Old and new mix in downtown Boston.

I have a thing for elegant hotels of yore. I love the architecture, the grandeur, the stories of the famous people who stayed there. There are few better places in this country to explore hotels with rich and colorful histories than Boston, Ma.

I visited Boston in June on my way to a family reunion on Cape Cod. My brother and his wife stayed for a few nights at the Omni Parker House, which claims to be the oldest continuously running hotel in the United States, founded in 1855.

My crew was on our way to one of my mandatory stops when in Boston, the Union Oyster House, that claims to be the oldest continuously running restaurant in the United States. It’s located on the Freedom Trail and is worth a stop for a half-dozen oysters, a bowl of clam chowder, and to soak in the funky Revolutionary-era atmosphere.

Previously, we had taken the kids on the swan boats and roamed around the Public Garden and the Charles River Esplanade where the Boston Pops play at the Hatch Shell.

The Omni Parker house was founded in 1855.

We stopped into the Omni Parker House later for a quick visit. The lobby is indeed elegant with a feels heavy with the weight of years. The legends who have passed through here are remarkable from thespians and politicians to writers, sports figures, and gourmet chefs.

The “Saturday Club” hosted such literary luminaries as Thoreau, Longfellow, Dickens, and Emerson. Baseball legends Babe Ruth and Ted Williams dined here, and JFK announced his candidacy for Congress at the hotel’s Press Club.

There were culinary landmarks were as well. Parker House rolls originated here as well as Boston Cream pie, and you can find recipes for both of these delectables of yore on the Parker House website.

A solitary swan glides in the Public Gardens in Boston.

The Omni Parker House

60 School Street

Boston, Ma., 02108

(617) 227-8600

Photos by Lisa Dion.