Hotel History

Yael & D’Etta
  • 4.9 (24)
  • Places & Travel

We take you with us through the sordid history and scandals of some of the world’s most famous – and infamous – hotels. https://www.hotelhistory.com

  1. Oct 24

    Hollywood's Original Illusion: The Alexandria Hotel with Craig Owens

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Historian and author Craig Owens has plenty of stories about Southern California hotels, but few loom larger in Los Angeles history than the Alexandria Hotel. Built during the city’s turn-of-the-century boom, it became the center of Hollywood hopefuls and moguls, from Rudolph Valentino and Mary Pickford to Charlie Chaplin and Sam Goldwyn. Learn more about Owens and buy his book, Haunted by History, here. If you're in or visiting Los Angeles, Owens offers monthly tours of the Alexandria. Follow him on Instagram for more information. Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History here or on Patreon. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 🎶 Music: "Fig Leaf Rag” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC: By Attribution 4.0. ✋🏼 Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. The content is provided as-is with no guarantees of accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. The opinions of the hosts and guests are their own. While we discuss public figures and publicly available information, this podcast does not claim that all statements presented are verified facts, and commentary may include personal opinion, parody, or speculation protected under fair use and free speech principles. Listeners should independently verify any claims or stories discussed. *Some product links are affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

    Hollywood's Original Illusion: The Alexandria Hotel with Craig Owens

  2. Oct 9

    Dublin's Grande Dame: The Shelbourne 🇮🇪

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! For more than 200 years, the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, Ireland, has watched Irish history unfold, often within its doors. We interview JP Kavanagh, the hotel's general manager since 2018, to find out how the hotel celebrates its history and embraces guests and locals alike in a one-of-a-kind atmosphere. Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History here or on Patreon. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 🎶 Music: "Tavern" by Simon Folwar ✋🏼 Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. The content is provided as-is with no guarantees of accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. The opinions of the hosts and guests are their own. While we discuss public figures and publicly available information, this podcast does not claim that all statements presented are verified facts, and commentary may include personal opinion, parody, or speculation protected under fair use and free speech principles. Listeners should independently verify any claims or stories discussed. *Some product links are affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

    Dublin's Grande Dame: The Shelbourne 🇮🇪

  3. Sep 16

    The Billionaire Who Took Budget Suites to Space

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! How did a boy who grew up hearing UFO stories and watching nuclear testing during the Cold War make his childhood dream of exploring space come true? He founded a wildly successful short-term hotel chain and funneled his profits directly into an aerospace company that would eventually partner with NASA. But that's not all he used his fortune to do. Summer is coming to a close, but we still have a few Cosmic Summer stories left to tell! Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History here or on Patreon. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 🎶 Music: "Quiet Logic" by Dada "On the Radar" by Pecan Pie "Endless Puzzle" by AVBE 🔗 Links: https://www.forbes.com/forbes/2011/0627/features-robert-bigelow-aerospace-real-estate-cosmic-landlord.html https://spacenews.com/bigelow-aerospace-lays-off-entire-workforce/ https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/543106-will-a-space-hotel-actually-be-open-for-business-in-2027/ ✋🏼 Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. The content is provided as-is with no guarantees of accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. The opinions of the hosts and guests are their own. While we discuss public figures and publicly available information, this podcast does not claim that all statements presented are verified facts, and commentary may include personal opinion, parody, or speculation protected under fair use and free speech principles. Listeners should independently verify any claims or stories discussed. *Some product links are affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

    The Billionaire Who Took Budget Suites to Space

  4. Aug 24

    Hotels That Framed a Legend: Where Marilyn Monroe Stayed

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! June 1, 2026, marked Marilyn Monroe’s 100th birthday. Her life made her a star, but her untimely death made her a legend. And almost 64 years later she is still an enigma. From the first time she walked through the Ambassador Hotel's doors to sign a modeling contract in 1945, hotels became her classroom, her stage, and often her home. We’re looking back at the way her presence—sensual, glamorous, endearing, at times even shy—forever marked the hotel lobbies she walked through. Read our Substack article here. Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History (and our caffeine addiction) here or on Patreon. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 🎶 Music: "In Your Arms" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC BY 4.0. ✋🏼 Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. The content is provided as-is with no guarantees of accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. The opinions of the hosts and guests are their own. *affiliate link

    Hotels That Framed a Legend: Where Marilyn Monroe Stayed

  5. Aug 10

    Hotels that Come with Horses: 100 Years of the Dude Ranch

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! From Hollywood Westerns to working cattle ranches, the dude ranch has been part of the American travel story for more than a century. In this episode, we sit down with Bryce Albright, executive director of the Dude Ranchers' Association, to explore the origins of the dude ranch, how these iconic destinations evolved into a uniquely American hospitality experience, and the role the association plays in preserving their legacy today. Along the way we discuss the influence of National Park champion Teddy Roosevelt, Hollywood portrayals like City Slickers and Yellowstone, the myths and realities of ranch life, and why dude ranches continue to capture travelers' imaginations. 🐴 Saddle up and discover the history behind one of America's most enduring vacation traditions. Learn more about dude ranches and plan your vacation here. Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History (and our caffeine addiction) here or on Patreon. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 🎶 Music: "Back Roads in the Afternoon" by Justin Allan Arnold is licensed under CC BY 4.0. ✋🏼 Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. The content is provided as-is with no guarantees of accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. The opinions of the hosts and guests are their own. *affiliate link

    Hotels that Come with Horses: 100 Years of the Dude Ranch

  6. Jul 31

    From the Loading Dock to the Top Floor: The Art of Hospitality with Susan Barry

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! We love a candid and meaningful conversation with someone in hospitality, so lucky us (and you) that Susan Barry of Top Floor Podcast is both of those—and warm and funny to boot! We tackle working your way up in hospitality, trends that just might make history, and some of her favorite hotels and hotel stories. Listen to her weekly conversations with hospitality insiders here. Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History (and our caffeine addiction) here or on Patreon. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 🎶 Music: "I Like Peanuts" by audionautix. Disclaimer: This podcast is for entertainment purposes only. The content is provided as-is with no guarantees of accuracy, completeness, or timeliness. The opinions of the hosts and guests are their own. *affiliate link

    From the Loading Dock to the Top Floor: The Art of Hospitality with Susan Barry

  7. Jul 23

    The Town That Chose to Believe: Roswell’s Reinvention after the Incident 🛸

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! Something strange happened in Roswell, NM, many years ago, and we don't mean the famous flying saucer story. In this episode we discover how a small Southwest town known for ranching and rockets transformed its tourism industry by making the most of a Cold War government cover-up, This episode is part of our Cosmic Summer series. Be sure to check out our other UFO- and cosmos-themed episodes! Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History (and our caffeine addiction) here or on Patreon. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 🎶 Music: "Hard Justice" by Darren Curtis. *affiliate link

    The Town That Chose to Believe: Roswell’s Reinvention after the Incident 🛸

  8. Jun 30

    Checking In at the Edge of the Cosmos

    Got something to say to this podcast? Send a voicemail, and you might hear yourself on the next episode! "We know we are approaching the grandest of mysteries," said Carl Sagan in his seminal PBS series, Cosmos. Hotels throughout the world have tapped into our desire to contemplate those mysteries under dark skies with open-sky villas and domes, telescopes, and on-site observatories, where you can gaze into the night sky with wonder (and a convex lens). Coincidentally, nearby some of those same hotels are corridors known for UFO/UAP sightings. We're continuing Cosmic Summer with three unique stargazing hotels and a scoop of UFO lore on the side. Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History (and our caffeine addiction) here or on Patreon. 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 🎶 Music: "Space" by Liborio Conti. *affiliate link

    Checking In at the Edge of the Cosmos
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4.9
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

We take you with us through the sordid history and scandals of some of the world’s most famous – and infamous – hotels. https://www.hotelhistory.com

Information

  • Creator
    Yael & D’Etta
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © D'Etta Brown 2026
  • Show Website
    Hotel History

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