Visiting America’s Grand Old Summertime Resorts

Grand Hotel

Icons of the old-fashioned summer vacation, many turn-of-the-century resorts still entice travelers today with their grand architecture, atmospheres of opulence, and storied histories. Here's a tour of some of the country's most notable grand old resorts, along with tips for how to save on stays.

Home to the world's longest front porch, the Victorian-era Grand Hotel sits in Michigan's Lake Huron on Mackinac Island, a place where the only ways to get around are by foot, bicycle, or horse-drawn carriage. The Hotel also maintains the graces of its heyday, even requiring guests to dress in formal attire during the evenings.

Rates cover accommodations, and a full breakfast and a five-course dinner daily. Prices start at $220 per person, per night, but if you stay two consecutive nights on select days in May and June, you'll pay only $183 and get a third night free.

(Photo: Michael Smith/iStockphoto)

Mt Washington Resort

The Mount Washington Resort at Bretton Woods has played to numerous notable guests over its 105-year history, including Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, and Babe Ruth. Now most guests come for the resort's stellar location in the heart of New Hampshire's White Mountains, combining a relaxing retreat with some outdoor adventure.

In June, rates start around $199 per night. If prices at the Mount Washington Resort are too steep for your taste, you can still stay on-site at the more affordably priced Bretton Arms Country Inn, the Lodge at Bretton Woods, or the Townhomes at Bretton Woods. Rates at the lodge, for example, can be had for $99 per night in June.

(Photo: The Mount Washington Resort at Bretton Woods)

Chatham Bars Inn

On the waterfront in the affluent Cape Cod town of Chatham, Chatham Bars Inn is one of New England's classic old seaside resorts. The inn is right next to a nine-hole public golf course and has state-of-the-art tennis courts on-site as well as a private beach with cabanas.

Prices during the prime summer season running from June 5 to September 5 can be high, starting at $320 per night. If you arrive earlier or later than those dates, you can easily save $100 or more on rates.

(Photo: Chatham Bars Inn)

With its stunning red turrets and palm-filled landscaping, the San Diego area Hotel del Coronado was designed to be "the talk of the Western world" by its founders when it opened in the 1890s. The glamorous resort was also used as the film site for the Hollywood classic Some Like It Hot.

If you stay at the Del this summer, you might consider booking a package for the best value. For example, the hotel's spa package costs $395 per night in late June, while regular rates start at $295 for the same nights. However, the spa package comes with a $175 spa voucher, so you're getting $75 worth of services for nothing.

(Photo: Hotel del Coronado)

The Stanley Hotel

The inspiration for Stephen King's novel The Shining, the Stanley Hotel hosts a number of ghosts, including the spirit of F.O. Stanley, manufacturer of the Stanley Steamer and the original owner of the turn-of-the-century hotel. If you don't come for the paranormal activity, come for the view—set on a hill in Estes Park, Colorado, the Stanley overlooks Rocky Mountain National Park.

In late June, weekend rates start at $189 per night. However, if you can come in May midweek, you can snag a special getaway package from $145 per night that includes accommodations, breakfast for two, and a historical tour.

(Photo: Marina Asbury/iStockphoto)

Inn on Biltmore

Although Asheville, North Carolina's AAA four-diamond rated Inn on Biltmore Estate was only opened a few years ago, it was built to complement its neighbor, one of the biggest and most opulent homes in the country, the Biltmore Estate. Constructed in the late 1800s in the style of a 16th-century French chateau, the home served as a "country retreat" for George Vanderbilt and his family but now operates as a historic site and museum.

Right now, the Inn is offering special discounted rates of $199 for select nights in May and June. Prices outside these dates begin around $359 per night.

(Photo: The Biltmore Company)

Skytop Lodge

Nestled on a 5,500-acre estate in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, the Skytop Lodge was constructed during the 1920s as a grand golf and outdoor recreation resort with a Dutch Colonial stone manor at its center. It functions the same way today, although now there are more activities than ever—from hiking and kayaking to spa treatments and tennis.

Rates are all-inclusive, covering accommodations, three meals a day, and many activities. Midweek rates in early July start around $560 per night for two people, but if anyone in your room is age 65 or older, you'll qualify for a senior rate of $476 per night.

(Photo: Skytop Lodge & Resort)

El Tovar

Perched on the rim of the Grand Canyon, El Tovar Hotel is the preeminent hotel in the park, with past guests including the like of Theodore Roosevelt and Albert Einstein. If you want dining and accommodations with a canyon view, this is the place to come.

Summer prices start at $142 per night. While the hotel doesn't list any room rate deals at this time, you can save on combination tickets for the lodge's four different canyon tours. Combo tickets cost $40 per adult, which can help you save up to $10.

(Photo: Xanterra Parks & Resorts)

Gideon Putnam Resort

Located within Saratoga Spa State Park, this Georgian Revival hotel provides easy access to Saratoga Springs' renowned mineral baths. A 40-minute dip will set you back about $25 while massages start at $50 for 30 minutes.

Per-night prices for room at the Gideon Putnam Resort start at $124 through July 25, but increase to $195 and up for horse-racing season (July 26 to September 3). For select dates in May, prices have been reduced to $119 per night.

(Photo: Xanterra Parks & Resorts)

Deer Path Inn

Only 30 miles from Chicago, but a world away, Illinois' Deer Path Inn was inspired by a Tudor home in Kent, England. The Inn's British flair can also be seen in its English-style restaurant and courtyard.

Deer Path has a special weekend package that can help you save quite a bit on a la carte rates if you eat and drink at the inn. For $395, you'll receive two nights' accommodations, evening cocktails, and a buffet breakfast one morning and brunch on Sunday. Purchased separately, all of this would cost you $440.

(Photo: Deer Path Inn)