International Hotel Site

The most luxurious of any hostelry catering to the public in Nevada at the time. A third of a million dollars went into its construction and furnishings. Datin called it Virginia City’s “Palatial Palace,” where accommodations rivaled the finest offerings to be found on either coast. First-class rooms with gas lighting that included board could be had for $55 a month. The fee for an overnight stay was $2.50. Bonanza King John Mackay became a permanent resident at the hotel for several years when his wife, Marie, relocated to Europe.

Like its predecessor, the new International received technological upgrades as they came on the market. It had a hydraulic elevator in service when it opened in 1877, but the hotel wasn’t wired for electricity until 1900. A huge celebration was held in Virginia City on Oct. 20,1900, when the town finally got wired. Fittingly, a big banquet was held at the International Hotel marking the occasion.