Hotel History

Yael & D’Etta
  • 4.9 (23)
  • 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. Book Club: Last Call at the Savoy with Brisa Carleton

    5D AGO

    Book Club: Last Call at the Savoy with Brisa Carleton

    Our first live episode! We got to interview the queen of literary cocktails (and acclaimed Broadway producer) Brisa Carleton live at the Algonquin Hotel's historic Round Table, where literary greats like Dorothy Parker once lunched and quipped. We discuss Carleton's debut novel, Last Call at the Savoy, which spotlights the forgotten history of London's first female bartender, Ada Coleman. She also lets us in on her writing process along with some extra history tidbits about the Savoy and the Algonquin. Buy your copy of Last Call at the Savoy 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 "Opportunity Walks" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-4.0. *affiliate link

    33 min
  2. Secrets on the Line: The Life & Times of the Hotel Phone

    JAN 9

    Secrets on the Line: The Life & Times of the Hotel Phone

    Thank you for calling. Your call is important to us. Please hold. Dial 0 for the operator. These familiar expressions began 150 years ago when Alexander Graham Bell made the first telephone call in Boston. It didn't take long for luxury hotels to adopt the technology, and eventually the phone became a commonplace amenity used to request room service, wakeup calls, and extra towels. But behind the hotel's phone lines were the women running the switchboard... and keeping the secrets of their celebrity guests. 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 "Mining by Moonlight" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-4.0. "analogic_dial_telephone" by trip_sound is licensed under CC-3.0. "phone-pickup-click-22" by Adam_Joseph is licensed under CC 3.0. *affiliate link

    35 min
  3. Cloistered for the Night: Hotels in Monasteries

    12/24/2025

    Cloistered for the Night: Hotels in Monasteries

    It's Christmas Eve, and we're taking you to divine lodgings, aka hotels in monasteries. Some of these hotels may not offer room service, wifi, or even bellhops (though some definitely do). Instead, they offer the chance to walk in the footsteps of pilgrims, stroll sacred hallways, spend time in quiet reflection, and contemplate life's big questions. From Mt. Sinai to Montserrat, you can sleep near the saints and dream of miracles. 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 "Church Bells at noon from the top of the Cathedral of Bern (Switzerland)" by felixblume is licensed under a Creative Commons License. "Eternal Praise (Original Short)" by Pony Boy is licensed under a Creative Commons License. "Agnus Dei X" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-4.0. “Gregorian Chant” by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-4.0. *affiliate link

    43 min
  4. The Key to Söder: NOFO Hotel 🇸🇪

    12/18/2025

    The Key to Söder: NOFO Hotel 🇸🇪

    NOFO Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, is making all the right moves. From interesting room design to curated activities for guests to a hip wine bar, this boutique hotel experience might just make Stockholm your next destination. 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 "Backbay Lounge" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-4.0. *affiliate link

    39 min
  5. Where Hemingway Sat: Stories from Iconic Hotel Bars

    12/11/2025

    Where Hemingway Sat: Stories from Iconic Hotel Bars

    Ah, the hotel bar—a traveler's best friend. Over the years, they've made a name for themselves outright and are sometimes more famous than the hotel that spawned them. We take you from Hollywood to New Orleans to Europe to tell the stories of some of the most iconic hotel bars in the world, where celebrities hide their misdeeds, writers look for inspiration, and a martini is always stirred. Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 📰 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. 🎶 Music "Study and Relax" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-4.0. *affiliate link

    44 min
  6. The Origins of Room Service

    11/24/2025

    The Origins of Room Service

    From having a hearty stew sent to your room in the local inn to scanning QR codes, room service has changed its form but never its allure—tasty fare with minimal effort. One hotel in particular made modern room service a necessity for luxury establishments, and others quickly followed suit. What are the most common and most bizarre room service orders? And how do some hotels elevate their offerings from more than a $20 club sandwich and $5 bottle of water? Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 📰 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. 🎶 Music "Lobby Time" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-3.0. *affiliate link

    28 min
  7. Book Club: The Paradox Hotel

    11/13/2025

    Book Club: The Paradox Hotel

    Rob Hart's The Paradox Hotel is a genre-bending sci-fi thriller with an arsenal of mystery, action, heart, and, um, dinosaurs? We discuss our love/hate relationship with the main character, how a hotel dedicated to helping the uber wealthy time travel might run a little differently than a normal one, and the theory of time travel itself, naturally. Pick up a copy of The Paradox Hotel here.* 📖 Join our free book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. ☕️ You can support Hotel History (and our caffeine addiction) here or on Patreon. 🎶 Music "The Complex" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-4.0. *affiliate link

    1h 3m
  8. Ghost Stories from the Brown Palace Hotel

    10/29/2025

    Ghost Stories from the Brown Palace Hotel

    Footsteps in the hallway. Cold spots in your room. A child's laughter bouncing off the walls. And phone calls full of static. Learn about the hauntings in one of Denver's oldest luxury hotels, the Brown Palace, and a century-old double homicide that could account for some of the paranormal activity. Read more about the Brown Palace murders here.* Follow us: TikTok | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube 👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 Want to collaborate? 📰 Sign up for our free newsletter, The CHECK-IN. 📖 Join our book club here. 📚 Shop our bookshelves here.* Support indie bookstores! ☕️ You can support Hotel History (and our caffeine addiction) here or on Patreon. 🎶 Music "Ghost Dance" by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under CC-4.0. *affiliate link

    28 min
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4.9
out of 5
23 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
    61
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © D'Etta Brown 2026
  • Show Website
    Hotel History

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