1951 Best Hotels in USA

Nestled at the foothills of Griffith Park, Cara Hotel welcomes guests with a stunning courtyard that boasts a reflection pool, bar, and a critically acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant. The guest rooms, ranging from suites to “snug” options for the solo traveler, are adorned with Italian linens, robes, and slippers to make staying feel like a cloud. Opt for Cara Hotel for a little vacation from the vacation.

Built in 1960, this stalwart family resort shows its age on the exterior, but inside, you'll find chic condos with spartan but attractive furnishings. The complex has more then 10 pools spread across its towers and inns, including the Wild Water pool area that runs the length of one side of the hotel. Many rooms have sliding glass doors onto an ocean-facing balcony.

Four different properties make up the polished Caribbean, each offering access to the other's amenities. The Jamaican Inn is a quaint old-style motel with lower rates; the Chelsea Villas offer more traditional condos just off the beach; and the newer Cayman and Dominican towers feature more luxurious accommodations. Water-play areas include one of the Strip's largest waterslides, and there are lazy rivers alongside the indoor and outdoor pools.

This super-convenient, easy-to-find, and modern hotel offers rooms and a few suites with Alaska decor and amenities like Wi-Fi, big-screen TVs, and queen beds in every room. Options include rooms with kitchenettes as well as pet-friendly rooms complete with small enclosures. The restaurant, The Caribou Grill, is one of the better options in the region.

Old-world charm and lovely architecture make perfect partners at this resort in a unique “planned village community” with lots of amenities, including four swimming pools, two hot tubs, two tennis courts, a playground, and a full-service spa and salon. Rosemary Beach is 2 miles away, and it's a 6-mile drive to Panama City Beach’s Pier Park.

This former monastery retreat sits on a ridge above a Deep Creek Lake cove. The chapel has been converted into an English-style great room, where you can play billiards or board games, watch movies, listen to music, or browse through magazines. Guests have free use of on-site sporting equipment, and a communal refrigerator is stocked with wine and beer. Breakfast can be taken in the small, bright dining room, in your room, or on the deck, weather permitting. Some rooms have private decks and fireplaces.

This company's inventory of privately owned beach homes ranges from one-bedroom condos to six-bedroom manses smack-dab on the beach. Units are furnished, with one to several TVs and DVD players, and their kitchens are stocked with pots and pans, dishes, cutlery, and microwaves. During peak summer months, most properties require one-week minimum stays.

This Girdwood inn is across from the Double Musky restaurant and close to Alyeska Resort's downhill ski slopes. Rooms in the back have a view of Mt. Alyeska, and the gurgling of nearby California Creek can be heard through open windows on warm summer evenings. There are also three private cottages. Summer lodge guests enjoy the B&B experience; cottage guests can add breakfast for a charge. 

When it comes to location, this Victorian-era property is ideal—far enough from the Historic District to avoid noise, but close enough to have easy access to excellent restaurants (try the nearby Floridian) and shops. Even the waterfront is just four blocks away. The house, restored in 1984, is not as formal as some B&Bs. With verandas, porch swings, and quilts on every bed, it's cozy and quaint rather than elegant. It also has an outstanding breakfast menu; afternoon coffee and fresh-baked cookies; and an easily accessible fridge with free soft drinks, beer, and wine. The innkeepers provide reliable recommendations for local restaurants. A cottage up the block is perfect for families.

Enter by way of a long driveway lined with olive trees, past the automatic gates, and suddenly you’re in a Mediterranean-inspired neighborhood of freestanding bungalows that overlook the vineyards and mountains. Exquisitely designed in hues of white, cream, and royal blue, each bungalow has a lounge area, fireplace, and enormous marble bathroom. The pool, room service, and tasting room (tastings from $25) give little need to leave this pleasant property, but, if you want to explore South Coast Winery Resort, the neighboring sister property, a complimentary shuttle transports guests to their spa, gym, and restaurant; charges can be signed back to your room at Carter Estate.

A relatively inexpensive option (look for online specials), this 1913 Edwardian is part of the Best Western chain's Premier Collection, and it retains a period feel, especially in the tile-floor lobby with a fireplace and adjoining wood-paneled bar. The rooms are San Francisco small and lack for style, but they're comfortable and have desks, flat-screen TVs, and spacious closets. A computer and printer are available in the business center, and Wi-Fi is free.

Luxury without pretense is the trademark at this mission-style inn, which stands atop a bluff overlooking Farmington. You can relax in the Southwestern-style den or near the patio's fountain, or watch city lights twinkle from the solarium. One room has a two-person hot tub, another has a fireplace, most have porches that face the lovely gardens, some face the bluffs, and all are beautifully appointed. Breakfast—included—is a gourmet affair, and fresh-baked goodies are served in the afternoon. Business travelers seeking a homey atmosphere make it a point to stay in this little oasis.

Intimate and peaceful, this classic adobe inn offers sweeping views of the Sangre de Cristo range and contains nine charming rooms decorated with antiques and Native American and other regional arts and crafts. The Luminaria Room, in the main house, has a private patio, viga ceilings, and a brick floor. The separate one-bedroom Casita Suite has a kiva-style fireplace, tile floors, kitchenette, and a sitting area. There are several covered porches, and a massive bird-feeding station draws dozens and dozens of birds. 

In West Palm's charming Grandview Heights historic district—and just minutes away from both downtown and the beach—this warm and personalized B&B offers a wonderful respite from South Florida's big-hotel norm. With 17 eclectic units spread over a city block, Casa Grandview's principal "inn," cottages, and suites exemplify Florida architecture through the decades circa 1919–49 but come equipped with plenty of modern-day amenities, too. Each unit or room has its own name, personality, furnishings, and history. Grantham's Library Suite, for example, is in the former kitchen of the 1925 Spanish Mediterranean home and adjacent to the extensive house library. With the likes of Florida Craftsman cottages, 1948 art deco cabana-bungalows, and the principal inn—a conjoined 1919 Spanish-mission home and 1925 Mediterranean-revival home refitted with modern amenities—Casa Grandview keeps Florida's fledgling history in style.

A favorite for its comfortable rooms and great location, the Casablanca evokes the sultry Mediterranean with its colors and decor, including a lobby outfitted with mirrors and mosaics, wooden blinds, and bistro tables—it's all rather theatrical, but then again, so is the neighborhood. Huge tiled bathrooms, all with windows, include bathrobes and slippers, and the rooms (there are also six slightly larger minisuites) have soundproofed windows to limit noise from Times Square. On the second floor, music plays while guests linger in the spacious Rick's Café for the complimentary continental breakfast buffet and wine-and-cheese evenings.

This historic compound (it's a National Register property) of 1930s- and '40s-era adobe casitas is perfect if you're seeking seclusion and quiet, yet desire proximity to museums, restaurants, and shops. Casas de Sueños (sueños means dreams in Spanish) is but a few blocks south of Old Town's plaza, on a peaceful side street. Each uniquely decorated unit opens onto a warren of courtyards and gardens that are spotted with sculptures and tile work echoing the inn's past as artist housing. Saltillo-tile floors, kiva-style fireplaces, skylights, and Southwestern furnishings are typical. Most rooms have flat-screen TVs and some sleep as many as four adults. The full breakfast is served in the former studio of Taos painter J. R. Willis; don't forget to pause for a peek at the main building's entry topper—it's local architect Bart Prince's "Nautilus."

This Hilton property overlooking the seasonal Carlsbad’s Flower Fields is within walking distance of LEGOLAND and is a sure win for parents wanting to check all the right boxes. Rooms cater to travelers seeking creature comforts of a luxury hotel, as well as those mixing business and leisure. Family Suites accommodate small groups, with a separate room with two twin beds. Minutes away are the Carlsbad Premium Outlets for shopping and the beach for surfing and sunning. An Olympic-sized pool centers the property, where the hotel’s casual restaurant, Cassara Kitchen & Bar, acts as the cornerstone of the grand lobby. A packed activities calendar features seven daily events for all ages, ranging from art classes and movie night to live music and lawn games. A pedestrian path leads directly to LEGOLAND, yet there’s plenty to entertain on-site including an arcade, playground, basketball court, and even a family pool with a splash pad. Just next door is Karl Strauss Brew Co. Attached to the Grand Pacific Palisades Resort (time-share condos), The Cassara is part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, meaning the hotel offers brand comfort and reliability. 

Built in the late 1950s, these six old-school (but Wi-Fi-equipped), two-bedroom log cottages offer an amazing view of both Blue Hill and the Bagaduce River, water access from a private dock, screened porches, and plenty of room to run around outdoors. Although the property is open year-round (with wood-stove heat in winter), the cottages are mainly rented out weekly, with nightly stays offered only when availability allows.

Built in 1898, this elegant inn just a block from the harbor has a wraparound porch, an inviting sitting room, and a cozy pub where guests can enjoy a full bar. The guest rooms have tasteful wallpaper, European linens, and private baths. Five of the rooms have air-conditioning.

You can almost reach out and touch The Wheel at ICON Park from this hotel, which offers a slightly kitschy sophistication, combining Alpine castle with Mardi Gras glitz.

This family-built and -owned hotel is steps from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park, and offers four different room categories (with some spacious enough to accommodate six guests). Some rooms have two queen beds, while others have a king bed and two queen beds. Rooms have two sinks conveniently in different areas for quicker mornings out the door to explore the parks. There is a castle theme pool area with a small kids pool, whirlpool, and swimming pool, plus tower lounge areas. There is no on-site restaurant, but there are a variety of dining venues next door and nearby. Guest parking is free.

This newly refreshed inn in the canyon is a quiet alternative to the hotels along the bustling waterfront. Swim in the heated pool after a day touring the island, and dine at the onsite Sunset Bar and Grill. A shuttle will take you into Avalon and down to the boat terminal.

Elegance meets comfort at this bed-and-breakfast, applauded for warm and inviting touches like soft music, cozy lighting, and crackling fires in period fireplaces. Built by a former sea captain for his new wife in 1886, this Italianate home sits within a block of Forsyth Park and the current innkeeper's style shines through with the well-chosen gilt mirrors, antique pieces, fresh flowers, and the communal dining table, set beautifully for a breakfast that wins rave reviews. Most rooms have balconies and private access to the garden oasis with its koi pond and soothing fountain.

Serene and traditional, this 1909 Tudor home is surrounded by opulent gardens and is near both Volunteer Park and Broadway—and it also has some rooms and suites that welcome children or pets. The living room is filled with comfortable furniture and lots of natural light. Guest rooms feel homey, though the rooms that haven't been recently updated seem a bit worn. Some rooms have views; some have hideaway beds in addition to the queen-size beds.

Cedar-shingled cottages and a two-story lodge form a horseshoe around this compact, woodsy property's central pool, picnic, and play areas. The look inside and out is classic alpine rustic, with the guest accommodations' wood floors, trim, and furniture driving the point home. Some cottages have kitchens and fireplaces. There's a heated pool open seasonally, and the hot tub remains fired up year-round. The cottages come with one or two bedrooms; because the lodge sits on a rise at the property's back end, the views south to the lake are among Cedar Glen's best.

Proprietors Nancy and Kevin Kupec oversee every detail of this small inn in the heart of Fells Point. Guest rooms, all with private bath, are furnished in Early American style; two suites accommodate large groups. Upscale amenities include down comforters, terry robes, fireplaces, and whirlpool baths. Continental breakfast is served in the cozy dining room. The rooftop deck provides a wonderful view of Baltimore's skyline and harbor.

This contemporary boutique hotel on a pretty stretch of lakefront with a private beach provides a handy, comfortable base for exploring the north end of Lake Winnipesaukee—it's on a quiet cove, about 5 miles from Meredith. In addition to the myriad recreational activities—kayak and SUP rentals, a swimming float, a hot tub, and a gym—there's a dock and moorings offering space for guests who bring their own boats. 

On a leafy residential side street, the Chamberlain is an intimate retreat just steps from Santa Monica Boulevard and close to the Sunset Strip. This hotel was once an apartment building that was transformed in 1984 for the Summer Olympics. This stylish all-suite hotel has newly renovated black and white designed rooms. Guests can soak up the sunshine at the rooftop pool with a lively bar in the summer, offering spectacular city and Hollywood Hills views. The hotel also features a 24-hour fitness center and business facilities. Book directly on the website to receive up to a 15% discount on your stay, and a daily complimentary beverage and room upgrade when available.

A converted 19th-century country schoolhouse houses these unique accommodations in downtown Lee where the cavernous guest rooms—some big enough for two queen beds—maintain their schoolhouse roots with blackboards still hanging on their walls. Rooms are decorated in French style and have 13-foot embossed ceilings and state-of-the-art baths. There are no common rooms, so breakfast baskets are delivered to your room each morning.