Gettysburg Hotel

This past June, early July, our family spent most of the time fulfilling our wanderlust desires. The company my husband works for decided to give everyone a little time off and close down shop for a minute, so we started the search for a few fun adventures to endure during his time off. With a Travel bucket list as long as ours, there is no time to just sit at home doing nothing. We have a whole world to see.

The very first adventure we decided to take was to Gettysburg, Pennsylvana! Being a history major myself, this was the trip off of the bucket list for myself. My husband and daughter were just along for the ride. I had the chance to visit Gettysburg as a child, but didn't appreciate it whatsoever since I barely knew what the Civil War was. The only thing I knew in those days was it that the war involved slavery and the confederate flag. So long story short, the sites I was seeing meant nothing. I needed to go back as an adult and make sense of it all.

Now that we finally found the time to make a Gettysburg trip happen, we did some research, asked around and settled on staying at the historic Gettysburg Hotel – established in 1797! One of the Historic Hotels of America! Perfect for a history buff like myself.

Hotel

The Gettysburg Hotel, Est. 1797 is located in the heart of historic downtown Gettysburg and is within walking distance to the Gettysburg battlefield, historic area attractions, and many downtown shops & restaurants. Perfect for those of us that don't care to drive in unfamiliar places. Just park your car and walk!

Room

This historic Gettysburg hotel is fully updated to offer superior service and modern amenities in a charming and ideal setting; rich in history and hospitable ambiance. This is the room we had the pleasure of staying in. So cozy! We especially loved the fireplace and it was plenty big for the three of us. The Gettysburg Hotel also offers free wifi for guest so no worrying about using up all that data on those photo uploads to instagram ;-)

The only downside the hotel had was no mini refrigerator. I had to resort to Amish ways and chill my wine in the cooler we had bright for the car ride down. No biggie, but mini refrigerators would be an awesome thing to add to these fabulous rooms.

Bathroom

Here’s a peek at the bathroom our room had at the Gettysburg Hotel. We LOVED the fact that there was a jetted jacuzzi tub. My daughter gets so excited every time we stay at a hotel with a jacuzzi since she can "swim" in them, so this was a huge bonus for us! Plus, after walking around that battlefield all day, nothing feels better than sitting in that jetted tub with a glass of vino in your hand! Relaxation at its very finest.

Hotel History

Gettysburg Hotel, Est. 1797 began as a tavern on what is now known as Lincoln Square, Gettysburg's historic town center. Scott's Tavern was built in 1797 by James Scott and in 1809 it was acquired by William McClellan, a former York County sheriff who renamed the tavern, the Indian Queen. After 1846, it was called the McClellan House for its owners, the McClellan brothers.
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During the summer of 1863, the building played witness to one of the most pivotal events in the American Civil War - The Battle of Gettysburg. Confederate troops swarmed the town of Gettysburg during a three-day battle where 160,000 Americans lost their lives. Right across the street at the Wills House, President Abraham Lincoln penned the famous Gettysburg Address, which he would later give at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery.

​ The 1890s brought about an impressive renovation of the old building that the new owner christened the Gettysburg Hotel and it remained as such throughout the majority of the 20th century. By the time the 1900s rolled around, Gettysburg Hotel boasted electric lights, steam heat, hot and cold baths, and a fine restaurant.

​ In 1955, Hotel Gettysburg became the temporary White House while President Eisenhower recovered from a heart attack in Gettysburg. President Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, were Gettysburg Hotel's last guests in 1964 before the owner closed its doors. The old building was ravaged in an unfortunate fire in 1983.
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Through an initiative of Gettysburg College, Gettysburg Hotel was carefully restored in cooperation with the Historic Architectural Review Board. Opened in 1991 as Gettysburg Hotel, the grand new building faithfully recaptured its historic past. A full renovation was completed in 2012 to strengthen the hotel’s position as a premier destination, while maintaining the historic integrity of the property.

Ghost?!?!

I'm not exactly sure where I stand when it comes to ghost. I have personally never had an experience with one. But nonetheless, it's always fascinating to hear a good ole ghost story!

Because of its long and violent history, Gettysburg is believed by many to be one of the most haunted places in the United States. Rachel is one of the most popular ghosts of the Gettysburg Hotel. Rachel is believed to be the ghost of a Civil War nurse. She can be seen not only wandering the hotel but also the streets of Gettysburg looking for soldiers to tend to. She would also detail her frustrations trying to care for wounded soldiers. Supposedly, guests of the hotel have experienced visits from Rachel. They reported the drawers in the room being opened and clothes being removed. One of the wounded soldiers who was cared for in the house is said to still haunt the rooms. There is also the ghost of a woman seen dancing in the hotel’s ballroom.

Again, even after my visit, I can report I have never had an experience with a ghost, but it's neat to say I stayed somewhere with such haunted stories!

Weddings & Events

This historic Gettysburg Hotel boasts approximately 9,000 square feet of versatile meeting space, including a magnificent grand ballroom overflowing with history. While I was walking around snapping photos the last morning of our trip, I happened to stumble upon a wedding being set up! Such a beautiful space for such an occasion. I definitely see the charm & appeal.

Restaurant

Although we did not have a chance to dine at the restaurant in the hotel: One Lincoln Food & Spirits, it was packed every time we walked by during business hours! Apparently it's one of the IT places to eat in town. Since we were working with the travel bureau, our meals were elsewhere so I could write reviews, but if I were to come back to Gettysburg, you best believe I will be visiting One Lincoln Food & Spirt! Every time I walked by the place smelled delicious!

​A few things on their dinner menu: three onion soup with provolone, gruyere and French bread croutons, Maryland crab macaroni & cheese, stuffed breast of chicken with mushroom risotto and pan gravy and much more.

Pool

The Gettysburg Hotel does offer one thing no one would ever expect! A rooftop pool!! An active lifeguard was a duty every time we took a dip and they even had things like noodles for the kids to play with.

The Gettysburg Hotel rooftop pool does get a tad bit crowded late afternoon, early evening. I think we all have the same thing in mind, drinks poolside while the kiddos swim after a long day of walking the Gettysburg Battlefield. A pool in general is an awesome perk to have, so we were big fans of the rooftop pool!

Many thanks to the @gettysburghotel for our stay when we were in Gettysburg!!! One of the Historic Hotels of America! Couldn't recommend this hotel enough since it is in the middle of everything in Historic Downtown Gettysburg ❤️ My daughter was especially a fan of the rooftop pool ?? . mygettysburg #gettysburg #gettysburgmoments #historicgettysburg #downtowngettysburg #visitpa #hotels #historichotelsofamerica #hosted

A post shared by CourtneyLynne (@kourtneelynne) on Jun 28, 2017 at 5:55pm PDT

Our Thoughts?

Honestly, minus the fact that there wasn't a mini refrigerator to chill my wine, this hotel was beyond fabulous!!! So much history for a history buff like myself. Jetted tubs to help relax those sore muscles after a long day of walking. A rooftop pool to appease the kiddos. Free wifi!!! Plus you're walking distance to EVERYTHING! This is one of the pricier hotels in the area, but if you ask me, it's worth it since it meets all of your needs. You definitely get what you pay for. Pay a few extra dollars and you can stay somewhere you will never want to leave since it's just that fabulous. The Gettysburg Hotel gets two thumbs up from us. I couldn't imagine staying anywhere else.

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Disclosure: The Gettysburg Hotel & Destination Gettysburg offered me a complementary stay during our visit to Gettysburg. All opinions shared about this hotel (as always) are my own.