84 Best Hotels in USA

The 1960s are back and splashier than ever at this tastefully and whimsically restored motel next to a park and diagonally across from the Luther Burbank Home & Gardens. The owners of the popular Spinster Sisters restaurant around the corner, who've been collecting mid-century modern furniture for years, have put their collection to swell use furnishing the Astro, a design lover's delight, where something different catches the eye every few seconds. Each room is individually decorated, some with Sputnik chandeliers and vintage Eames chairs and accessories like pottery, old cameras, and wooden ice buckets. Built-in benches in some rooms are useful for storing luggage, and all rooms have flat-screen TVs and refrigerators but no microwaves or (except for two suites) coffeemakers. The two-building motel sits on the edge of the SOFA Santa Rosa Arts District, across Santa Rosa Avenue from two tattoo and piercing parlors that add further local color. Ask about discounts on tastings at wineries, a spa, and a bike-tour company.

The nationally renowned, Kanab-based Best Friends Animal Society runs this smartly designed, pet-centric motel that offers a slew of amenities for travelers with four-legged friends, including a fenced dog park and water feature, pet treats and beds, built-in cubbies for snuggling and napping, and dog-walking and pet-visit services. Even if you're visiting without animals, it's a fun place to stay, as rooms have striking pet photos, unfussy contemporary light-wood furnishings, tile bathrooms with sliding barn doors, and kitchens or kitchenettes in the suites. Proceeds help fund Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, which a shuttle bus can take you to visit, 10 minutes north of town. An airy and modern gift shop–café sells pet-related gifts, outdoor gear, and coffee; continental breakfast is served here in the morning.  Members of Best Friends receive $20 off the nightly room rate.

From the porches of these restored former mill workers' cottages that can be booked whole or in part (as studios occupying former garages), you often see Roosevelt elk meandering in the namesake meadow—or right outside the window. The furnishings are pleasantly modern, if functional. The cabins have three bedrooms, two bathrooms, full kitchens, washers and dryers, and porches with grills. Most have attached studio units (without full kitchens) you can book separately or combine to create a four-bedroom, two-bath rental. On the grounds are a communal fire pit and an outdoor hot tub. The cabins, on the edge of Prairie Creek State Park, provide an excellent base for Redwood National and State Parks hiking.

Less than 4 miles from glorious Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park, this smartly updated old-fashioned motor court next to a quaint '50s restaurant offers attractively appointed rooms with wood paneling, ranging from cozy standard rooms with queen beds to an airy three-bedroom guest house with vaulted ceilings. This is a perfect location convenient to both the national park and Port Angeles. Granny's Cafe serves hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare; when the restaurant is closed in winter, however, it's a bit of a drive to get breakfast elsewhere.

What was once a run-down mid-century motor lodge is now downtown's coolest place to stay, thanks to an overhaul with retro-chic furnishings, trellises with climbing vines, and a sage-and-neutrals color scheme that extends to the lobby coffee shop and lounge. The bar's patio is a hot spot for locals on weekend evenings.

This thoughtfully updated motel with rooms and a few cabins offers reasonable rates and a peaceful location along U.S. 12, a bit north of downtown Packwood and within easy striking distance of the Stevens Canyon Entrance to Mount Rainier National Park. Rooms have flat-screen TVs, plush bedding, and refrigerators, and cabins are a nice option for families, as they sleep four and have full kitchens—they also have jetted tubs, an especially pleasing amenity on chilly winter nights.

The spectacular setting is the main draw at the rustic Pisgah Inn, perched on a mountaintop at 5,000 feet. Rooms have small porches or balconies with rocking chairs where you can take in the views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The restaurant has huge windows facing the tree-clad slopes and serves mountain trout, fried chicken, and other tasty fare.

What was once a dilapidated roadside motel is now one of the most popular bars and restaurants in town—and arguably Boone's new best place to stay. A courtyard between the two primary buildings features firepits and comfy seating, while rooms show off with custom-built beds and built-in desks that continue the furniture-grade plywood aesthetic of communal areas. Canteen, the lobby restaurant, has a pool table, arcade games, and an inspired menu of sandwiches and Appalachian fry bread tacos. 

This chicly remade mid-century motel, comprising 12 spacious apartment-style suites with kitchens and retro-cool decor, enjoys direct beach access along a mostly undeveloped and gorgeous stretch of Atlantic coastline between Odiorne Point and Wallis Sands Beach. An attractive sundeck and heated pool offers ocean views and is equipped with a grill. Parking is free if you book directly but $29 otherwise.

Less than a mile from Acadia National Park, this family-friendly resort has updated 1940s-era cottages across from Hulls Cove; accommodations have vintage lamps and art that adds cottage-y authenticity to the upscale nautical decor, large baths, flat-screen TVs, sitting and dining areas, and a/c, plus screen doors and windows to stir cross-breezes. Buildings are white outside and inside, and cottages and guest rooms have a large wet bar area with microwave and refrigerator, pull-out couch, and king bed; two-bedroom cottages also have twin beds. Red doors pop next to the front patios—from most you can gaze down at the sea, while red-and-white umbrellas flap with the color scheme around the pool, above it on the lodge patio, and at the picnic table outside each cottage.

For a blast from the past, stay in one of the funky vintage aluminum trailers at this trailer park south of town, where accommodations range from a 1947 "Tiki Bus" to a 1951 33-foot Royal Mansion. The entire collection is decked out in midcentury style, including vintage magazines, coffee percolators, and vinyl records. Most units have small bathrooms, but only a few have private showers; the park restrooms are clean, with hot showers.

The exterior of this property between Sonoma and Glen Ellen says "motel," but the design sensibility and customer service are more quaint country inn, with the rates splitting the difference. Many patrons return year after year, so book well ahead in summer and early fall, especially on weekends. A few blocks west of Highway 12 in a residential neighborhood, the inn is popular with pro bicyclists and serious amateurs. The small but cheerful rooms, a handful pet-friendly and most with patios or balconies, are individually decorated with painted wooden armoires and brightly colored contemporary artwork. All rooms have air-conditioning, Keurig coffeemakers, small refrigerators, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs with cable. Free rollaway beds are available for kids.

This welcoming, third-generation family-owned motel is the only lodging option on the water and near the ferry dock. It was built on a bridge overlooking the harbor, and all rooms have wonderful views. All but three of the rooms have private decks. If you want a real treat, get up early enough to watch the lobster boats leave around 5 am. You'll find great personal service here—Sarah, the owner, is happy to help guests make the most of their visit. The property has kayaks, canoes, and SUPs available for rent, and you can catch a ride to good spots for paddling, picnicking, and swimming. Sarah can also arrange boat rides—around the harbor, out on a lobster boat, or an excursion to see puffins—as well as dinner reservations. Continental breakfast is included; a full lobster dinner is served once a week ($50) on the patio.

A few blocks from the interstate and near Southern Utah University, this two-story economical motel has spacious rooms with exterior entrances, refrigerators, microwaves, and—in the case of suites—kitchens and jetted tubs. It's a 20-minute walk or a short drive to downtown restaurants as well as the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Perks include a heated indoor pool, hot tub, and exercise room, and the free breakfast spread is pretty good. Some rooms are pet-friendly.

Within walking distance of downtown, this retro-inspired member of Best Western's stylish Aiden boutique hotel brand is a great value with an attractive pool, hot tub, and sun deck, and rates include a full breakfast buffet and free bike rentals.

A spotlessly clean downtown option, this homey, two-story motel is a handy base for exploring Warner Valley and the southern end of Lassen Park Highway. The guest rooms have functional furnishings, country-quilt-style bedspreads, satellite-TV access, and electric fireplaces.

This cozy, attractively updated and refurbished hotel has a decidedly hip vibe, its 22 minimalist rooms outfitted with French presses and locally roasted coffee, flat-screen TVs with DVD players, eco-conscious bath products, and comfortable linens—most have electric fireplaces. Perks include free loaner bikes, and a comfy bar where you can hang out over sandwiches, waffles, and other snacks while sampling local beer and wine. For adult travelers, Ashore offers a refreshing alternative to Seaside's many larger, family-focused properties. 

A handy Castro location, reasonable prices, and the holy grail of San Francisco lodging—free parking—make this courtyard-style motel with cool mid-century vibes a favorite. The spacious guestrooms have fun splashes of color, generous bathrooms, minifridges, and coffeemakers, and there's a rooftop terrace for lounging in the sun. For those without cars, the historic F-line trolley passes the motel, and there are plenty of dining and shopping options right outside.

This recently refreshed motel on U.S. 1 is a quick drive away from downtown Belfast. It offers large, comfortable rooms, both indoor and outdoor pools, and a generous included continental breakfast. A path leads down from the property to the water's edge.

About 13 miles beyond the East Entrance of Zion National Park, this low-slung motel with clean, spacious rooms decorated with rustic lodge-style furniture is a good option if you also want to be within an hour's drive of Bryce Canyon National Park. Nestled in the Zion mountains foothills, the hotel is bordered by the sprawling greens of a nine-hole golf course and home to a funky ’50s-style restaurant known for country-fried steak, burgers, and homemade pie.

Large rooms, including some with kitchenettes, make this well-kept motel a great option for families. If you're traveling by RV, you can take advantage of the on-site park, which has full hookups.

Locals have long used this Southwestern-style Best Western to house out-of-town guests, where the rooms are spacious and pets are allowed (by prior arrangement).

Most rooms in this motel in the sweeping high desert 6 miles southwest of the park entrance and close to Red Canyon have pleasant views of the surrounding pine trees and the mountains in the distance. In addition to a variety of room types, the property offers separate cottages, as well as an RV park and campground. A grocery store, restaurant, and gas station are here, too.

This cheerfully decorated, economical, and intimate seven-unit boutique property in tiny downtown Tropic is just 15 minutes east of the park and on the way toward Escalante. Accommodations are a mix of cozy motel rooms and larger cottages, and each is individually furnished. There's also a pretty garden with benches and chairs—a lovely place to read a book or relax after a long day.

Log cabins in the forest let you reconnect with nature via a range of on-site activities without giving up creature comforts. Simply appointed with log and wood furniture, the cabins are near the lodge, where you can outfit yourself for a variety of outdoor adventures, including even cutting down a Christmas tree in the winter. The seasonal Bear's Grill serves reasonably priced take-out American fare for breakfast and lunch, plus ice cream and shakes. For dinner, you're on your own, but luckily each room features a full-service kitchen. There's a heated pool for summertime dips, and two hot tubs are open year-round. Autumn rates (October to December) are often deeply discounted. From October to May, the route from Kamas (49 miles) on Route 150 is closed, so access is from Evanston, Wyoming (30 miles).

The only lodging on the West Rim, the comfortable cabins at Hualapai Ranch are clean and neat, but also small and unassuming. The front porches are a good place to sit and unwind after a hectic day exploring the sights at Grand Canyon West. The cabins are adjacent to a small "Western" town, where visitors can pose for snapshots, hear storytellers and cowboy singers, and sign up for horseback rides.

About half the rooms here, decorated in mid-century modern style, date to this property's 1947 origins as a roadside motel, with the newer remaining ones edging this Hyatt–JdV Collection quasi-resort into budget-boutique territory. With the MoonAcre Spa, Fleetwood Calistoga restaurant, and multiple geothermal pools (one adults-only), the hotel provides decent value with its lower-end accommodations and a touch of class at the upper end. Amenities include comfortable beds, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen HDTVs.