1951 Best Hotels in USA

Fresh, colorful design and Bohemian flair set the tone at this hotel (a college-themed boutique brand that is now under the Hilton flag) in one of Berkeley's registered historic places, just steps from campus and downtown eating, shopping, and entertainment. Rooms are vintage scholarly-inspired, quirky, and welcoming, with modern tech amenities and a fitness center to keep with the times. In the lobby, friendly and accommodating staff add to the collegiate atmosphere. Henry's Restaurant dishes up delicious farm-to-table pub fare each evening.

There are many hotels with bland, corporate decor—and then there's the Graduate Palo Alto, where every square inch of space seems to have some form of elaborate design or decoration. With a base of very intricate Spanish Colonial architecture, the university town–focused brand completely remodeled what was the Hotel President (named for Stanford alum Herbert Hoover), a popular 20th-century hotel that had fallen into disrepair. Each room has a retro vibe (old-fashioned bedspreads and eye-catching floral and bird wallpaper) and a huge amount of Stanford influence. The shower entry frame is arched like the classic campus architecture, and bed headboards are stenciled with redwood trees, a nod to the Stanford tree mascot.

Tucked away in the corner of the University of Connecticut's main campus, this rehabbed property is an homage to UCONN, its famous alumni, and the culture and legacy that surrounds the institution with themed decor that ranges from a giant husky at the front door to repurposed basketball court flooring in the lobby and art in the rooms---is that Bobby Moynihan on the lampshade? The onsite, aptly named Trophy Room, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and there's a fitness room; and pets are allowed (for a fee).

This extremely colorful (think: plaids over pastels) yet tastefully decorated boutique inn expands upon a century-old historic home, whose original parlors and living rooms serve as a bar, library, and communal areas. You don't have to be a University of South Carolina fan to appreciate the funky aesthetic of a headboard adorned with giant chickens. The Trophy Room restaurant serves breakfast and dinner.

This 1801 classic encourages you to linger on its wraparound porches, in its authentically Colonial common rooms, or with a book by the fire in its old-fashioned library, but those who want to get outside can access the nearby Grafton Ponds Outdoor Center and its 2,000 acres of trails, forests, and fields. The main building, with two-story columns gracing its front, contains 11 guest rooms; the rest are dispersed among three other close-by buildings.

Built in 1922 in the heart of downtown and still sparkling, the two-story Granada is a vintage-style retreat with hardwood floors, redbrick walls, and antique rugs. All rooms have Italian linens, marble vanities, and custom art; some rooms have fireplaces, and suites have floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony.

Adjacent to the performing arts center and a block from the sports venue, this luxurious, European-style property affords city-center views and showcases hundreds of pieces of art, along with a rare Imperial Grand Bösendorfer piano, which is played by jazz pianists in the popular Bösendorfer Lounge.

Pass through the center of Red Hook and you can't help but notice this stately blue Victorian mansion. The owners are antiques collectors, so the house has the feel of a museum, especially in the common rooms. All but one of the bedrooms are corner rooms.

Salem is short on choices, but this hotel offers large rooms, with comfortable and luxurious furnishings; it's a good base for guests attending shows and meetings at Salem Conference Center or touring the region. There's a fitness room and an indoor pool and a free hot breakfast is served each morning.

Towering over the railroad line that bisects Downtown, this conveniently located hotel—easy walking access to both Downtown and Midtown without being in the middle of the Lower Broad craziness—embraces the historic nature of the city's past as a rail center with impressive symbolic artwork in the massive lobby. An impressive variety of room types are available, all equipped with large flat-screen televisions, premium bathroom amenities, and mini-refrigerators, and there's a rooftop pool with gorgeous panoramic city views. The attached Chef Sean Brock–helmed restaurant, The Continental, is definitely an added bonus for the Grand Hyatt and its guests.

Conveniently located near Grand Central, this large, historic hotel (originally built as the Commodore in 1919) is now a sleek and modern central hub with a fresh-looking lobby that has low-slung leather furniture and two towering Jaume Plensa sculptures. Rooms are a minimum of 250 square feet, with pops of color on the walls, tons of electrical outlets, and an efficient settee-table setup that's ideal for an in-room drink or a few hours of work. The convenient 24-hour Market on the ground floor has coffee, snacks, hot meals, liquor, and fresh fruit. New York Central restaurant has a slick design and a market-driven, seasonal menu. A bar overlooking 42nd Street attracts a large after-work crowd for beer and sports on a row of flat-screen TVs.

Location is the main draw at this hotel, where rooms done in warm autumnal tones, with textured custom furniture, original artwork, and teak beds, are showing their age but still offer high-tech features: windows can be blacked out from your bed, and you can stream from your mobile or other device to a swiveling flat-screen. Business travelers appreciate the good-size workstations and large closets in many rooms, while down in the light-filled lobby, gas fireplaces warm homey nooks.

Near the airport and overlooking the Courtney Campbell Causeway, the Grand Hyatt has a lot to offer, including a peaceful trail through surrounding mangroves, a fantastic fitness center, and a shuttle to the airport and the nearby upscale mall. The decor is understated and classy, and, since the hotel caters to business travelers, rooms are equipped to accommodate gadgets. Amenities also include stellar dining options such as Oystercatchers, a waterfront seafood eatery, and the lobby-level 1823 Kitchen & Bar, which serves locally inspired dishes.

A warm stone-and-log lobby with a huge fireplace welcomes guests to this comfortable lodge in the mountain's base village. Muted earth- and pastel tones with copper accents adorn the rooms, most of which have kitchenettes. The restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, and the hotel also has a spa, steam room, hot tub, fitness center, and heated indoor-outdoor pool.

Hilo isn't known for its fancy resort hotels, but the Grand Naniloa, built in 1939, attempts to remedy that situation in grand fashion, paying homage to hula, Hawaiian culture, and Big Island adventures. Art photography of the ancient style of hula graces the walls, halls, lobby, and guest rooms, and the open-air lobby unveils stunning bayfront panoramas from its vantage on the peninsula. Rooms are contemporary in style, nicely appointed, and outfitted with standard amenities. The corner oceanfront rooms offer prime views, while harbor views prevail from other rooms. Just off the lobby, KapohoKine Adventures operates an on-site store and activities desk where guests can easily book zip-lining adventures, volcano tours, and other treks. At the hotel's main entrance, the Willie K. Crown Room is a concert hall and theater. Located poolside, Hula Hulas restaurant has open-air dining overlooking Hilo Bay. The Hula Lounge lobby bar presents live Hawaiian music nightly.

This classic spot, north of the Strip's crowds, is a combination of rentable condos with full kitchens and standard hotel rooms outfitted with refrigerators, coffeemakers, and, in a few cases, kitchenettes. Most of the airy rooms have balconies with a view of the ocean or the expansive pool complex (including the lazy river). There's also a rooftop garden with a pool and four hot tubs.

Defining the Florida B&B experience, this 1925 Mediterranean-revival home overlooks a serene courtyard pool and has loads of charm and personality, while the fabulous owners provide heavy doses of bespoke service. Grandview is located on a quiet residential street, a short walk from The Square and the Kravis Center. The B&B is warmly decorated with terra-cotta floors, a coral-stone fireplace, and terraces overlooking gardens where you can enjoy breakfast. Each spacious room has French doors opening to individual patios overlooking the pool. Grandview also has two adjacent cottages available for weekly rental.

Early tourists used to ride horses 7 to 9 miles through the park each day and stay at a different chalet each night; today, the only way to reach the Granite Park, one of two such chalets that's still standing (Sperry is the other), is via hiking trails. You must bring your own food and water (or you can pre-purchase it and have it available on-site), and you need a reservation. There is an optional linen and bedding service for $40 per person. A rustic kitchen, limited refrigeration, and pit toilets are near the chalet. You can park at Logan Pass Visitor Center and hike 7.6 miles, or park at the Loop Trailhead and hike uphill 4 miles.

In the spectacular Pioneer Mountains, this mountain B&B is ideally situated for snowmobiling, hiking, and fishing. The tidy, colorful rooms have log beds and views of the mountains. You can rent snowmobiles nearby in winter.

Within walking distance of the beach and the village, this large Victorian house right off Main Street may not be luxurious, but it's a convenient option if you're traveling without a car. If you're looking for a clean place to rest your head after a day at the beach, this is a nice, affordable choice, and families will appreciate the babysitting and childcare services. Breakfast is served in a main dining area, and use of outdoor grills and the Ping-Pong table is encouraged. The hotel is affiliated with the Eastside Tennis Academy, and packages are available.

This small, European-style hotel is on the edge of historic Gratz Park. The Federalist–Georgian architecture and decor are inviting, and the house reportedly is home to a friendly ghost.

The clean, spare lines of the Gravity Haus's wooden exterior evoke a modern European feel; energy-saving heating, cooling, and lighting systems demonstrate a commitment to sustainability; and rooms in the three two-story satellite buildings are understatedly sexy, with Merlot-and-camel color schemes and mod-Italian overtones. Not all bathrooms have tubs, but small refrigerators and flat-screen Smart TVs count among the amenities. Check the hotel's website or ask when you book about the outdoor-sports trips the staff arranges. Some pets are welcome in ground-floor rooms for a fee.

With sweeping water views, cozy rooms, and outdoor decks tailored to coffee drinking and wildlife viewing, the Great Blue Heron is a favorite among regular visitors to Craig. Overlooking South Cove Boat Harbor, the inn features three small but well-appointed rooms and one suite with private deck; two of the four have harbor views.

From downtown Portsmouth, it's a picturesque 2-mile drive or bike ride along the Piscataqua River to this urbane inn set inside an 1820s home that's been given a nautical-chic redesign, all of its six apartment-style studios equipped with well-stocked kitchens, washers and dryers, and light-filled living spaces. Although the inn offers only a self check-in, there is a concierge available to answer questions by text. Some rooms have water views. 

Located right at the entrance of the park, behind the Oasis, this simple lodge offers clean, comfortable rooms with patios that feature great views of the dunes and mountains. Two rooms also have a refrigerator, microwave, and private grill. A stationary RV with a private deck is available for overnight stays behind the lodge. There's a minimum two-night stay on Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. All rooms are nonsmoking.

Smack-dab in the center of Stowe village, this classic redbrick inn has been welcoming guests since 1833; rooms in the main building and the annex feel like a country inn, while the newer additions refine with added luxury and space. The inn is also much bigger than it first appears, with multiple buildings extending to the back, including a health center, game hut, pool, fitness center, and more. The leather-heavy Whip Bar & Grill serves excellent, meaty, American comfort food.

This gingerbread inn built in 1897 is a pleasing little discovery with its spacious, high-ceilinged and elegantly furnished cottage-style rooms inspired by Savannah's British Colonial heritage. All rooms have fireplaces, and a couple even have working fireplaces in the bathrooms. Hot breakfasts are generous and served with style, and in the evening you'll be treated to wine and hors d'oeuvres, plus daily homemade desserts.

Situated above Harmon Harbor, this 1904, double-turreted inn truly is a haven from modern-day hustle and bustle—just head to the front porch, settle into a rocker, take in the amazing oceanfront panorama, and feel your stress melt away. Guest rooms, two of which have whirlpool tubs, are serene and uncluttered. The Sunrise Suite has a private balcony, and the turret rooms make up for their petite size with 270-degree views, perfect for greeting the sun in the morning and watching the moon rise at night. At Blue, the inn's restaurant (open to the public by reservation), the accomplished chef turns fresh seafood and other locally sourced ingredients into contemporary New England–style dishes.

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.

Two-plus centuries of catering to changing tastes at one of America's oldest continuously operating inns has resulted in a kaleidoscope of decor—some Colonial, a bit of Federal, a little Victorian—with just as many modern touches as necessary to meet present-day expectations. Although many of the rooms in "the Gris," as it's affectionately known, feel a bit worn, the point here is more to soak up history than to feel pampered. Chefs at the restaurant prepare country-style American fare, and there's a Tap Room—built in 1738 as a schoolhouse—that's fun for after-dinner drinks.