Claimed as America's oldest continuously operating inn since 1766, the Beekman Arms runs basement ghost storytelling on Friday nights and hosts guests who report a Revolutionary War soldier near the original Tavern Room fireplace.
6387 Mill Street, Rhinebeck, NY 12572
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Overnight rooms from approximately $115/night. Ghost Stories in the Basement: $18 adults, $15 seniors (55+). Restaurant and tavern open to non-guests.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Village inn with accessible main floor; basement access involves stairs
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1766 · Oldest continuously operating inn in the United States · George Washington used it as a headquarters during the Revolutionary War · Listed on the Haunted History Trail of New York State · FDR announced 1928 gubernatorial campaign from the inn's porch
The building at 6387 Mill Street in Rhinebeck was established as a tavern in 1766 on the Albany Post Road, the main colonial route between New York City and Albany. It served travelers, merchants, and military personnel from its earliest years. During the Revolutionary War, the inn's location on the primary Hudson Valley road made it a regular stop for Continental Army officers. George Washington is documented to have used it as a headquarters during the war. Among the other Revolutionary-era figures associated with the inn are Benedict Arnold and Alexander Hamilton.
The property operated continuously through the 18th and 19th centuries, surviving periods of decline and renovation. The original Tavern Room preserves the 1766 fireplace, making it the oldest surviving architectural element of the current structure. Historic Hotels of America recognizes the Beekman Arms as the oldest continuously operating inn in the United States.
The inn was expanded with the acquisition of the adjacent Delamater Inn, a Gothic Revival cottage designed by Alexander Jackson Davis in 1844 — the same architect who designed Lyndhurst in Tarrytown. Today the combined property operates 80 rooms across several historic buildings. It is listed on the Haunted History Trail of New York State.
Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his first gubernatorial campaign from the inn's porch in 1928, and subsequent New York gubernatorial candidates have made the same traditional announcement from the same location.
Sources
The Beekman Arms's haunting tradition centers on the original Tavern Room fireplace — the 1766 hearth that is the oldest surviving element of the building. A Revolutionary War soldier is the most consistently reported apparition; witnesses describe seeing a male figure near the fireplace during quiet hours. The inn's 250-year tenure on a major military road during a period of active combat provides a historical context that guests and staff cite when explaining the reports.
Beyond the soldier, multiple guests and staff members have logged flickering lights, inexplicable cold spots, and the sound of footsteps in hallways where no one is walking. Visitors who have photographed the inn report orbs appearing frequently in images taken throughout the building. Shadow figures moving through hallways and forms appearing in guest rooms are among the more specific accounts.
The Ghost Stories in the Basement program, which runs Friday nights at 7 PM, takes guests to areas not typically open to visitors and presents these accounts with historical context. The storyteller leads the group down to the basement of the 18th-century inn and recounts specific episodes attributed to particular periods of the building's history. The program is described by the inn as appropriate for mature audiences.
The property is listed on the Haunted History Trail of New York State and is among the Hudson Valley's most consistently referenced haunted hotel destinations.
Notable Entities
The inn offers 80 rooms across several historic buildings. Guests and staff report recurring phenomena including flickering lights, cold spots, and footsteps in empty hallways. The Tavern Room, which features the original 1766 fireplace, is the most frequently cited location for the reported Revolutionary War soldier apparition.
Friday evening program in which guests are led to the inn's basement for a candlelit ghost storytelling session covering 250+ years of the inn's history, including tales of the people and spirits said to have occupied the building. Runs at 7 PM, approximately one hour. $18 adults, $15 seniors. Call (845) 876-7077 to book.
Non-guests can visit the Tavern at Beekman Arms, which includes the original 18th-century fireplace. The inn dates its founding to 1766 and is a Historic Hotels of America member.
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