Have you ever wondered which are the oldest operating hotels in the world? In this article, we'll take you around the globe and show you the ten oldest accommodations that have stood the test of time.
It is interesting how they have changed their purpose over the centuries, according to the needs of society. The ownership of some of them has also changed - in a certain period they were part of a monastery, others were owned by a municipality, and some included a brewery. There are also those that have been passed down from generation to generation within a given family.
History, geography and architecture are intertwined in these exciting stories. If you're ever traveling nearby, take the time to visit them. Even if you can't afford to spend the night in them, you can certainly explore the places where monks, musicians and merchants stayed for centuries.
10. Hotel Interlaken
Year of foundation: 1323
Location: Interlaken, Switzerland
Number of rooms: 55
One of the oldest hotels in Switzerland is located in the town of Interlaken and bears the same name. The picturesque town is a famous resort located at the foot of the Bernese Alps, between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. In the beginning, the building was a cloister of a monastery. Subsequently, for many years, it became the center of the administrative district of Berner Oberland, and one floor was used as a courthouse. In 1491, Louis Ross renovated the hotel and then it received its own coat of arms - two horses and two alpine ibex are depicted on it. The coat of arms is hung on the south facade of the hotel. Various musicians have stayed there over the years, one of them being the famous composer and musician Felix Mendelssohn. The furnishings are currently a nice mix of traditional and modern. Above the beds are large panels with old photos of the hotel.
9. Pilgrimhaus
Year of foundation: around 1304
Location: Sost, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Founder: Zost City Council
The Pilgrimhaus was founded by the Zost City Council as a hospice and a house of pilgrims. The inn was mostly used by pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela (northern Spain). In 1613, the city administration sold the hotel to Thomas Merkelbach. In 1766, the Boedeker family took over the hotel and started making brandy and beer there. Since 2008, Pilgrimhaus has been owned by the Beck family and the hotel was accordingly renovated in 2018.
8. Orso Grigio
Year of foundation: around 1303
Location: Innichen (San Candido), Italy
Number of rooms: 30
Hotel Orso Grigio dates back to the early 1300s, after King Albrecht granted the town of Innichen (San Candido) a charter to open a market. Nobles and merchants began to come to Innichen, the town established the first inns, and accordingly Orso Grigio was one of them. Its ownership is unknown until the middle of the 15th century.
The first recorded owner of Orso Grigio was Conrad Maus in 1462. The Maus family owned and operated Orso Grigio until 1554. The hotel was owned by several different families before the Ladinsers took over in 1745. Today, the ninth generation of the Ladinser family runs Orso Grigio .
7. The Old Bell Hotel
Year of foundation: 1220
Location: Malmesbury, Wiltshire, England
Founder: Abbot Loring of Malmesbury Abbey
Number of rooms: 33
The Old Bell Hotel has a name that is almost identical to another old hotel in England on this list. Like the other hotel, The Old Bell Hotel in Malmesbury claims to be the oldest existing hotel in England, although there are older ones.
The Old Bell Hotel was originally opened as a hostel in 1220 by Abbot Loring for visiting dignitaries at Malmesbury Abbey. The hotel has remained open ever since, and although it has been renovated, parts of it date back to 1220, including a stone fireplace in the brasserie.
6. The Angel and Royal Hotel
Year of foundation: 1203
Location: Grantham, Lincolnshire, England
Founder: Knights Templar
Number of rooms: 29
The Angel and Royal Hotel is another historic English hotel that is one of the oldest in the country. The hotel was founded in 1203 by the Knights Templar and was originally called The Angel Inn.
The Knights Templar ran the inn until 1308, when the Sheriff of Lincolnshire seized it by order of Edward II. A few months earlier, King Philip of France ordered the dissolution of the Knights Templar order. According to the Angel and Royal Hotel, the Royal part was added to the name in 1866 after a visit by the Prince of Wales, later Edward VII.
5. The Olde Bell
Year of foundation: 1135
Location: Hurley, Berkshire, England
Founder: Priory of Hurley
Number of rooms: 48
There are many hotels that claim to be the oldest in the UK and The Olde Bell is one of them. The Olde Bell has a strong case for this, as its history dates back to 1135. The oldest part of the hotel originally served as a guest house for the town's Benedictine Priory.
The name derives from the Sanctus bell, over the front door, which was used to announce to the monks that an important visitor had come to Hurley and needed lodging. During its long history, The Olde Bell has hosted notable guests including Winston Churchill, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Cary Grant.
4. Zum Roten Bären
Year of foundation: around 1120
Location: Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
Number of rooms: 25
Zum Roten Bären is said to be the oldest hotel in Germany. The foundations of the building date back to the early 12th century and the director of the Freiburg City History Museum believes that the building was used as an inn at the time.
The earliest written records of Zum Roten Bären date from 1311 and indicate that the owner at the time was called Johann Bienger. The museum director is also certain that Marie Antoinette stayed with some of her entourage at Zum Roten Bären when she stayed overnight in Freiburg on her way to Versailles in 1770.
3. Maids Head Hotel
Year of foundation: around 1090
Location: Norwich, Norfolk, England
Founder: Herbert de Losinga
Number of rooms: 84
The Maids Head Hotel claims to be the oldest hotel in Britain. According to the hotel, this is based on the fact that the site has been continuously used for accommodation since the mid-1090s. The present hotel stands where the original palace of the first Norman Bishop of Norwich, Herbert de Losinga, was.
Although the site has been in use since the 11th century, the oldest parts of the Maids Head Hotel date back to the 15th century. The oak paneled hotel room is believed to be of the same period. The bar was added in the 16th century. Although the Maids Head Hotel has been renovated, its owners have preserved the historic integrity of the building.
2. Hoshi Ryokan
Year of foundation: 718
Location: Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan
Founder: Gario Hoshi
Before it was dethroned a few years ago, Hoshi Ryokan was the oldest hotel in the world according to Guinness World Records. Hoshi Ryokan is now downgraded to the second oldest hotel in the world. However, it has existed for 1300 years and was founded in 718.
Hoshi Ryokan has a legendary beginning, beginning with a message in a dream to the Buddhist monk Taichō Daishi from the mountain deity Hakusan Daigongen. The hot springs around which the hotel is built are a gift from Hakusan Daigongen to alleviate and treat people's injuries and illnesses. Taicho Daishi commissioned his disciple Gario Hoshi to open an inn at a certain location. Since then, Hoshi's family has run Hoshi Ryokan.
1. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan
Year of foundation: 705
Location: Hayakawa, Yamanashi Prefecture
Founder: Fujiwara Mahito
Number of rooms: 35
Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, which has been operating since 705, is considered to be the oldest hotel in the world. The hotel was founded as an inn by Fujiwara Mahito during the Keiun era, hence its name Keiunkan. In 2011, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan was recognized as the world's oldest hotel by Guinness World Records.
Onsen means traditional hot springs, which are a main feature of the hotel. Nishiyama Onsen is said to have been frequented by many famous samurai and shoguns, including Tokugawa Ieyasu and Takeda Shingen. Today, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan is still managed by the 52nd generation of the Mahito family.
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