Located on the rim of the Grand Canyon, El Tovar Hotel opened in 1905. It was built with local limestone and Oregon pine to mimic the features of a Swiss chalet and a Scandinavian hunting lodge. President Roosevelt stayed at El Tovar several times during his visits to the Grand Canyon and wrote about his experiences in his book, further popularizing the hotel.

Wealthy mining entrepreneur Spencer Penrose opened the Broadmoor overlooking Cheyenne Lake in 1918, modeling it after 19th-century European alpine resorts. The hotel — nicknamed “the Grand Dame of the Rockies” — boasts 784 guest rooms, 3,000-acre grounds with two championship golf courses, an award-winning spa, a movie theater, and a bowling alley adorned with chandeliers.

The Union Pacific Railroad Company set out to boost rail travel in the 1930s by building a high-end, European-inspired ski resort in the West. Sun Valley Lodge opened in Idaho in 1936, complete with the world’s first chairlifts, which were a huge hit with visitors. Though skiing areas had existed before Sun Valley Lodge, its lodging options and all-inclusive amenities made it the country’s first destination ski resort.

Opened in 1965, the Flagship Hotel stood as a unique landmark in Galveston, Texas, for four decades. The seven-story hotel was built entirely on a pier extending out over the Gulf of Mexico and featured 225 rooms, panoramic gulf views, a swimming pool, and nautical decor. Unfortunately, the hotel’s overwater location left it vulnerable to natural disasters, and it was damaged beyond repair by Hurricane Ike in 2008.

Opened in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia 1778, the Greenbrier has played a role in more than two centuries of history in the U.S., hosting presidents and foreign diplomats alike. Today, the spectacular mountain views of the resort are best enjoyed during a round of golf or a stroll through its manicured gardens.

Wealthy businessman Colonel John Jacob Astor IV opened the St. Regis in 1904. The Beaux-Arts style hotel was 18 stories tall — the tallest structure in New York City at the time. Sadly, In 1934, head bartender Fernand Petiot invented the bloody mary at the hotel’s bar, and its popularity took off soon after. It is still the St. Regis’ signature drink.

The Drake Hotel on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile has been hosting afternoon tea at the Palm Court for over a century. High-profile tea guests have included celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Walt Disney, Princess Diana, and Queen Elizabeth II. When the hotel first opened in 1920, the room was called the Fountain Court, and even then, it hosted the social elite of Chicago for a good cuppa.

Situated on the sunny coast of Southern California is the historic Hotel del Coronado. A fixture of San Diego’s Coronado Island since 1888, the luxurious Victorian-style beachfront hotel has welcomed celebrities ranging from Marilyn Monroe to President Obama. In 1977, Hotel del Coronado was officially designated a National Historic Landmark.

Brooklyn-born mobster Bugsy Siegel opened the Flamingo Hotel in December 1946. He named it after his girlfriend, who was nicknamed “the Flamingo.” Today, it is the oldest hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, boasting a 77,000-square-foot casino and over 3,600 guest rooms. The hotel features a garden courtyard that is home to a flock of Chilean flamingos.

Opened in 1869, Memphis’ Peabody Hotel was named after philanthropist George Peabody. While Elvis Presley was known to frequent the hotel (including for his high school prom and his first contract signing), he was far from the only big name on the hotel’s historic guest list, which includes presidents, sports legends, and Hollywood stars. The Peabody is also known for its resident waterfowl, who participate in a daily “duck march.”

Opened in 1887, the Grand Hotel overlooks the Straits of Mackinac, located between Michigan’s upper and lower peninsulas. Guests can relax on rocking chairs for tranquil views from the world’s longest porch, measuring 660 feet. In the decades since its opening, the hotel has welcomed many luminaries, including five U.S. presidents (Clinton, Bush, Ford, Kennedy, and Truman).

Located on St. James Avenue in downtown Boston, the Fairmont Copley Plaza is a frequent go-to for politicians. Boston Mayor John F. “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald (the grandfather of President Kennedy) presided over its ritzy grand opening celebration in 1912. Since then, nearly every U.S. President has made a visit to the hotel, beginning with William Howard Taft. Royalty from Greece, Denmark, England, Thailand, and other countries have also stayed here.

The historic Beverly Hills Hotel opened on May 12, 1912, two years before Beverly Hills itself — and its 90210 zip code — was founded. The hotel’s Polo Lounge restaurant and bar opened in the 1930s and became a legendary spot for stars and Hollywood executives. The hotel was painted a distinctive shade of pink in 1948, earning its “Pink Palace” nickname.

Sicilian immigrant Antonio Monteleone opened the Beaux arts-style Hotel Monteleon in 1886, and five subsequent generations of Monteleones have run this New Orleans staple, located off of Royal Street near the heart of the French Quarter. A highlight of the hotel is glitzy Carousel Bar and Lounge, which has a circular bar that revolves like a carousel.

Located near Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley Hotel opened in 1909, but it was author Stephen King’s 1974 stay here — which inspired his horror novel “The Shining” — that put the hotel on the map. King isn’t the only guest to have seen ghosts at the Stanley. The hotel offers “spirited tours” to learn more about its famous paranormal residents, from housekeepers to its former owner, inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel made headlines in the 1950s when it opened as the largest beach resort in southern Florida. One of the most architecturally and culturally significant hotels in the Miami Beach area, the glamorous resort has appeared in an array of Hollywood movies, including “Scarface” and the James Bond film “Goldfinger.”

Located in the wilderness of western Wyoming is Old Faithful Inn, the crown jewel of accommodations in Yellowstone National Park. Opened in 1940, it is the largest log structure in the world. The massive stone fireplace in the lobby welcomes guests to the 327-room inn. As its name suggests, the hotel is located a short walk from the Old Faithful Geyser, a highlight of the park.

The Queen Mary, a retired British ocean liner, transported soldiers across the Atlantic Ocean during World War II. It was christened in 1934 by Queen Mary herself but was retired three decades later and converted into a hotel, which is permanently docked in Long Beach, just south of Los Angeles. Some guests have claimed to see and feel the presence of the ghosts of former passengers on the ship.

Guests looking for a truly unique stay can book room 214 at the Watergate Hotel, which first opened in 1965 but became entangled in a political scandal of the same name involving former President Nixon in 1972. Known as the “Scandal Room,” it was used as a hideout to communicate with the burglars at the Democratic National Committee in the adjacent Watergate Complex. It is decorated with furniture and memorabilia from the era.

Located on the southern end of New York City’s Central Park, the Plaza opened on October 1, 1890. The hotel has since hosted a slew of famous guests and has inspired many famous authors and filmmakers, from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby,” to Alfred Hitchcock’s film “North by Northwest.” It was also where Kevin (played by Macauley Culkin) had an unchaperoned stay during "Home Alone 2."

Boston’s Omni Parker House Hotel has served its signature Boston cream pie to visitors ever since the dessert was invented and served at the hotel’s grand opening in 1856. Originally called “chocolate cream pie,” the pie featured a silky icing that fashioned a new way to eat chocolate, which was still eaten mostly in puddings at the time.