WASHINGTON, D.C., May 1, 2001 - To celebrate National Preservation Week, Historic Hotels of America, a collection of more than 170 historically significant hotels, is launching a historic standards initiative with member hotels.

�This is the perfect opportunity for Historic Hotels to debut our historic standards program,� said Thierry Roch, executive director. �Members of Historic Hotels of America are distinctive.  Each provides a sense of place and time for travelers.  What better way to showcase a Historic Hotel than to incorporate an authentic historic experience into all aspects of the guest�s hotel visit - everything from receiving a brief history of the hotel from the bellman upon arrival to offering historic signature dishes on restaurant menus.�

Over the next several years, members of Historic Hotels of America will be encouraged to implement voluntary historic standards. These historic standards apply to the service, appearance and facilities at each member hotel and are presented as directional guidelines by department. The goal is to further differentiate the niche that Historic Hotels has in the marketplace thus enhancing the guest�s experience.  As part of the program�s launch, posters using the tagline �Make History Today!� are being distributed to the each member hotel for use �back of the house.�  The posters encourage employees to share the hotel�s history with guests.  

Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation designates a week in May for all Americans to become more aware of their cultural heritage (May 14-20, 2001).  This is a �grass roots� effort designed to highlight preservation�s role in local communities.

National Trust Historic Hotels of America is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  National Trust Historic Hotels of America has identified more than 170 quality hotels that have faithfully maintained their historic architecture and ambience.  To be selected for this prestigious program, a hotel must be at least 50 years old, listed or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or recognized locally as having historic significance.