Best Historic Hotel (2016)

The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, a National Historic Landmark, started out modestly as a 12-room adobe boarding house in the late 1800s when wealthy East Coast residents and Europeans began moving to Riverside, Calif. for the warm weather and growing citrus industry. Today, the charming AAA Four Diamond hotel offers 238 guest rooms and some of the most stunning hotel architecture out there.
Photo courtesy of Mission Inn Hotel & Spa

The grande dame of Southern hotels, the historic Peabody, is a treat for the senses; opulence abounds, a dynamite restaurant pleases the palate and the famed ducks entertain both adults and children at this hotel dating back to 1869 (it's been at its current location since 1925). The old time-y pool area is a throwback to the glamour days of indoor hotel pools.
Photo courtesy of Jack Gruber

Guests at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island might find themselves on rocking chairs on the world's longest porch overlooking the Straits of Mackinac. This historic hotel opened in 1887 to cater to summer vacationers from Chicago Montreal and Detroit. In 1895, Mark Twain gave lectures in the Grand Hotel Casino for $1 a ticket.
Photo courtesy of Laura Bly / USA TODAY

The Condado Vanderbilt Hotel opened its doors in 1919 and quickly became a popular retreat for European royalty and Hollywood celebrities alike. The resort has since been carefully refurbished, but stellar service and luxurious amenities remain front and center at this San Juan hotel.
Photo courtesy of Condado Vanderbilt Hotel

The historic Hermitage Hotel was constructed in 1908 as Nashville’s first million-dollar hotel. No expense was spared in adorning the Beaux-Arts building with a grand staircase, mahogany-paneled guestrooms, Italian marble columns, a painted glass skylight and Circassian walnut cabinetwork. Numerous presidents and dignitaries number among the guests of this Nashville icon.
Photo courtesy of Preferred Hotels & Resorts

Established in 1845, French Lick Resort in French Lick, Ind. has undergone extensive refurbishment and restoration to make it look much like it did during its original golden days. For some 200 years, travelers have been coming to the area for the medicinal Pluto Mineral Springs, which guests of the resort can still enjoy today, along with modern amenities like high speed internet, a 27,000-square-foot spa and an 18-hole Donald Ross golf course.
Photo courtesy of Preferred Hotels & Resorts

The prestigious American Club began as a housing unit for single immigrant workers at the Kohler company in 1918 – it included a pub, bowling alley, barbershop and offered English lessons for workers. In 1981, the property re-opened as a luxury retreat, now famous for its world-class golf courses, award-winning restaurants and a Forbes Five Star spa.
Photo courtesy of American Club

The history of The Broadmoor – an iconic hotel in Colorado Springs – dates back to 1918 when it welcomed its first guests. John D. Rockefeller was the hotel's first celebrity guest, staying the night of June 1, 1918. Today, the 5,000-acre resort offers a full-service spa, three golf courses and one of the nation's top hotel restaurants, The Penrose Room.
Photo courtesy of Preferred Hotels & Resorts

This historic St. Pete Beach hotel, part of the Historic Hotels of America, is known as the “Pink Palace,” for its colorful rose exterior. Inside, guests and staff often claim to experience paranormal activity. Some rooms are rumored to be haunted, and visitors can sign up for ghost tours of the area that include the Don CeSar. As the stories go, perhaps the ghost here is the original owner and his forbidden lover, or patients who died here when the hotel was using as a veteran hospital in the ‘40s.
Photo courtesy of Loews Hotels & Resorts

Located in charming Downtown Charleston, Wentworth Mansion offers 21 luxe rooms in one of the city's grandest estates. The hotel, built in 1886, had its start as the private mansion of a wealthy cotton merchant. Touches include Italian crystal chandeliers, marble fireplaces, gas fireplaces, day beds, over-sized whirlpool tubs and walk-in showers.
Photo courtesy of Wentworth Mansion