How to Join Historic Hotels of America

This blog helps you understand what it takes for a property to join Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This runs through nomination and review, not a simple self-service signup.

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What Is Historic Hotels of America?

Historic Hotels of America is the official historic hotel recognition program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, founded in 1989 to promote heritage tourism. It identifies hotels that have faithfully maintained their historic integrity, architecture, and ambiance, distinct from hotels that are simply old.

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How to Join Historic Hotels of America

This runs through nomination and expert review, not a self-service form you fill out and hear back from automatically. Here’s how it actually works:

Step 1: Confirm your property meets the baseline age requirement. Your hotel must be at least 50 years old. This is a hard eligibility line, not a soft guideline, so properties younger than this aren’t eligible regardless of historic character.

Step 2: Confirm your historic designation status. Your property needs to be designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, or listed in, or eligible for listing in, the National Register of Historic Places. This documentation exists independently of the Historic Hotels of America program itself, so it’s worth confirming your current status before nominating.

Step 3: Document your property’s historic significance. Beyond age and formal designation, the program looks for genuine historic significance, meaning your property’s role in local, regional, or national history. A well-preserved old building without a documented historic story is a weaker candidate than a smaller property with a clear, verifiable history.

Step 4: Submit a nomination. Nominations are the entry point into the program, evaluated against the eligibility criteria above. This differs from a typical consortium application in that it’s framed as a nomination for recognition, not a straightforward business signup.

Step 5: Go through expert panel review. A panel evaluates nominees against the program’s criteria. Historic Hotels of America has inducted new members in most recent years, so the program remains active and accepting new properties, even though it’s selective.

Step 6: Don’t confuse this with the annual Awards of Excellence. Once a property is a member, it becomes eligible for separate annual awards recognizing outstanding member hotels. That’s a distinct recognition from membership itself, and the nomination and criteria for each aren’t the same thing.

Historic Hotels of America doesn’t publish a detailed, step-by-step applicant portal the way some booking platforms do, so properties considering nomination should expect a more relationship-driven process, run through the National Trust and its program partners, rather than an instant online determination.

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Common Reasons Properties Aren’t Accepted

• Falling short of the 50-year age requirement, regardless of architectural quality
• Lacking formal National Historic Landmark or National Register documentation
• Having historic-looking architecture without a genuinely documented historic significance
• Confusing this program with a general “old hotel” marketing label rather than a verified historic designation

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Ready to Let roommaster Support the Legacy?

Earning Historic Hotels of America recognition means your property’s age and character do the marketing, but running day-to-day operations, often in an older building with a smaller team, still depends on getting the basics right every stay. roommaster’s PMS helps handle reservations, front desk, and housekeeping so your team can focus on preserving the experience that earned this recognition in the first place.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How old does my hotel need to be to join Historic Hotels of America?

At least 50 years old. This is a firm eligibility requirement.

2. Do I need a formal historic designation to join?

Yes. You need National Historic Landmark status, or listing in or eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places.

3. Is this the same as winning an Award of Excellence?

No. Awards of Excellence recognize existing member hotels annually. Membership itself is a separate, ongoing recognition.

4. How many hotels are currently part of this program?

Over 300 properties currently hold this recognition.

5. Is there a simple online application?

The program runs through nomination and expert panel review rather than a simple self-service form.

6. Who operates Historic Hotels of America?

It’s the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, founded in 1989.