WASHINGTON, D.C.—Historic Hotels of America announced the winners of the 2025 Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence. Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels across the United States of America.
Award recipients were announced and honored on the evening of Thursday, October 30, at the 2025 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala at Fairmont Olympic Hotel – Seattle, in front of an audience of more than 200 industry leaders, owners, general managers, senior management, and representatives of the world’s finest historic hotels. Fairmont Olympic Hotel – Seattle opened in 1924 and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The awards ceremony was the final event of the 2025 Historic Hotels Annual Conference held the week of October 27, 2025.
Eighteen distinct Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence were presented in multiple categories, including those awarded to the most exemplary historic hotels and hoteliers, recognizing them as the best of the best among their peers. Winners were selected from nominations by historic hotels, preservation supporters, prior award recipients, community leaders, and leadership from Historic Hotels of America. As an official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America provides the recognition to travelers, civic leaders, and the global cultural, heritage, and historic travel market that hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America are among the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America. The Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence program recognizes the pinnacle of this distinct group in a range of categories.
The List of Winners
From more than 700 nominations received, the awards committee evaluated and, after careful consideration, selected the following 2025 Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence winners:
Historic Hotels of America Sustainability Champion—This award is presented to a hotel that best implements and practices innovative green initiatives and programs, demonstrating historic preservation is the ultimate green. Winner: The American Club (1918) Kohler, Wis.
Historic Hotels of America New Member of the Year—This award is presented to a new member hotel that best demonstrates immediate engagement, activation, and passionate support of Historic Hotels of America. Winner: The Queen Mary (1936) Long Beach, Calif.
Historic Hotels of America Best Social Media of a Historic Hotel—This award is presented to a hotel that actively engages consumers by sharing the best of its history through social media with interesting historical facts and stories. Winner: Palace Hotel (1875) San Francisco.
Historic Hotels of America Best Small Historic Inn/Hotel (Under 75 Guestrooms)—
This award is presented to a hotel under 75 guestrooms that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service. Winner: Napa River Inn (1884) Napa, Calif.
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (76 to 200 Guestrooms)—This award is presented to a hotel with 76 to 200 guestrooms that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service. Winner: Hawthorne Hotel (1925) Salem, Mass.
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (201 to 400 Guestrooms)—This award is presented to a hotel with 201 to 400 guestrooms that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service. Winner: The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (1876) Riverside, Calif.
Best Celebrates Its History
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (Over 400 Guestrooms)—This award is presented to a hotel with over 400 guestrooms that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service. Winner: The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection (1925) Washington, D.C.
Historic Hotels of America Best City Center Historic Hotel—This award is presented to a hotel located in a city center that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service. Winner: The Hollywood Roosevelt (1927) Los Angeles.
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Resort—This award is presented to a historic resort that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service. Winner: French Lick Resort: French Lick Springs Hotel (1845) French Lick, Ind. and West Baden Springs Hotel (1901) West Baden Springs, Ind.
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Restaurant—This award is presented to a restaurant that is part of a historic hotel that offers the finest cuisine, historic atmosphere, and exceptional customer service. Winner: 1796 Room at Omni Bedford Springs Resort (1806) Bedford, Pa.
Historic Hotels of America Ambassador of the Year (Celebrating 25+ Years of Service)—
This award is presented to an individual who has dedicated their career to a historic hotel for at least 25 years, has been an exemplary ambassador and steward of the history and stories of a historic hotel, and has shown exemplary hospitality and service to the hotel and its guests. Winner: Ariston Atienza at Fairmont Olympic Hotel – Seattle (1924) Seattle.
Historic Hotels of America Hotel Historian of the Year—This award is presented to a hotel historian who best demonstrates a passion for preserving, displaying, and interpreting the history of their hotel, a true ambassador of the past. Winner: Tara Williams at Martinique New York on Broadway, Curio Collection by Hilton (1898) New York.
An Active Champion of Historic Hotels of America
Historic Hotels of America Legendary Family Historic Hoteliers of the Year—This award is presented to a multi-generational family ownership entity or management company which has served as an exemplary role model in the operation of the historic hotels entrusted to its stewardship, demonstrated a long-term legacy of commitment to historic preservation, and been an active champion of Historic Hotels of America. Winner: The Baxter Family at The Wort Hotel (1941) Jackson, Wyo.
Historic Hotels of America Historic Hotelier of the Year—This award is presented to an individual demonstrating the highest contribution to furthering the celebration of history at historic hotels as well as leadership and innovation. Winner: Rik Blyth at La Fonda on the Plaza (1922) Santa Fe, N.M.
Historic Hotels of America Lifetime Achievement Award—This award is presented to individuals whose lifelong passion, dedication, personal efforts and financial support has resulted in the preservation, restoration, recognition, and celebration of the history and stories of a legendary historic hotel. Winner: Cindy and Mike Watts at Castle Hot Springs (1896) Morristown, Ariz. (see earlier announcement).
Historic Hotels of America Steward of History and Historic Preservation Award—This award is presented to individuals or families dedicated to the preservation of legendary historic hotels, honoring their commitment to ensuring future generations can experience the hotel’s history and stories. Winner: Richard (Rick) Widman at Charming Inns: John Rutledge House Inn (1763), Kings Courtyard Inn (1853), Wentworth Mansion (1886), and Fulton Lane Inn (1889), Charleston, S.C. (see earlier announcement).
Historic Hotels of America Legacy of Innovation and Inspiration Award—This award recognizes the extensive accomplishments of individuals in pioneering innovative concepts, achieving uncommon success, for being a thought leader on exceptional stewardship, an inspiring leader, and being a force of inspiration in the hospitality industry. Winner: Stephanie Stuckey, Chair of Stuckey’s Corp. (see earlier announcement).
Historic Hotels of America Historian of the Year—This award is presented to individuals who have made a unique contribution in the research and presentation of history, and whose work has encouraged a wide discussion and greater understanding of the history and diverse cultures of our nation. Winner: Daniel James Brown (see earlier announcement).
The Finest Historic Hotels & Hoteliers
“It is an honor to congratulate all of the 2025 Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence winners,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “The winners are the finest historic hotels and hoteliers from across the United States. The historic hotels nominated include small historic inns, boutique hotels, lifestyle hotels, and resorts. They represent small towns to large cities to UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We applaud the dedication and passion of the thousands of individuals working at these iconic and legendary hotels that keep the stories alive from the past and make staying or celebrating special occasions at these historic hotels memorable experiences. The hotels on this list represent the very best spirit of perseverance and preservation of historic hotels. Through the many chapters these buildings have seen, it is the care of their staff, owners, and operators, and the support of travelers, that allow these stories to continue.”
To be nominated for the Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence, the hotel must be a member of Historic Hotels of America, demonstrate how the hotel increased the recognition and celebration of the hotel’s history, heritage, historic preservation, and its membership, as well as how the hotel (through its ownership, leadership, and employees) contributes significantly as an industry leader in the designated award category.
Historic Hotels of America’s sister program, Historic Hotels Worldwide, also announced its winners of the Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence. See the news about those winners here.
