WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–#adaptivereuse–Historic Hotels of America®, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for recognizing and promoting the finest historic hotels in the United States, is pleased to announce The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America Best of Adaptive Reuse list. A popular and creative approach to historic preservation, adaptive reuse saves unused historic buildings from demolition by rehabilitating and renovating them to serve a new purpose. Travelers can visit many historic inns, resorts, and hotels in the United States today because their owners chose to reimagine these historic buildings in sustainable and creative ways. These adaptive reuse hotels inducted into Historic Hotels of America offer travelers an immersive, authentic, and fun way to experience historic preservation on their next trip.
Released during Preservation Month, The 2025 Top 25 Historic Hotels of America Best of Adaptive Reuse list spotlights 25 richly preserved historic buildings that were not originally built to be hotels. Guests can spend the night on a former luxury ocean liner, dine in a fire station, and swim in the hotel pool at a historic YMCA. One historic hotel featured on the list is a former junior high school that embraces its past with “hall pass” guestroom keycards and signature cocktails like the Prom Queen. Another historic hotel featured on the list is a former train station that curated train car-themed suites, named after the ticketing agents who once worked there. These hotels are proof that historic buildings can offer modern amenities while preserving their timeless character.
This month, the nation’s leading preservation nonprofit is shining a spotlight on the ways in which history and heritage are preserved in the United States, and on the people who are doing this important work. The theme this year honors those who are “Harnessing The Power of Place” —what historic hoteliers do every day for their guests.
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El Convento Hotel (1646) San Juan, Puerto Rico
Former Carmelite Convent
Located within the historic walled city of Old San Juan, El Convento Hotel was built over 350 years ago as a Roman Catholic convent for nuns of the Carmelite Order. The land was donated to the Order by Doña Ana Lanzós, a wealthy widow, in the early 1600s, but construction was delayed while labor and material resources were redirected to build the city’s fortifications. In 1646, King Phillip IV of Spain approved the convent, and San Juan finally had its beautiful new convent. Debuting as the Monasterio del Señor San José de la Orden de nuestra Señora del Carmen in 1651, the convent welcomed three nuns from Hispaniola as its first residents. For nearly 250 years, the convent was one of the Caribbean’s major Catholic facilities, often providing support to the Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista—the second-most historic cathedral in the Americas. In 1903, the convent closed. The Bishop of Puerto Rico determined that the convent was too expensive to maintain, and the building faced an uncertain future for 50 years. In the mid-20th century, Robert Woolworth stepped in and invested in the complete rehabilitation of the building, ultimately transforming the historic convent into a stunning, boutique hotel. Reborn as El Convento Hotel, it soon emerged as one of the most popular vacation destinations in all of San Juan. In fact, numerous celebrities—including Rita Hayworth and Truman Capote—were among the first guests to step inside. Further restorations and renovations have rejuvenated the building’s historical and structural integrity, revitalizing the Spanish-style design features of the original convent, such as the architectural details throughout the building’s façade. Among other historic features, a 300-year-old níspero fruit tree stands in the historic courtyard. El Convento Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 1999 and dates to 1646.
Woolverton Inn (1792) Stockton, New Jersey
Former Farmhouse and Barn
The bucolic Woolverton Inn and Northridge Restaurant exemplify the power of adaptive reuse in preserving history while offering modern amenities. This stunning destination is located on an estate with a beautifully restored manor house that dates to 1792, and a stone barn that dates to the 1830s, each repurposed to create a unique guest experience rooted in historic charm and sustainability. The manor house was originally built as an unassuming, two-story farmhouse in 1792. The early residents of the farm cultivated linseed and grain on the land and maintained a fruit orchard. It remained a private residence until the early 1980s, when it was carefully converted into an elegant country inn. The transformation preserved original details—including grand fireplaces, wide plank flooring, and hand-hewn beams—while integrating luxurious, modern amenities. Today, the manor house, along with its thoughtfully built cottages, welcomes guests seeking a historic yet refined retreat. The estate’s stone barn was meticulously restored and repurposed into Northridge Restaurant, a fine dining destination and event venue. While maintaining its rustic stone walls, soaring wooden beams, and original structural elements, the space has been outfitted with modern amenities to accommodate intimate dinners, weddings, and other celebrations. This transformation honors the barn’s agrarian history, while offering guests an immersive and atmospheric dining experience. By repurposing these existing buildings rather than constructing new ones, Woolverton Inn strategically minimizes its environmental impact while retaining its rich architectural heritage. Woolverton Inn was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2023 and dates to 1792.
The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center (1828) Staunton, Virginia
Former Hospital
The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center dates to 1828, when the Virginia State Government built Western State Hospital on 80 acres in Staunton, Virginia. Soon after it opened, the hospital administrators hired architect Thomas R. Blackburn to expand the medical campus. Blackburn was a respected architectural protégé of former U.S. President Thomas Jefferson. Blackburn directed the magnificent renovation of the complex, which saw the addition of spacious room wings, verdant gardens, and a magnificent cupola on top of the main hospital building. He aimed to create a place of healing that was as beautiful as it was useful. When construction concluded in 1836, the Western State Hospital stood as an architectural masterpiece. The hospital moved out of these buildings in the 1970s, and portions of the medical campus have been repurposed since then. In the early-21st century, investors acquired several of the buildings on the medical campus. After undergoing a long and careful renovation, The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center opened in Summer 2018, and was inducted into Historic Hotels of America that same year. The boutique hotel merges modern amenities and historic architectural details, along with elegant touches. The unique architectural features in The Blackburn Inn include the original heart pine floors and classical molding around the doorways. The transom windows on the third floor were the inspiration behind the inn’s logo. Guests can learn more about the inn’s architectural history by asking for information at the front desk, or by locating a copy of In Jefferson’s Shadow: The Architecture of Thomas R. Blackburn (2006) in the gift shop. The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2018 and dates to 1828.
Visitation Hotel Frederick, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel (1846) Frederick, Maryland
Former Convent and Girls’ School
Guests can marvel at the striking architectural details of Visitation Hotel Frederick, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel, which served as a Catholic educational institution led by the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary in historic Frederick, Maryland, for over 150 years. The school was at the center of the greater Frederick community throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, even briefly serving as a Civil War field hospital for wounded troops after the nearby Battle of Antietam. The historic academy continued to be active in the community into the 20th century. In the early 2000s, the Vatican closed the monastery and relocated the nuns to another convent in Virginia. The academy operated for a few more years until it closed permanently in 2016. Sitting completely vacant, the fate of the historic institution seemed dire. However, Annapolis-based businessman James O’Hare decided to purchase the academy. Vowing to save its impressive cultural heritage, he invested $20 million to adapt the academy compound into a boutique hotel and restaurant. O’Hare and his team from OTJ Architects carefully preserved the facility’s architecture, collaborating closely with the National Park Service and the Maryland Historical Trust to ensure that its historical character would be left intact. Debuting as the Visitation Hotel Frederick, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel in 2024 and inducted into Historic Hotels of America that same year, this historic hotel invites cultural travelers to experience its architecture, art, history, and hospitality. Visitation Hotel Frederick, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2024 and dates to 1846.
Bellwether House (1876) Savannah, Georgia
Former Private Rowhouses
The charming Bellwether House occupies two stately 19th-century townhouses, originally built in 1876 as private residences for two prominent Savannah families. These Italianate-style homes were thoughtfully designed with the hallmark architectural features of the era—soaring ceilings, grand staircases, symmetrical façades, and intricate moldings. The legacy of Bellwether House’s grand private residences is woven throughout the boutique hotel. Guests encounter historic design elements at every turn: original heart pine floors, period-specific chandeliers, and elegant fireplaces that once warmed drawing rooms and parlors. The expansive front porches and meticulously landscaped courtyards evoke the genteel lifestyle of Savannah’s past, encouraging a slower pace and neighborly interactions. During the buildings’ transformations, great care was taken to preserve the original architectural details while weaving in modern comforts and luxurious amenities. Each suite is unique, with layouts shaped by the original footprints, and décor that blends Southern charm with modern elegance. History lovers can appreciate the deep respect shown for the Bellwether House’s design integrity—every choice, from furnishings to fixtures, was made with the house’s history in mind. The restoration team collaborated closely with artisans and preservationists to ensure that every architectural design element—from plaster ceiling medallions to original fireplaces—was retained or thoughtfully restored, honoring the original craftsmanship and Gilded Age grandeur. Guests are welcomed with a brief narrative of the Bellwether House’s history, as the hotel staff are trained to share this unique history. Daily Afternoon Tea—a quintessential tradition of the Victorian Era—is served with an elevated, wellness-focused twist, inviting guests to immerse themselves in the slower pace of the 19th century. Bellwether House was named one of Historic Hotels of America’s “Most Romantic” hotels of 2025. Bellwether House was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2021.
Atheneum Suite Hotel (1879) Detroit, Michigan
Former Seed Company Warehouse
Originally a seed company warehouse in Detroit, Michigan, when the city was the “Seed Capital of the World,” Atheneum Suite Hotel offers 173 elegant suites with views of the city’s skyline. The business’s history can be traced to 1856, when businessman Dexter Mason Ferry established his seed company in Detroit and opened a large warehouse complex on the corner of Monroe Street and Beaubien Boulevard in 1879. The most historic portion of the current building dates to 1886, when a newer, grander warehouse designed by architect Gordon W. Lloyd was built, who drew inspiration for the Romanesque-style warehouse from Marshall Field’s Wholesale Store in Chicago. Debuting as the largest industrial structure in Detroit at the time, the building stood eight stories tall and featured a distinctive brick façade with limestone trim. The ornate, imposing warehouse served as the company’s headquarters for decades. By the 1950s, the company expanded into world markets as the Ferry-Morse Seed Company and moved its business operations away from Detroit, leading to the closure of its historic warehouse. In the 1980s, businessman Jim Papas, a Greek immigrant with deep connections to the neighborhood, acquired the site and planned to build an upscale hotel. He recognized the building’s rich heritage and directed the renovations to preserve the building’s architectural integrity. Papas and his team transformed the Ferry-Morse Seed Company’s warehouse into a mixed-use urban mall known as Trappers Alley, establishing the Atheneum Suite Hotel at the same time. Part of the historic Greektown neighborhood, the Atheneum Suite Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2023.
Lancaster Arts Hotel (1881) Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Former Tobacco Warehouse
The Lancaster Arts Hotel preserves and celebrates its history in every aspect of its design. Originally constructed in the 1880s as the Falk and Rosenbaum Tobacco Warehouse, it played a significant role in Lancaster, Pennsylvania’s once-thriving tobacco industry. Built with red brick masonry, thick wooden beams, and iron reinforcements, the warehouse was designed to store large quantities of tobacco under optimal conditions. The exposed brick and wooden beams remain an integral part of the hotel’s aesthetic today. The hotel honors its industrial origins while reflecting its evolution into a destination that celebrates both creativity and hospitality. Handcrafted furniture by Pennsylvanian artisans, including traditional four-poster beds and tobacco chairs, reinforces the hotel’s history and commitment to regional craftsmanship. The hotel’s carefully curated ambiance pays homage to its past while offering modern elegance to its guests, seamlessly incorporating metal fixtures, reclaimed wood, and warehouse-style windows that honor the building’s history. In 2004, developers recognized the potential to transform this historic warehouse space into a boutique hotel. Over a two-year period, great care was taken to restore its original brick walls, wooden beams, and sections of the original wood flooring, ensuring that the integrity of the structure remained intact while creating a warm and inviting atmosphere for guests. A dedicated history wall in the lobby tells the story of the building’s transformation into a boutique historic hotel. The hotel embraces its role as both a boutique hotel and a cultural landmark, allowing guests to engage with the building’s history through its design, storytelling, and art. The Lancaster Arts Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2008 and dates to 1881.
Fairfield Inn & Suites Madison Historic Eagle Cotton Mill (1884) Madison, Indiana
Former Cotton Mill
Located on the banks of the Ohio River, Fairfield Inn & Suites Madison Historic Eagle Cotton Mill was built in 1884 as a cotton mill. Local businessmen Robert Rankin and James White constructed the Eagle Cotton Mill to bolster Madison’s manufacturing-based economy. They used money raised through local subscriptions to purchase and relocate equipment from a Pennsylvania mill, and by the turn of the twentieth century, the mill was the city’s major industrial plant, with 400 employees producing muslin, canvas, and twine. The mill ceased operations during the Great Depression, and the building housed other manufacturing operations for another 50 years, producing shoes, canvas military goods, ice cream carts, and refrigerators. Despite its prime location, the building fell into disrepair and was even listed on Indiana Landmarks’ 10 Most Endangered places list in 2013 and 2014. Preservation-minded investors soon saved the building, carefully renovating and restoring it. The building’s façade remains mostly the same, as a masonry company repaired more than a million original bricks, and new windows were installed within the original frames. Inside, the building retains its original wooden beams, where visitors can see where factory workers carved their names, and the names of their loved ones, into the wood. Original wood from the mill’s historic stairs was repurposed and installed as a statement wall behind the lobby bar. Complementing these historic architectural design features, the interior design and artwork throughout this historic hotel highlights the building’s history. When the Fairfield Inn & Suites Madison Historic Eagle Cotton Mill opened, it won the Indiana Landmarks Renaissance Award, recognizing its revitalization of the historic mill and the subsequent economic revitalization of Madison, Indiana. Fairfield Inn & Suites Madison Historic Eagle Cotton Mill was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2023.
Napa River Inn (1884) Napa, California
Former Warehouse
Napa River Inn is a historic inn on the Napa River in California’s Wine Country. However, this riverfront getaway has not always been a boutique hotel. Napa River Inn was known as the Hatt Building for decades, and served a variety of purposes before its transformation into an inn. In 1882, Captain Albert E. Hatt, a German immigrant, decided to invest in a plot of land at the corner of Main Street and Fifth Street in Napa, California, where he built a massive multipurpose warehouse that became a success. Local merchants used the warehouse to store goods, and the warehouse provided space for Alma Hogan Hatt, Albert’s wife, to open a restaurant. On the second floor, the Hatts added a skating rink, library, and dining area. After the Hatt family moved on, the building served as a granary and mill for local farmers for approximately 50 years. After a period of uncertainty in the late-20th century, an investor acquired the building in 1992 with a plan to transform it into a stunning hotel, worthy of the beautiful Napa Valley, while preserving the building’s rich history and architectural integrity. The Hatt Building debuted as the Napa River Inn in 2000. Today, guests can stay in guestrooms with exposed brick walls that are original to the warehouse, and can even book Captain Hatt’s Suite, complete with a fireplace and a clawfoot slipper bathtub. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places and once named as one of America’s Dozen Distinctive Destinations by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Napa River Inn was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2004.
Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa (1885) Sausalito, California
Former Private Home
Built in 1885 as a private manor house, Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa was once the residence of William G. Barrett—a San Francisco businessman originally from Vermont—and his family. Styled after Tuscan villas, and utilizing Victorian Era architecture, with its porticos and verandas, the beautiful hillside house was part of a wave of modern development in Sausalito, California, as the San Francisco Bay Area expanded in the latter half of the 19th century. The hillside location in Sausalito provided a wide-angle view of the San Francisco Bay, teeming with large cargo ships, elegant yachts, and sidewheeler ferryboats. Today, guests can still enjoy these panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. The Barretts sold the house in 1906, and its new owner transformed the manor house into a popular hotel. By the 1980s, the hotel’s owner acquired a former garage located next to the house and adapted the garage into additional guestrooms. It was around this time that the owner successfully nominated the hotel to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2010, a new owner undertook a bold and visionary restoration effort to revitalize the manor house, while maintaining its architectural integrity. It was a success: today, guests can enjoy the original Barrett home and its preserved Victorian Era architectural details, as well as modern hotel amenities. Guests can still walk up the original ramp of Mason’s Garage, which now features stairs that lead up to the hotel’s wellness courtyard and spa. This historic hotel offers luxurious suites with expansive views of San Francisco and Marin County, as well as spa amenities and fine dining. Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2024.
Ledges Hotel (1890) Hawley, Pennsylvania
Former Glass Factory
Perched on the edge of Wallenpaupack Creek in Hawley, Pennsylvania, amid the breathtaking scenery of the Pocono Mountains, Ledges Hotel is a tranquil destination with a fascinating industrial history. The Federal-style building dates to the 1890s, when it served as the J.S. O’Connor American Rich Cut Glassware Factory, one of the largest of its kind in the United States at the time. Founded by an Irish immigrant, the factory on Wallenpaupack Creek was water-powered and was one of the county’s biggest employers. In 2011, family-owned Settlers Hospitality Group acquired the building to develop a hotel and restaurant that would preserve the aesthetic of this historic building, which was constructed with Pennsylvania Bluestone. Wood from the trusses of the adjacent Bellemonte Silk Mill was repurposed into modern beds and tables for the guestrooms. The décor in the hotel’s restaurant, Glass, includes original glass mold prints from the factory, as well as historic images from this time period. Wood from a fallen 250-year-old copper beech tree was used to create a live edge bar and tabletops for the dining room. A part of the hotel known as the ruins was converted into an outdoor lounge space. This area is a favorite of guests, and visitors can see a portion of the original factory building, where the architecture blends seamlessly with the surrounding natural rock ledges and waterfall. Merging modern design and amenities with historic architectural integrity and environmental sustainability, Ledges Hotel was inducted into Historic Hotels of America in 2013.
The Kendall Hotel (1894) Cambridge, Massachusetts
Former Fire Engine House
The origins of The Kendall Hotel in Cambridge, Massachusetts, harken back to the height of the Gilded Age. During the 1890s, the neighborhood of Kendall Square had rapidly emerged as one of Cambridge’s most industrialized areas. Due to the neighborhood’s growth, city officials extended a branch of the Cambridge Fire Department to the area. Engine 7, the new fire station, moved into a state-of-the-art fire engine house in 1894. Designed by architects R.J. Fitzgerald and S.D. Mitchell of Boston, the new fire station contained numerous technological innovations, including advanced steam pumpers, coal bunkers, and a novel fire engine. It was one of the region’s first single-purpose fire stations, and the Engine 7 Firehouse served Kendall Square until 1993. At that time, the historic Engine 7 moved to a new, modern headquarters. Left abandoned, the fate of the fire engine house appeared bleak until two preservationists made it their mission to save the building.
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