• The Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs, Arkansas
• The Grande Colonial, La Jolla, California
• The Mendocino Hotel and Garden Suites, Mendocino, California
• Asticou Inn, Northeast Harbor, Mt. Desert Island, Maine
• The Inn at Newport Beach, Newport, Rhode Island 

"The addition of these five properties allows us to remain true to  our mission of aligning and showcasing hotels, resorts and inns that  combine history and architectural significance," said Nina Smiley, chairperson of the advisory board of National Trust Historic Hotels  and proprietor/director of marketing for Mohonk Mountain House in New  Paltz, N.Y. Smiley added,  "Our goal is to bring these historically special environments and their authentic experiences to the attention  of the traveling public by providing alternatives to commonplace  lodging."

National Trust Historic Hotels is a marketing association of hotels  selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation for historic integrity, architectural quality and outstanding preservation efforts made by owners and managers.  To qualify, hotels must be at least 50 years old, listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or recognized locally as having historic significance.

The hotels vary in size, location, style of architecture, meeting and dining facilities, special amenities and room rates, which range from $65 to $15,000 per night.  The National Trust Historic Hotels collection is comprised of establishments ranging from luxury hotels in major cities to small-town inns, remote country retreats and polished resorts.
 

New Members

The Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs, Ark. -- Perched above the Victorian village of Eureka Springs is The Crescent Hotel, a palatial Queen Anne-style structure built by Arkansas governor Powell Clayton, later ambassador to Mexico. By the time the Grand Old Lady of the Ozarks opened in 1886, the railroad had reached the village, bringing in thousands of tourists eager to sample the healing waters of the local springs. Today, visitors to The Crescent enjoy fine accommodations, impressive views of the Ozarks, and can still meet a horse-drawn surrey at the front door for a ride through town. Located in the Eureka Springs Historic District which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. (68 rooms and suites)

The Grande Colonial, La Jolla, Calif. -- Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, The Grand Colonial is just steps away from the beach or the village of La Jolla with it shops, restaurants and art galleries.  Opened as the Colonial Apartment Hotel in 1913, the Colonial revival-style hotel has entertained such guests as Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire and Jane Wyatt, who performed at the nearby La Jolla Playhouse.  Peck's father filled prescriptions in the pharmacy that was once located within the hotel. The pharmacy quickly became the meeting spot in town where locals and visiting celebrities enjoyed chocolate Cokes from the soda fountain. Recently renovated, many Grande Colonial guestrooms offer ocean views. (75 rooms and suites)

Mendocino Hotel and Garden Suites, Mendocino, Calif. -- A charming vestige from Mendocino's 19th-century boom days as a lumber port, the Mendocino Hotel offers visitors scenic ocean views and garden surroundings. The yellow clapboard hotel was known as the Temperance House when it opened in 1878, and was a sanctuary in a lively logging town of saloons and pool halls. The hotel's original structure, including the lobby, kitchen, dining room and upstairs rooms remains intact and has been handsomely restored. The newer rooms and suites feature Victorian furnishings and historical photographs that evoke Mendocino's pioneer past. A 19th-century bank teller's booth serves as the front desk. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.  (51 rooms and suites)

Asticou Inn, Northeast Harbor, Mt. Desert Island, Maine -- Named for a chief of the Penobscot Indian tribe who summered in the area in the early 17th century, the Asticou Inn quickly drew others with the same idea when the hotel opened in 1883. Schooner captain A.C. Savage built the Victorian country inn to cater to "rusticators," the wealthy visitors to Mt. Desert Island who sought a rustic retreat away from city heat during the summer season. Fire destroyed the original inn in 1899, but it was rebuilt the following year. This seasonal inn is open May through October. (47 rooms)

The Inn at Newport Beach, Newport, R.I. -- Since the latter half of the nineteenth century, Newport has been one of the most popular places to spent the summer season, made famous by its expansive sandy shores and the mansion-like cottages. After the great hurricane of 1938 wiped out the town's numerous beachside establishments, the Toppa family opened its new inn on the beach two years later, but set back 100 feet. The New England Gambrel style inn is still Newport's only beachfront hotel. Displays of historic memorabilia are found throughout the hotel.  Guestrooms were completely refurbished during a 1998 renovation and overlook either the ocean or the bay. (50 rooms and suites)

Representing nearly 24,000 rooms, National Trust Historic Hotels of America ranks in the top 20 of hotel consortia according to Hotels magazine.

The directory of member hotels can be purchased by sending a $3 check or money order to National Trust Historic Hotels of America, 1785 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.  20036.  Rooms at any of the 133 member hotels can be reserved by calling 800-678-8946 or a travel planner.  When reservations are made through this number, a portion of the cost is returned to the non-profit National Trust.
 
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, chartered by Congress in 1949, is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the irreplaceable.  It fights to save historic buildings and the neighborhoods and landscapes they anchor. It has six regional offices, owns 20 historic sites, and works with local community groups in all 50 states.