brewster, Massachusetts
The Gasparilla Inn (1913) Boca Grande, Florida
Claremont Resort & Club (1915) Berkeley, California
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Best Small Historic Inn Hotel (Under 75 Guestrooms)
Hotel 1829 (1829) Charlotte Amalie, U.S. Virgin Islands
Castle Hot Springs (1896) Morristown, Arizona
Oaks Waterfront Hotel (1902) Easton, Maryland
Hotel Iroquois (1902) Mackinac Island, Michigan
XV Beacon (1903) Boston, Massachusetts
The Commonwealth (1913) Richmond, Virginia
Inn on Boltwood (1926) Amherst, Massachusetts
The Lodge at Wakulla Springs (1937) Wakulla Springs, Florida
Williamsburg Inn (1937) Williamsburg, Virginia
The Wort Hotel (1941) Jackson, Wyoming
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (76-200)
Nassau Inn (1756) Princeton, New Jersey
Woodstock Inn & Resort (1793) Woodstock, Vermont
Bienville House (1835) New Orleans, Louisiana
The Union Station Nashville Yards (1900) Nashville, Tennessee
The Otesaga Hotel (1909) Cooperstown, New York
Hotel Shattuck Plaza (1910) Berkeley, California
Keswick Hall (1912) Charlottesville, Virginia
Skytop Lodge (1928) Skytop, Pennsylvania
Royal Palms Resort and Spa (1948) Phoenix, Arizona
The Statler Dallas, Curio Collection by Hilton (1956) Dallas, Texas
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (201-400)
The Willard InterContinental, Washington DC (1818) Washington, District of Columbia
Grand Hotel (1887) Mackinac Island, Michigan
Hayes Mansion San Jose, Curio Collection by Hilton (1905) San Jose, California
The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City (1911) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
HOTEL DU PONT (1913) Wilmington, Delaware
Claremont Resort & Club (1915) Berkeley, California
The American Club (1918) Kohler, Wisconsin
The Hotel Viking (1926) Newport, Rhode Island
The Don CeSar (1928) St. Pete Beach, Florida
The Nittany Lion Inn of Pennsylvania State University (1931) State College, Pennsylvania
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (Over 400 Guestrooms)
Palmer House®, A Hilton Hotel (1871) Chicago, Illinois
Palace Hotel (1875) San Francisco, California
Hotel del Coronado (1888) San Diego, California
Fairmont San Francisco (1907) San Francisco, California
Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa (1913) Asheville, North Carolina
The Broadmoor (1918) Colorado Springs, Colorado
Fairmont Olympic Hotel (1924) Seattle, Washington
InterContinental New York Barclay (1926) New York, New York
JW Marriott Essex House New York (1931) New York, New York
El Conquistador Resort (1962) Fajardo, Puerto Rico
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Restaurant
Wye Oak Tavern at Visitation Hotel Frederick, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel (1846) Frederick, Maryland
Chez Philippe at The Peabody Memphis (1869) Memphis, Tennessee
The Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone (1886) New Orleans, Louisiana
Stationairy at The Union Station Nashville Yards (1900) Nashville, Tennessee
The Round Table Restaurant & Lounge at The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection (1901) New York, New York
Le Cavalier at HOTEL DU PONT (1913) Wilmington, Delaware
Sky Room at Fairmont Breakers Long Beach (1926) Long Beach, California
Santé at The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (1927) Sonoma, California
The Circular at The Hotel Hershey® (1933) Hershey, Pennsylvania
1902 at Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa (1902) Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Ambassador of the Year
Robert Watson at The Willard InterContinental, Washington DC (1818) Washington, District of Columbia
Juan Rodriguez at The Pfister Hotel (1893) Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Jeanita Harris at The Jefferson Hotel (1895) Richmond, Virginia
Liban Ayanle at The Portland Regency Hotel & Spa (1895) Portland, Maine
Thomas (Tom) Wolfe at Fairmont San Francisco (1907) San Francisco, California
Jean Simpreux at The Eliot Hotel (1925) Boston, Massachusetts
Rob Blake at Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
Richard A. (Rick) Murphy at The Raphael Hotel (1928) Kansas City, Missouri
Hugo Gutierrez at Piñon Court by La Fonda (1930s) Santa Fe, New Mexico
Andre Richardson and Leslie Shotwell at Colonial Williamsburg Resorts: Williamsburg Inn (1937) and Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection (1939) Williamsburg, Virginia
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers
Richard and Dorothy (Dort) Mollett at Antrim 1844 (1844) Taneytown, Maryland
The Ryba-Callewaert Family at Island House Hotel (1852) Mackinac Island, Michigan
The Smiley Family at Mohonk Mountain House (1869) New Paltz, New York
The Sharp-Farish Family at The Gasparilla Inn (1913) Boca Grande, Florida
The Melius Family at OHEKA Castle (1919) Huntington, New York
The Bentley Family at La Fonda on the Plaza (1922) and Piñon Court by La Fonda (1930s) Santa Fe, New Mexico, and The Raphael Hotel, Autograph Collection (1928) Kansas City, Missouri
The Ullian Family at The Eliot Hotel (1925) Boston, Massachusetts
The von Trapp Family at von Trapp Family Lodge and Resort (1942) Stowe, Vermont
The Jackson Family at Alisal Ranch (1946) Solvang, California
The Hardy Family at The Lodge at Nemacolin (1968) Farmington, Pennsylvania
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Hotel Historian of the Year
Jessica Sims at Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa (1806) Bedford, Pennsylvania
Beth Vargas at Glasbern (1870) Fogelsville, Pennsylvania
Susan Wilson at Omni Parker House (1855) Boston, Massachusetts
Dinelia Smiles at Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel (1871) Chicago, Illinois
Jim Early at Omni Mount Washington Resort & Spa (1902) Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Audrey Jablonszki-Hahn at Hayes Mansion San Jose, Curio Collection by Hilton (1905) San Jose, California
Thomas (Tom) Santora at HOTEL DU PONT (1913) Wilmington, Delaware
Mark Schoenberg at La Valencia Hotel (1926) La Jolla, California
Amore Cianciola at Hassayampa Inn (1927) Prescott, Arizona
Kathleen Hutton at The Graylyn Estate (1932) Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Nominee Finalists for Historic Hotels of America Historic Hotelier of the Year
Terry Haney at Presidio Lodging: The Lodge at the Presidio (1894) and Inn at the Presidio (1903) San Francisco, California
Tori Ossola at The Strater Hotel (1887) Durango, Colorado
Willis Loughhead at The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection (1901) New York, New York
Yara Acker at Keswick Hall (1912) Charlottesville, Virginia
Ann Alba at The Broadmoor (1918) Colorado Springs, Colorado
Marty Rosenthal at The Otesaga Hotel (1909) Cooperstown, New York
Steve Caloca at The Queen Mary (1936) Long Beach, California
Jim Waldrop at The Wort Hotel (1941) Jackson, Wyoming
Kristina von Trapp Frame at von Trapp Family Lodge and Resort (1942) Stowe, Vermont
Maggie Hardy at The Lodge at Nemacolin (1968) Farmington, Pennsylvania
Historic Hotels of America’s sibling program, Historic Hotels Worldwide®, also announced today its Nominee Finalists for the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence. See the news about those Nominee Finalists here.
“It is an honor to congratulate all of Historic Hotels of America’s 2026 Historic Hotels Annual 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. These historic hotels represent small towns and large cities, as well as historic districts. We applaud the dedication and passion of the thousands of individuals working at these iconic and legendary historic hotels. They keep the stories from the past alive and make staying or celebrating special occasions at these historic hotels memorable experiences for guests.”
Tickets for the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony & Gala are available. The much-anticipated event will take place at the Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection (1939) in Williamsburg, Virginia, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, at 7 p.m., to close out the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Conference.
Learn more about the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Conference, including how to register to participate in the full week of activities or how to purchase gala-only tickets.
About Historic Hotels of America®
Historic Hotels of America® is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels from across 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, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, all historic hotels faithfully preserve their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity. For more information, please visit HistoricHotels.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Katherine Orr
Director, Marketing Strategy and Communications
Historic Hotels of America │ Historic Hotels Worldwide
KOrr@historichotels.org
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