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Celebrate Poetry and Literature at These Historic Hotels
April is dedicated to celebrating literature, with National Poetry Month and World Book Day providing exceptional opportunities for travelers to experience an immersive trip themed around the artistry of language and storytelling. As World Book Day approaches on April 23, consider marking the occasion by visiting one of these historic hotels renowned for its connection to notable poets and authors.
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Western and science fiction writer Louis L’Amour made The Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado, his family’s retreat in the late-1960s and 1970s, and wrote many of his Sackett Family novels there. Every August, the family checked in to The Strater Hotel and L’Amour set up his writing desk in Room 222, which is now dedicated to him. L’Amour and his family would stay for a month at a time. Louis enjoyed this guestroom, as he could write on his typewriter while the ragtime piano below him played into the night, and as his children Beau and Angelique slept peacefully in the room next door. Room 222 is directly above the hotel’s famous Diamond Belle Saloon, where live ragtime music entertains guests. L’Amour once said that the music inspired his characters’ development.
The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection (1901)
New York, New York
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Since it opened in 1901, The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection, has hosted New York City’s artists and literati: writers, actors, producers, playwrights, critics, tastemakers, and publishers. Writers like H.L. Mencken, Maya Angelou, and Gertrude Stein called the hotel "home" when visiting New York City, and the hotel is best known for hosting the Algonquin Round Table. In 1919, literary legends including Dorothy Parker, Franklin P. Adams, Robert Benchley, Harold Ross, Robert E. Sherwood, and Alexander Woollcott met for lunch in the hotel’s Oak Room and inaugurated what they called the “Vicious Circle,” better known as the Algonquin Round Table. It was rumored to have been so much fun that they met the next day, and kept meeting regularly for a decade to let off steam with similar minds, while discussing writing projects, art, politics, and gossip. This historic hotel was added to the Literary Landmarks™ Register by the Friends of Libraries U.S.A. in 1996. Today, this literary history is ingrained in the very fabric of the hotel.
Concord's Colonial Inn (1716)
Concord, Massachusetts
| | Concord's Colonial Inn in Concord, Massachusetts, is a charming Colonial-style inn located within the Concord Monument Square–Lexington Road Historic District. The inn encompasses three distinct buildings, one of which was the family home of American philosopher and author, Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau’s grandfather, John Thoreau, purchased the house in 1799 from the White Family, who had married into the Minot Family that had built it in 1716. When John Thoreau Sr. died, his widow and two daughters began operating their home as a boarding house. In 1835, John Thoreau Jr. moved his own family, including his sisters, back into the house for the next two years while Henry David, his son, attended Harvard College. Henry David Thoreau stayed at the house while he was in and out of Harvard or teaching. The family sold the inn by the end of the decade. Thoreau went on to write enduring popular works like the essay “Resistance to Civil Government” (1849), also known as “Civil Disobedience” and his personal memoir, Walden (1854). The Thoreau House is the most historic of the three buildings that became Concord's Colonial Inn, which opened to the public as an inn in 1889. | | |
Experience a Literary Adventure at a Historic Hotels Worldwide Hotel
These spectacular Historic Hotels Worldwide hotels, steeped in historical significance and charm, have served as sanctuaries full of inspiration for literary masterpieces that continue to resonate across generations. This April, guests can honor the written word by exploring these iconic hotels, allowing their storied ambiance to enhance their appreciation for poetry and literature.
| | In a city famous for its art and history, Century Old Town Prague - MGallery offers guests an opportunity to immerse themselves in the literary legacy of one of Prague's most famous native sons: Franz Kafka. From 1908 to 1922, Kafka worked in the building (now a luxury hotel, and definitely not "Kafkaesque") as a clerk at the Workers’ Accident Insurance Institute. Famous as the author of works like "The Metamorphosis," Kafka refers to his professional life as an insurance clerk throughout his writing. Kafka’s office was in Room 214, now the hotel’s exclusive Kafka Suite. For travelers following the Kafka literary trail throughout Prague—and those who are generally fascinated with the city's rich history—staying at this refined hotel in Prague’s Old Town Square is an ideal choice. | |  | |
Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
| The elegant Alfiz Hotel captures the authentic stories of Colombia’s most celebrated colonial city, Cartagena. Nestled within the historic walled city, on a historic street linking the political seats of power, the hotel boasts eight individually designed suites, each reflecting a distinct period of Cartagena’s vibrant past. Rich in heritage, Alfiz Hotel features original period furnishings from the city’s finest antique stores and a unique library celebrating the works of Colombian author, Gabriel García Márquez. With unparalleled hospitality, ornate interiors, and luxury accommodations, this historic hotel offers an authentic gateway to the past without sacrificing the comforts of modern conveniences. | | | Discover & Explore is a service mark of Historic Hotels of America. © Copyright 2025 Historic Hotels of America® and Historic Hotels Worldwide®. All rights reserved. | | | | |
