Many of the United States’ most historic hotels weren’t always places where guests could rest their heads after a long day of traveling or city exploring. However, thanks to adaptive reuse and design preservation efforts, there are stays sprinkled across the country with storied pasts that truly make them one-of-a-kind properties, perfect for memorable trips.
Would you ever stay in a hotel that was previously an airport terminal? Or a convent? Or even a jail? Below, read up on five special hotel properties that used to be something else.
5 Historic Hotels That Used To Be Something Else
The Liberty Hotel — Boston, MA
Starting off strong, this stay is one of the most unique U.S.-based adaptive reuse hotels on this list. Once a place where criminals paid for their crimes, the property’s larger story is one of prison reform advocacy and the historical preservation of local landmarks. The site of Boston’s Charles Street Jail between 1851 and 1973 — a whopping 122 years — that role ended following a prisoner rebellion over poor living conditions. Eventually, in 2007, the site reopened as The Liberty Hotel, with help from historians and conservationists at the Massachusetts Historical Commission, the National Park Service, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and the Boston Landmarks Commission. Notably, design elements still include Boston Granite Style, and French, New England, American colonial, Romanesque, and Renaissance styles.
Located in the city’s historic Beacon Hill neighborhood, The Liberty Hotel is a great choice if you want a stunning stay with a poignant past. It has 298 rooms and suites, exclusive access to an Equinox Fitness Club, daily instructor-guided yoga classes, car service (within three miles), and bikes and kayaks available for rental. Highlights of your experience may include an exclusive tour of the property and its history, and the former jail exercise yard turned courtyard garden.
The Driskill — Austin, TX
Ghost hunters and spooky season lovers — this one’s for you. This historic mansion-style hotel is also largely believed to be one of America’s most haunted. Several spirits reportedly linger on the property, including that of a young girl who died on the grand staircase, two brides who took their lives in Room 525, and the site’s builder, Colonel Jesse Driskill.
Opened as a hotel by the colonel in 1886, the property became well known for its grand balls and hospitality toward high-profile politicians and dignitaries. Now it boasts 189 guest rooms and suites, traditional beauty, and quintessential Texas flair. Go for the historic haunted lore and stay for the special views of downtown Austin.
Kimpton Hotel Monaco DC — Washington, D.C.
From opening as a hotel to housing various government buildings, then returning to hotel use, this site’s past is like no other. It began as the Blodgett’s Hotel in 1795, then became the U.S. Post Office and Patent Office in 1810. It also formerly housed the General Land Office, the Tariff Commission, and more, contributing to the building becoming a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
Then, in 2002, the property opened as the Kimpton Hotel Monaco DC. With 184 rooms and “neoclassical grandeur,” guests have direct access to some of the best of D.C.‘s art scene (the National Portrait Gallery, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Ford’s Theatre, and the Shakespeare Theatre Company), as well as nearby Chinatown and the city’s Capital One Arena (perfect for sporting events and concerts).
TWA Hotel — New York City, New York
This former airport terminal turned hotel is one of the most Instagram-worthy additions to this list. That’s thanks to its eye-catching red accents and Jet-Age-inspired and midcentury modern design elements.
There are 512 guest rooms, a rooftop infinity pool, and the world’s biggest hotel gym (10,000 square feet) at this hotel just outside New York City’s John F. Kennedy Airport. Also on-site is a vibey 1958 plane turned cocktail lounge, an observation deck to watch planes on the runway, and museum exhibits filled with memorabilia from the “Golden Age” of air travel.
The Press Hotel, Autograph Collection — Portland, Maine
Through its theme, this former newspaper plant keeps the spirit of its former life alive. The home base of the Portland Press Herald from 1923 to 2010, the property is now a 110-room hotel, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, and featured in the Michelin Guide. When not enjoying the ins and outs of Maine’s biggest city, guests will wander this hotel’s spaces inspired by its former newsroom offices.
Expect printed letters on the hallway carpets, an installation of typewriters in the lobby, Scrabble laid out to play, and unique typesettings used as design accents.
El Convento Hotel — Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
This 375-year-old living piece of history was originally built as a Catholic convent (named the “Monasterio del Señor San José de la Orden de nuestra Señora del Carmen”) for Carmelite Order nuns who lived there until 1903. Doña Ana Lanzós, a wealthy noblewoman, donated the property’s land in 1646. By 1651, the convent was built as a place of cloistered living and strict, conscientious devotion for its religious inhabitants.
The restored building is now a luxury stay for guests from around the world. Its Spanish colonial-style architecture is blended with contemporary design notes. Every day, complimentary wine and cheese are served on the terrace, and guests can enjoy the plunge pool and jacuzzi on the rooftop daily from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m. A notable experience: It’s also worthwhile to spend time in the courtyard, admiring its over 300-year-old níspero fruit tree.
