Integrating a piece of history into a meeting starts with its location. From coast to coast, the U.S. offers a bevy of storied properties. Following are just a handful of options, some recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as part of its Historic Hotels of America, which are selected for maintaining their “historic integrity, architecture and ambiance,” while others have their own stories to tell. Groups can experience the history in a variety of ways, from on-site tours to full-blown retro theme parties.
Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton, Coronado, Calif.
Dating to 1888, Hotel del Coronado, across the San Diego Bay, boasts star power among its historic peers. First promoted as a fishing and hunting resort, “The Del” drew East Coast elite who traveled by rail, and since then has undergone a variety of iterations.
During the ’20s, the beachside resort lured Hollywood and other celebrities, including the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Charles Lindbergh, who was honored at the hotel after his 1927 solo transatlantic flight. The Del also served as a military base during WWII and has been a mainstay on the presidential circuit, including visits by FDR, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama.
In 1958, director Billy Wilder chose The Del for the filming of Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe. Another film legend has ties to the resort. Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum traveled to Coronado repeatedly between 1904 and 1910, where he usually resided at The Del for months at a time. He wrote at least three books in the Oz series during that period and also designed the crown chandeliers in the famous Crown Room.
Boar’s Head Resort, Charlottesville, Va.
Today the resort can host Some Like It Hot or Wizard of Oz theme parties.
“The Crown Room space lends itself to that,” said Cheryl Ferguson, director of sales at the resort, noting that costumes and decor can reflect the ’20s, including a Prohibition-era speakeasy.
Ferguson said the Crown Room has also been turned into the Emerald City, replete with a chandelier made of ruby slippers. Top Gun was also filmed in the surrounding area, and groups can hire a local Tom Cruise lookalike for theme parties as well.
An on-staff historian can also customize tours of the property for groups.
Boar’s Head Resort, Charlottesville, Va.
Owned and operated by the University of Virginia (UVA) Foundation, Boar’s Head Resort is situated at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains near Charlottesville, Va. The 3,000-acre tract that the resort resides on was part of Virginia’s first land grant in 1734.
“This property has housed several past presidents, many notable UVA alums from varying industries, including sports, politics and news, as well as several other notable politicians due to the proximity to Washington,” said Russ Cronberg, general manager of the resort.
Founded by John Rogan and dedicated in 1965 by Gov. Albertis Harrison Jr., today the resort offers 175 rooms and suites and more than 20,000 square feet of meeting facilities.
Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton, Coronado, Calif.
The property will kick off 2019 with the debut of a fully renovated restaurant, bar, main entrance and lobby, following an $11 million upgrade, though it will keep traditional elements intact.
“Our guests will walk into a totally transformed area filled with natural elements, bookshelves adorned with historic reference materials and updated furnishings, making it a truly unique gathering place,” Cronberg explained.
The Old Mill Room restaurant, which was built from the timbers of an abandoned gristmill from 1834, will also be transformed.
“History will still run deep in this space, as we’ll have increased natural lighting that will illuminate the existing 1834 wood beams that provide a focal point for the room,” said Shawn Jernigan, director of food and beverage at the resort.
The design features seating for 200 guests, including a private dining area and flexible banquet space. The resort is also creating a History Hall that will walk guests through the timeline of the property, slated for completion in February with the renovation.
The Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs, W.Va.
When it comes to history, The Greenbrier, dating to 1778, has a treasure trove of stories. Located in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., with the backdrop of the Allegheny Mountains, there have been 27 presidents who visited the resort, with five of those coming before the Civil War. The cottage they stayed in is a museum today.
“The Greenbrier goes back way further than people can imagine,” said Dr. Robert S. Conte, the resort’s resident historian since 1978. “You get a sense of history just by driving on the grounds.”
In 1942, the U.S. Army purchased and converted the hotel into a 2,000-bed hospital known as Ashford General Hospital. Over the course of four years, more than 24,000 soldiers were admitted and treated there. New York decorator Dorothy Draper helped redecorate the hotel and cottages in the 1940s following the war.
In the 1950s, the U.S. government constructed an Emergency Relocation Center in an on-site bunker or bomb shelter, to be occupied by the U.S. Congress in case of war.
“Today, we encourage events in The Bunker,” said Greg Furlong, vice president of sales and event services at the property.
The Cloister, Sea Island, Ga.
Groups can take a tour and follow with a reception. Dinners can also be served in The Bunker, with historic menu items such as the 1963 dinner for the Prince and Princess of Monaco as well as President Eisenhower’s dinner, among others. The Greenbrier’s Culinary Arts Center, located in The Bunker, offers space for luncheons or dinners as well as culinary teambuilding.
The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Originally a dairy farm and gambling casino in the late 1800s, The Broadmoor was founded by Spencer Penrose, who had a vision. He transformed the land into a luxury resort near downtown Colorado Springs, opening it in June 1918. Today, The Broadmoor and its Wilderness Experience properties, including The Ranch at Emerald Valley, Cloud Camp and Fishing Camp, encompass 5,000 acres.
Groups can delve deep into the property’s history in a variety of ways, including an app-based scavenger hunt dubbed The Broadmoor Hunt, which engages users by having them locate historic items on property, solve trivia questions and create videos.
Another group option is the Western Art Collection Tour, which explores more than 175 works, mostly paintings and sculptures, housed at The Broadmoor, Cloud Camp and The Ranch at Emerald Valley.
The Penrose Heritage Museum at The Broadmoor also welcomes groups with its recent addition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb museum, featuring 4,000 square feet of artifacts and memorabilia from the history of the annual automobile and motorcycle climb to the summit of Pikes Peak.
Groups can tour the resort with a resident archivist. Other experiences include Prohibition-era cocktail parties with large bands and ballroom dancing lessons. The culinary team can also provide cooking classes with dishes from days gone by, such as chateaubriand.
Sea Island, Ga.
In the early 1900s, Howard Coffin, industrial magnate and creator of the Hudson automobile, purchased all of what is today’s Sea Island on the Georgia coast. Coffin and his young cousin Bill Jones commissioned famed Palm Beach architect Addison Mizner to design The Cloister, which opened in 1928.
In 2004, Sea Island gained notoriety as the site of the G8 Summit, hosted by President George W. Bush.
Today, groups can dine in The Cloister’s wine cellar, featuring a wooden ceiling created from a mid-1800s South Carolina sawmill. Tours on a variety of topics are also available with Wheeler Bryan Jr., the property’s resident historian, according to Scott Steilen, president and CEO of Sea Island Company.
One tour is the G8 Summit and Presidential History program, which features a walk through the Presidential Oaks followed by a visit to The Cloister’s Summit Room.
Groups can also stay at The Lodge at Sea Island, which recently finished a more than $25 mllion enhancement, including six new cottages and an 18-hole putting course.
