If a living museum experience is not plausible, the next best thing could be meeting and staying at a historical hotel. The antithesis of the cookie-cutter chain hotel, these meticulously restored and appointed hotels and inns offer a one-of-a-kind venue for meetings and events.
One of the major challenges of any historic hotel is maintaining architectural integrity and yesteryear ambience while adding high-tech amenities that meeting groups want and need.
“It’s a fine balance,” says Michael DiRienzo, director of sales and development for Historic Hotels of America, an organization representing 240 historic hotels and more than 30 brands, chains and collections in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “Our hotels know if they want to successfully compete for meetings that offering high-tech amenities such as WI-FI and business centers is imperative.”
DiRienzo continues, “One of the best things to happen to historic hotels is Wi-Fi because you don’t have to destroy or redesign areas with wires or cables. Hotels can add an extremely desirable amenity with few hassles.”
Installing additional electrical outlets. however, is a challenge historical hotels face when adding new amenities.
In addition to high-tech amenities like tablet rentals, iPod docking stations and on-demand entertainment, DiRienzo says meeting groups are also concerned about sustainability initiatives, natural lighting and fitness and workout options.
“Historic hotels are shining examples of the green movement,” he says. “Instead of tearing down these spectacular structures, they are being adapted to today’s world in a careful and thoughtful manner.”
