The new member hotels offer travellers a diversity of locales from an estate in Vermont to a former tavern on Martha's Vineyard, Mass., to an old-world Florida inn and an Art Deco boutique hotel in Milwaukee.

'More and more people are seeking heritage and cultural experiences when they travel,' said Thierry Roch, executive director of Historic Hotels of America. 'Historic Hotels of America gives travellers the opportunity to enhance their journey by staying in a historic hotel-an authentic experience. We are pleased to add these four hotels to our collection. Their diversity showcases the variety of experiences available through Historic Hotels of America.'

Here's a sampling of interesting facts highlighting the history of the hotels as well as personalities who have walked through the doors.

Gasparilla Inn and Cottages, Boca Grande, Fla., takes its name from the legendary Spanish pirate Jose Gaspar, who reputedly plundered the Gulf of Mexico in the 18th century. The construction of the railroad to serve the phosphate & Tarpon fishing ports opened the quiet, remote island of Boca Grande, Fla., to travellers in 1907. Today, a small preserved village is popular for fishing & boating.

The Kelley House in Edgartown, Mass., opened its doors as a tavern in 1742 and served as a gathering place for locals, visitors and as respite for generations of weary sailors.

The Castle Hill Resort & Spa in Ludlow, Vt., was the dream of Alan Fletcher, who served as governor of Vermont from 1912 until 1915. European craftsman worked five years creating old-world details. The building was a technical marvel of its time-the first home in the state with an elevator and fully wired for electricity. Fletcher used locally-quarried stone for the façade.

The Ambassador Hotel, Milwaukee has undergone a decade long revitalization which has served as a cornerstone in the rebirth of the surrounding neighbourhood near Marquette University.

A program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Hotels of America is a membership-based marketing association. To qualify for membership, hotels must be at least 50 years old, listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or recognized locally as having historic significance.