5 Southern Hotels That Pay Tribute to Women’s History
March is Women's History Month! From pioneering women's sports and suffrage movements to some of the earliest women's colleges, we're tipping our hats to a few Southern hotels that stand out in women's history. Image: The Hermitage Hotel
We love to highlight the remarkable contributions of women each week through our FACES of the South series, but today, we’re shouting out a few Southern hotels that pay homage to women’s history in their own ways. Keep them in mind as you plan your travels for the coming year!
The Hermitage Hotel | Nashville, TN
Nashville’s Hermitage Hotel is widely celebrated for its significance in the final days of the fight for women’s right to vote in the United States. Tennessee was the last state needed to ratify the 19th Amendment to grant women’s suffrage, and in August 1920, lawmakers and activists (both pro- and anti-suffrage) gathered in Nashville to witness (and hopefully sway) the final decision.
Many key players checked into The Hermitage for the final showdown — including suffragist leader Carrie Chapman Catt — while others gathered in the hotel’s common areas to engage in debate (and reportedly bribery, spying, and other nefarious deeds).
While the actual swing vote in favor of women’s suffrage was that of a man, Senator Harry T. Burn, it was a woman who inspired his decision. The morning of the vote, Senator Burn received a letter from his mom and wisely realized Mother knew best, shocking his fellow lawmakers with a last-minute change of heart.
Today, the hotel celebrates its significance in the historical movement with a suffrage-inspired cocktail menu available every day in its elegant lobby bar. Almost all the cocktails on the list are appropriately named after remarkable female suffragists, but the final cocktail on the list — “The Tie Breaker” — is a nod to Harry T. Burn.
The Omni Homestead Resort | Hot Springs, VA
Visitors flock to The Omni Homestead Resort to enjoy stunning views, the natural hot springs and spa, ski slopes, and perhaps most notably for today’s purposes — award-winning golf courses.
While notable female guests have frequented the resort since its first iteration in 1776, a key part of the modern-day resort’s significance lies within the world of women’s sports. The Omni Homestead welcomed female athletes and offered competitive opportunities before it was widely accepted to do so.
While many significant rounds have been played at The Homestead, one of the earliest on the books is legendary golfer Glenna Collett’s win at the 1928 USGA Women’s Open. She would go on to win a whopping six US Women’s Amateurs.
The Martha Washington Inn | Abingdon, VA
While The Martha Washington Inn began as a private residence in the early 1800s, it would carve out a significant role in women’s history when it was converted into a women’s college in 1958, known as Martha Washington College or simply “The Martha” to locals — one of the first institutions in Virginia to offer higher education to women.
Martha Washington College operated for over 70 years, with classes interrupted by the Civil War and, later, the Great Depression. The property was converted to a hotel in the 1930s and has undergone multiple renovations since then. Today, guests at the inn enjoy award-winning hospitality, recreation, and a remarkable library with over 1,000 volumes and an archive of photos from the property’s time as a women’s college.
Hamilton Hotel | Washington, D.C.
While there are naturally quite a few historical Washington, D.C. hotels, the Hamilton Hotel offers a special nod to those fighting for women’s rights in the form of a stunning hotel suite, aptly named “The Suffrage Suite: Women Win The Vote.” The suite was designed by Glamour Magazine Editor-in-Chief Samantha Barry and design firm Terri Jannes Interiors, with historical artifacts on display provided by the Freedom Forum Newseum.
The room is decked out in lush purple, gold, and cream, with plenty of eye candy for history buffs. Artifacts on display include women’s suffrage-era newspapers and posters, campaign buttons, and original photographs!
Crescent Hotel | Eureka Springs, AR
Another significant Southern hotel in the fight for women’s suffrage, Crescent Hotel & Spa was a hub for suffragist meetings and events in the early 1900s, notably hosting the state’s 1915 Suffrage Convention two years before Arkansas became the 12th state to grant women the right to vote at a state level. And, like The Martha Washington Inn, the Crescent Hotel once served as a women’s college, operating as Crescent College and Observatory for Women from 1908 until 1924.
Today, the hotel is still frequented as a vacation destination with sweeping mountaintop views, on-site dining, and a spa. The property even boasts its own resident ghosts, with a reputation as one of the South’s most haunted hotels.
Looking for more historic Southern hotels? Cross these 8 Iconic Southern Hotels off your bucket list!
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Alissa Harb
Alissa Harb is StyleBlueprint's Managing Editor, based in Nashville. A lifelong Tennessee native, Alissa has over 13 years of experience in digital media and loves writing about food, travel, and entertaining. She is a lover of dogs, true crime, and ordering for the table.