Chronicle No. 1 · History

The World's First “Hotel”

Travelers have always needed safe places to rest — for over two thousand years.

Many people think hotels are a modern invention, but travelers have always needed safe places to rest.

• Around 100 BC, the Romans built Mansiones, government inns for officials and merchants.
• Along the Silk Road, magnificent caravanserais welcomed traders crossing Asia.
• Hoshi Ryokan, founded in 718 AD, is considered the world's oldest continuously operating hotel, run by the same family for over 46 generations.

From Roman roads to Japanese hot springs, the instinct is the same: a light in the window, a meal, and a safe bed for the stranger.

Lesson: Hospitality is one of the oldest professions in human civilization.