Batter up! The bases are loaded and the community is on deck to knock out a grand slam for Historic Hotel Bethlehem. USA Today nominated the iconic hotel as the Best Historic Hotel in America for the sixth time. If the hotel wins, it will be the fourth consecutive year it brings home victory.

This is the sixth consecutive year USA Today has included the iconic local landmark on its 10 Best nomination list. Historic Hotel Bethlehem came in third place in 2019, moved up to second in 2020, and won first place three consecutive times in 2021, 2022 and 2023. It knocked out historic destination heavyweights like the Peabody in Memphis and Hotel Du Pont in Delaware to take the lead. According to the USA Today website, a prestigious panel of travel industry experts and editors at USA Today agree each nominee has “held true to its historic roots and unique sense of place.”

“Winning this again would be like having the bases loaded and hitting the home run for our community. So, I’ve been saying we’re going for the grand slam this year,” said Bruce Haines, Historic Hotel Bethlehem’s managing partner. “And it’s not just about us. These awards are so much more than recognition for the hotel. They recognize the community and the spirit that built this landmark and brought it back to life when it nearly shut down for good in the ‘90s.”

To celebrate the “grand slam” theme, the hotel partnered with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Historic Hotel Bethlehem Community Ambassador Ryan Crookham joined Haines on the field to throw out the first pitch at the IronPigs game July 10. Team leadership, along with mascots FERROUS and FeFe joined Haines for a special pregame ceremony encouraging baseball fans and the entire Lehigh Valley community to vote.

IronPigs President and General Manager Kurt Landes said it’s like the seventh game of the World Series.

“Our beloved local landmark is up against some of the best hotels in America,” he said. “The bases are loaded, and we need everyone to come together to bring home the bacon to the Lehigh Valley & Bethlehem.”

In addition to the ceremony, the IronPigs announced a “bases loaded” partnership. Throughout the voting campaign, whenever the Iron Pigs load the bases, they’ll display a QR code on the big board with a link that takes fans to the voting website. They’ll also announce voting details during defensive lineups.

To vote, visit www.votehotelb.com daily until 11:59 a.m. Monday Aug. 5.

“Let’s play ball and make this happen by voting every day throughout the contest,” Haines said. “Each day think about taking a step up to bat in honor of a great memory you, your family and friends have made at the hotel — from special dinners to proms and weddings, everyone in the valley has some kind of connection to Historic Hotel Bethlehem.”

For more information visit hotelbethlehem.com.

Contributed article