5 of the World’s Oldest Hotels Are Still Open, and Staying in One Feels Like Stepping Back in Time

Some of the world’s oldest hotels are still doing what they were built to do centuries ago. They welcome travelers, serve local food, and preserve pieces of history that most people only see in books.

For visitors, the appeal is simple. These places offer more than a bed for the night. They offer a chance to sleep inside buildings that have survived dynasties, wars, fires, and major social change, while still operating as working inns and hotels.

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, Japan

Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, is widely cited as the world’s oldest hotel still in operation. The inn says it was founded in 705, and Guinness World Records has recognized it as the oldest hotel. That gives it a history stretching back more than 1,300 years, an extraordinary run for any business in any industry.

The property is a traditional Japanese ryokan, a type of inn known for tatami mat rooms, futon bedding, seasonal meals, and communal bathing culture. Keiunkan is especially known for its hot spring water, drawn directly from natural sources in the mountains. According to the hotel, the spring has been central to the guest experience for generations.

What makes the inn notable is not just its age, but its continuity. It has long been associated with the same family line of ownership, a rare fact in hospitality. Historians often point to Japan’s strong tradition of multi-generational family businesses as one reason such properties have survived.

For modern travelers, staying there can feel less like checking into a hotel and more like entering a preserved rhythm of life. The setting is quiet, the design is minimal, and the service follows customs rooted in Japanese etiquette. In an era of fast check-ins and standardized rooms, that difference is a major part of the draw.

Hoshi Ryokan, Japan

Another Japanese property, Hoshi Ryokan in Ishikawa Prefecture, traces its founding to 718. The inn has often been described as one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in the world, and it remains one of the best-known examples of a historic ryokan still serving guests today.

Hoshi Ryokan grew around the Awazu Onsen hot spring area, itself an important travel and healing destination for centuries. Traditional inns in these regions were built not just for sleeping, but for rest, ritual, and long stays. The idea was closer to a wellness retreat than a modern roadside hotel.

The inn has also been linked to a long line of family management. That matters because continuity is part of what gives old hotels credibility in the eyes of historians and travelers alike. A building may be old, but a hospitality tradition only survives if service, food, and local customs are passed down with care.

Visitors today can still expect classic ryokan details, including sliding doors, quiet gardens, and carefully prepared kaiseki-style dining. For many international travelers, the experience is striking because it feels so far removed from chain hotel culture. The age of the inn is impressive on paper, but its atmosphere is what makes the history feel real.

Hotel Pilgrim Haus, Germany

Hotel Pilgrim Haus in Soest, Germany, dates to 1304 and is considered one of Europe’s oldest hotels still in operation. Its origin reflects a different kind of travel history from Japan’s hot spring inns. In medieval Europe, inns often served merchants, pilgrims, and traders moving through important religious and commercial routes.

Soest was a significant Hanseatic city in the Middle Ages, and that helps explain why a hospitality business could survive there for so long. Towns on trade corridors needed places for travelers to rest, eat, stable animals, and conduct business. Over time, some of those inns disappeared, while a few adapted and endured.

Pilgrim Haus remains known for its timbered architecture and old-world interiors. Like many historic European properties, it has been updated over the centuries, but it still markets its medieval roots as part of the guest experience. That balance between preservation and comfort is crucial. Travelers may want authenticity, but they still expect functioning bathrooms, heating, and safety standards.

For American tourists especially, hotels like this offer a different kind of time travel. The age is visible in the walls, beams, and layout. Rather than imitating history through decor, the building is history. That gives the stay a sense of depth that newer “heritage-style” hotels often cannot match.

Zum Roten Bären, Germany

Zum Roten Bären in Freiburg, Germany, says its history goes back to 1120, making it a strong contender among Europe’s oldest continuously operating hotels. The building itself has changed over time, as many medieval structures did, but the site has long been tied to hospitality. That continuity is a key reason it remains part of conversations about the oldest hotels still open.

Freiburg sits on the edge of the Black Forest and has been a travel crossroads for centuries. Inns in such cities thrived because they served merchants, officials, and later tourists exploring the region. In Europe, many old hotels survived by changing with the times, adding comforts while preserving enough historical character to remain distinctive.

Zum Roten Bären today functions as both hotel and restaurant, combining local food culture with historical identity. That dual role is common among very old inns. In earlier centuries, eating, drinking, and lodging were often parts of the same business, especially in towns where travelers needed one dependable stop.

The guest experience is shaped by that layered past. Staying there means stepping into a property that has likely hosted generations of travelers long before modern tourism existed. For people used to app-based bookings and identical room layouts, that kind of setting can feel refreshingly personal and grounded in place.

The Old Bell Hotel, England

The Old Bell Hotel in Malmesbury, England, traces its origins to 1220 and is widely recognized as one of England’s oldest hotels. Its story is tied closely to Malmesbury Abbey, because the property was originally associated with housing visitors to the abbey. That link reflects how medieval hospitality often grew around religious institutions.

In England, old inns and hotels often developed from coaching stops, monastery guesthouses, or market town lodgings. The Old Bell’s survival shows how these properties evolved as travel changed, from foot traffic and horse-drawn routes to rail and car tourism. Few buildings make that transition successfully over so many centuries.

Today, the hotel blends historic architecture with modern hospitality standards expected by contemporary guests. That mix has become central to the appeal of very old hotels. People want exposed stone walls, period features, and stories from the past, but they also want comfortable beds, private bathrooms, and reliable dining.

What keeps places like The Old Bell relevant is that they are still useful, not just preserved. They remain part of the living travel economy while carrying visible traces of another era. For travelers looking for more than a place to sleep, that may be the closest thing to stepping back in time without giving up the comforts of the present.