Hotel History
We take you with us through the sordid history and scandals of some of the world’s most famous – and infamous – hotels. https://www.hotelhistory.com
Episodes
From having a hearty stew sent to your room in the local inn to scanning QR codes, room service has changed its form but never its allure—tasty fare with minimal effort. One hotel in particular made modern room service a necessity for luxury establishments, and others quickly followed suit. What are the most common and most bizarre room service orders? And how do some hotels elevate their offerings from more than a $20 club sandwic...
Rob Hart's The Paradox Hotel is a genre-bending sci-fi thriller with an arsenal of mystery, action, heart, and, um, dinosaurs? We discuss our love/hate relationship with the main character, how a hotel dedicated to helping the uber wealthy time travel might run a little differently than a normal one, and the theory of time travel itself, naturally.
Pick up a copy of The Paradox Hotel here.*
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Footsteps in the hallway. Cold spots in your room. A child's laughter bouncing off the walls. And phone calls full of static. Learn about the hauntings in one of Denver's oldest luxury hotels, the Brown Palace, and a century-old double homicide that could account for some of the paranormal activity.
Read more about the Brown Palace murders here.*
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As the veil between worlds thins, the ghosts come out to play. And the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, has so many, it's been named the most haunted hotel in America by a number of ghost hunters. From a hopeless romantic Victorian gentleman to the notorious "Doctor" Baker, you'll meet these ghosts and more in this aubergine castle in the Ozarks.
Read more about the hauntings at the Crescent Hotel here.*
Fol...
When Shamim Ehsani and his brother envisioned a brand new luxury hotel for Kenya's capital city of Nairobi, they knew exactly what they wanted: A creative outlet for chefs, designers, and other visionaries. A platform for the arts. A place of authenticity. And most importantly—a home for the human tribe. They built all those things and more at Tribe Hotel, a five-star boutique hotel that has woven itself into the fabric of this vib...
Hollywood thinks it knows drama? It could take a page from the Beverly Hilton's book. From star-studded events to political scandals to celebrity tragedies, few hotels have packed quite so many sordid happenings into seven decades of history.
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Not too long ago, jets from TWA airline ruled the skies, and its terminal at JFK was a marvel of futuristic design. Its name conjured images of fashionabLe flight attendants, first class service, and eccentric billionaire owner Howard Hughes. Today the airline is no more, but its terminal lives on as the TWA Hotel, where you can travel back in time for a night or just a layover.
You can learn more about the Jet Age here.*
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For our latest bookclub episode, we discuss Ann Hood's memoir of her time as a TWA flight attendant at the end of the "glamorous" Jet Age in Fly Girl. To stay up to date on our current read, join our book club here. 📖
Pick up Fly Girl here.*
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If you're going to call yourself the longest continuously operating hotel in America, you'd better have some juicy history to back it up. Luckily, the Omni Parker House delivers. Predating the Civil War by 10 years, the Parker House has hosted celebrities, politicians, revolutionaries, assassins, and at least one ghost. Not to be outdone, its restaurant is responsible for culinary delights like the Boston cream pie. The Omni Parker...
Bashar Wali wants to be your hotel guy, and you really couldn't find someone who knows hospitality as intimately. With 30 years of experience as a hotelier and hundreds of hotel stays notched on his bedpost, he knows a thing or two about happy customers. For Wali, everything in hospitality comes down to one thing—human connection.
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Part two! The Lodge at Marconi is a picturesque escape an hour north of San Francisco on Tomales Bay, But don't let its tranquility fool you—its history still packs a punch. We interview General Manager Leah Fritts Vitali to find out how this property, spanning 62 acres on a state park, has transformed from its first inception as a radio receiving station—and later on the site of an infamous cult—into a chic 70s-inspired nature ret...
The Lodge at Marconi is a picturesque escape an hour north of San Francisco on Tomales Bay, But don't let its tranquility fool you—its history still packs a punch. We interview General Manager Leah Fritts Vitali to find out how this property, spanning 62 acres on a state park, has transformed from its first inception as a radio receiving station—and later on the site of an infamous cult—into a chic 70s-inspired nature retreat for f...
Part two of our foray into Cannes' most historic (and luxurious) hotels continues our interview with travel writer JQ Louise and digs into the history of the Hotel Martinez and the iconic casino and members club, Palm Beach Cannes. Don't forget to check out part one about the Carlton Hotel.
🧳 Follow JQ Louise and the JQ List for travel, food, and lifestyle content.
We're dreaming of blue waters, sandy beaches, and beautiful people, which means we're off to the French Riviera (figuratively). With the Cannes Film Festival happening this week, we're bringing you two episodes about its most historic (and luxurious) hotels, the Carlton and the Martinez, along with the iconic casino and members club, Palm Beach Cannes. We interview JQ Louise from the JQ List about her many stays on the Côte d'Azur ...
The Seelbach Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, is known for its Old World grandeur, its relaxed, Southern style, and its proximity to the most exciting two minutes in sports—it's just a couple miles away for Churchill Downs, the site each year of the Kentucky Derby. While its history isn't quite as old as the famed horse race that kicks off the Triple Crown, the Seelbach has still stacked up plenty of stories in its 120-year existence...
We explore the very real history of the Hotel Metropol in Moscow through the lens of Amor Towles' bestselling novel, A Gentleman in Moscow. The fictional Count Alexander Ilyich Rostov is a member of the aristocracy at a very inconvenient time—the Bolshevik Revolution. Saved by a twist of fate, instead of an execution, he faces house arrest at the Metropol for the rest of his days. Over the next few decades we see the Soviet dream r...
We return to NYC for the iconic Empire Hotel. Perhaps best known these days as a recurring setting in the hit TV series Gossip Girl, it has more than 100 years of history on 63rd and Broadway. Its famous neon sign overlooks the popular rooftop bar and sweeping views of the city.
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The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., has seen some incredible history. We finish up their centennial series with JFK and Jackie O through Russiagate, and then learn what's next for this stately Grand Dame.. Thanks again to Katherine Orr of Historic Hotels of America for your insightful answers on the past and future of historic hotels.
Learn more about the Mayflower and its famous guests here.*
We continue celebrating the Mayflower Hotel's centennial with part 2 of her incredible history. This episode takes us on a mid 20th century roller coaster ride, including the New Deal, World War II, and the Truman and Eisenhower presidencies. We also continue our interview with Katherine Orr of Historic Hotels of America.
Learn more about the Mayflower and its famous guests here.*
The Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC, is an icon, and she's turning 100 this month! Known as the Grande Dame of Washington, the Hotel of Presidents, and Washington's Second Best Address, we're digging into the history behind this storied landmark. We also interview Katherine Orr of Historic Hotels of America for her take on the significance and impact of the Mayflower and historic hotels like it.
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