Hidden In New York's Hudson Valley Is An Inn Claiming To Be America's Oldest Still In Operation

New York's Hudson Valley is full of small towns with charming boutiques, great restaurants, and outdoor activities. It's also got a lot of history, particularly around the founding of this country. If that's right up your alley, there is an inn in Rhinebeck, New York, that you have to put on your must-stay list. According to the Historic Hotels of America program, the Beekman Arms Inn is the oldest continuously running inn in the country. The inn was opened in 1704, but the owner's son relocated the building to its current home at the "Ryn Beck" crossroads in 1766. These days, it's combined with the Delamater Inn, the American Gothic-style spot in the same location from 1844, and it's absolutely gorgeous. The dates of the inn's construction and opening predate the next most historic inn in America — the Colonial Inn in Concord, Massachusetts — cinching the title of America's oldest continuously operating inn. However, that claim of being the oldest inn isn't the only reason to stay there.

If you like visiting places where American presidents have slept, you're going to love this. George Washington, the first president of the U.S., did sleep here. It's also the place where Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr got into their famous argument before their duel, something fans of the "Hamilton" musical will know all about. The Marquis de Lafayette, who fought in the American Revolutionary War, stayed here, as did founding father Robert Livingston. More modern celebrity guests include Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra, Neil Armstrong, Jack Nicholson, Hillary and Bill Clinton, and even Michael Cera.

The Beekman Arms isn't just a spot where luminaries and celebrities have stayed. It's also received a number of Awards of Excellence nominations from Historic Hotels of America after winning an award from the organization in 2018, and it has good reviews on Tripadvisor, even if it's not the highest-ranked hotel in town on the website.

If you want to stay in the Beekman Arms and Delamater Inn, you have several accommodation styles to choose from. The pet-friendly Guest House behind the main building is original and comes with air conditioning and a refrigerator. Or you can stay in the town's original Old Firehouse, with lovely exposed brick walls. The Townsend House is more modern (built in 2004) and has several rooms with gas fireplaces. Rooms right in the Beekman Arms main building are the inn's pièce de résistance, with the upper floor rooms dating back to 1766. (Rooms 21 and 22 are where George Washington stayed.) One reviewer on Yelp, who stayed in room 22, said, "Simply done and spacious. Nice bathroom. Nothing fancy just plain fine. A little decanted of sherry, plenty of towels and shampoo etc...comfy bed." They also noted that it can be a bit loud, so if you're a light sleeper, bring earphones.

In addition, the same building hosts the Tavern at the Beekman Arms Restaurant on the main floor. This well-reviewed fireside bar and restaurant serves lunch and dinner as well as Sunday brunch. There's also a garden patio, which you can rent for a wedding or event. When you've finished your trip to the past at the Beekman Arms, you can drive about 30 minutes to the nearby "hippie" town of New Paltz for some shopping, dining, and outdoor fun.