Photo Credit: Lisa Diederich Photography
August 18 marks a milestone anniversary in American history: One hundred years ago on this day, the 19th amendment was ratified, officially giving women the right to vote. This amendment was a hard victory, won with blood, sweat and tears, through protests and passion, lobbying, marching and more. This right took women decades, from the 1800s, to make their voices heard. As such, this centennial anniversary is cause for celebration. Here are the hotels who are honoring women the right way on this historic day.
THE HERMITAGE HOTEL, NASHVILLE
Photo Credit: Lisa Diederich Photography
Nashville‘s stunning Hermitage Hotel is making the centennial an important part of its 2020 programming in a plethora of ways. The property is making its private collection of historic information and artifacts dating back from the summer of 2020 — when both pro and anti-suffrage leaders were headquartered at the hotel — available to all guests in its Grand Lobby. Then, there’s a special suffrage-themed craft cocktail menu at its Oak Bar, appropriately where pro and anti suffragists lobbied the men of Capitol Hill for the right to vote. Although forbidden by prohibition, many legislators and lobbyists winked at the 18th Amendment while fighting for and against the 19th.
And there’s more. Every Friday through the end of August, resident historian Tom Vickstrom provides a 45-minute hotel tour complete with the locations and stories that took place for six weeks in the summer of 1920; a suffrage high tea; “Suffrage Sundays” at the Capitol Grille — a featured menu of culinary delights dating back to the 1920s provided by Capitol Grille Executive Chef Derek Brooks; and the Suffrage Getaway Experience, which includes a luxurious guestroom or suite with a Capitol view; a welcome gift of yellow roses and suffrage-era shortbread cookies; breakfast daily for two; credit at the Oak Bar; an autographed copy of Elaine Weiss’ book, “The Woman’s Hour”; and a limited edition suffrage poster designed specially for the hotel.
Last but certainly not least, the hotel is doing more in modern times than celebrating the past. The Hermitage Hotel is now under the direction of its first-ever female Managing Director, Dee Patel, who is responsible for spearheading the celebration of women’s right to vote.
231 6th Ave N, Nashville, TN 37219
HOTEL FIGUEROA, LOS ANGELES
Photo Credit: Hotel Figueroa
Given that downtown Los Angeles’ mecca of cool, Hotel Figueroa, originally opened as a safe haven for women by women, it’s the perfect place to celebrate the centennial. Since it opened its doors 94 years ago this month, Hotel Figueroa has empowered its countless female residents and visitors to live uninhibited lives among other like-minded women. The hotel was advertised as “an ideal stopping place for ladies unattended” and served as a meeting place for practically every woman’s club in Los Angeles, and a safe haven for solo female travelers who were prohibited from checking into most hotels without a male chaperone. Needless to say, it’s a perfect place to celebrate the centennial. Throughout the year, it has been honoring independent female artists with exhibitions in its hallowed halls; this month, that artist is Stephanie DeAngelis, an interdisciplinary illustrator and designer based in Los Angeles. DeAngelis has created a brand-new, original collection exclusively for Hotel Figueroa, with a theme of ‘Reconnecting With Earth, While Connecting With Ourselves’ during this time of social isolation. A dozen of Stephanie’s original works will be on display in Hotel Figueroa’s lobby and gallery through 2020, and available for purchase on the exclusive online Hotel Figueroa x Society6 collection, or in-person for those visiting/staying at the hotel this year.
939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
HAMILTON HOTEL, WASHINGTON D.C.
Photo Credit: Hamilton Hotel
What better place to celebrate the ratification of the 19th amendment than Washington D.C. where that very amendment was actually passed? Stay at the Hamilton Hotel in the heart of downtown D.C. in its new Suffrage Suite. The Hamilton has partnered with the Freedom Forum’s Newseum for the suite, which is designed with images of historic newspapers, photographs, and stories of changemakers from past and present, including suffragists Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Alice Paul as well as Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It also features original artifacts donated by the Barbara F. Lee Foundation, including the pioneering women’s rights newspaper, The Revolution, launched by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B Anthony; a 1916 poster created by activist Carrie Chapman Catt detailing the arguments for suffrage; and “The Year of the Woman,” a 2018 issue of The New Yorker celebrating the 116 women elected to Congress that year. Images such as “Suffrage Road Trip,” depicting a 1915 cross-country journey advocating that women get the vote, and “The Four Justices,” a portrait of the four female Supreme Court Justices. Weston, Connecticut-based design firm Terri Jannes Interiors took inspiration from the fashion and colors associated with the suffragists — purple, yellow and white — which represented loyalty, hope and purity. The suite features scallops, peacocks, fur and embroidery to represent the clothing worn by suffragists as well as sunflowers, the official flower of the suffrage movement. This experience, this year, shouldn’t be missed.
1001 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
ONE TO WAIT FOR: HOTEL ZENA, WASHINGTON D.C.
Photo Credit: Hotel Zena
Although it isn’t officially open yet, Hotel Zena will be a great, empowering place to celebrate this centennial year. The Washington D.C. property, which is owned and operated by Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, is slated to be a bold, new cultural hub celebrating female empowerment through provocative art and design. Expect mischievous art installations and cheeky design details, including an extraordinary mural of Ruth Bader Ginsburg constructed using an unexpected medium.
1155 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20005
