Heritage & Historic

Not every historic hotel started life as a hotel. Some were monasteries, castles, palaces, merchant houses, factories or railway stations long before anyone thought of putting a bed in them. Others were built specifically to welcome travellers and have been doing exactly that for decades or even centuries. At DNA Hotels, Heritage & Historic Hotels celebrates places where history remains an essential part of the experience, whether through their architecture, original purpose or long tradition of hospitality.

The architectural variety is extraordinary. Medieval fortresses and Renaissance palazzi sit alongside Georgian townhouses, Belle Époque retreats, Art Nouveau landmarks and Art Deco treasures. But heritage isn’t reserved for grand architecture or celebrated design icons. A modest seaside hotel from the 1960s, a traditional mountain inn, a century-old city hotel or a family-run property that has barely changed in generations can be just as interesting. Sometimes it’s the building itself that tells the story; sometimes it’s the continuity of hospitality within its walls.

Some historic hotels have been carefully restored to their original splendour, while others have undergone bold contemporary transformations. A former convent might become a minimalist retreat, an industrial warehouse a design hotel, or an old-fashioned guesthouse a contemporary boutique hotel. Others have retained much of their original character, including interiors that reflect the tastes and traditions of another era. Neither approach is necessarily better. What matters is that the past remains recognisable rather than being completely erased.

Heritage is about more than age or architectural preservation. It’s found in original staircases, weathered stone, decorative plasterwork, timber beams, vintage furnishings and craftsmanship that would be difficult to reproduce today. But it’s also about the people who built, inhabited, operated and transformed these places. Not every historic hotel needs to be a masterpiece of design. Sometimes simply surviving, evolving and continuing to welcome guests is what makes it remarkable.

Discover Heritage & Historic Hotels

Staying in a historic hotel is an opportunity to experience architecture and local history from the inside, while helping preserve remarkable buildings and hospitality traditions for future generations. To find them, choose your destination on DNA Hotels and select Heritage under “What would you like to discover?” Alternatively, click the magnifying glass icon to explore heritage and historic hotels across our collection.

Because some of the best hotel stories began long before your arrival.