Emerging from an extensive, multi-year restoration, a pair of California’s oldest hotels — The National Exchange Hotel in Nevada City and the Holbrooke Hotel in Grass Valley — are giving guests a new way to strike travel gold.
Built during the Gold Rush, both hotels offer the romance and intrigue that guests crave, but with an upscale and modern experience that this stretch of Gold Country has never seen before, thanks to massive renovations undertaken by Santa Barbara, Calif.-based Acme Hospitality.
Anthony Jones, general manager of The National Exchange Hotel, was raised in Northern California and grew up visiting Gold Country. Well-versed in the area’s lore and history, he said he considers the properties museums.
“We are docents first,” Jones said. “We are here to share the history of this place, both the good and the not-so-great. But that is our charge, to not only offer hospitality in the present, but to be the voice of what was happening here [in the past].”
We are here to share the history of this place, both the good and the not-so-great. But that is our charge, to not only offer hospitality in the present, but to be the voice of what was happening here [in the past].
The hotels, both California Historical Landmarks, are located less than a 10-minute drive from each other; during my recent visit, I spent a night at each. Despite being built during the same stretch of notable history, the bones and personality of each hotel are dramatically different.
The Differences Between Holbrooke Hotel and The National Exchange Hotel
The Holbrooke Hotel — established in 1852 — features 28 guestrooms spread throughout the main structure and a separate building that once served as a carriage house. With brick and native stone walls, leather furnishings, cowhide rugs and a myriad of animal taxidermy, the property’s first-floor public spaces embrace the Old West spirit of Grass Valley.
Upstairs, a more refined approach dominates the halls and guestrooms. No two rooms are alike; some boast balconies, clawfoot tubs and even small tables where a couple could dine or enjoy a glass of wine. Some rooms are spacious with high ceilings, while others are smaller and more in line with accommodations you might expect in a city hotel.
Rooms at the Holbrooke are all unique.
Credit: 2022 Kat AlvesFrom writers such as Mark Twain, Jack London and Bret Harte to outlaw Black Bart, a long list of famous folks is known to have enjoyed the hospitality of the Holbrooke throughout the years. And though it’s difficult to prove with certainty, hotel registries also name a handful of U.S. presidents as past guests. Ulysses S. Grant, James A. Garfield, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison and Herbert Hoover may have also roamed these halls at some point in history.
Meanwhile, The National Exchange Hotel, established in 1856, is a Victorian charmer. Vibrant William Morris wallpaper covers walls at every turn in the property’s public spaces, and in all 38 guestrooms. Featuring vintage furniture and antiques (some original, some sourced and some even donated by the community), no two rooms are exactly the same.
“Every room has its own special magic,” Jones said. “Part of that is because we have been given so many wonderful treasures to work with.”
The National Exchange Hotel’s guestrooms are filled with vintage furniture and antiques.
Credit: 2022 Kat AlvesThe National once served as a boarding house (part of the remodel included adding bathrooms to every room), and I admit I was a bit starstruck when I learned my room was where President Hoover once stayed.
Clients living with mobility issues should note that there is no elevator in The National. Travelers with any hesitation about using stairs should be booked on the second floor, as it can be accessed directly from the hotel parking lot.
Where to Eat and Drink at Holbrooke Hotel and The National Exchange Hotel
The historic properties mark Acme Hospitality’s entrance into the hotel business. And since the company is well known in Southern California for its food and beverage concepts, it’s no surprise that eating and drinking is a main draw at both properties.
The Golden Gate Saloon at Holbrooke opened its doors to thirsty prospectors a year before lodging was an option, and is said to be the longest-operating bar west of the Mississippi. (Though there is a friendly debate about whether those bragging rights should actually belong to the bar at The National Exchange Hotel.) The Golden Gate Saloon flows into the restaurant, where I was impressed with everything I tasted — from huevos rancheros and roasted sweet potatoes with charred red onion, queso fresco, piloncillo and piment d'ville, to a tuna tostada that combined sashimi-grade yellowfin tuna, avocado, purple radish, lime, cabbage, red onion and green onion on a fried blue-corn tortilla
The Golden Gate Saloon at the Holbrooke includes a restaurant.
Credit: 2022 Ingrid Nelson/Myrtle and MarjoramTucked away in Holbrooke’s cellar, the Iron Door bar has a reputation for frequent paranormal activity, perhaps because in addition to once serving as a brothel and speakeasy, it was also a morgue. Numerous stories recount spooky encounters in the women’s bathroom with a lady dressed in Victorian clothing.
Dishes at The National’s Lola restaurant have French flair — think: French onion soup topped with melted gruyere, smoked salmon mousse with potato gaufrettes and dill, and steak frites with truffle butter. Dedicated to the women of the Wild West, the walls of the neighboring National Bar are adorned with photos of women who defined the era.
The National Bar
Credit: 2022 Kat AlvesThere are several clever and thoughtful design touches throughout both properties, but the actual bar in The National Bar is one of my favorites. Repurposed radiators, salvaged from rooms above during Acme’s remodel, line its base. Beautifully executed, it’s a hospitality experience that makes Gold Rush history easier to swallow.
