VIRGINIA, Nov 5 ― A 19th century hotel and spa in Riverside, California which has hosted 10 US presidents in its lifetime has been named one of the best historic hotels in the US.
The Mission Inn Hotel & Spa is one of about a dozen landmarks and historic properties which were singled out at the Historic Hotels 2016 Awards of Excellence, where it took the award for best historic hotel (201 - 400 guest rooms).
The Historic Hotels of America is the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, founded in 1989.
The win is timely given election fever in the US and the hotel’s storied history hosting 10 US presidents since opening in 1876.
Richard Nixon chose the inn as the wedding venue for his nuptials to wife Pat, while Ronald and Nancy Reagan chose it for their honeymoon destination.
Other US presidents that have crossed the Mission Inn’s threshold include Benjamin Harrison, William Howard Taft, John F. Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt, George W. Bush, William McKinley, Herbert Hoover and Gerald Ford.
The AAA Four Diamond property features a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, gardens, museum, gold, spa and fitness center.
Member hotels gain admittance for having faithfully maintained their authenticity, sense of place, and architectural integrity in the US, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
Properties must be at least 50 years old; a National Historic Landmark or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; and recognized for having historic significance.
“These historic hotels and hoteliers represent the pinnacle in historic hotels and their achievements,” said Lawrence Horwitz, Executive Director of Historic Hotels of America and Historic Hotels Worldwide.
“Their dedicated stewardship and innovative leadership helps ensure that these legendary historic hotels and their wonderful histories will continued to be enjoyed by future generations of travelers.”
Here are some of the winners:
Historic Hotels of America New Member of the Year: White Stallion Ranch (1900) Tucson, Arizona
Best Small Historic Inn/Hotel (Under 75 Guestrooms: Inn at the Presidio (1903) San Francisco, California
Best Historic Hotel (76-200 Guestrooms): La Fonda on the Plaza™ (1922) Santa Fe, New Mexico
Best Historic Hotel (201-400 Guestrooms): Mission Inn Hotel & Spa (1876) Riverside, California
Best Historic Hotel (Over 400 Guestrooms): Palace Hotel, A Luxury Collection Hotel (1875) San Francisco, California
Best City Center Historic Hotel: The Mayflower Hotel, Autograph Collection (1925) Washington, DC
Best Historic Resort: The Omni Homestead Resort (1766) Hot Springs, Virginia
Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in Europe: Hotel Schweizerhof Luzern (1845) Lucerne, Switzerland
Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in Asia/Pacific: Hotel New Grand (1927) Yokohama, Japan
Best Historic Hotels Worldwide hotel in the Americas: Hacienda Xcanatún (1789) Merida, Mexico. ― Afp-Relaxnews
