Proudly unveiling Frederick’s best-kept secret and rarest gem, the hotel invites guests to immerse in an architectural icon home to nearly 200 years of history as a cloistered monastery and internationally renowned academic institution. The hotel pairs a one-of-a-kind legacy with intuitive service and modern amenities to deliver a rooted, resonant experience for delightful getaways, inspired work, and exceptional events.
Monastery is built and occupied by the Sisters of Charity, who established one of the city's first schools for young girls.
After a fire closed St. John’s School in 1845, the Sisters of Charity left, and Visitation Sisters from Georgetown took over. Upset students staged a hunger strike, but apple dumplings from local residents ended the protest and started a lasting tradition.
Each September, students gathered courtyard apples for dumplings and ice cream—a tradition revived even after the Visitation Sisters departed in 2005.
In June 1845, a fire devastated the wooden building of St. John’s School in Frederick, Maryland, following weeks of drought. Flames consumed the structure, including its cupola and cross, as nuns and students safely evacuated the adjacent brick building. While the fire’s cause remained unclear, suspicions ranged from a lantern spark to anti-Catholic arson. Limited water supplies and vandalized hoses hindered firefighters, but rain that night saved the nearby St. John’s Church. Unable to afford repairs, the Sisters of Charity left Frederick, transferring the school to the Sisters of the Visitation.
Learn MoreBuilt in 1852 under Sister Mary Anastasia Combs, the Chapel at Visitation Academy served as a sacred space for Catholic mass and ceremonies for over 175 years. Notable features include Franz Mayer stained glass windows, a marble altar base, and an Italian oil painting, The Presentation in the Temple.
Renovations in 1924 added statues, side altars, and gold doors. After the school closed in 2016, the deconsecrated chapel remains a historic landmark, preserving its rich legacy in Frederick.
Visitation is temporarily converted into an “asylum for the sick” after the Battle of Antietam, serving as a makeshift hospital for Union soldiers wounded in the Civil War.
Visitation Monastery closes and the remaining Sisters in residence relocate.
Following its sale in 2017, the site is no longer consecrated. The sale stipulated that the property and chapel be used for non-religious purposes. Sacred objects have been removed from the chapel. Any remaining items are present solely to maintain the building's historical character, as required by secular authorities.
Deconsecration of the Visitation Hotel
The Visitation Hotel invites you to celebrate its historic unveil with an exclusive grand opening offer.
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