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Hotel Bethlehem takes top for 5th year

Published August 19. 2025 07:49PM
by Dana Grubb Special to the Bethlehem Press

For the fifth year in a row the city’s Historic Hotel Bethlehem has earned the #1 rating in USA Today’s 10 Best historic hotel/resort contest.

Hotel management and staff, along with representatives from Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites, Discover Lehigh Valley, IronPigs, Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce and other organizations, downtown business owners, and members of the public learned of the win at noon on Aug. 13 with the opening of a special delivery envelope in the hotel’s 1741 on the Terrace.

Hotel managing partner Bruce Haines gave that honor to the hotel’s retiring director of facilities, Farrald Lee, who flashed a number one finger alongside Iron Pigs mascot Ferrous once he read the envelope’s contents. The hotel and baseball team had forged a complementary relationship during the 2024 10 Best campaign, calling it a “grand slam” win.

Haines and his staff were ecstatic, and the 1741 on the Terrace was filled with cheers, applause and high-fives. He noted the winning streak that Bethlehem’s and the hotel’s wins have brought to the city, beginning with last year’s 10 Best Hotels win, the World Heritage Site designation and the #1 10 Best Main Street designation just this past April.

“The Hotel Bethlehem has hosted generations of community activities,” said Haines, who said Bethlehem has grown to become a national and international destination. “It’s unique because of the shops and restaurants, as well as being architecturally intact,“ said Haines

Kelly Ronalds, director of room sales and guest experiences, lauded the employees and said the 5 Star Experience program instituted this year, which recognized patron experiences with hotel employees, has become a gauge for success.

Haines and Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites president and CEO LoriAnn Wukitsch paid homage to the late Ralph Schwartz, a former Historic Bethlehem director, whose vision was for Bethlehem to become the authentic colonial history site in America.

The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, was runner-up and Pennsylvania was also represented by a second top ten finisher in fifth place, The Hotel Hershey.

It was the seventh year that the Historic Hotel Bethlehem had been nominated and the fifth year in a row winning the contest, and it places the hotel in the top 1 percent of contest winners in all USA Today 10 Best categories.

Hotel Bethlehem retiring director of facilities Farrald Lee signals #1 after opening the special delivery envelope from USA Today. IronPigs mascot Ferrous joins him in signaling the ranking.
Kelly Ronalds, director of room sales and guest experience, gives Farrald Lee a celebratory hug upon learning the vote results.
High-fives and applause greet Historic Hotel Bethlehem managing partner Bruce Haines when the 10 Best win #5 is announced.
The table listing prior winners was turned toward attendees by Keith Sten, an Historic Bethlehem Museums and sites docent who cast the first vote for the hotel.
Historic Hotel Bethlehem ambassador Ryan Crookham reveals the final voting tabulations. Crookham wrestles for Lehigh University and is ranked no. 7 among all weight classes of collegiate wrestlers.
Managing partner Bruce Haines toasts the win with champagne.
Press photos by Dana GrubbHotel ownership and staff, downtown business owners and other supporters give a #1 salute in front of the iconic Historic Hotel Bethlehem marquee.