Historic Hotels of America® Announces Winners of the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Historic Hotels of America® is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence. (Photos) 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 at the 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony and Gala on the evening of Thursday, October 15. The Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection in Williamsburg, Virginia, hosted the event, which was attended by more than 240 hospitality industry leaders including local dignitaries, special guests, and owners, general managers, senior management, and representatives of the world’s finest historic hotels. The Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection, a member of Historic Hotels of America, is part of Colonial Williamsburg, which is celebrating 100 years in 2026 as the world’s largest American history museum.
Eighteen distinct Historic Hotels of America Annual Awards of Excellence were presented to the year's 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.
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From more than 700 nominations received for these categories, the awards committee selected the following 2026 Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence winners:
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: Marcus Whitman Hotel (1928) Walla Walla, Washington
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: The Wigwam (1929) Litchfield Park, Arizona
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 Gasparilla Inn (1913) Boca Grande, Florida
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 Gunter Hotel San Antonio Riverwalk, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel (1909) San Antonio, Texas
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: Moana Surfrider, a Westin Resort & Spa (1901) Honolulu, Hawaii
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: Castle Hot Springs (1896) Morristown, Arizona
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (76–200 Guestrooms)
This award is presented to a hotel with 76–200 guestrooms that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service.
Winner: The Otesaga Hotel (1909) Cooperstown, New York
Historic Hotels of America Best Historic Hotel (201–400 Guestrooms)
This award is presented to a hotel with 201–400 guestrooms that best celebrates its history in the guest experience and provides exceptional customer hospitality and service.
Winner: Skirvin, a Hilton Hotel (1911) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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: InterContinental New York Barclay (1926) New York, New York
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: Wye Oak Tavern by celebrity Chefs Bryan and Michael Voltaggio at historic Visitation Hotel Frederick, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel (1846) Frederick, Maryland
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.
Winners: Andre Richardson and Leslie Shotwell at Colonial Williamsburg Resorts: Williamsburg Inn (1937) and Williamsburg Lodge, Autograph Collection (1939) Williamsburg, Virginia
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 von Trapp Family at von Trapp Family Lodge and Resort (1942) Stowe, Vermont
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: Susan Wilson at Omni Parker House (1855) Boston, Massachusetts
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: Terry Haney at Presidio Lodging: The Lodge at the Presidio (1894) and Inn at the Presidio (1903) San Francisco, California
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: Chuck Franz, Chief Executive Officer of French Lick Resort (see earlier announcement)
Historic Hotels of America Steward of History and Historic Preservation Award
This award is presented to individuals or organizations dedicated to the preservation of legendary historic hotels, honoring their commitment to ensuring future generations can experience historic hotels’ history and stories.
Winner: Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (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: Andrew N. Todd, President and Chief Executive Officer of Xanterra Travel Collection® (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 the United States.
Winner: Christy S. Coleman, Executive Director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (see earlier announcement)
“The 2026 Historic Hotels of America Awards of Excellence recognize exceptional achievement in preserving our nation’s heritage and delivering extraordinary hospitality,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Vice President, Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide. “These prestigious awards honor legendary historic hotels and exemplary hoteliers whose leadership, stewardship, and dedication set a distinguished standard for our industry. Each award celebrates both the recipient’s accomplishments and the enduring contributions of the owners, operators, and associates who bring these legendary and memorable hotels to life. We congratulate this year’s Historic Hotels of America Awards recipients as exceptional stewards of history and the stories entrusted to their care, safeguarding America’s architectural and cultural treasures, creating unforgettable guest experiences, and inspiring generations of guests.”
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 Worldwide®, an affiliated program of Historic Hotels of America, announced its own winners of the Historic Hotels Annual Awards of Excellence this week.
About Historic Hotels of America®
Historic Hotels of America® is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and celebrating the finest historic hotels from across the United States of America. The National Trust for Historic Preservation was chartered by U.S. Congress in 1949 and is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is leading the movement to save places where our history happened. To be nominated and selected for membership in this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old; designated by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a National Historic Landmark or listed in or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized as having historical significance. Of the more than 300 historic hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America from 46 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, all historic hotels faithfully preserve their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity. For more information, please visit HistoricHotels.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Katherine Orr
Director, Marketing Strategy and Communications
Historic Hotels of America │ Historic Hotels Worldwide
korr@historichotels.org
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