Blake Hall
Some of the most beautiful, historic hotels in America are located near military installations. We selected the top ten to help you plan your next getaway.
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1. Hotel Del Coronado — Coronado Island, CA
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When it first opened in 1888, The Del had room rates starting at $2.50 per night, a fare that also included three meals per day. Rates have since increased as The Del, an official National Historic Landmark, has become a part of the culture and history of Coronado Island near San Diego. President Benjamin Harrison, who visited the hotel in 1891, remarked: “One who has ever breathed this atmosphere would want to live here always.”
Close to: Naval Station San Diego, Naval Base Coronado, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Fort Irwin
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2. The Homestead Resort — Hot Springs, VA
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There is a reason 22 American Presidents have stayed at The Homestead since the 18th century. Thomas Jefferson basked in the hot springs that flow onto the hotel’s property in 1818, and guests today can enjoy the same experience. With golf, skeet shooting, horseback riding, fly fishing, tennis, and skiing during the winter months, The Homestead remains the premier destination site for vacations in Virginia.
Close to: Naval Station Norfolk, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Andrews Air Force Base, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Fort Meade, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Detrick, Fort Lee, Fort Eustis, Marine Corps Base Quantico, The Pentagon, Fort McNair, Langley Air Force Base
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3. The Royal Hawaiian — Waikiki Beach, HI
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Affectionately known as the “Pink Palace of the Pacific”, The Royal Hawaiian has been stunning guests with its quiet alcoves, bubbling spas and unmistakable Spanish-Moorish façade on the dazzling Waikiki beachfront since opening in 1927. Boasting 528 guest rooms and suites, the refined luxury destination even offers a private vantage point of the “translucent Pacific” from its newly-renovated Ocean Tower. Indulge poolside or oceanside, and while you do take advantage of impeccable service, or a frozen cocktail — or even a head-to-toe Evian spritz. As they like to say in the Aloha State, “your piece of Paradise awaits”.
Close to: Bellows Air Force Base, Hickam Air Force Base, Fort Derussy, Fort Shafter, Pohakula Training Center, Schofield Barracks, Tripler Medical Center, Wheeler Army Airfield, Station Maui Coast Guard Base, Honolulu Coast Guard Base, MCB Hawaii, Barking Sands, Kunia Field Station, NCTAMS PAC, NS Pearl Harbor
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4. The Driskill — Austin, TX
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Built by cattle baron Colonel Jesse Driskill in 1886 to rival the hotels in mega metropolises like New York, Chicago, St. Louis and San Francisco, this palatial Richardsonian Romanesque-styled hotel is intimate with just 189 guest-rooms, but that’s a large part of its charm. Located right in the beating heart of the Lone Star State’s historic yet trendy capitol, the Driskill features massive arched windows, hand-laid marble, ornate Victorian decor and its signature stained-glass dome — the centerpiece of a breathtaking and unforgettable lobby. It truly possesses the best of both worlds: cutting-edge conveniences of a modern luxury hotel and the timeless spirit of a century-old, frontier jewel.
Close to: Brooks City Air Force Base, Dyess Air Force Base, Goodfellow Air Force Base, Lackland Air Force Base, Laughlin Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, Sheppard Air Force Base, Camp Bowie, Camp Bullis, Camp Mabry, Camp Stanley, Camp Swift, Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, Fort Sam Houston, Martindale Army Airfield, Red River Army Depot, NAS Fort Worth JRB, Naval Station Corpus Christi, Naval Station Ingleside
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5. Loews Don CeSar Hotel — St. Pete Beach, FL
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Coined the “Florida’s Pink Castle” when it was built back in 1928, this enchanting getaway palace on an island in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico — St. Pete Beach to be exact — is dazzling as it is endearing, with its Mediterranean and Moorish architectural design, winsome “cotton candy” façade and a balcony that is as memorable as it is regal. Named after the character Don Ce-Sar in Vincent Wallace’s light opera Maritana, this 277-guest room historic luxury hotel boasts lofty ceilings and rich furnishings — not to mention extensive views of the Gulf and Boca Ciega Bay. And while the resort is ideal for “R&R”, it belies the plethora of active endeavors one can conveniently undertake, which include beach access, golf shuttles, water sports and sailing. It was even once the spring training site of baseball’s iconic New York Yankees.
Close to: Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field Air Force Base, Macdill Air Force Base, Patrick Air Force Base, Tyndall Air Force Base, Camp Blanding, Air Station Clearwater, District 7, ISC Miami, Blount Island Command, Autec Complex Navy Base, NAS Jacksonville, NAS Key West, NAS Panama City, NAS Pensacola, NAS Whiting Field, Naval Air Warfare Center, Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Naval Hospital Pensacola, Naval Station Mayport, Training Center Corry
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6. Mayflower Park Hotel — Seattle, WA
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The oldest operating hotel in the Emerald City, it was constructed in 1927 under its original name: the Bergonian. An ornate structure that effortlessly complements the majesty of Mt. Rainier and the deep blue tranquility of the Puget Sound in the background, its exterior features a detailed terra cotta façade that gives way to high ceilings, stained glass windows, a resplendent five-tier crystal chandelier, an 1770 Grandfather Clock and an 1810 Mahogany Breakfront once inside. With 160 guest rooms and suites that are all a short walk away from such acclaimed Seattle sites like the Pike Place Market, Waterfront and Seattle Art Museum, this classic European-style luxury hotel offers the ideal blend of history and modernity.
Close to: Fairchild Air Force Base, McChord Air Force Base, Fort Lewis, Yakima Training Center, NAS Whidbey Island, Naval Hospital Bremerton, Naval Base Kitsap, NAS Everett
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7. The Jefferson — Washington, DC
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Just four blocks from the White House, this historic hotel blends modern luxury with timeless, classic European and vintage Washingtonian styles, making for an experience that not only celebrates its namesake, it lives and breathes his legacy. Remnants of America’s third president can be found everywhere, from The Book Room and its antiques to even parquet floor recreated from Monticello’s main salon. Originally constructed as a residential building for the city’s elite in 1923, the Jeffersonian today is renown as a “must-stay” for the world’s luminaries and dignitaries alike.
Close to: Bolling Air Force Base, Fort McNair, The Pentagon, Walter Reed Medical Center, Coast Guard Headquarters, Marine Safety Center, National Response Center, Marine Barracks, Naval Research Laboratory, Navy Yard Navy Base, Naval Station Norfolk, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Fort Belvoir, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Andrews Air Force Base, Fort Meade, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Fort Detrick, Fort Lee, Fort Eustis, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Langley Air Force Base
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8. The Omni Grove Park Inn — Asheville, NC
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Brimming with southern charm and stately charisma, this historic resort has seen ten U.S. presidents seek extravagant shelter within its walls, in addition to countless celebrities from the entertainment, sports and art worlds. Boasting a Donald Ross designed golf course, a large tennis and fitness center, spa, convention facilities as well as close-proximity to gourmet, locally-sourced restaurants, the Omni Grove Park Inn also offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Close to: Pope Air Force Base, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, Camp Mackall, Fort Bragg, Air Station Elizabeth City, National Strike Force, Camp Lejeune, MCAS Cherry Point, MCAS New River, Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point
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9. The River Street Inn — Savannah, GA
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A five-story structure that takes up a city block in lush, beautiful Savannah, the hotel was originally served as a fully-functioning storage, grading and shipping facility for cotton, the fingerprints of which is still evident in the building’s modern existence as a premiere American luxury hotel. Boasting two unmistakable lower levels that were constructed from recycled ballast stone, the arched doorways are extra wide to accommodate the huge bales of cotton that once swiftly passed through, with the three floors above it featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that invite the sun to dance and illuminate the classically-designed rooms and hallways that eventually give way to the “Factor’s Walk” — an intricate series of balconies that surround the exterior.
Close to: Moody Air Force Base, Robins Air Force Base, Camp Frank D. Merrill, Fort Benning, Fort Gillem, Fort Gordon, Fort McPherson, Fort Stewart, Hunter Army Airfield, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Kings Bay Submarine Navy Base, NAS Atlanta
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10. The Broadmoor — Colorado Springs, CO
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The Broadmoor’s architect — Spencer Penrose — first opened this masterpiece to the public in 1918 and those fortunate guests, just like the ones today, could simply not believe their eyes. Spectacular and unmatched detailing, a curved marble staircase, romantic chandeliers, Della Robbia-style tile, hand-painted ceilings and an unforgettable pink stucco façade all combine to give this luxury hotel amid the magnificent Rocky Mountain an old western charm, to match its modern, cutting-edge conveniences.
Close to: Air Force Academy, Buckley Air Force Base, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base, Peterson Air Force Base, Schriever Air Force Base, Fort Carson, Pueblo Chemical Depot
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