21 Historic Hotels in the US That Look Stunning Online (But You’ll Regret Booking in 2026)

Expected a quaint, old-fashioned inn, but the photo of the gorgeous Victorian-style house doesn’t make it clear that your room could be in a modern building? Anticipated a glamorous, historic mansion, but learned that admission to the mansion is an additional charge?

Before booking a trip to any of these famous historic hotels, resorts, and inns, read reviews to learn what Americans say about the drawbacks. And make sure to find out what extras aren’t included in your room rate.

21. The Menger Hotel, San Antonio, Texas

The Menger has been in continuous operation since 1859, making it one of the oldest operating hotels in the nation. Dark wood paneling and pressed-tin ceilings grace its elegant common areas, and its gorgeous bar is where Teddy Roosevelt drank.

But those staying in the historic wing are settling into cramped, drab rooms averaging just 180 square feet.

Walls are so thin that guests can hear hallway conversations. It’s questionable whether the sleeplessness is worth $280 a night.

20. Hotel del Coronado, Coronado, California

The Del is the most photographed hotel in America, but are you certain that the room you’re booking resembles the one in the brochure? At more than $500 a night for an ocean-view room, it’s important that you’re getting what you paid for.

Make sure you know which building you are in before you book. Photos show a glamorous, historic inn. But the resort sprawls, and you could be staying in one of its modern buildings.

19. Jekyll Island Club Resort, Jekyll Island, Georgia

The Gilded Age fantasy is lovely in many respects: the grounds are lush with oak trees, the rooms are filled with nineteenth-century craftsmanship, and the verandas are stunning. But the original historic club rooms cost $350 to $450 per night.

The cottages at the annex come with their share of headaches: sketchy Wi-Fi, dated decor, and housekeeping that’s hit or miss.

18. The Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, New Hampshire

This white resort against the Presidential Range looks like a castle, and at $400 to $600 a night, you might expect the royal treatment. But the historic rooms can be musty and poorly heated during the shoulder seasons.

Meals at the resort can feel outrageously expensive. An unsatisfying dinner doesn’t get any easier to swallow when you see the bill.

17. The Peabody Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee

Rooms at The Peabody start at $300, but the guest rooms can feel dark, musty, and dated.

Those seeking action may enjoy staying near the lobby, where ducks march through twice a day at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Others find the duck-march bustle extremely loud.

16. The Historic Stafford’s Perry Hotel, Petoskey, Michigan

The Perry Hotel is one of Petoskey’s most beautiful hotels. Overlooking the harbor, this gorgeous piece of Americana charges $250 to $350 during peak season.

But squeaky floorboards and bathrooms that look like they were retrofitted in the ’90s and never touched since are less charming. Thin walls let conversations carry, and a dismissive response from the front desk doesn’t help.

15. The Hotel Bethlehem, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

While Hotel Bethlehem’s public spaces are lovingly restored to their former glory, guests complain about the size of the rooms.

The standard king bedrooms in the historic wing are less than 200 square feet for $220 to $300 a night. Sidestepping will be required if you want to make it past the foot of your bed.Read More: 19 US Small Towns That Are Quietly Disappearing (And What Happened to Them)

14. The Hermitage Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee

Noise plagues The Hermitage. Its downtown Nashville location means the revelry on the street can follow you well into the wee hours.

Earplugs are a good idea on the lower floors. Downtown is a hub for bachelorette tourism, and not everyone is there for a quiet night.

Rooms start at $350 a night and go up to $500. That’s an expensive way to discover you don’t love the nightlife quite as much as you thought.

13. The Mission Inn Hotel, Riverside, California

The Mission Inn’s complex of interconnected Spanish Mission Revival buildings is stunning, with its arcades, courtyards, and turrets.

Choose carefully, since some rooms are oddly laid out, lacking natural light or offering a view into a hallway. Rates range from $250 to $400 for dark, cave-like digs.

12. The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan

Besides boasting the world’s longest front porch, The Grand Hotel is a slice of the Teddy Roosevelt era. Rooms start at $500.

Dinner is another cost to look at before booking. Check the meal plan attached to your rate so the bill doesn’t catch you off guard.

The hotel is on car-free Mackinac Island. Walking and horse-drawn carriages are part of the charm, but carriage fares are another expense to work into the budget.

11. The Tabard Inn, Washington D.C.

A relic from another era, the Tabard Inn near Dupont Circle oozes charm, with narrow hallways and a crackling open fireplace.

Unfortunately, the inn fits snugly between rowhouses, and noise penetrates the guest rooms from the first-floor restaurant and people walking by outside. Some rooms are tiny at around 150 square feet, lacking even a closet.

For $200 to $280 a night, you’d think the Tabard could afford to update its rooms.

10. The Driskill Hotel, Austin, Texas

With its 1886 bar, longhorn mounts in the lobby, and stained-glass domes, The Driskill Hotel is a piece of Texas history.

If your room is on the front of the hotel, you’ll be able to hear the bass from nearby Sixth Street pulsing at your window well past midnight.

Rooms range from $300 to $450 and vary wildly in quality. Some appear not to have been restored since the ’90s.

Read More: 17 US Hotel Chains That Aren’t Worth the Loyalty Points Anymore

9. The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado

The Stanley inspired the writing of The Shining and hosts ghost tours, but its rooms leave much to be desired.

For $200 to $350 a night, cold, drafty rooms and bathrooms in need of renovation are a letdown, even during the shoulder season.

The real nuisance can be the tourists who come to learn about the hotel’s dark past. Ghost-tour bustle isn’t what everyone has in mind when booking a luxury historic experience.

8. The Inn at Little Washington, Washington, Virginia

If you want to stay at The Inn at Little Washington, make sure to reserve your spot in advance. The Patrick O’Connell-run inn is a culinary landmark, and the guest rooms are beautifully done.

Dinner at his restaurant can cost $300 to $400 per person, sans wine, and rooms run $450 to $800 per night. This isn’t an inn to book on impulse.

It’s easy to rack up $2,000 over two nights for a couple, and the whole trip can reach $3,000. But if you’re looking for a culinary experience that lives up to its reputation, it can be worth every penny.

7. The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado

The Broadmoor is lovely, with 185 acres, three golf courses, and a private lake. But its popularity with corporate groups can mean a sea of conference guests descending on the restaurants and common areas.

Rooms start above $400, and the $75 nightly resort fee stings. Sharing the place with a big business gathering may not be the escape you pictured.

The Broadmoor can fall on its face when it reaches capacity with business groups. Employees don’t always provide the level of service and attentiveness you’d expect for the price.

6. The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

The Greenbrier’s main draw is its history, including the Cold War-era nuclear bunker you can tour.

The food can be meh, dinner comes with dress requirements, and a resort fee adds $85 per night. Check the rules for the dining room you plan to use.

With rooms starting at $350, outdated accommodations can leave you disappointed with the stay. A fascinating bunker tour doesn’t make the room a good deal.

5. The Biltmore Estate Inn, Asheville, North Carolina

The Biltmore mansion is stunning, but make sure you know where you’re staying. The Inn on Biltmore Estate, as its name implies, is on the estate, not within the Vanderbilts’ lavish home.

The inn is a modern hotel, with rooms running $350 to $550. Check whether your booking includes admission to the estate’s original house or requires a separate ticket.

You’re staying near the house, not in it. That’s worth knowing before the mansion photos talk you into a reservation.

4. The Fairmont San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Once a luxurious escape for presidents and dignitaries, the Fairmont San Francisco is showing its age. The beautiful photos you see online are typically of common areas.

Nob Hill is a beautiful, historic area, though some guests feel uneasy around the hotel at night.

At $450 to $700 a night, dated rooms, poor housekeeping, and long elevator waits can make the stay hard to justify. The common areas make a better impression than the room.

3. The Plaza Hotel, New York City, New York

The Most Disappointing Icon of Them All

The world-famous Plaza raises expectations with its name alone. Once you step inside, many travelers are disappointed. After a series of ownership changes, renovations, and partial conversions to condominiums, many say the Plaza is better suited for afternoon tea than a luxurious overnight stay.

Rooms start at a jaw-dropping $700 to $1,200 a night. The basic rooms can be small and worlds away from the gorgeous, oversized, and sumptuous Grand Park View suites advertised in online photos.

Service can range from top-notch to terrible, with slow room service and front desk employees who seem stretched thin.

2. The Wentworth by the Sea, New Castle, New Hampshire

If the Wentworth’s marketing photos don’t reel you in, we’re not sure what would. The white Victorian hotel is situated on a rocky island with water on three sides. The property is so gorgeous that we’re not sure why so many travelers say they’re disappointed during their actual stays.

At $350 to $600 per night in summer, The Wentworth bills itself as a luxury escape. However, many say that since its 2003 restoration, it’s fallen short. Salt damages windows, air conditioning isn’t working properly in some older portions of the resort, and the spa is lacking in personnel.

Plus, the gorgeous pool can be crowded in peak season, which is hardly the quaint and boutique experience depicted in the iconic photo that gets splashed online.

1. The Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, Virginia

The Most Regretted Splurge in American Hotel History

The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, Virginia, dates back to 1766. The red-brick Georgian-style resort promises a luxurious experience complete with manicured gardens, elegant furnishings, and stately colonnaded porticos.

Rooms are anything but luxurious at $450 to $700 a night, and that doesn’t include the $60 resort fee. Many call the rooms in the main building cramped and tired. Maintenance issues go unresolved, and service is slow and inconsistent.

The resort’s pricey fare adds to the bill. The building is magnificent, but the stay can still be a disappointment.

---

Some Historic Hotels Really Are Worth It – Know Which Ones Before You Book

Before you book one of these gorgeous but overrated historic hotels, consider The Hay-Adams in Washington, D.C., or The Brown Palace in Denver. These historic gems live up to their expense.

Think of the best, most wonderful, most beautiful and charming hotels you’ve ever stayed at. Chances are that some were historic properties. Hotels can have a magical aura about them, but only if they’re well-maintained and cared for. Some are worth every penny, others not so much.