Historic hotels

The Classicist: At the Fairmont Algonquin

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

On our way back from a summer sojourn to Nova Scotia a few weeks ago we had to seek refuge from Hurricane Bill, and wound up at a luxurious, historic seaside resort in New Brunswick that turned out to be the highlight of the trip. Built in the 1880s, the Tudor-style Fairmont Algonquin, in picturesque St. Andrews overlooking the Passamaquoddy Bay, is a veritable castle by the sea. A Canadian Maritime tradition in its second century of impeccable hospitality, the hotel has played host to many notable personages over the years including the first Prime Minister of Canada, Sir John A. Macdonald, President Theodore Roosevelt and Diana, the Princess of Wales.

The hotel was originally the enterprise of the St. Andrews Land Company, established in 1883 by wealthy American businessmen who found the town to be the ideal vacation spot; a 1902 brochure described it as '"an incomparable resting-place and retreat from the cares of business and the heat and dust and bustle of the city." During this period most guests arrived by train and so it was only fitting that the Canadian Pacific Railway Company took over ownership in 1903. The hotel was sold to local interests in 1970 and the Province of New Brunswick leased the property in 1973. The Province eventually purchased The Fairmont Algonquin along with two golf courses and a private beach in 1984, and it is now run by the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts luxury group.

The hotel now has 234 impeccably-appointed guest rooms and suites retaining the resort's classic style, updated with modern amenities. Many rooms have ocean views and look over the lush gardens, swimming pool and tennis courts. The public spaces are elegant and inviting, with fireplaces for cooler weather and plenty of spots to relax indoors and out, while the charming town of St. Andrews is only a few minutes walk. The nearby Bay of Fundy lays claim to the highest tides in the world with rising and falling water levels nearing 55 ft. in some areas twice daily. That provides the scenic backdrop for the award-winning seaside Algonquin Golf Course and Academy, home to two of the top ten golf tees in Canada, while others may choose to go on whale-watching excursions or explore the scenic surroundings.

Gallery: The Fairmont Algonquin

Tags: Canada, dog friendly hotels, DogFriendlyHotels, dogs, Fairmont, Fairmont Hotels, FairmontHotels, golf, historic hotels, HistoricHotels, hotel, Maritime, New Brunswick, NewBrunswick, Nova Scotia, NovaScotia, pets, resort, seaside, Theodore Roosevelt, TheodoreRoosevelt

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$150 Million Revamp of Chicago's Famed Palmer House

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Ever since Thor Equities paid $230 million a while back for Chicago's famed Palmer House hotel, we've been awaiting the results of their $150 million revamp of the storied space. The original edifice, rebuilt after the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, was frequented by presidents, robber barons and writers like Charles Dickens and Mark Twain. The current hotel, constructed in 1923, continued the opulent tradition but eventually lost some of its luster.

A fair amount of progress has been made on the project to date, including a chic restaurant called Lockwood and the new addition of Potter's (above), a bar / lounge named after the Palmer House's founder, Potter Palmer. In the style of a 1930s men's club, the wood and leather-bedecked space features oversized photos of past Palmer House patrons and Chicago icons like like Nat King Cole, football star Walter Payton, and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.

[via Men.Style]

Gallery: The Palmer House

Tags: Bars, Chicago, Great Chicago Fire, GreatChicagoFire, Historic hotels, HistoricHotels, Nat King Cole, NatKingCole, Palmer House, PalmerHouse, Potter Palmer, PotterPalmer, Potters, Thor Equities, ThorEquities

Historic Hotels Upgrading to Attract New Customers

by Sandy Maple (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

In many large cities, you will find beautiful historic hotel properties situated on prime real estate. Some have been abandoned and risk being demolished while others are still operating, but lack the amenities necessary to attract luxury customers. Rather than tear them down and start from scratch, a new trend sees hoteliers renovating and upgrading their properties to offer the best of both worlds - first class accommodations along with historic charm.

One such property is the Book-Cadillac Hotel in Detroit. Built in 1924, the hotel was once a destination for presidents and movie stars, but fell into decline in the 1980's. Having stood vacant for more than twenty years, it is now being reincarnated as the 455-room Westin Book Cadillac Detroit. Scheduled to open in late 2008, the property will feature condominiums, retail and restaurant space and provide full-time employment for more than 450 workers.

Even those with less illustrious histories are getting a new lease on life. In 1946, The Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta was the site of the deadliest hotel fire in U.S. history, but after undergoing a $28 million renovation has reopened as the 4-star Ellis Hotel on Atlanta's famed Peachtree Street. Oklahoma City's Skirvin Hotel has benefited from a $55 million renovation and is now the Skirvin Hilton.

Visitors to Boston can enjoy an unusual experience staying at the Liberty Hotel, formerly the Charles Street Jail. Once considered "unfit for human living", the renovated property celebrates its roots by retaining some of the jail cells amid the luxury accommodations. And after a $10 million renovation, Seattle's century-old Alexis Hotel is now a luxury destination in the heart of downtown, offering modern amenities in an art-filled atmosphere.

Gallery: Historic Hotels Upgrading to Attract New Customers

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Historic Hotels List of Winter Getaway Packages

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The Historic Hotels, an organization of American hotels that are located in buildings of historic significance has compiled a list of winter getaways at nearly 60 member hotels. One of the getaways comes from the Green Mountain Inn.The package includes two nights’ accommodations, a bottle of bubbly and a box of handmade truffles, souvenir champagne glasses, a three-course dinner and bottle of house wine and a full country breakfast daily. Luxury rooms and suites cost from $316 - $470 per person with a two night minimum. Other hotels listed include others that we have mentioned before such as Hotel Monteleone, The Hawthorne Hotel, the American Club Resort, Mohonk Mountain House, and Hotel Jerome.

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Tags: green mountain inn, historic hotels, HistoricHotels, inns, resorts, romance, winter vacation