As I've noted previously, I work as a writer in the hotel/lodging industry. (This blog, of course, is my side gig.)
I'm a hardcore history buff, so it comes as no surprise that the hotels I enjoy learning about the most are those that have stood the test of time.
One such historic property is the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn, which is situated in the center of the Village of Rhinebeck in the Hudson Valley.
The Beekman Arms has operated continuously since -- get this -- 1766, melding colonial charm and character with modern conveniences.
In 1766, Arent Traphagen relocated his father's tavern to what is now Rhinebeck. The Bogardus Taven was made of sturdy timber and stone to protect against potential Indian attacks.
The inn hosted notable revolutionaries including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Benedict Arnold. The 4th Regiment of the Continental Army drilled on the lawn and and the townspeople took refuge here when the British burned the state capital at Kingston, just across the Hudson River.
Sold to Asa Potter in 1802, the property was the hub of political and social life in the community. It was inside inn that rivals Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr exchanged insults on the road to their infamous duel.
Years later, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who lived in nearby Hyde Park, began every one of his campaigns for governor and president from the front porch of the Beekman Arms.
Today, the complex includes the Delamater Inn and Conference Center, a collection of seven buildings -- both old and new -- that is located one block north of the main inn. A rare example of American Gothic architecture, the Delamater was designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1844.
A member of Historic Hotels of America, Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn exudes historic charm.
Would you stay here if you were visiting the Hudson Valley?
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