814 Best Hotels in USA

One of just five U.S. properties operated by the famously luxurious Aman resort company (three are big-city hotels), this ultraplush and ultraexpensive 34-suite compound lies just a few miles north of Lake Powell on a 900-acre plot of rugged high desert, soaring red rock cliffs, and jagged mesas. Each of the artfully designed units has an extensive private terrace and outdoor fireplace; top units have private pools. High ceilings dome each room, which has stone floors, concrete walls, and timber with steel finishes creating a modern-rustic feel. The massive bathrooms, which have deep sunken tubs and tall windows perfect for stargazing, summon any tired traveler to relax. A dramatically situated spa offers treatments in both indoor and outdoor areas. Guests dine on locally sourced American Southwest cuisine in a softly lit dining room, warmed by a crackling fireplace. The eager-to-help staff can tailor guided day hikes or dinners on your private terrace. Rates include meals, group hikes, and wellness classes. For an even more exclusive and secluded experience, Camp Sarika by Amangiri is a short drive away and offers more included experiences for a higher nightly rate. 

Taking a cue from the olive-tree-studded landscape, this hotel with a renowned restaurant and spa cultivates a luxurious look that blends French and California style. It backs up that look—custom wood furnishings, original art, and soft yellow hues—with lavish amenities that include private terraces, jetted soaking tubs, and extra-large showers. Superlative service and valley views that stun at nearly every turn add to the romance of this hillside hideaway whose French name translates to "inn of the sun."

Disney's first property in Hawaii melds the Disney magic with breathtaking vistas, white sandy beaches, and sunsets that even Mickey stops to watch. The enchanting resort complex delivers with Disney characters and local cultural experiences that include everything from ukulele lessons to nature walks to storytelling around the firepit. The full-service, 21-acre resort offers both guest rooms and a large contingent of time-share units that are more like apartments. You won't be staying in your room: Aulani has four restaurants, two lounges, a man-made snorkeling lagoon, a luxury spa, a full-service fitness center, a large beach, and the Waikolohe Pool—complete with a lazy river for tubing, the Volcanic Vertical (a tunnel waterslide), and the heart-pounding Tubestone Curl that sends you twisting and turning before eventually launching you into the stream. For those seeking a little more relaxation, the adults-only Wailana Pool is just the spot.

More than an opulent hotel, The Breakers is a legendary 140-acre self-contained jewel of a resort built in a Mediterranean style and loaded with amenities, from a 20,000-square-foot luxury spa and grandiose beach club with four pools and a half-mile private beach to 10 tennis courts, croquet courts, and two 18-hole golf courses. Henry Flagler's descendants still run the place and invest $25 million a year to keep it at the cutting edge. Dating from 1896 and on the National Register of Historic Places, the common areas have water nymphs frolicking at the main fountain, and majestic frescoes grace hallways leading to restaurants. The equally lovely rooms take on a different, more contemporary character and are best described as cheerfully sophisticated with a classic style. For added luxury, there's the 25-room, private-access Flagler Club, a "guest house" within the hotel with added amenities like a private lounge, plush decor, and car service via the club's Tesla. One of the most extensive wine collections in the world is housed here, keeping the hotel's six sommeliers busy, and the resort's ten restaurants and eight bars are all excellent. In addition, the property's historic par-70 Ocean Course, the oldest 18 holes in all of Florida, as well as its contemporary off-site counterpart, The Breakers Rees Jones Course, are open to members and hotel guests only; for those looking to learn on the green, the John Webster Golf Academy offers private and group lessons. With all that's going on at The Breakers, it's a miracle if you can ever pry yourself off the property.

The legendary family-owned and -operated Camp Denali and North Face Lodge both offer stunning views of Denali and active learning experiences deep within Denali National Park, at Mile 89 on the park road. Guests can book three-night (that's the minimum), four-night, and one-week stays, which include round-trip transportation, meals, and activities. At Camp Denali, guests stay in one of 18 cabins that include a small wood-burning stove, wall-mounted propane lights, and Alaskan artwork. Guests share bathing facilities, although each cabin has its own outhouse. North Face Lodge is built on a tundra meadow with 15 rooms, each with a private bath. The knowledgeable naturalists on staff offer guided outings while evening programs focus on the natural and cultural history of Denali. Each lodge has its own kitchen and dining room featuring local and organic food, and fresh-baked goods. The lodge can also arrange flightseeing.

So close to the Magic Kingdom you can see the colors change on the Cinderella Castle, this red-roofed, Victorian-style resort emulates the look of the great railroad resorts of the past with beautifully appointed rooms, rambling verandas, delicate, white-painted woodwork, and brick chimneys.

Dramatically handsome, Kauai's best megaresort is this classic Hawaiian low-rise built into the cliffs overlooking an unspoiled coastline; it boasts mouthwatering restaurants and has taken great strides to reduce its carbon footprint. Five acres of meandering fresh- and saltwater swimming lagoons with a decent-size waterslide—a big hit with kids—are beautifully set amid lush landscaping. Adults enjoy golf, treatments at the luxurious Anara Spa, or workouts at the well-appointed gym. Breakfast packages are available. The business center here is open to all, not only guests.

Its name translates to the "house befitting heaven," and this beachfront haven does, indeed, seem like a slice of heaven thanks to impeccable service and spacious guest rooms that are artfully appointed with marble and wood, neutral color schemes, modern furniture, updated technology, and bathrooms with oversize soaking tubs as well as showers. The large heated pool features a stunning orchid mosaic, created using more than a million glass tiles, and there are jaw-dropping ocean views from a large lanai. Fine-dining options here include Orchids, which hosts a popular Sunday brunch, and the award-winning La Mer, with its beautiful Diamond Head views. Book a day of divine pampering at the SpaHalekulani, and settle in for sunset drinks, Hawaiian music, and hula at the House Without A Key or a handcrafted cocktail and live jazz at the chic Lewers Lounge.

Brilliantly colored bougainvillea, coconut palm, and guava trees—and a botanical garden of other rare species—make this 2-acre adult hideaway one of the prettiest places to stay in the Keys. Each of the intimate cottages has furnishings that add to the tropical feel. Spacious studios and one- and two-bedroom suites—with full kitchens and original art—are filled with natural light. Outside, kick back in a lounge chair or hammock, soak in the hot tub, or contemplate sunset from the deck. The resort also has an art gallery and an orchid house with more than 225 plants. At the pool, help yourself to complimentary bottled water and fruit.

Haute tropicale best describes this wildly luxurious private-island retreat, and "second mortgage" might explain how some can afford the extravagant prices, but for those who can, it's worth the price. This property sits on a private 5½-acre palm-fringed island inhabited by Key deer, 3 miles offshore from Little Torch Key. The 15 oceanfront thatch-roofed bungalows house 30 suites with copper soaking tubs, mosquito-netting-draped king-size beds, and British colonial–style furnishings. Other comforts include an indoor and outdoor shower, private veranda, separate living room, and comfy robes and slippers. Two Island Grand Suites are twice the size of the others and offer his-and-hers bathrooms, an outdoor copper tub, and uncompromising ocean views. To preserve the quiet atmosphere, there are no TVs in the bungalows, and cell phones are highly discouraged in public areas.

High on bluffs overlooking Block Island Sound stands this extraordinary replica of the Victorian grande dame of the same name built here in 1868. After the dilapidated original was torn down in 2004, Ocean House was rebuilt for $140 million with the same warm yellow exterior, lobby fireplace stonework, and front desk mail slots. This new version has a third of the original's rooms, however, and more than twice the windows—the better to appreciate the stunning views. The spacious rooms have feather-top beds with luxury linens, marble bathrooms, plush towels, and bathrobes. Deluxe rooms have deep soaking tubs, and Grand Deluxe rooms have fireplaces and terraces. Guests may take complimentary wine and culinary arts classes and can arrange to golf at Lake of Isles, 19 miles away in North Stonington, Connecticut, or The Preserve about a half-hour inland in Richmond.

The redwood guesthouses at this luxurious retreat blend almost invisibly into a wooded cliff 1,200 feet above the ocean and have views of the sea or the mountains. On-site activities include everything from yoga to stargazing.

The aesthetic at this 22-acre property where health and wellness are priorities is Napa Valley barn meets San Francisco loft: guest suites and studio rooms have high ceilings, sleek contemporary furniture, all-natural fabrics in soothingly muted colors, and an outdoor patio. Solage is a resort for sociable sorts who like to lounge at the bar overlooking the large pool or play a bocce game after lunch at Solbar or the poolside Picobar restaurants. In addition to a large well-equipped spa and bathhouse where you can indulge in mud-bath and other regimens, there's a packed schedule of fitness activities like yoga and Pilates. To be in the middle of the action, ask for a room facing the pool; for more seclusion, ask to be nearer the oak grove or in the most recently built studios.

This posh resort (which cost over $1 billion to build) embodies the next level of ultraglamour and haute living along Miami's North Beach. In every facet of design and operation, the 27-story St. Regis is magnificent. An unassuming entrance gives way to a series of three-story, octagonal lobby partitions finished in rare West African movingui wood and exclusively quarried Chinese marble, illuminated by sparkling chandeliers hung from rosette ceilings, and decked in world-class European artwork. Rooms range from enormous (650 square feet) to gigantic (2,800 square feet), with oversize ocean-view balconies and surprisingly light, understated interiors; discreet butlers are on hand to manage your every need. The 14,000-square-foot spa offers every imaginable treatment, and multiple restaurants provide a nice range of smart culinary experiences. Choose between two infinity pools—each with different experiences. The adult's tranquillity pool is the place to catch up on your reading (or grab a catnap in the sun). The main ocean pool is a family-friendly area. Expect surprises and perks like smoothie tastings, sunscreen, and cold towels during your pool visit. The resort has a kids' day camp if you need some me time. Also set aside some time to shop at chic Bal Harbour Shops, across the street.

With 11,750-foot Mount Timpanogos serving as a backdrop, Robert Redford's resort is tucked into a 5,000-acre swath of lush wilderness and is a genuine tribute to arts and the natural world. Choose from luxurious mountain rooms, suites, and fire-warmed homes along the mountainside next to the creek. Whatever the season, there is ample opportunity here for a personal renaissance. Ski 450 acres of Utah-powder-filled terrain, or ride the summer zip line. Take a watercolor class, hike the wildflower-strewn trail to Stewart Falls, watch a Sundance Film Festival flick, relish the Tree Room's farm chicken (and Redford's personal collection of Native American art), and belly up to the Owl Bar for a beer. Catch some repose at a slope-side symphony, settle down in a rocker beside the gentle stream, or wind your way through pines and aspens to your cottage, mountain home, or The Spa.

The Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island are within view at Terranea, L.A.'s only full-service oceanfront resort straddling 102 terraced acres at land's end on the scenic Palos Verdes Peninsula. Its location gives it the feel of a retreat. A fun pool slide, children's center, and kids' programs allow the youngsters to play, while giving parents time to relax. Walk to the rocky beach, chill out at the extravagant spa, or unwind beside an adults-only pool. There is also a par-3, 9-hole golf course on-site. Every room has a balcony for taking in the splendid location. There's an understated beach vibe to the Spanish Revival architecture and decor, which includes red-tile roofs, wrought iron, and substantial wood furniture. Beds are pillow-topped and have fine Egyptian cotton sheets. Bathrooms are spacious and deluxe. Splurge on a villa or casita if you want more privacy and space. Dining ranges from upscale California cuisine at catalina kitchen, Asian fusion at bashi and gastropub fare at Nelson's (which has amazing views and sunsets) to high-end dining at the signature restaurant, Mar'sel, as well as a selection of more casual options.

On 120 acres overlooking Mt. Mansfield, this posh property has a contemporary look, excellent dining at the Roost, and one of the best spas in Vermont, which combine to create a world unto itself. The country-chic guest rooms are awash in maroons, tans, and tartans, while suites have the feeling of posh mountainside condos, complete with built-in bookshelves, gas fireplaces, and decks.