84 Best Hotels in USA

Welcoming staff greet visitors arriving at this revamped motel with clean-lined and modern rooms and suites in the center of town. Units near the road get some traffic noise, but you'll also hear the clip-clop of passing Amish buggies. Although there's no on-site dining, the Carriage House provides breakfast vouchers for Speckled Hen, the wonderful café across the road.

This single-story 1930s-era motel in Panguitch's cute historic district doesn't look like much from the outside, but the rooms are clean, have refrigerators and microwaves, and are among the most affordable within striking distance of Bryce, Zion, and Cedar Breaks. There's a grill and picnic table for guests to use.

Although there's nothing fancy about this low-slung adobe motel on the edge of downtown Escalante, the simple rooms have all the basics you need for a comfortable night or two—microwaves, fridges, coffeemakers, HDTVs, climate control—and one larger suite with a kitchenette sleeps six. In the evenings, guest gather around the shared firepit.

This renovated, classic 1950s-era motel gives you exactly what is promised: simple, clean rooms with modern touches of style and functionality, right in the middle of downtown Missoula.

This hilltop, two-story motel complex makes an excellent base for exploring Boothbay Harbor and Damariscotta as well as Wiscasset. All of the well-appointed rooms (some with four-poster beds) have river views from private balconies or patios. The 4-acre grounds encompass perennial flower gardens, gazebos, and a heated outdoor pool. A generous continental breakfast features straight-from-the-oven muffins, fresh fruit, and usually a special hot dish.

The well-appointed rooms all have private decks at this roadside lodging across from Grand Coulee Dam, with easy access to hiking trails and fishing. The seasonal pool, year-round hot tub, and sauna are welcome amenities after a day of recreation. A nice perk: the second floor rooms have views of the laser light show on the dam.

This sweet, old-fashioned compound of cottages and suites with access to a 140-foot beach on Little Squam Lake is a terrific find—and value—for families, as nearly all units have partial or full kitchens, and many can comfortably sleep up to five guests (there's also a six-bedroom lodge that groups can rent entirely). The carefully maintained accommodations recall another era with their knotty-pine walls, country-quilt bedspreads, and colorful hooked rugs; many have wood-burning fireplaces.

This quaint, single-story motel offers a clean, basic room for a fair price right off the main drag; most people are pleased with what it offers even if it isn't that ambitious. That said, there aren't many other options in town, so the bar is pretty low. The comfortable beds are a plus, but the carpets could use a deep cleaning. There is free coffee and tea in the front office, and the employees, like many Harlo locals, are friendly and accommodating.

Big, no-frills rooms are well-kept, and there's an adjacent restaurant ($$) and full bar. The menu is full-on cowboy, with burgers, hand-cut fries, and chicken-fried steaks. Located right on the highway in the center of town, this is a convenient, friendly place to lay your head after a long drive.

This simple single-story, family-run motel is set on a sweeping stretch of beachfront midway between downtown Yachats and Waldport. Compact rooms have been smartly renovated with wood flooring and whitewashed cedar walls, but they retain a '50s retro vibe in places like the pink-tiled bathrooms. Modern touches include electric fireplaces and flat-screen TVs with satellite and DVD players. Some have kitchenettes, and all open to covered patios, many of which face the sea. With reasonable rates and comfy rooms, Deane's books up in summer.

A converted motel, The Dive is a great place to stay for young travelers, with hip-themed rooms (from rustic to retro) and a private pool. If you're just looking to take a dip, though, visitors not staying at the motel can take advantage of the pool for a small admission fee. They also serve fresh food and drinks, making it a great spot to spend a sunny afternoon.

A classic 1950s-style neon sign marks the driveway to this roadside motel whose off-season rates appeal to budget-minded travelers. In high season, you'll pay a premium for the convenient location along Highway 29 a mile south of Main Street’s prime restaurants and shops, but the rooms are tidy, and the landscaped grounds and picnic tables elevate the property over similar accommodations. Family-friendly pluses include rollaway beds and cribs for a modest charge. To avoid highway noise, ask for a room farthest from the road.

A giant pepper tree and a few palms tower over the garden courtyard of this updated 1959 motel whose landscaping, festive pool area, and thoughtful service make a stay here worth considering. Rooms, which come in three classes—Adobe, Sonoma, and California—are furnished with refrigerators, coffee/tea makers, safes, and flat-screen TVs. Adobe rooms, the least expensive, aren't quite as spiffy, but they face the interior garden courtyard, making them among the quietest. Sonoma rooms include down comforters, recliners or sofa beds, and patios or balconies. Some Sonoma and California rooms have a fireplace; all California rooms have a patio.

Back in the day, El Vado was a prime Route 66 stay-over for those driving west (or back east), and now the 1937 vintage former motor court has been transformed into a destination-worthy, fully modern motel, with a decor that winningly embraces mid-century modernism. The compact, efficient, and comfortable rooms are well-appointed, and benefit from the warm color scheme used to accent walls and bedding, which contrasts with the lighter woods used for the viga-lined ceilings. All rooms face onto a central courtyard, which is set back from the bustle of old Route 66 (Central Avenue); the overall atmosphere is generally quiet. Coffee mugs and makers are provided, as is a growler, which may be walked over to the site’s Ponderosa brewery-supplied El Vado Taproom for a complimentary fill. El Vado Market, a cluster of shops and dining options surrounding El Vado’s plaza area, is just off Central Avenue, adjacent to the motel check-in.

Cute and no-frills, this mom-and-pop motel is adjacent to the Boulder Creek Path near the mouth of Boulder Canyon, far from Boulder's bustle yet a few minutes' walk from downtown. With its knotty-pine siding, red doors, and colorful flower boxes, this motel has a distinctive charm. The cabin-style rooms are simple but cozy (and quiet). Pets can stay, too.

Named after a Lynyrd Skynyrd tune, this old-school 1970s motel has been updated for the Instagram era with colorful furnishings and a soundtrack of vintage music, even a gold Lynyrd Skynyrd record in the lobby. Modern touches include a selfie-worthy pool with cabanas, a take-out eatery designed to look like a food truck, and lots of USB ports. Rooms are small—around 300 feet—and bathrooms are mini, but the price point makes up for that. Bonus: Seagull Beach is located within walking distance.

This small, attractively updated, and economical motel is an easy drive from the Mt. Washington Auto Road, skiing at Attitash Mountain Resort, and the inviting villages of Jackson and North Conway. Rooms have granite counters, plush towels and linens, fast Wi-Fi, and attractive decor, and some have Jacuzzis and gas fireplaces. 

From the outside, it may look like just another roadside motel, but beyond the plain-Jane facade are freshly renovated king and queen guest rooms with Keurig machines, mini-refrigerators, and modern design (lots of gray, lively wallpaper in bathrooms.) The owners of the Chatham Wayside Inn bought the motel and gave it a much-needed facelift, along with family-friendly amenities: a nicely landscaped heated outdoor pool, bicycles and helmets for guests' use, and a grassy area just right for kicking a ball around with your little one. If you're not looking to spend a small fortune on lodgings in Chatham, this is a worthy option.

In the late 1980s, while working on and taking photos for the now legendary album, The Joshua Tree, the rock band U2 found itself holed up at this circa-1952 roadside motel atop a hill overlooking town and beneath the national park’s jagged peaks. If you want luxury, look elsewhere; though some rooms offer kitchenettes, all have a hodgepodge of furnishings and basic bathrooms and amenities. But if you seek a storied stay, this fits the bill. You can even recreate one of the photos that made the final liner notes: the hotel sign that serendipitously features musical notes is still standing.

Snappy design, full kitchens, and proximity to downtown, wineries, and Apple Hill make this small early-1940s motel renovated in 2022 into vacation rentals a delight for its price point. The aesthetically pleasing suitelike accommodations have separate bedrooms (king or queen beds), walk-in rain showers, 60-inch smart TVs, and responsive Wi-Fi. The husband-and-wife hosts pride themselves on the TLC they've put into the house and the hospitality they show their guests. Some noise bleed-through between rooms and the less than scintillating location in a residential cul-de-sac between stand-alone commercial establishments and a strip mall count as drawbacks, but the pluses for the most part outweigh them in this Gold Country town with few worthy nonchain options.

Especially geared to families, this inn just north of Strasburg stands on 23 acres of manicured grounds with walking paths past gardens, a catch-and-release pond, and creekside woods. The hotel offers modern rooms and suites in three buildings distinguished by different decor; some have patios or balconies. Sight and Sound Theatre is right around the corner. The smorgasbord restaurant serves a complimentary all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet to inn guests.

With its hip, ’60s vibe, this renovated motel attracts weary travelers and locals alike for live music, cocktails, and artisan pizzas at its on-site restaurant. Rooms are basic but clean and comfortable. The property boasts Arizona's first Nordic spa, available for use for an additional fee.

Modeled with 1959 mid-century design in mind but with 21st century tech conveniences, Hotel McCoy Pullman appeals to multiple generations, and even boomers will appreciate the comfortable beds, welcoming glass of complimentary wine, and retro video games. There's an oatmeal bar with toppings for breakfast, complimentary coffee, and eye-catching murals and art throughout the property—including works by local artists who can sell them without paying commission fees to the hotel. It's a very feel-good vibe all-around and the staff reflects that in their service. The hotel even offers a "kindness" discount—asking customers who book with that rate to do a random act of kindness for someone.

Like the rest of historic Pass-a-Grille, this converted, 1950s-vintage property is totally friendly and totally Old Florida, with one- and two-bedroom cottages that make it great for a family beach vacation. It's within easy walking distance of the beach, and its nicely landscaped grounds feature huge live oaks and sea grapes, teak deck chairs, and a weathered fishing pier. Grills are available if you want to barbecue. Continental breakfast is served only on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, and there's a four-night minimum stay during holidays.

It's hard to beat the low prices or the spirited and welcoming personality of this funky and truly tiny 1950s motel in North Bend whose five rooms have pop culture themes like "That '70s Room" and the "Star Trek: Enterprise Room." For a small fee, the staff will set up an authentically old-school Atari 2600 or a vintage record player in your room, and they also offer free cruiser bikes to use and can arrange mountain-bike tours and other local activities. 

A small vintage motel across from a lovely beach on Newfound has been stylishly transformed into a hip rustic-chic hideaway, complete with cheerfully decorated Insta-worthy rooms, a welcoming café serving great coffee, and access to a private beach. Check-in is by keyless entry, and the young family that owns the Kelby is happy to dispense helpful recommendations on what to see and do in the area. Some units have upstairs sleeping lofts that are great fun for kids. 

This 1960s motor lodge has been reborn as a Santa Fe–style boutique hotel with a Latin theme. Though most rooms in the three-story building have Saltillo-tile floors and hand-painted Mexican headboards, a few are whimsically decorated with blue-and-lime-green–checkered bedspreads and curtains, along with kitschy furniture and lava lamps, as a tribute to the hotel's past life. Upper-floor rooms have balconies with mountain and city views. A full breakfast at the on-site restaurant, Gringo, is included.

This attractively renovated vintage motor lodge, just a five-minute walk from Lake Wentworth and Albee Beach, has been brightened up with an inviting mid-century cottage look and such family-friendly features as a game room and guest library. Some rooms have kitchenettes with induction cook tops, and there's a pool in back.

Fun and activity-focused, this cluster of smartly designed cabins appeals to younger, outdoorsy guests with its myriad amenities, including outdoor music, movies on the stage, and plenty of attractive spaces to socialize, eat, and soak up views of the adjacent Wenatchee River. The cabins, which have small decks overlooking the river and a rustic-chic design, are a good deal in the off-season but can get pricey on summer weekends. There is also a LOGE hotel in downtown Leavenworth where you can borrow a bike, rent gear, and visit the café for breakfast, sandwiches, and cocktails.

Part of the outdoorsy-spirited LOGE boutique lodging collection, this handsomely updated mid-century motel lies a couple of miles south of downtown Westport on South Bay. Accommodations range from simple guest rooms to hostel-style bunks, and guests can mingle and relax in several indoor and outdoor common spaces, including a community room with a full kitchen, a coffeehouse, and a surf and outdoor gear rental center. There are picnic tables with open-air kitchens, grills, firepits, and an outdoor stage where movies and concerts are sometimes held.