7 Hotels That Are Home to Crazy-Cool Artifacts You Thought You Could Only See in Museums
If you want to see a rare artifact, you typically have to head to a museum or know someone with a stellar private collection. But how cool would it be if seeing a piece of history was one of the amenities that came with your hotel stay? Well, that's exactly what some properties are doing; we found seven hotels showcasing rare collections of history, from repurposed beds used by nuns in Guatemalan convents to the remains of a French cruise liner-converted WWII ship.
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1. Costa Rica Marriott Hotel: Nun Beds from a Guatemalan Convent
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2. Amway Grand Plaza Hotel: Sunburst from an Italian Palace
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3. Glengarry Castle Hotel: Invergarry Castle Ruins
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4. Hilton Chicago: Remains of a French Cruise Liner-Converted WWII Ship
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5. The Waldorf Astoria: John F. Kennedy's Rocking Chair
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6. Baglioni Hotel Luna: 17th-Century Frescoes
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7. Montage Palmetto Bluff: Turn-of-the-Century Mansion Columns
Located on a 30-acre coffee plantation, Costa Rica Marriott Hotel doesn't just have your average decor in the lobby. Instead of simple, mass-produced tables, the space repurposes beds that were once used by nuns in Guatemalan convents in their stead. If that's not enough, the hacienda’s front courtyard features stones that originally covered the streets of Cartago in 1910. Talk about taking a stroll through history!
While you might not think Michigan and Italy have a lot of things in common, the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids has figured out a way to harmoniously combine the two seemingly opposite worlds. Though the property is celebrating its 100th birthday this year, the property is home to something even older: a wooden, gilded “sunburst.” Before this artifact found its address in Michigan, it hung for more than 150 years in the ballroom of the Palazzo Morosini, the 17th-century palace of a wealthy merchant in Venice.
A private driveway weaves through lush, wooded grounds to arrive at the imposing -- and rather dour -- 19th-century building that houses the Glengarry Castle Hotel. While those expecting a castle with battlements and soaring turrets might be disappointed, the site is also the historical home of the Invergarry Castle ruin, which was once a genuine ancient fortress. Stepping inside the hotel, guests the vibe is very much in the traditional country house vein, with plenty of wood paneling, carved wooden furnishings, and gilt-framed painting depicting local landscapes. Wall-mounted stag heads and splashes of tartan add to the Highland ambience, while patterned carpets and floral drapery inject a slightly dowdy feel that is more like to appeal to the older guest (though there are no ground-floor bedrooms or elevator).
It seems nearly implausible that anything from the Normandie -- a ship used by the U.S. Army during World War II -- would still be in existence after it caught fire in the New York harbor in 1945. Luckily, some parts were salvaged and sold to the Hilton Chicago at an auction. Now, the hotel's aptly-named Normandie Lounge features chandeliers, custom mahogany panels, and built-in bars and seating from the famous ship.
Photo: Courtesy of The Waldorf Astoria
Forget visiting the White House to see Presidential pieces of history. The Waldorf Astoria is home to several precious items. The Presidential Suite, host to every US president since Herbert Hoover, features one of President John F. Kennedy's rocking chairs and the personal desk of General Douglas MacArthur. There's also a gold oval mirror and eagle-base table from President Reagan, and an eagle desk set from President Carter. One night's stay in the elegant accommodations and you'll get a true taste of what it's like to be the top gun.
Within Baglioni Hotel Luna in Venice is the Marco Polo Ballroom, a prestigious and historical salon in the heart of the city, where guests are in the presence of true Venetian art history. The entire ballroom is adorned with original frescos painted by the pupils of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (1696-1770), one of the most prolific Italian artists of the Rococo movement. Tiepolo was once called “the greatest decorative painter of the eighteenth-century," and his pupils' delicate work within the Marco Polo Ballroom is done in his most classic and well-known style, illustrating his clear influence in the evolution of Italian art from Baroque to the Rococo style.
It's hard to narrow down just one incredible artifact housed at Montage Palmetto Bluff. One of the property's centerpieces is the remains of the 1902 columns from Richard T. Wilson, Jr.’s mansion back. In 1926, the property caught fire and he was too devastated to face rebuilding the land, so the next owners decided to preserve the piece of history by showcasing the ruins on the main lawn. But, that's not all the historic items on the property. There's a mini-museum called The History Center that displays relics from previous occupants of the area, with some dating back 12,000 years.
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