As the hotel travels the Road to #6 in ‘26, it’s counting on community support

Bethlehem, PA (July 6, 2026) – Today, Historic Hotel Bethlehem earned a record eighth consecutive nomination in USA Today’s 10Best Historic Hotel/Resort competition. “Thanks to continuous energetic community support, I’m confident we’ll be able to defend our championship title. We’re inviting the community to join us on the road to number six by voting daily,” said hotel Managing Partner Bruce Haines.

USA Today made the announcement at noon. “The USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards highlight top-notch attractions and businesses, providing readers with trusted recommendations,” USA Today Outreach Coordinator Terrisa Meeks wrote. “There is no cost to participate in USA TODAY 10BEST’s awards program, and nominations cannot be purchased. Voting is open to the public for four weeks.”

How to vote for Historic Hotel Bethlehem

Community members can vote every day starting today through noon on August 3 at votehotelb.com. For the first three weeks of the contest, they’ll be able to see the leaderboard. In week four, the board goes dark and we won’t know the rankings until USA Today announces the winners on August 12th. “Let’s defend that title and make history again,” said Haines.

Community support is the key to success
The hotel has made history repeatedly because of strong community support. Haines noted, “From day one, this has been a community hotel. In the 1920s, community members bought $50 shares to create this social hub. It has served as a gathering place for everything from business meetings to weddings. I love that we’ve seen people get engaged here, then married here, then host their baby showers with us. It’s beautiful. You just don’t see this type of deep community engagement in those big box hotels.”

Nomination highlights hotel’s partnerships with other #1 entities 

During the 10Best announcement news conference, Haines recognized “the power of partnerships.” He thanked several community partners two of which rank #1 in their field: St. Luke’s University Health Network and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Haines emphasized how working together makes the community stronger. “As the saying goes,” Haines noted, “you are judged by the company you keep. We are proud to be connected with these National Championship partners who continually strive to be the best.”

Haines said, “Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites (HBMS)  is our day-in day-out most valued community partner as the backbone of our Heritage Tourism initiative. HBMS helps us immerse our guests beyond the history of this iconic property further into the surrounding authentic colonial experience including the UNESCO World Heritage properties adjacent to the hotel.” He added, “The hotel kicked off its national marketing campaign as a “Luxury Historic Destination Hotel” last fall after Bethlehem’s Historic District attained America’s #1 Best Main Street by USA Today. Haines said, “That initiative has exceeded our fondest wishes by increasing our leisure tourist bookings for the balance of this year by 30% over the same time last year. This will benefit HBMS as well as our local downtown merchants.”

The hotel has further expanded its engagement with HBMS by moving replica buildings of the Colonial Industrial Quarter, created by Jim Wilden, from the museum to the hotel lobby for summer and fall. “This cooperative effort provides for greater exposure for HBMS for our visitors and local customers where viewing from the Mezzanine is particularly compelling.”

Another hotel partner recently earned a major number one ranking. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently ranked St. Luke’s University Health Network #1 in quality, safety, and patient experience. It outperformed well known institutions like the Mayo Clinic and Houston Methodist. The hospital system regularly partners with the hotel on meetings and special events as well as hosting visiting doctors and dignitaries. The National Champion hospital and hotel independently support future prospective Lehigh University National Wrestling Champions. Two-Time All American and World Champion Luke Stanich serves as a Historic Hotel Bethlehem Ambassador and also participates with St. Lukes.

For the third consecutive year, Historic Hotel Bethlehem is partnering with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs to encourage voting. The IronPigs home, Coca-Cola Park, recently earned the USA Today #1 Best Minor League Ballpark in America. In addition, they have the distinction of being the Minor League Baseball attendance champions. On July 8, Historic Hotel Bethlehem representatives will throw out the first pitch as the IronPigs face the Columbus Clippers. The hotel will announce fun collaborations when the IronPigs celebrate their 20th anniversary in the fall.

USA Today 10Best history

This is the eighth consecutive year USA Today has included the iconic local landmark on its 10Best nomination list. Historic Hotel Bethlehem came in third place in 2019, moved up to second in 2020, and won first place in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025. It knocked out historic destination heavyweights like the Peabody in Memphis and Hotel Du Pont in Delaware to take the lead. Historic Hotel Bethlehem is the only property in the Best Historic Hotel/Resort category to ever win five consecutive times.

Meeks noted that across all USA Today 10Best Readers Choice categories, only 18 winners have placed number one  in an award for six or more consecutive years and only 28 have placed number one for 5 or more. In the hotel/resort-related categories, only Mohegan Sun Connecticut has won more times than Historic Hotel Bethlehem. It won the Best Casino Hotel award seven times, every year from 2018-2024.

About Historic Hotel Bethlehem
Historic Hotel Bethlehem, located adjacent to the newest US UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of Historic Moravian Bethlehem, is celebrating over 100 years as a community hotel. Guests enjoy the luxury historic destination hotel’s original 1922 elegance in its 125 guest rooms, along with the grandeur of the lobby, two distinct restaurants, two elegant ballrooms and seven meeting rooms. The hotel also offers nine new Extended Stay Suites, an Executive Conference Center, Ladies Boutique Shoppe, Steel Magnolia Spa & Salon, Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, and the Hotel B Ice Cream Parlor serving Penn State Creamery ice cream. The hotel is affiliated with Historic Hotels of America, a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. USA Today named Historic Hotel Bethlehem the “#1 Best Historic Hotel in the Nation” for five straight years 2021-2025. For more information visit hotelbethlehem.com.