West House Deluxe Rooms
W52 - The Sculptor's Room
Maria Louise Lander, granddaughter of Nathaniel West, was a famous sculptor. Her masterpiece was a statue of Virginia Dare, which today stands in the Elizabeth Garden on Roanoke Island. Virginia Dare was the first child of English parents born in America. The ship carrying the statue shipwrecked on the way from Italy to Boston, leaving the statue on the sea floor for almost two years. Once retrieved, the statue was exhibited in Boston where it was nearly destroyed in a fire. Finally, the statue was sold to a buyer who died before paying for it. Whether cursed or simply bad luck, the statue’s history seems appropriate for its ties to Salem.
More PhotosBOOK NOW
W53 - The Poet's Parlor
There was no shortage of artistic talent in the West family. Frederick West Lander, grandson of Nathaniel West, was a Civil War general and a poet who wrote many famous poems, most notably “Ball’s Bluff”; Aye deem us proud, for we are more than proud of all our mighty dead; proud of the bleak and rock-bound shore, a crowned oppressor cannot tread.
More PhotosBOOK NOW
W72 - The Celebrity's Room
We want everyone who stays at the Salem Inn to feel like a celebrity. Judy Collins, B.B. King and Bonnie Raitt were guests in this room. The E.M. Loew’s Salem Theater stood directly behind the inn and was an active showplace from 1953 until 1985. The theater’s close proximity to the Inn made it the natural choice for performing celebrities.
More PhotosBOOK NOW
W73 - Old Bet's Room
Old Bet was the first elephant to be brought to the United States. She came from Calcutta aboard the America captained by Jacob Crowninshield of Salem. As the story goes, the crew of the America realized quickly after setting sail with this elephant that she was drinking all of the water onboard. They quickly switched her diet to beer. Old Bet would have loved the many places for craft beer in Salem today. While here visit Notch, Gulu Gulu Café or Salem Beer Works, just to name a few.
More PhotosBOOK NOW
W74 - The 1983 Room
This room is named for a very special day in the lives of Dick and Diane Pabich. Memorial Day 1983 was the day the Salem Inn opened its doors for the first time. Our very first checked-in guest stayed in Room 74, to enjoy crisp new sheets, lovingly restored antiques, and the hospitality that we are still known for.
More PhotosBOOK NOW
W75 - The Cogswell Room
General William Cogswell was a Civil War hero who later became mayor of Salem, a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate, and ultimately a U.S. Congressman. Cogswell lived in the West House in 1887, and this was his office.
More PhotosBOOK NOW
W76 - The Neighbor's Room
If Abijah Northkey had his way, you'd be staying somewhere else. That’s because the West House would not exist. Soon after Nathaniel West purchased the parcel of land upon which this house was ultimately built, Northkey, whose land abutted this parcel, claimed the land was part of his father’s inheritance and rightfully his. Fortunately, West won that battle and his house, and, ultimately, the Salem Inn was built.
More PhotosBOOK NOW