Historic & Grand Hotels in New England

New England > All New England > Specialty Lodging > Historic Hotels in New England

New England has a deep and wonderfully varied history from the Pilgrims to the present. Much of that history is alive and on display at comfortable historic inns and Grand Hotels -- a few that have been welcoming travelers since before America was a country. If these walls could talk, they would tell stories of rich ship owners, farmers, or outdoor explorers who built hotels in the mountains and along the shores.

Looking for historic lodging in a specific state? Click here for: Connecticut • Maine • Massachusetts • New Hampshire • Rhode Island • Vermont

Inn at Diamond Cove

22 McKinley Court Portland, ME, 04109 Phone: 207-805-9836

Island inn once the site of a 19th century fort and an artists colony

If you’re a history buff, or you just love resorts that incorporate their storied past into their present, stay at the Inn at Diamond Cove. A short ferry ride from Portland’s historic Old Port District, the elegant inn was once the site of Fort McKinley, built in the 1890s to protect Portland’s harbor and Casco Bay during the Spanish-American War. The inn, with 44 deluxe rooms and suites, is in the fort’s former barracks. Before the fort, the area hosted an artists colony visited by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Harriet Beecher Stowe. It is still known as a tranquil getaway. Modern amenities include a popular restaurant, fitness room, tennis courts, heated pool and cabana bar, hot tub, and, of course, meticulous service.
Due to the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Inna t Diamond Cove will not be opening for the 2020 season. Anyone holding reservations will be contacted by our sister property (the Portland Harbor Hotel) to make further arrangements, or call us at (207) 775-9090.

Red Lion Inn

30 Main Street Stockbridge, MA, 01262 Phone: 413-298-5545

A history rich in warm hospitality and welcoming atmosphere still honored at this lovely inn

Travelers on stagecoaches between Albany and Boston found welcome respite and genial hospitality at the Red Lion Inn when it opened as a tavern in 1773. That year, citizens gathered to protest Britain’s Acts of Intolerance and to propose a boycott of British goods. It was an exciting beginning to the inn’s proud history, which includes visits by Presidents Cleveland, McKinley, Coolidge and both Roosevelts as well as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Thornton Wilder and Bob Dylan. The stately white inn with its renowned front porch (perfect for rocking and beverage-sipping) honors its heritage throughout the property, from its individually decorated antique-filled rooms to the historical posters in the Widow Bingham Tavern to the colonial pewter used in the elegant Main Dining Room.

Ponds at Foxhollow

Route 7 Lenox, MA, 01240 Phone: 413-637-1469

Breathtaking Berkshires resort honors its origins as historic estate

The former Westinghouse estate, nestled among the majestic Berkshire Mountains, is now the elegant Ponds at Foxhollow, with 48 condo units, providing guests with all the modern amenities and old-fashioned attention to service and detail that make for the ideal getaway. Each condo unit has a Jacuzzi, full kitchen, dining area, living area and deck overlooking a lovely winding pond. (Canoes on site allow you to enjoy the pond up close.) There are indoor and outdoor pools, exercise room, a gorgeous fireplaced library, tennis courts, putting green and a Friday wine and cheese gathering. History buffs will love being close to museums, historic homes like Edith Wharton’s The Mount, and quintessential New England towns like Lenox and Stockbridge.

Inn at Tanglewood Hall

611 York Street York Harbor, ME, 03911 Phone: 207-351-1075

Picturesque inn harkens back to a relaxed era

Originally the home of a Chicago lumber baron in the late 19th and early 20th centuries (when seaside mansions were called “cottages”), and later the property of a cousin of the Big Band Dorsey brothers, who stayed there when playing at Old Orchard and Hampton beaches, the Inn at Tanglewood Hall celebrates its past while offering the amenities expected by today’s guests. That means antiques, high-end linens, luxurious bath amenities, and memory foam beds coexist nicely in the York Harbor seacost inn’s six exquisitely restored rooms. And the inn’s stunning gardens feature flowers from the past as well as modern fairy lights at night. Guests might well feel they are going back to a more relaxed time as they lounge in a hammock on the veranda.

Inn at Tanglewood Hall will be reopening for Memorial Day Weekend - Book your stay today!

16 Bay View Hotel Camden

16 Bay View Street Camden, ME, 04843 Phone: 207-236-4325

Sense of history merges with ultra-modern amenities at luxury hotel

At 16 Bay View, the elegant boutique hotel in the heart of picturesque Camden, a sense of history is evident throughout, giving the perfect balance to sophisticated modern amenities. The industrial brick building, erected in 1905, was transformed into a jewel of a hotel in 2015, and honors it past with everything from ornamental iron balconies and freestanding soaking tubs to its Vintage Room bar and small-plates restaurant, a nod to Golden Age opulence. Modern touches include gas fireplaces, spacious spa-inspired bathrooms, luxury linens and pillowtop beds, as well as 24-hour concierge service, deluxe continental breakfast and day passes to the state-of-the-art fitness center and pool at the local YMCA. Plus, in season, there’s a fabulous rooftop terrace.

Visit our sister properties - Lord Camden Inn - Grand Harbor Inn

Cape Arundel Inn & Resort

208 Ocean Avenue Kennebunkport, ME, 04046 Phone: 207-967-2125 Toll-Free: 855-346-5700

History and luxury meet on the alluring Maine Coast

Like many of the New England’s finest inns this magnificent resort is found within landmark buildings. Be transported back to the 19th century when the railroad brought “summer people” to this enviable spot on the Maine coast where the first schooner was built and where architecturally alluring mansions earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Today enjoy the same privacy and comfort of coming “home” to Kennebunkport—with a world of amenities. You’ll enjoy the sea, of course, but also the daily wine events, bicycles for touring, high-speed wireless Internet access, a menu of pillow choices, coffee and tea throughout the day, car service into town, yoga on the lawn, movie screenings, and live music outdoors.

The Old Salt Restaurant & Lamie's Inn

490 Lafayette Road - Route 1 Hampton, NH, 03842 Phone: 603-926-0330 Toll-Free: 800-805-5050

Modern comfort at an historic 1740’s inn

Here’s old world charm and modern comforts. Built in 1740, this historic lodging retains its character and alluring seacoast ambience. Originally home to the Lane family who helped build the seaside town of Hampton, it became a whistle stop on the presidential campaign trail and a gathering place for locals and tourists - traditions that continue to this day. Rooms offer what you’ve come to prefer while traveling today including digital TV with HBO, wi-fi access, refrigerators, and microwaves. The Old Salt Restaurant is a Seacoast legend, famous for its New England clambakes and Sunday brunch, delicious seafood and its revolving list of 18 delicious brews on tap. Nearby are the beaches and the best of this magnificent region.

Fireplace & Billiards - Adair Country Inn & Restaurant - Bethlehem, NH

Adair Country Inn and Restaurant

80 Guider Lane Bethlehem, NH, 03574 Phone: 603-444-2600 Toll-Free: 888-444-2600

Romantic past, famously designed surroundings, make this elegant inn a must-visit

The story of the Adair Country Inn and Restaurant is as romantic as its stunning location in the heart of the White Mountains. Built in 1927 by renowned lawyer Frank Hogan as a gift to his only daughter, Dorothy, upon her marriage, the elegant 11-room inn sits on 200 acres of manicured grounds and stone walls. Those scenic grounds, walking trails and colorful gardens were designed by the Olmsted Brothers, son of the man who designed New York’s Central Park. Today, they provide the serene, and romantic, atmosphere that draws guests back regularly to the inn and its exquisite accommodations with four-poster feather beds and cast-iron gas stove fireplaces.

Weekapaug Inn

25 Spray Rock Road Westerly, RI, 02891 Phone: 877-394-8902

Storied past continues at this class Cape Cod-style inn on the Rhode Island shore

When the Weekapaug Inn says it has a storied past, that’s not an exaggeration. The five-star resort’s saga begins in 1899, when its doors were first opened to guests who wanted a summer retreat on the shore. Rebuilt in 1939 following a hurricane, its location between the ocean and a salt pond made it a highly desirable location. And it still is: The inn’s $20 million renovation in 2012 preserved its past and added luxurious modern conveniences like a pool with a view, a state-of-the-art fitness center, superb farm-to-table dining and an on-site naturalist to lead tours and discussions. Some things don’t change, though: You can still open your windows in your comfortable room or suite to those sea breezes.

Visit our sister properties - Ocean House Resort - Watch Hill Inn

Watch Hill Inn

38-44 Bay Street Watch Hill, RI, 02891 Phone: 877-394-8903

Historic seaside allure, contemporary comforts continue to attract guests to charming inn

The strong ties between the Watch Hill Inn and its seaside village go back almost two centuries. The luxury resort, which sits in the heart of Watch Hill village, was first owned and operated in 1845 by the son of the village’s first lighthouse-keeper. An electrical trolley system brought guests in over the years. Celebrities followed, from Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Clark Gable to Andrew Mellon and Henry Ford. The inn, which survived the devastating 1938 hurricane, has been meticulously renovated in 2006 and 2013. Exceptional service, as in the golden age of hospitality, is still a point of pride for the staff. And the inn’s welcoming suites and coastal beauty still serve as beacons to travelers seeking seaside retreats.

Visit our sister properties - Ocean House Resort - Weekapaug Inn

Harbor Light Inn

58 Washington Street Marblehead, MA, 01945 Phone: 781-631-2186

Luxury and comfort in an historic setting!

The Harbor Light Inn, among the Ten Most Romantic Inns in America, is set in one of America’s Ten Most Beautiful Small Towns. Near the harbor district and the birthplace of the Navy, the Inn consists of two Federalist mansions joined together. Luxurious rooms are equipped with private baths, DVD players, WIFI, fireplaces, Jacuzzis and additional amenities for your comfort and pleasure. An extensive continental breakfast buffet is included along with afternoon tea, coffee and cordials. The inn’s popular Tavern serves fine wines, beers and cordials and local favorites like chowder, crab cakes, shrimp, and grilled panini. Within short walking distance, you’ll find shops, galleries, art organizations, museums and historic buildings and sites and a wide variety of casual and fine dining establishments.

Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa

Mountain View Road Whitefield, NH, 03598 Phone: 888-260-4929

The story continues in grand style

Mountain View Grand is open for overnight stays! Please review our health & safety measures for current updates and information.

If the walls could talk at the Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa, they’d have so many stories to tell about an inn that goes back to 1865, when the original farmhouse owners took in travelers for one night who stayed a week. The famous colonial yellow inn has hosted an A-list of famous people since then, from Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt to Babe Ruth, Neil Armstrong and Stephen King. It has gone from oil lamps and baths in tin tubs to sophisticated green lighting systems and whirlpool tubs. But some things have not changed: sumptuous surroundings, farm-to-table dining, four-star service and mountain views that have wowed guests for a century and a half.

Publick House Historic Inn On the Common

277 Main Street - Route 131 Sturbridge, MA, 01566 Phone: 508-347-3313 Toll-Free: 800-782-5425

Hospitality tradition goes back centuries at this warm, comfortable inn

Since 1771, the Publick House has been heralded as one of New England’s most hospitable inns, and that tradition continues with comfortable lodging, delicious dining and attentive service. Stay in the hotel’s original historic inn section, with its rooms filled with period antiques and reproductions; dine on traditional Yankee fare in the Historic Tap Room, with its post-and-beam ceiling, rustic wide-plank floors held fast by castnails; or in Ebenezer’s Tavern, where more casual fare is served amid warm, 18th-century ambiance. Grab morning coffee and a famous pecan sweet roll from the 18th century Bake Shoppe. Shop for antiques in the area, visit historic Old Sturbridge Village or just settle down in one of the inn’s many nooks to read. (Check the website for health and safety updates.)

Four Columns Inn

23 West Street Newfane, VT, 05345 Phone: 802-365-7713

Picturesque Vermont inn celebrates its New England roots and history

Four Columns Inn is open! Availability is limited during the reopening period, so please call for up-to-date reservations. Also, visit our FAQ for our COVID policies & procedures.

Playing host to history and celebrities, including everyone from Henry Kissinger and John Kenneth Galbraith to Mick Jagger and Sting, is nothing new at the Four Columns Inn. The boutique inn, which opened as a guest house in 1965, is known for its peaceful setting, attention to detail and sense of place. Today, its 16 spacious rooms feature an eclectic collection of antique and modern pieces and original art that celebrate the region. The tradition of farm-to-table dining excellence, which began decades ago, is still celebrated at Artisan restaurant. Nearby Newfane is the perfect New England village, with its columned courthouse on a handsome green.

The Griswold Inn

36 Main Street Essex, CT, 06426 Phone: 860-767-1776

Longstanding heritage of hospitality at this Revolutionary War-era inn

The heritage of hospitality at the Griswold Inn began when the first visitors were welcomed in 1776 and proudly continues today with first-rate service, comfortable accommodations and fine dining. One of the oldest continuously operated inns in the United States, the Griswold, in a picturesque and historic seaport village, offers guests a choice of 34 unique rooms, furnished individually with antiques and period reproductions. The inn hosts an impressive collection of maritime art and illustrations as well as a collection of firearms used in the War of 1812. Guests can dine in the Tap Room, attached to the inn in 1801 after being rolled down Main Street by a team of oxen. (Check the inn website for updated health regulations and protocols.)

Waldo Emerson Inn

108 Summer Street Kennebunk, ME, 04043 Phone: 207-985-4250

Colonial-era inn with a touch of whimsy still beckons travelers

You step back in time when you step onto the centuries-old pine floors of the Waldo Emerson Inn. Built in 1753 by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Great-Uncle Waldo, the stately inn has been given a touch of whimsy by new innkeepers who have scattered original artwork among the antiques and installed a series of bars (for candy, bread, cocktails and more) throughout the bed-and-breakfast. To immerse yourself in history, ask to stay in Ralph’s Library, rumored to be the room where the great writer slept when he visited. The room, with fireplace (and books!) looks out over a lovely garden. Gourmet breakfasts, beautiful coastal town rich in its own history and six elegant, comfy rooms: the perfect respite.

Stonehurst Manor

3351 White Mountain Highway North Conway, NH, 03860 Phone: 603-356-3113 Toll-Free: 800-525-9100

A carpet king’s vision can be your next destination

Stay at the White Mountain’s foremost example of Victorian rural elegance. Built as the summer estate of carpet baron Erastus Bigelow, this historic lodging offers 16 guest rooms in Manor house, and ten in a wing attached to the Manor with spectacular views of the Moat Mountain Range. Set on 30 pine wooded acres, the site has retained all of the original buildings and looks much as it did a century ago. There are Adirondack chairs and quiet places in the gardens to relax, and a tennis court and heated outdoor pool. Four dining rooms attend the popular gourmet restaurant and the Library Lounge is open for a nightcap by the fireplace. North Conway is your gateway to the area’s major attractions and seasonal recreational activities.

Nonantum Resort

95 Ocean Avenue Kennebunkport, ME, 04046 Phone: 207-967-4050 Toll-Free: 800-552-5651

Inn near the coast celebrates its proud heritage and region’s maritime history

History matters at The Nonantum Resort in Kennebunkport, as evidenced by the fact that they have been helping guests celebrate life’s special events or get away for fun vacation retreats for over a century. Stay in the resort’s Carriage House Inn, and you will be transported back to the Victorian era, as it is part of the original 1883 inn. That inn was part of a sea captain’s home, and that nautical theme, perfect for an establishment located on the Kennebunk River, is celebrated in the inn’s Portside Lodge. That sense of pride in the past and celebration of Maine’s maritime history can be found throughout the region, from lighthouses to lobster boat tours to classic fishing villages, ready for a new century’s worth of guests.

Oliver Wight House - Old Sturbridge Inn & Reeder Cottages - Sturbridge, MA

Old Sturbridge Inn & Reeder Family Lodges

369 Main Street Sturbridge, MA, 01566 Phone: 774-304-1011

Relive America’s history – then sleep in.

Celebrate America’s living history and settle in adjacent to the museum at the 10-room Oliver Wight House built in 1789 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Charmingly intimate, the rooms here and at the Reeder Family Lodges all feature free wireless internet and free continental breakfast. Oliver Wright House guests also enjoy queen-sized cherry four-poster canopy beds, embroidered bathrobes and slippers and adjoining room options for large parties. Enjoy a swimming pool, playground, and a collection of 19th-century toy and game baskets. All reservations come with discounted admission to OSV and there are special packages and discounts available to OSV members and for weddings and other select Village events. Signature Touch spa services are also now available at the cottages.

Deerfield Inn

81 Old Main Street Deerfield, MA, 01342 Phone: 413-774-5587

Historic inn, nestled in a National Historic Landmark, still a welcome respite for guests

When you drive up to the picturesque Deerfield Inn, imagine how those early visitors arrived in the 19th century: by stagecoach, carriages and horseback. That sense of history envelops you in this elegant inn, from the 24 rooms (11 in the main inn and 13 in the carriage house) appointed with antiques and period reproduction furniture to the robin’s egg blue ceilings of the charming front porch. The horse weathercock still turns, the original hayloft door is still part of the inn, the garden is still populated with native plantings. And Deerfield, a National Historic Landmark, with its 1774 liberty pole and gorgeous 18th- and 19th-century houses, still feels like the heart of colonial America. Please visit our website to see current COVID policies.

Porches Inn at MASS MoCA

231 River Street North Adams, MA, 01247 Phone: 413-664-0400

Old meets new in this Berkshires-area inn with a whimsical, artistic vibe

What do you get when you combine a celebration of 19th century heritage with modern conveniences like Jacuzzi-style tubs and Apple TVs? You get the Porches Inn, where sturdily built Victorian row houses that were once homes to mill workers have been transformed into a wonderful, whimsical inn where every room and suite is unique, from its architecture to its decor. There’s an intentional blend in this inn of old and new: cutting-edge technology and retro furniture and collectibles. You can relax on your private porch, grab a to-go continental breakfast, swim in the heated outdoor pool, then explore the history-rich Berkshires area starting with walkable North Adams, an old mill town now infused with a vibrant arts scene.

Blantyre Hotel, Restaurant & Spa

16 Blantyre Road Lenox, MA, 01240 Phone: 413-637-3556 Toll-Free: 844-881-0104

Enter into the Gilded Age when you stay at this Berkshires castle-like estate

Leave your modern-day cares behind and step into the elegant Gilded Age at Blantyre, the Relais & Chateaux hotel on 110 acres of lawn and woodlands in the stunning Berkshires. The turreted Tudor estate, built at the turn of the 20th century as a tribute to the owner’s ancestral home in Scotland, includes a Main House with luxurious suites, many with fireplaces; a Carriage House with intriguing loft spaces; and several self-contained romantic cottages. Gourmet dining, Zagat remarked, is “served with old-world elegance.” Modern conveniences include a spacious heated outdoor pool, four Har-Tru tennis courts and The Potting Shed Spa. The area offers every attraction from golfing and horseback riding to antiques shopping, museums, concerts and theater.

Ocean House Resort

1 Bluff Avenue Watch Hill, RI, 02891 Phone: Toll-Free: 877-346-9442

Guests have been singing the praises of this magnificent seaside resort for decades

Accolades like its five-star rating from Forbes and AAA are nothing new at the Ocean House beachfront resort: Guests were raving about the location and service at the grand Victorian hotel back in the 19th century, when it was the premier place to experience the quintessential New England summer. Today’s resort has been meticulously reconstructed to pay tribute to that storied past. Rooms are furnished in turn-of-the-20th-century decor, with custom wooden furnishings and early New England artwork. Added modern amenities include wifi, soaking tubs, private terraces, 400-thread-count embroidered linens and plush robes. But the room views are still the spectacular selling point, whether it’s of the Atlantic, Little Narragansett Bay or charming Watch Hill Village.

Visit our sister properties - Weekapaug Inn - Watch Hill Inn

Tuck Inn B&B

17 High Street Rockport, MA, 01966 Phone: 978-546-7260 Toll-Free: 800-789-7260

History and hospitality combine in this charming Rockport inn

Built in 1790 by a sea captain for one of his sons, the charming Tuck Inn on the tip of Cape Ann still celebrates that sense of family – and that connection to a storied past. Welcome hospitality from the innkeepers and staff is as warm as each morning’s homemade breakfast. The comfortable rooms are filled with antiques and reproduction furniture. And a short stroll into Rockport’s village center lets you admire architecture dating back to before the Revolution and historic sites as well as views of the Atlantic, the lifeblood of this lovely coastal town. Nearby are lighthouses and, in Gloucester, the famous Fishermen’s Memorial statue, celebrating the area’s maritime history.

Hotel on North

297 North Street Pittsfield, MA, 01201 Phone: 413-358-4741

Boutique hotel draws on its legendary past and its vibrant sense of modern amenities

Don’t be surprised if you hear whispers of the past in the corridors of the Hotel on North, the boutique hotel in the center of the Berkshires region. The hotel’s buildings, on the National Register of Historic Places, have a long heritage as the legendary menswear and sporting goods emporium, Besse-Clarke. Many century-old details have been preserved, including exposed brick walls, tin ceilings, decorative columns – even a (stationary) birdcage elevator. But the present is evident here, too, with 45 individually appointed rooms, all with lightning-fast wifi, pillowtop mattresses and luxurious linens. The hotel is minutes away from all the great Berkshires attractions, from art and history museums to cultural venues, ski slopes, hiking, biking and shopping.

Rabbit Hill Inn

48 Lower Waterford Road Lower Waterford, VT, 05848 Phone: 802-748-5168

Romantic inn takes guests back to more relaxed era

Hospitality is an age-old tradition at the Rabbit Hill Inn, which began in the late 1700s as a place where traders traveling from Montreal to Boston or Portland could hoist a tankard of ale and lodge overnight. Save one period in the 1900s when it was a private home, Rabbit Hill has been an inn ever since. Today’s guests in the 19-room bed and breakfast will discover not only modern comforts (some rooms have double hydromassage tubs) but those that harken back to a relaxed age: a candlelit dining room serving exquisitely crafted American fare, crackling fireplaces, puzzles in cozy sitting rooms, lemonade in the afternoon on the porch and gazebos where you can listen to the waterfall. Rated #39 of the Top 100 Hotels Worldwide, #3 in the USA, and #1 in the Northeast by Travel & Leisure, July 2020.

The Landmark Trust USA

707 Kipling Road Dummerston, VT, 05301 Phone: 802-254-6868

Come live the literary history of Kipling and stay in these restored Vermont retreats

Yes, you can stay in the house where Rudyard Kipling wrote “The Jungle Book”! Come and be surrounded by history in one of Landmark Trust USA properties: Naulakha, Kipling’s Vermont home; Kipling’s Carriage House; the 1802 farmstead Amos Brown House; the cozy Scott Farm Sugarhouse or the 1837 Dutton Farmhouse. Come for a taste of history by visiting the 1791 Scott Farm Orchard and Market. The farm grows heirloom apples as well as blueberries, peaches, nectarines, plums and quince.

Front Door Plaque - Jared Coffin House B&B - Nantucket, MA

Massachusetts - Jared Coffin House

You could hardly find a more authentic historic lodging on Nantucket than the Jared Coffin House. A historic whaling center in the 19th-century, Nantucket and its town center was the place chosen for this three-story brick mansion home for Jared Coffin, one of the most successful ship owners of his time. The house was built in 1845 and its tough brick and slate roof survived a great fire in 1846. The mansion was later expanded and opened as a hotel. Today this elegant historic hotel offers fine service, placing guests in the center of fine dining, shopping, water sports, and sightseeing.