May is Preservation Month. Preservation Month began as National Preservation Week in 1973. In 2005, the National Trust for Historic Preservation extended the celebration to the entire month of May and declared it Preservation Month to provide an even greater opportunity to celebrate the diverse and unique heritage of our country. There is no better way to celebrate this month than by booking a trip to a unique historic hotel. |
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Uniquely Preserving the Past
This May, the Preservation Month theme is “People Saving Places,” shining the spotlight on those who are doing the work of saving places—in both big ways and small. In this issue we highlight the people that helped adapt, reuse, and reinvigorate the following historic hotels.
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Charleston, South Carolina
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Kings Courtyard Inn was transformed from a historic building into a charming boutique hotel that invites guests to experience the history of Charleston. Known as the Blum Building, it was constructed in 1853 by Colonel J. Charles Blum and designed in the Greek Revival style with Egyptian style architectural details. The construction of this building brought a welcomed change to Lower King Street, transitioning from modest, separate residences to a more diversified use including shops, rental units, and hotels. In November 1983, Kings Courtyard Inn opened following an eight month restoration. The restoration effort included the creation of interior courtyards from original light wells, and 34 guestrooms appointed with 18th-century reproduction furniture beautifully preserving the area's heritage.
St. Louis, Missouri
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Opening in 1894, St. Louis Union Station Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton was designed to resemble the French fortress city of Carcassonne as a nod to St. Louis'- French heritage. One of the largest and busiest train terminals in the country, Union Station was home to 22 railroads in its heyday. St. Louis Union Station Hotel is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and both the hotel and Union Station complex were beautifully restored. The hotel’s guestrooms, meeting and event space, and the Grand Hall have been fully renovated and expanded.
Grinnell, Iowa
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Built in 1921, this unique building served as Grinnell Junior High School until the late 1970s. Designed by the prominent Des Moines-based architectural firm Proudfoot, Bird & Rawson, the architects oversaw its design as a beautiful Neoclassical style building. Forty years later, it has been meticulously renovated and designed as a modern, eco-conscious boutique hotel, restaurant, and event destination. Hotel Grinnell still has the wide hallways commonly seen in schools, and maple hardwood floors in the classrooms which are now guestrooms. The hotel prides itself on themed guest amenities and special touches that pay tribute to the building's heritage.
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Preserving Unique Locations Around the World
Many Historic Hotels Worldwide hotels are located in unique buildings. The two hotels featured below provide a special setting for a trip abroad, and are the perfect place to stay for a trip to these European destinations.
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The formidable Old War Office (OWO) building, a beacon of white Portland stone, has undergone a grand metamorphosis from the hub of civil service to a luxury hotel. Effort has been taken to preserve the distinctive domes, soaring ceilings, and mosaic floors that date to 1906, where key historical figures, such as Winston Churchill, Lord Kitchener, and British spy-turned-novelist Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, once roamed its venerable halls. Raffles London at The OWO boasts a prestigious Whitehall address in Central London, the epicenter of power for both royal and governmental affairs along the Thames. |
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Hôtel Paris Bastille Boutet derives its name from a historic Parisian company named "Maison Boutet,"a once prosperous business that manufactured and distributed exotic wood to local craftsmen. The company decided to construct a new building to stay ahead of the business growth. Completed in 1926, the building was a factory for the next 63 years. By the 1980s, all manufacturing operations had ceased. A team led by Vincent Bastie and Astrid Dieterlen restored the factory to its former glory. Nestled within one of Paris’s most historic districts, the hotel is perfectly situated for its guests to experience the "City of Love". |
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Discover and Explore is a service mark of Historic Hotels of America. © Copyright 2024 Historic Hotels of America® and Historic Hotels Worldwide®. All rights reserved.
Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide
1420 New York Avenue, Washington, DC 20005
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