1951 Best Hotels in USA

Banner Elk lacks a boutique hotel or upscale B&B, so most visitors rent a condo at the ski mountains or a cabin—this local outfit offers six homes fully stocked with amenities, ranging from upscale multi-bedroom lodges with hot tubs and stone fireplaces to smaller historic cottages walkable to Main Street.

Taking one of the spacious, well-appointed modern rooms in this 2011 replica of Bar Harbor's famed Rodick House hotel (torn down in 1906) puts you a stone's throw from the town’s lively restaurants, cafés, and gift shops. And though it’s a short walk to the waterfront, you can relax here with a dip in the hotel's heated pool or hot tub—or head for a rocking chair on the long covered front porch, which hearkens back to yesteryear's hotels. Ask at the front desk about the hotel's occasional ice cream socials.

The main building of this circa-1890 inn really does seem to be part barn and part castle, giving it a whimsical Loire-Valley-meets-Maine feel. Its rooms all have king-size beds and en suite baths. The on-site restaurant, which is open to guests and the general public, is lively, and a barn in back periodically hosts live music. 

This boutique inn has created its own little oasis, taking 1830s farmhouse lodging to the next level by pairing New England charm with luxury amenities. Rooms have modern comforts and special touches like the stone fireplace in the Stratton Suite or the copper soaking tub in the Hildene Suite. In the warmer months, enjoy the property's outdoor swimming pool and flower gardens. The on-site Stonewall Tavern serves craft beers and snacks such as salmon bites and charcuterie boards. In addition to the human innkeepers, the resident pups Lucky and King (both are hypoallergenic breeds) roam around the property, making sure things are up to par for the guests.

The owners of this 1850 mansion are opera lovers, and the inn tends to book up with other opera buffs during the local company's summer season. The house, on a tree-lined, flower-filled yard created from three city lots, includes rooms painted in salmon pink, malachite green, burgundy, and pale yellow. Each guest room is unique, and a coach-house apartment—a good value—has a bedroom, a living area, and a kitchenette. Breakfast includes fresh berry pies and fruit crisps as well as such standard fare as quiche. Note that a dog also resides here.

This 19th-century Victorian farmhouse, high on a hill overlooking Great Salt Pond, is now a quiet, refreshed, and bright B&B inn with water views from most rooms. Three of the seven guest rooms in the main building have deck access; two apartments in a separate building, each of which can be rented by the week in-season, are good options for families.

This renovated 19th-century manse, once the residence of the town's pastor, incorporates a modern boutique aesthetic into the traditional-style inn, especially in the attached gastropub, which features a long, polished metal bar and backlighted marble. Guest rooms maintain a nice balance of old and new in furniture and decor. The 6-acre property also includes several cottages, tennis courts, a pool, and an outdoor patio with a firepit.

Natives Jordan and Alice Lloyd returned to their hometown and bought a 220-year-old home (the former Inn at Easton) right in the center of town. They restored the inn, creating seven guest rooms and suites, each named after a different variety of pear. Impeccable hosts, the Lloyds considered every detail, from the luxurious sheets to the brightly colored walls.

A downtown motel for the 21st century, Basecamp charms with a mix of industrial, retro, and rustic styles, as well as simple but modern rooms with high-speed Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and original artwork. Options include a room with queen and twin beds plus twin loft beds, good for families or large groups of up to five. Another room has an indoor tent kids love. In addition to being farther from the highway, rooms in the back of the property are up high enough to have partial lake views. The small pool is also at this end, as is the sunroom, a living room–like hangout with games and a large TV. The lobby bar, which serves beer on tap and wine, is another convivial communal space; guests cook s'mores in the firepit just outside. Among the goals of the crew here is to help first-time visitors make the most of their time in Tahoe.

The ornate architectural details of this High Victorian Gothic stunner include dormer windows crowned with clamshell arches and a mansard roof of alternating bands of red and gray slate. The common spaces include porches, a living room, and a dining room that seats 20. Two long plush-velvet couches invite lingering in the library. Congress Park is across the street.

This high-rise hotel has somewhat formal rooms and public spaces with traditional furnishings. M Club members receive perks such as complimentary breakfast and afternoon hors d'oeuvres. The hotel is off Interstate 10, about 4 miles from LSU.

One of the growing number of lodgings clustered along Boston's ever-expanding Harborwalk—a pretty pedestrian path that runs from Charlestown to Dorchester—the recently renovated Battery Wharf Hotel looks more like a gated community than a chain hotel. The four guest and residence buildings are accessible by water taxi ($15 from Logan Airport); inside, savvy decorators resisted the obvious nautical theme and went for a "manly modern" look, which translates to tons of polished nickel, maple, and granite, with sparkling contemporary glass sculpture by artist Nikolas Weinstein. Rooms include marble baths, flat-screen TVs, ergonomic chairs, European linens, and high-tech coffeemakers. On-site Battery Wharf Grille features a seasonal menu with views of Boston Harbor on its breezy open-air terrace, and Cafe Amalfi is a sleek grab-and-go patio café. The hotel is also home to Exhale, a 13,000-square-foot upscale spa that includes Zen-inspired rooms for massage, acupuncture, and other energetic therapies, a salon for hair and nail services, New England's only Turkish co-ed hammam, and a temple-like studio for award-winning barre, cardio, yoga (outdoor waterfront practice is also available), and core cycle classes. 

Above the Potomac, two blocks north of downtown, the five buildings of this alpine-style inn include a gray-stone main lodge with antique German style and separate chalets reminiscent of old Bavarian lodgings. It was built as a home in 1930, was changed into a country inn in 1962, and was completely renovated in 1977. An infinity pool is to be added in 2014. The luxurious guest rooms have canopy beds.

The warmly furnished rooms in this contemporary house on a slight bluff overlooking and directly accessing the trails along Kachemak Bay all have private baths, and most have water views. Guests can mingle and relax at their leisure over continental breakfast in the morning, and common spaces include two living rooms, and a large deck with a grill that faces the bay. The hosts have experience in the commercial fishing industry and are a great source for recommendations about what to see and do in the area. 

This romantic waterfront inn has classic bay views and gorgeous antiques, as well as such contemporary conveniences as plush beds, double whirlpool tubs, and flat-screen TVs. Huge breakfasts, ordered the evening before, are usually served in the manicured courtyard, and guests gather at 5 for snacks, desserts, beer, wine, and homemade sangria. Owners and staff go to extraordinary lengths to accommodate guests' needs. Children, pets, and visitors with disabilities also find a warm welcome here.

A bit more elegant and formal than the average B&B, this inn wows guests with a combination of English and American antiques and a wealth of complimentary food, from extravagant breakfasts to wine and canapés in the early evening. Rooms charm those with romance in mind; many have luxurious bathrooms, and some have double whirlpool tubs. Innkeepers Joy and Andrew Warren are experts at fulfilling special requests from a sunset sail to gourmet picnics on the beach to private carriage rides.

There could scarcely be a better way to appreciate the Queen City of the Teche than to spend a night in this simple, two-room, 18th-century cottage on the bank of the bayou, down the road from downtown attractions. Guests are left on their own, with self-service breakfast items provided in the refrigerator. You can explore the 3 acres of quiet grounds or sit in the front-porch rocking chairs and watch towboats ply the waters.

Of the properties in the Sandestin resort complex, this hotel offers the best value, with the lowest rates and plenty of amenities, including free bicycles, bodyboard and kayak rentals, fitness center access, and tennis court time.

Tucked snugly into a narrow corner lot, the supremely casual Bayside's greatest asset is its prime spot directly across from the beach, within walkable blocks from the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Pier. Expect no frills but a decent value. Beachy-hued rooms are well maintained and feature tiled floors, powerful showers, and a TV. Some include a private patio or balcony, and there's also a shared lounge area outdoors. Access is via stairs and an exterior walkway. There's a small front office instead of a lobby. Drivers must negotiate a cramped lot and then pay $36 a night for parking. Request a room with unobstructed ocean views and balconies. Book early for summer weekends; the hotel typically sells out then.

A bit more upscale than most properties along Route 28, the Bayside overlooks pristine salt marshes and Lewis Bay, and although it's not right on the water, there's a small beach and a large outdoor pool (there's also an indoor pool). Guest rooms have contemporary light-wood furnishings, and several have cathedral ceilings, whirlpool tubs, and views toward the bay; the resort offers package deals covering everything from golf to day trips to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

With splendid ocean views and enormous junior suites throughout the property (each is more than 500 square feet), this appropriately named seaside getaway really does help travelers feel at home by the beach. All of the accommodations have balconies or patios and most gaze out towards the Pacific. Each junior suite has a king bed and a queen-size sleeper sofa in a separate living room area. Once guests leave their suites, there's a swimming pool and hot tub to visit along with the ocean practically right outside the door. 

This property 1½ miles southeast of town has three cozy cabins with views of the Lynn Canal, two rooms in the main house, and a stand-alone yurt, all with easy access to nearby nature trails, Each room has a kitchenette and a private bath; the cabins have fully stocked kitchens, loft bedrooms, sofa beds, and private baths. The yurt has a kitchenette but no shower (available in the main lodge). Discounted rates are offered for weekly stays.

Grand old oak trees shade the grounds of this quaint boutique hotel, where rooms are either on the oceanfront or have a partial ocean view. The renovated interior design reflects an understated island theme, and offers several different bed configurations and layouts. Efficiencies have one king-size or two queen beds, a desk, and a kitchenette. Higher-end suites have full kitchens. Some rooms have balconies or patios.

This 1928 landmark—renovated and reopened in 2022—welcomes guests in its ornate, high-ceilinged lobby and classically elegant rooms that come equipped with 21st-century tech amenities but evoke the hotel's heyday with gorgeously restored wood plank floors and plush white comforters. Together the lobby—decked out with chandeliers, Italian marble, and velvet furnishings—and wood-paneled library next to the mezzanine bar's grand fireplace bring to mind a half-restored Italian castle. Gloriously reincarnated in 2024, the legendary, top-floor bar Starlite is well worth a visit.

A cozy lobby, a stone fireplace, and wildlife mounts on the walls distinguish this downtown motel. Hardwood furniture and patterned bedspreads add a slightly Western touch to the spacious, simple bedrooms. There's nothing fancy here: just clean, affordable lodging.

A convenient setting and inexpensive room rates are the draw at this family-friendly place within Bear Mountain State Park. Constructed in 1915 of native stone and timber found on the site, the Main Inn has 15 rooms, a restaurant, bar, spa, café, and a vast, rustic lobby with a cozy stone fireplace. About a mile away, on the other side of Hessian Lake, are two additional buildings called the Stone Lodges. These have large windows (some with lake views) but get traffic noise from nearby highways. Overlook Lodge, in a quiet wooded area, has 24 spacious, serviceable rooms and a lobby with Hudson River vistas.

Once owned and operated by the Nature Conservancy, this serene 1928 haven was restored in 2010, and reopened to great acclaim in the hands of new owners, Linda Brewer and John Rohovec, who continue to offer luxury accommodations for bird-watchers and nature lovers. You have direct access to 178 acres of Gila National Forest land, where you can spot bird species such as the Gila woodpecker, vermilion flycatcher, and red-faced warbler. Four second-story rooms in the main lodge have views of mountains and forestland. Two downstairs lodge rooms have outdoor access to a covered porch. Four guest rooms are available in Myra's Retreat, a separate building named for the former owner, and a great space for a larger family or group. A two-bedroom guesthouse known as the Wren's Nest has an exposed wood ceiling, and a new-for-2021 Mongolian yurt offers another interesting option. Throughout the lodge, hardwood floors and locally handcrafted furniture—all made from reclaimed wood—add to the rustic elegance. The rooms and grounds now have a contemporary touch as well, with the bright addition of sculptures and wall art from the owners' Blue Dome Gallery with locations onsite and in Silver City, where you'll find the Ursa Minor Suite for overnight stays. Box lunches and dinner are available for additional charge and by arrangement. Cafe Oso Azul, featuring local foods and an irresistible menu (roasted vegetable strata, chile-laden pot roast hash, fresh apple cider, Mexican chocolate-chip cookies, and homemade ice cream), is open to the public for Sat. and Sun. brunch.