956 Best Hotels in USA

An official Colonial Williamsburg property with contemporary furnishings, this 300-room hotel is adjacent to the Huzzah restaurant and the visitor center complex. You can enjoy the extensive free Continental breakfast indoors or on the large patio. There's gated free parking so you can abandon your car and walk to the free shuttle buses.

From boardinghouse to bordello to affordable and historic inn, this refurbished 1890s edifice owned and operated by Pendleton Underground Tours advertises its "Old West Comfort" with a large vertical sign hanging from the side of the building. Exposed-brick walls and 18-foot ceilings run throughout, and a generous dose of Victorian antiques recall the building's original time period. Guests have use of a common full kitchen and dining room.

If you want to be within walking distance of all that World Golf Village has to offer (including championship courses and a full-service day spa), this resort is an excellent choice. Rooms and suites, stylish and elegant with spa-inspired bathrooms, surround a 10-story atrium, at the bottom of which is the Villagio Italian Grille set amid tropical foliage and streams. In addition to playing rounds of golf and indulging in a spa treatment, you work out in the 24-hour fitness center or play a game or two in the billiards room.

Even though you're on one of the bustling main streets of Kerrville, a stay here is a little like a retreat to a star 1950s dude ranch. No, there aren't horses or hayrides, but the rooms are all decorated in a Western theme, with exposed limestone walls and old-fashioned fixtures and curtains. Almost every room has a set of mounted deer antlers, just in case you were beginning to forget you were in Texas. The main lobby flaunts the Lone Star State's attributes as well: it displays more than 40 full mounts of exotic game along the high limestone walls and a life-sized sculpture of a cowboy on a bucking bronco. A special family suite includes a separate room for kids, with bunk beds.

A mid-17th-century fishing cabin with dark timbers and a fieldstone fireplace forms the heart of this historic inn, which now includes several neighboring buildings and three on-site restaurants. Reflecting this diversity, there are smaller rooms furnished with antiques and country pieces, cozy B&B-style quarters, and suitelike modern rooms with amenities like whirlpool tubs and gas fireplaces.

Look beyond the gimmicks (a luggage-storing robot, the futuristic white design scheme) and discover one of New York's best-run, most functional lodgings—and at a great price, too. The self-check-in lobby works like a dream, and though rooms might seem too small at first glance, they are surprisingly comfortable, accommodating giant flat-screen TVs, loungers that morph into beds with the touch of a button, nooks and crannies for storage, and smartly designed bathrooms. Larger "cabins" and suites have outdoor terraces and hot tubs. There's no room service, but a galley kitchen on each floor has free coffee, tea, water, and ice. The large outdoor space, perfect for reading and drinking coffee, becomes a hopping club on summer nights, with guest-celeb DJs.

Just a few miles beyond Zion National Park's East Entrance and about 16 miles northwest of Mount Carmel Junction, this scenic, 4,000-acre ranch offers a varied lineup of lodgings and a dizzying array of activities. Choose from cabins of different sizes, rambling vacation homes with kitchens, glamping options, tiny houses, or even a Conestoga wagon with bunk beds that sleeps six; you can also pitch a tent or hook up an RV. Kids love the cubbyhole-like sleeping areas shaped like covered wagons (they sleep up to four). Play miniature golf, or go ziplining, horseback riding, or rock climbing. After a long day on the ranch or exploring the park, head to the spa for a massage. There's also a restaurant and a large pool and deck.

On the southern edge of SFO's runway, this Starwood-branded property has comfortable, compact rooms with triple-paned windows and blackout curtains that help diminish the noise. The glass-front lobby is the place to be, as guests can take advantage of the live music, well-made cocktails at the W XYZ bar, and a pool table and other house games. Throw in Re:fuel, the hotel's grab-and-go eatery, the Re:mix lounge, a heated pool, outdoor sun beds, and a state-of-the-art fitness center (Re:charge, of course) open 24/7, and this funky property starts to seem attractive to those not wanting to trek into the city. Another added bonus: A popular jogging trail runs parallel to the bay.

This two-story motel about 3 miles from Canyon de Chelly but close to the junction with U.S. 191 has cheerful rooms with modern, no-frills oak furnishings and coffeemakers. The on-site Junction restaurant is one of the few spots in town to serve three meals a day, year-round, and there's a very good gift shop off the lobby.

Its downtown location is the lodge's primary draw—the McHenry Mansion and the McHenry Museum are nearby, and the county historical library is across the street. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, microwaves, refrigerators, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs.

Giant larch trees shade the large site, where fishing and boating are popular. There's a good beach for swimming, a horseshoes pit, wheelchair-accessible picnicking, and marked nature trails. Shopping, laundry, and services are nearby.

Attentive service and generous breakfasts are touted at this clean chain hotel on the fringes of historic downtown. This is as good as it gets in a rather fragrant agriculture-driven town, and it's not too shabby.

You can savor the forested surroundings and shade in this sanctuary far removed from any major community. The grassy site has full hookups and pull-through parking.

Close to the lion's share of the trailheads in the Village of Oak Creek, this clean, older property is a good base for outdoor adventures, and the front desk has plenty of maps and advice on offer. Large rooms have refrigerators and microwaves, and they are quiet enough for a good night's rest after a day of exploring.

This property is convenient to both the Oakland airport and downtown Oakland, and to make up for its removed location, the inn offers free shuttle service to the Oakland airport, BART stations, and Jack London Square. Rooms are clean and were stylishly renovated in 2013; each room has a microwave, a refrigerator, and Wi-Fi access. Splurge for a water view for a really pleasant stay.

Convenient to the freeway and 4th Street shopping, this peach-and-beige hotel provides good bang for the buck. The three-story property is surprisingly elegant; high ceilings lend the lobby and rooms an airy quality. Each room has a small kitchen area with a refrigerator and a microwave; some include a sink and cabinets. Free amenities include Wi-Fi, a business center, a small but well-equipped gym, a breakfast bar each morning, and parking.

Hip but cozy, the Hotel Felix uses a mixture of soft browns and grays throughout; the rooms are stylish, and the lobby, decorated with glass sculptures hanging from the ceiling, is small and inviting. The views are solid and the spa is divine: ultradark and quiet, it protects visitors from outside noise.

Located 2 miles south of SFO, the Hyatt Regency is one of the largest airport convention hotels in Northern California, but the spectacular 10-story, 29,000-square-foot lobby atrium sets it apart for those seeking more than the typical business-center ambience. Following a top-to-bottom renovation in 2016, the services and amenities include free Wi-Fi, double-pane windows, roomy workstations, comfortable beds, 49-inch flat-screen HD TVs, and spacious bathrooms. The hotel provides numerous 24-hour business center kiosks, a 24-hour gym, and a heated outdoor pool. A free trolley whisks guests to downtown Burlingame for shopping and dining, and a shuttle services SFO, where you can catch a BART train to San Francisco.

Close to downtown and near many upscale restaurants, this is a good choice for business and pleasure travelers. The spacious and quiet rooms have large desks and flat-screen televisions with 30 channels.

This roadside row of rooms has everything a small-town motel should offer: friendly management, spotless seaside accommodations, and extras that add real value. Some rooms have a small kitchen with cooking utensils, while the lodge—a window-lined common room with skylighted cathedral ceiling—has a fireplace, a big-screen TV, a billiards table, and a kitchenette. French doors open to a deck overlooking Tomales Bay.

Directly across from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, the Hilton is a good choice for travelers flying in late or departing early in the morning. The upscale decor coordinates muted pastel colors with the soft-pink Caribbean-style exterior. The handwoven area rugs are from England. Check out the 21-station fitness center and oversize outdoor hot tub.

For travelers wanting to do some fishing, this reservoir and campground is a quick and easy drive just north of Santa Rosa. Aside from fishing, waterskiing and boating are permitted, and there are numerous hiking trails. Weather in spring and fall is almost ideal at about 70°F, although summer tends to be at least 90°F. Beautiful, glossy black cormorants can be spotted on the shores and provide a real treat for bird-watchers. Reservations are allowed but are not generally necessary, even in spring.

This busy campground among tall pines is on the lake, so mosquitoes can be pesky. Groceries, sports rentals, and restaurants are about 4 mi away. Reservations are recommended.

At the highest point on Skyline Drive (3,680 feet, milepost 41.7), with views across the Shenandoah Valley, this facility has lodging that ranges from rustic cabins and motel-style rooms to suites. This resort is one of three different properties within the park: Big Meadows Lodge (milepost 51.0), originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is in a spectacular setting surrounding by grassy meadows full of deer and wildlife. Lewis Cabins (milepost 57.5) is the real deal—very rustic cabins for an authentic outdoor adventure. Since these three properties in the park are in sought-after locations, you'll need to book up to a year in advance. There's no air-conditioning, but days above 80°F are rare at this altitude.