5 of the World’s Oldest Hotels Still Operating Today

The Oldest Hotels in the World You Can Still Visit

Hotels have changed a lot over the centuries. Today we expect Wi-Fi, private bathrooms, online booking, and probably a decent coffee machine. A thousand years ago, travelers had very different expectations.

Still, a few historic hotels have managed to survive for hundreds of years and continue welcoming guests today. Some are traditional Japanese inns built around natural hot springs, while others started as medieval European inns for merchants and travelers.

Here are five of the oldest hotels and inns in the world that are still operating today.

1. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, Japan

If you are looking for the world's oldest hotel, this is the one. Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Yamanashi, Japan, was founded in 705 AD and is officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest hotel.

The hotel is a traditional Japanese ryokan built around natural hot springs. The location in the mountains is a big part of the experience, but the real story is how long the place has been welcoming guests.

The inn was operated by the same family for more than 1,300 years, across 52 generations, before ownership changed in 2017. The hotel still focuses on its hot springs and traditional Japanese hospitality.

What to expect:

• Traditional Japanese rooms
• Natural hot spring baths
• Kaiseki-style dining
• Mountain views
• A hotel with more than 1,300 years of history

It is hard to find a hotel stay with a longer story than this one.

2. Sennen no Yu Koman, Japan

Sennen no Yu Koman is another Japanese ryokan with an unusually long history. It was founded in 717 in Kinosaki Onsen, making it one of the oldest hotels still operating today.

Like many of Japan's oldest accommodations, its history is closely connected to hot springs. Kinosaki became known for its onsen culture, and Koman grew alongside the town's tradition of welcoming visitors.

The business has been passed down through more than 46 generations. Today, guests can still stay at the ryokan and experience the hot spring culture that helped make the area famous.

What to expect:

• Traditional Japanese accommodation
• Access to Kinosaki's famous hot springs
• Japanese-style hospitality
• A long family history
• A historic onsen town setting

This is one of those places where the hotel is part of the destination itself.

3. Hoshi Ryokan, Japan

Hoshi Ryokan in Ishikawa Prefecture was founded in 718, just 13 years after Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan. For a long time, it was considered the world's oldest hotel before Keiunkan took the title.
The hotel has remained closely connected to the Hoshi family for generations. It is also a traditional onsen ryokan, so hot spring baths are still a major part of the stay.

The property has modern facilities now, but the experience is still based around Japanese hospitality and hot spring culture. That mix of old traditions and modern comfort is probably a big reason places like this have survived for so long.

What to expect:

• Natural hot spring baths
• Japanese-style rooms
• Traditional gardens
• Local hospitality
• More than 1,300 years of history

Staying here is less about luxury in the modern sense and more about experiencing a tradition that has lasted for centuries.

4. Takahan Ryokan, Japan

Takahan Ryokan in Yuzawa, Japan, has been welcoming guests for more than 900 years. The family-operated hotel traces its history back to the discovery of a natural hot spring more than nine centuries ago.

The hotel is located in Japan's Snow Country, surrounded by mountains. Its natural hot spring is still supplied directly from the source behind the hotel, so the main reason people came here centuries ago is still part of the experience today.

There is also an interesting literary connection. One of the hotel's rooms is known as the place where Japanese author Yasunari Kawabata wrote part of his famous novel Snow Country.

What to expect:

• Natural onsen baths
• Mountain views
• Traditional Japanese rooms
• A historic family-run hotel
• A connection to Japanese literature

It is a pretty good example of how an old hotel can keep its original character without feeling stuck in the past.

5. Zum Roten Bären, Germany

Not all of the world's oldest hotels are in Japan. Zum Roten Bären in Freiburg, Germany, is one of Europe's oldest historic inns and still operates as a hotel and restaurant today. The foundations date to around the founding of Freiburg in 1120, and the site has been used as an inn since the Middle Ages.

The building has seen centuries of travelers, merchants, local residents, and changing rulers. Its history is closely tied to Freiburg itself, and the inn has remained part of the city's old town.

There is also a fun detail behind the name. The red color of the inn helped travelers identify it at a time when many people could not read signs.

What to expect:

• Historic old town location
• Medieval architecture
• Traditional German food
• Hotel rooms inside the historic property
• More than 700 years of documented innkeeping history

It feels very different from the Japanese ryokans, but the basic idea is the same: travelers have been stopping here for a very long time.

Why Are These Hotels Still Open After Hundreds of Years?

There is no single reason these hotels survived for so long. Each has its own story, but there are a few things they have in common.

Many are connected to something travelers have always needed. Hot springs, food, shelter, and a safe place to rest were useful hundreds of years ago and they are still useful now.

Another factor is adaptation. These hotels have changed their rooms, facilities, and services over time while keeping the parts that made them special.

What helped them survive:

• Strong local traditions
• Family ownership and long-term management
• Unique locations
• Natural hot springs or other attractions
• A willingness to modernize

The interesting part is that none of these hotels simply stayed frozen in time. They survived by changing when they needed to.

What to Know Before Staying at a Historic Hotel

Staying at one of the world's oldest hotels is not always the same as booking a modern chain hotel.
Some historic properties have traditional rooms, shared baths, limited room layouts, or specific customs that guests are expected to follow. That can be part of the fun, but it is worth checking the details before booking.

A few things to check:

• Read the hotel's current room information
• Check bathing and dining rules
• Look at transportation options
• Check seasonal opening dates
• Book ahead during busy travel periods

Also, do not expect the current building to be exactly the same one travelers used centuries ago. Historic hotels have been renovated, rebuilt, and expanded many times. The history often belongs to the hotel, business, site, or tradition rather than every part of the current building.

Find More With FindGuide

The world's oldest hotels are interesting because they are more than places to sleep. They connect travelers with local history, traditions, food, and stories that have survived for generations.
Local guides can add even more context to historic places, especially when you want to understand the stories behind the buildings and traditions you see while traveling.

Download FindGuide to find local guides and travel experts around the world who can help you experience destinations beyond the basic tourist information.