Doubling as a contemporary art museum, this "very hip hotel" in a refurbished warehouse has exposed brickwork and original timber trusses coupled with "urban, sleek, clean lines." Rooms have 500-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets, and rubber ducks in the baths. At Proof on Main, try country ham fritters or Kentucky bison and choose from 50 bourbons. The artwork is "cutting-edge, stimulating, thought-provoking—a metaphor for the hotel itself."

(90 rooms)

Founded in 1936 by Montana's first female doctor, the 320 Ranch, located five miles north of Yellowstone, draws a steady stream of outdoorsy types in Subarus, bandanna'd Labradors and Clif Bars in tow, eager to explore the surrounding forest and canyons. The 53 one- to three-bedroom log cabins, fitted with antique stoves and patchwork quilts, are pretty rustic, but they're a big step up from a Therm-a-Rest in the woods—and rates start at just $150 in high season. The two secluded A-frame chalets are popular with newlyweds. Guests who are here to fish the Gallatin River—there's a full-service Scott-endorsed fly shop on-site—should angle for a riverfront cabin. It's not uncommon to wake up to see ranchers herding dozens of horses to pasture. Summer's temperate weather is perfect for horseback riding, mountain biking, and rafting, while winter brings sleigh rides and snowmobiling on the grounds. There's also skiing, snowboarding, and dog sledding nearby. The Steak House restaurant and saloon caters to famished adventurers with belly-filling dishes like tender elk piccata and crème brûlée topped with local blackberries. Book at least six months in advance, especially for summer stays.

Thomas O'Brien of Aero Studios, based right here in Soho, designed this hotel to be the last word in urban sophistication. What he came up with are deadpan neutral color palettes—all browns and grays with clean-lined furniture—with suede headboards and velour pillows adding a dash of sensuality. Rooms can be small, and most have showers only; ask for one of the few rooms with a tub when booking. Of course, you could go ahead and request the duplex-penthouse Thompson Loft for soaring ceilings, a four-poster bed, a stone fireplace, and two private roofdecks for panoramic views. In summer, the semiprivate rooftop bar A60 presents the same glorious prospect. In the lobby, there's the showy, romantic Thombar and a very good Thai restaurant, Kittichai, which draws a glamorous crowd.

Owing to a location in mostly residential Murray Hill, Manhattan's first Kimpton hotel is too far north to share in downtown's cachet and too far south to be in the thick of Midtown's bustle. It's best suited to travelers looking to be close to—but not amid—the action. In 2003, the 205 guest rooms profited from an overhaul by Jeffrey Bilhuber, whose celebrity clients have included David Bowie and (gasp) Anna Wintour. The results: streamlined blond wood furnishings, woven wallpaper, and silky cream and celadon fabrics. Plasma TVs, L'Occitane products, and irons round out the in-room extras, though you'll probably have to do-si-do around your partner to get around an open ironing board in the small rooms. There's Wi-Fi throughout, and two laptops are available for guests' use in the dimly lit, minimalist lobby, with its modular leather sofas. Silverleaf, the on-site tavern, is a good place for a martini (or a light meal: grilled salmon, crab cakes), but strolling four blocks north, to tip a few at Grand Central's Campbell Apartment, is an equally excellent idea.

A great find and your only real option for staying in the West Village. These nine rooms split between two Hudson Street brownstones are full of romantic touches—some have four-poster beds with canopies, hand-painted armoires, and exposed brick walls. What they don't have is an elevator, so be prepared to climb (four of the rooms are located two flights up). This is partly why the Ambassador room is so popular—besides being the largest, and being equipped with a kitchenette, it's also on the ground floor. The Garden Room, another favorite, is one flight down, on the same level as a small, private garden and a gurgling fountain. When selecting your room, bear in mind there's an architectural quirk: Rooms fronting sometimes noisy Eighth Avenue have en-suite bathrooms; those facing the back have a bathroom that's private but located across the hall. (The courtyard-facing Ambassador is the exception to this rule.)

The Ace Hotel is ground zero for Portland's hipsters: You'll find turntables and vinyl in the rooms, art by local artists painted right on the walls, old army lockers propping up desks, and myriad other vintage accents throughout. The public spaces are almost dauntingly cool: The dark-wood lobby is full of tech types in small glasses working on their Macs, and the business center is lined with design mags and literary publications like The Believer. But before you rush to book your room, it's worth remembering that the Ace considers itself a budget hotel. Although long on style, it can be short on creature comforts. The 79 rooms have plain (but comfy) blankets by famous local wool company Pendleton, clip-on utility lamps for reading lights, shower stalls and sinks often located right in the room itself, and seriously basic toiletries. If you're dying to see what all the fuss is about, spring for one of the deluxe rooms, which have more conventional bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, and are considerably more spacious. And if sleep is important to you, ask for a quiet room off the street. Additional bonuses: Stumptown Coffee Roasters in the adjoining lobby serves the city's best coffee. Clyde Common, one of Portland's most buzzy new bars and restaurants, is right downstairs, and Powell's City of Books is just a block away.

Carved out of a former flophouse in Belltown, the 28 ultrahip rooms at the Ace exemplify high design on a small budget. Platform beds are covered with vintage French army blankets, institutional stainless-steel sinks are bolted to the wall, and wall-size photomurals depict Pacific Northwest nature scenes. On the nightstand, you'll find condoms, a copy of the Kama Sutra, and a camouflage-covered bible. Our favorite rooms are numbers 129 and 130, with bamboo-filled planters on small decks and a sexy, glass-enclosed shower at the head of the bed.

Rather than the usual Rat Pack retro or duffer chic, this hip oasis is a slightly rugged desert escape. The Sahara-circa-1950s decor features walls covered in tent canvas (and matching bedspreads), steamer trunks (which store extra pillows), striped Berberesque robes, magazine racks stuffed with vintage National Geographics, and a clock/MP3 player that appears to be World War II surplus. Bathrooms could be bigger, and the water takes a while to get hot, but that just adds to the illusion of being far, far away. The grounds of this onetime Howard Johnson motor lodge have been transformed into a garden of mature palms and olive trees, with outdoor fireplaces. The King's Highway restaurant, a former Denny's, now serves Middle Eastern cuisine with a California edge. Despite its petite size, the spa offers an awesome array of treatments, while the sprawling pool is framed by royal palms, rocky outcrops, and snowcapped peaks. David Hockney, eat your heart out.

A less muscular but hardly less grand take on Renaissance revival than the Mansion on Turtle Creek, the 428-room Adolphus has been in continuous operation at its downtown location since beer baron Adolphus Busch built it back in 1912 (it was the city's tallest building at the time). The public spaces offer an elegant old-world atmosphere, replete with crystal chandeliers and Flemish tapestries; the charming afternoon tea served in the wood-paneled lobby living room features live piano and scones with Devonshire cream. Some of the suites are totally out of (1980s Wall Street–;style) control, with zebra rugs and pool tables. The hotel bar is old and cozy, so if you can stomach the forced formality of the place as a whole, it's a well-located downtown choice. The French Room restaurant, with Italianate murals covering its 18-foot vaults, is the most formally elegant of the city's top restaurants; it will please the grandparent set.

Assuming its recession-ready prices hold steady (we've seen rates as low as $150), this outpost of the five-hotel Affinia chain located a block off North Michigan Avenue is one of the best values in town. True, the spartan reception area feels understaffed, and the Marcus Samuelsson C-House restaurant demonstrates that celebrity chefs can oversee too many kitchens. But the $25-million renovation completed in June 2008 clearly shows in the guest rooms, which are done up in a vaguely Deco style with a silver and gold palette and padded leather headboards. While standard rooms are a respectable 390 square feet, it's worth "splurging" for one of the 715-square-foot junior suites ($199). The bathrooms are small, but the hotel aims to compensate with flat-screen TVs and an inventive range of free amenities, including a stay-fit Experience Kit (complete with yoga mat and workout bands) and a pillow menu (try the "sound pillow," threaded with thin white-noise speakers). There's also a fitness room, which comes in handy after indulging in the "Sweet Treats" dessert and candy room-service menu. Bargain-hunters may find the Affinia's dogged attempt to show guests a playful time to be a bit much, but you have to credit the hotel's creative ambition. —Raphael Kadushin

This seven-room B&B is housed in a gold rush–era, Victorian-style house on the edge of Juneau's downtown. The building has been beautifully restored and tastefully decorated with Alaskana. The key word here is tastefully: Too many of the state's B&Bs don't stop until there's an igloo model or an ivory carving on every surface, but here, the period details—pedestal sinks, exposed brick or elegant wallpaper, Mission-style furniture—are done right. It's also one of the few hotels in Juneau with character—most are bland and chainlike. Many of the huge rooms have fireplaces and sitting areas, and the top-floor suite (the nicest room in Juneau, in our opinion), has a tub big enough to float a porpoise. The inn's proximity to the state capitol building (it's also within walking distance of everything else downtown) means that the rooms fill up, especially in winter when the legislature is in session. Reserve as far in advance as possible, and if it's booked, try the nearby Silverbow.—Edward Readicker-Henderson

This gay-oriented 17-room B&B is the most stylish on the island and is perfect for those allergic to antiques. The rooms are spread over three buildings; most have king-size beds and are decorated with black armchairs and white linens, an effect that comes off as modern but not stark. The complex has a pool and a hot tub plus clothing-optional sunbathing on two private decks (the hotel is strictly 21-plus). Guests usually include as many lesbians as gay men, a rarity in Key West, which gives the place a more inclusive vibe: Mingling is mandatory at the poolside happy hour every afternoon. Try the made-to-order frozen piña coladas.

Back on the map after an extensive 2007 refurbishment, this cozy boutique charmer offers 121 tryst-worthy rooms in a well-positioned location downtown. As at other Kimpton properties, the decor is eclectic—rococo accents offset stainless steel four-poster beds—but tied together nicely with bold fabrics and classic pieces like leather wing chairs. There aren't any cookie-cutter layouts here, thanks to the quirky arrangement of the historic buildings—specialty suites may include fireplaces, a wall or two of exposed brick, or separate media rooms. Original works selected by Seattle Art Museum curators add to the distinctive feel; Frette linens, in-room spa treatments, and complimentary Wi-Fi throughout are just a few of the other amenities.

This hotel is "an anomaly in an otherwise tiny, sleepy town." Its decor is inspired by the Mississippi Delta earth, foliage, and sky. Staff are "proud of their hotel and offer Southern hospitality." The "outstanding spa" supplies a riverside remineralizing treatment.

(50 rooms)

Since Alaska's premier groomed slopes and the most intimidating mogul fields in North America are right outside, skiers flock to the Alyeska Resort in winter; summer brings the mountain bikers. Alyeska's location in Girdwood, about 20 minutes south of Anchorage by car, means that you could drive down for the day, but then you'd miss out on some of the best views and nicest rooms in Alaska. Most of the 304 rooms have glacier views, and the decor (plush bedding, Alaskan artwork, cherrywood furniture) is a step up from what you'll find in most Alaska hotels. All rooms are nonsmoking and have a ventilated ski-boot locker; those on the higher floors are the biggest, with the best views and the priciest rates. After a hard day on the mountain, hang out in the pool or hot tub, or head for the Alyeska Spa for an incredibly soft and healing glacial mud facial, then reboard the tram for dinner at the swank Seven Glaciers restaurant.—Edward Readicker-Henderson

Don't be put off by pretension at this River North hipster hotel. The often black-clad staff is eager to please, from the "experience designer" who checks you in (and can score you seats at the area's hottest restaurants) to the "maestro" (a.k.a. general manager), who sometimes presides over happy hour with free top-shelf drinks. All 215 rooms have fluffy pillowtop mattresses, Aveda toiletries, multihead showers, Egyptian-cotton sheets, flat-screen TVs, as well as marble or granite bathrooms. There are lots of freebies too: buffet-style continental breakfast, access to a CD library, high-speed Internet (both wired and Wi-Fi), and local phone calls.

Amanresorts, which specializes in the über-luxe and superdiscreet, built its three-story, 40-suite lodge on the edge of a butte overlooking the Snake River Valley. The property is several miles out of town and has an inspiring view of the Grand Tetons. The designers knew it too, and kept artwork and bright decor to a minimum; in both the guest rooms and the public spaces, walls of redwood and sandstone, high ceilings, and huge windows capitalize on rather than compete with the landscape outside. Because of the Amangani's intimate size and a staff-to-guest ratio of more than two to one, personalized service is the standard. The executive chef meets each guest to inquire about individual tastes (and the dining room never closes), and if that Hollywood director's lady friend is sitting in the hot tub and the wind picks up, it takes only seconds for a spa attendant to offer a beanie to keep her ears from getting cold.

If this 47-room newcomer on the edge of SoFi (south of Fifth Street) is self-conscious about its conspicuous lack of glitz and flash, it doesn't show. The low-key property includes the two original 1930s Angler's Hotel wings plus two brand-new structures. The petite pool area feels like a secret—and with only a handful of plush loungers, this is an unlikely locale for any raucous parties. The slim rooms have all the necessary boutique accessories: a massive flat-screen TV, cheeky minibar offerings (eye mask, condoms, Apple headphones), a contemporary palette of taupe and tan, plus some unexpected perks, like clever inset shelving flanking the beds and a balcony off most suites. The ever-helpful staff take care of everything from providing MapQuest instructions to troubleshooting computer misfires. On the ground floor, Maison d'Azur, already a favorite of homesick Europeans desperate for elegant brasserie fare, is perfect for cozying up over cocktails and steak tartare, while prime outdoor tables are buzzy late into the night.

This budget boutique hotel just one block from Waikiki Beach makes up in convenience (and price) what it lacks in luxury. High-speed Internet connections in every room, Wi-Fi in the common areas, and buffet breakfasts of fruit, yogurt, and pastries are all complimentary here. The 93 rooms, decorated according to feng shui principles with vintage Polynesian rattan and bamboo furnishings, have just enough modern accents to pass for stylish—although they are starting to look a little worse for wear. Each has a balcony and a fully equipped kitchenette. The outdoor saltwater pool area—which also includes a hot tub, cabanas, a man-made waterfall, and a spa—is pretty kitschy, but it's also pretty fun. A young, trendy crowd tends to stay here (many of them Japanese tourists), which makes for a friendly, uninhibited vibe.

Built as a gentlemen's club in 1916 for Gold Rush adventurers, this building near downtown's Pioneer Square found new life last summer when it reopened as a 120-room hotel. It keeps one foot firmly in the past, however: The reception area has black-and-white portraits of former club members and a glass case with black top hats of varying sizes, while the lobby is a throwback to the club days with its royal blue-velvet ceiling-to-floor draperies, wood paneling, crown molding with engraved crests, fireplace, and 1920s music. Such attention to detail, paired with equally attentive staff, makes the hotel warm and welcoming. Guest rooms have vintage decor—dark-wood moldings, original windows, high ceilings, custom wallpaper, and sepia-hued Eskimo prints—yet meet Seattle's tech-savvy requirements. Ingredients sourced from local farms make their way to the table as Pacific Northwest specialties at the hotel's Juno restaurant.

The granddaddy of local resorts, the 39-acre Arizona Biltmore has been here since 1929 and was designed by Albert Chase McArthur, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright's. Located just north of the bustling intersection of 24th Street and Camelback Road, near Biltmore Fashion Park, the Biltmore is like an architecturally inspiring version of a Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons—big, elegant, and consistent. The hotel attracts an older clientele with taste, partly because of its design heritage and partly for its location at the end of a residential road lined with $10 million–plus estates. It's quiet and rather proper, with painstakingly manicured grounds. The squat, angular buildings, created from concrete blocks that mimic the color of the desert, are certainly Wright-like. And despite their age, the 739 guest rooms are quite comfortable, with Mission-style furniture and Southwestern motifs. In 2009, the Biltmore renovated one wing and dubbed it Ocatilla, a hotel-within-a-hotel with upgraded linens, flat-screen TVs, and a private lounge serving drinks and meals; rooms here cost about $50 to $75 more per night. Eight pools traverse the property, which abuts two 18-hole PGA championship courses. Hotel guests get preferred tee times.

"A quiet oasis of color," pink adobe casitas with cobalt shutters are set amid mazelike gardens, oleander hedges, bougainvillea, and cactuses. The formal Main Dining Room serves American cuisine with Southwestern touches and has ladder-back chairs from the 1920s. "Staff do more than is asked of them."

(95 rooms)

The ski-in, ski-out Arrabelle hotel is the keystone of Vail's long-awaited (and much needed) renewal project, Vail Square. Opened in December 2007 in the Lionshead area, this tiny "village" is modeled on quaint Mitteleuropa towns like Innsbruck or Prague. Many of the 36 guest rooms have fireplaces and mountain views, along with the expected high-tech luxuries—free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and Bose MP3 players. The Arrabelle is joined by shops, restaurants, and two- to five-bedroom residences (which can also be rented)—all surrounding a plaza that transforms into an ice rink in winter. It's undeniably charming (deposed royalty would feel right at home given the plush details: 1,000-thread-count sheets, heated marble floors in the baths), and for skiers it's fabulously convenient. The Arrabelle's brasserie/restaurant, Centre V, has a slope-side terrace that literally butts up against the Eagle Bahn Gondola (where you'll also find the Arrabelle's Ski Valet ready to take charge of your skis and boots after your last run so you can head directly to the hotel's spa). Bringing the kids? Check out the Arrabelle's "Ski Nanny" service.

The first of the major new chain hotels set to pop up along the waterfront, the Atlantic is a quirky four-star hotel. The odd-shaped building looks like a lemon-yellow wedding cake, its floors stepped back to provide the maximum number of oceanview balconies and prevent casting a shadow on the beach—sadly, it doesn't help the hotel's own pool, which is sunless from 2 pm or so every day. All 115 rooms in tropical decor here are large and fully equipped: kitchenettes have granite countertops, two-burner stoves, and small fridges; there are marble floors as well as glassed-in showers in every bathroom. Trina, the high-end Mediterranean restaurant is worth a visit.

One of the best-known and best-loved hotels in Napa Valley, Auberge du Soleil has turned its 33-acre hillside property into an outdoor sculpture gallery amid acres of olive groves. If that sounds over-the-top romantic, trust that the design was meant to be exactly that. Every light is on a dimmer; fireplaces burn wood, not gas; and half a dozen strategically placed votive candles let you set the mood come nightfall. The property celebrated its 20th birthday in 2005 with a total renovation, including a restyled pool deck bracketed by high-backed sofas that are ideal for lounging in the California sun. The 52 rooms in both a main house and cottages are inspired by the Côte d'Azur, with terra-cotta and orange accents, tiled floors, limestone countertops, and matelassé bedcovers. Two spacious maisons feature outdoor hot tubs on private patios and steam showers for two. Every room has a full wet bar, complete with top-shelf liquor and homemade mixers; bathrooms are stocked with everything from shaving supplies to Dr. Hauschka bath oils and an "intimacy kit." Regional ingredients—grapes, herbs, flowers, olive oil, and mud—are used in the signature treatments of the guests-only spa (some, such as lemon verbena, come from the hotel's herb garden).

The motto of this family-owned, 1950s-style motel says it all: "So close, yet so far out." Long favored by cost-conscious artists and musicians, it's charming and hip without feeling pretentious. Each of the rooms mixes colorful murals and funky antiques, but be forewarned that the shabby-chic look leans more toward the shabby. And true to its retro vibe, the motel lacks highfalutin amenities like televisions and internet access (thankfully you can get free Wi-Fi in much of the city to make up for it). Still, with room rates hovering at $100, it's one of the best values in the city. It's also located at a crossroads of hipster hangouts: across the river from downtown, down the block from the eclectic South Congress shopping district, and kitty-corner from the legendary Continental Club, where favorite son Stevie Ray Vaughan frequently played.

The first and least flashy of the Viceroy Hotel Group's hotels, the 84-room Avalon has a classic main building that epitomized the California Dream of the '50s and '60s. Marilyn Monroe once lived here briefly, and the sun-splashed terraces and balconies overlooked a shimmering pool where beautiful young things lounged in bikinis. These days, the Avalon also includes two newer buildings, and the property's style is a hip homage to mid-century-modern style. Plush beds and modern amenities like CD and DVD players mix with original and reproduction pieces from that era's best-known designers (George Nelson, Noguchi, Eames). The young and fabulous can still be found here around the hourglass-shaped pool—these days, dining and sipping cocktails at the Blue on Blue restaurant.

Given its location a half block east of North Michigan Avenue, where $300 is the low-end norm for a room, the Avenue is notable for its easy-on-the-wallet rates, which can start at $199 for a double on weekend nights. All 350 rooms have flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi, the smallest are a respectable 300 square feet, and those on the top floors have stellar Gold Coast views. The squat furniture, mud-brown palette, and small bathrooms leave much to be desired, and while the signature zebra-print chairs don't suit our taste, they're a lively signal of environmental awareness. (The hotel has adopted a Grevy's zebra, an endangered species, at the Lincoln Park Zoo.) The best bet for a business traveler is an iMac- and color printer–equipped Tech Room; parents can opt for a Kid-Friendly Room, which includes rainbow-colored quilts and a Wii game system. Light sleepers should be aware that hallway noise can be problematic—not all guest room doors fit their door frames properly—and some AC units rumble like a moped. However, things improve outside the rooms: There's a cocktail and tapas lounge on the 40th floor, a rooftop pool, and an Elephant & Castle outpost that serves shepherd's pie and fish and chips. Overall, the Avenue doesn't quite deliver a polished designer experience, but with savings like this, what did you expect?

The Avia is the hip new outsider that's subtly stirring things up among the grandes dames and drag queens who have long dominated Savannah's hotel scene. But that's not to say it doesn't have a colorful backstory: The hotel occupies the site of the old Savannah Daily News building, and its design pays homage to the region's heritage without going over the top. The restaurant's chandeliers could have been plucked from a nearby Victorian mansion, while the wicker furniture on the second-floor pool deck seems inspired by the palmetto baskets of the local Gullah people. Otherwise, the lines are clean and lean, with just the occasional splash of bright color. All the mod-cons are present (plasma-screen TVs, iPod docks, walk-in rain showers), and nouvelle Georgia cuisine is the forte at the low-key Kitchen & Wine Bar restaurant, with dishes like Sea Island crabmeat tacos and Vidalia onion soup that's thick enough to cut with a knife. All of this washed down with locally brewed Sweetwater pale ale, which the hotel encourages guests to take out onto the streets in good Savannah fashion for a moonlight stroll around the square and the nearby riverfront.

Being green has never felt as good as it does at Bardessono, whose main assets are its stumbling distance from more Michelin stars than any Paris pied-à-terre, paired with the atmosphere of an agrarian retreat. After check-in, done via a staffer's hip-slung electronic tablet, it's a short walk to the hotel's four courtyards, where stone walkways curve alongside meandering streams. Each of the 62 rooms comes with a patio and a two-person tub; a few also have outdoor showers. A rooftop lap pool with cabanas overlooks the hotel's own grapevines. The modernist architecture makes use of salvaged cypress wood, weathered steel, and reclaimed tufa stone, while the lobby ceiling is constructed of redwood wine barrel staves. Sustainability is key in the restaurant, as well, where simple preparations rely on locally sourced meat and fish and produce from the hotel's own gardens. The only sign of opulence having lost out to eco-friendliness is in the stiff recycled-material couches, which rustle like packing peanuts when you sit down.

The best place to slumber on Mount Desert Island is in a sleeping bag under the stars at an oceanfront campsite in Acadia National Park. If pitching a tent ain't your thing, though, or you're traveling in the black-fly season of late May and early June, book a room at the Bar Harbor Inn. Yes, the ho-hum decor and five-o'clock-shadow sheets should be tossed into the ocean. But the views are stunning, the service excellent, and the location—downtown, and a short drive from Acadia—ideal. The Bar Harbor Inn splits 153 rooms among three buildings: the Main Inn (best for convenience), the Oceanfront Lodge (best for balconies), and the Newport Building (best for a budget). A new, lighthouse-shaped spa and fitness center and a heated pool sit in the middle, while the inn's own pier hosts cruises on the Margaret Todd, a four-masted schooner. Don't miss sitting under a yellow umbrella at the outdoor Terrace Grille, cracking open a lobster.

Closed seasonally (December through March).

Visitors who'd prefer nocturnal solitude over the late-night rowdiness of downtown Austin should consider this tranquil resort on 4,000 acres of gorgeous Texas Hill Country about 20 minutes from downtown Austin. It's a golfer's paradise, where renowned coach Chuck Cook can fix your swing in the morning and let you test out the results in the afternoon on one of the four top-flight courses, including two Tom Fazio designs. There's also a full-service spa, 11 lighted tennis courts, and separate indoor and outdoor pools. Most of the 303 rooms are spacious, if unremarkable-looking, with views of the surrounding rolling hills; the 18 Texas-size suites are worth the upgrade for the plush leather armchairs and private balconies overlooking one of the courses. The Ben Crenshaw suite, at 1,800 square feet, including a dining room, 42-inch plasma TV, and whirlpool tub, is the granddaddy of the bunch. Skip the overpriced, overrated restaurant, however.

In a city that thrives on change, we have to wonder if Bellagio will ever go out of style. Built by Steve Wynn in 1998, the 3,933-room resort still stands as the pinnacle of luxury at the center of the Strip. It attracts new money, old money, wannabe money, and everyone in between. Room rates aren't cheap, but the service and amenities make it worth every penny. Couples who fight over bathroom privileges should book a suite: They have two separate bathrooms, one with a steam shower and the other with a Jacuzzi tub. First-time visitors, ask for a room facing the iconic dancing fountains out front; the view of these is actually better from lower floors. The resort also has two amazing restaurants, Picasso and Le Cirque. The property expanded in 2004 with a new tower geared toward the wellness set with expansive bathrooms, easy access to the newly modernized spa, and a casino-free walk to guest rooms from the lobby. For some reason, the line at the concierge desk is one of the longest in Vegas, so call hotel information from your room with any questions.

Gourmands and oenophiles tend to choose this place, an extension of the eponymous winery. Here, it's all about the grape: Each of the 57 rooms has a "wine grotto," with several complimentary bottles, and the first order of business at check-in is wine tasting, not credit-card swiping. The rooms occupy nine two-story stucco buildings that sit around a central croquet lawn and flowering gardens. The white-walled interiors are a bit stark, but lines are crisp and the fabrics soft (beds are dressed in Italian linens), and there are plush sofas by the fireplaces. Alas, bathroom lighting relies too heavily on fluorescents, but the oversize soaking tubs compensate, as do the signature handmade tangerine and lavender soaps. Upstairs rooms have more privacy, with vaulted wooden ceilings and decks; downstairs rooms have patios. All face either the croquet lawn or the vineyards and forested hills surrounding the lodge. The pluses here include a top-notch spa, the excellent Marinus restaurant, and frequent culinary- and wine-education events, especially during lavender and tomato seasons.

When the Bethel Inn opened in 1913, it was cool to arrive in a Model T; today the top forms of transportation are a pair of Rossignol skis or Merrell boots. The inn sprawls across 200 acres in hilly western Maine, near Sunday River ski resort and the White Mountain National Forest. In the winter, 20-something miles of cross-country trails wriggle through the grounds; come summer and fall, those who aren't hiking or biking in the mountains are golfing at the 18-hole championship course or canoeing on the lake. The Bethel Inn has 150 serviceable rooms, found in the main colonial complex (which also has a pool, health club, and spa) and in rows of town houses with one- to three-bedroom suites. Veal Schnitzel, prime rib, and char-grilled sirloin are mainstays at the more formal Main Dining Room, while the Millbrook Tavern & Grille serves pub grub and has an outside terrace. Depending on how much time you stay within resort boundaries, the Bethel Inn may mean a Dirty Dancing–style vacation, or simply a great place to hang up your dirty boots at the end of a day in the mountains.

The legendary "Pink Palace" opened in 1912, and the city of Beverly Hills literally grew around it. Today, the landmark Spanish Colonial building, still painted a garish Pepto-Bismol pink, sits on 12 acres of landscaped grounds filled with palms, banana plants, azaleas, and bougainvillea. Discreetly dotted about are the bungalows where stars like Elizabeth Taylor have from time to time taken up residence (she honeymooned with six of her husbands here). Phones are no longer carried by staffers to the booths of the Polo Lounge—sadly, cell phones have replaced that glamorous practice. Still, the chaise-surrounded pool, where Hollywood hopefuls once paid to have themselves paged in hopes of being noticed, still looks like the place where a young Marlene Dietrich used to lounge. (She would have liked the modern-day private treatment cabanas of the La Prairie spa.) Another sign of the times? The hotel's time-honored tearoom has recently been revamped into the swank Bar Nineteen 12, a stylish watering hole filled with beautiful people and young industry types. The 204 rooms, which differ in size and shape, are all furnished in plush, classic style, many with four-poster beds and marble-and-granite bathrooms with TVs. The 21 bungalows have fireplaces, separate living rooms, and dining rooms; some have pianos or treadmills. The one to book, though, is Bungalow 5, with its own private lap pool.

This historic landmark at the foot of Rodeo Drive has recently reverted to its original name (for the past 21 years, it was known as the "Regent Beverly Wilshire"). It was given a massive transformation a couple of years back, adding a spa with blue glass sinks and dramatic light effects (even the steam room has electric "stars" on the ceiling), six poolside cabanas with plasma TVs and iPods, and two stunning see-and-be-seen spots—CUT, a Wolfgang Puck steak restaurant designed by Richard Meier (where celebs like Jennifer Aniston, Vince Vaughn, and Brangelina have dropped in—though probably not at the same time), and Sidebar, the lounge across the entry-way. Facing Wilshire Boulevard, with a few outdoor tables on the sidewalk, is Blvd, the chic-casual dining restaurant with a 180-foot-long onyx bar. The 395 luxurious hotel rooms have butterscotch-colored leather headboards on the beds, and dark-wood furniture.

Bishop Lamy, the first bishop of Santa Fe, acquired this land in the lee of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in 1851. After a spell as the vacation retreat of the Pulitzer family, the property expanded to 450 acres and in 1918 evolved into New Mexico's first resort. After various renovations, including the inevitable addition of a spa (called SháNah, the Navajo word for "vitality"), the 111-room lodge is worthy once again. It's some distance from downtown (three miles), but there's enough room out here for horseback riding, tennis courts, a pretty pool surrounded by cottonwoods, and hiking in the Santa Fe National Forest. Rooms are Southwestern all the way, with the compulsory ocher-olive-terra-cotta palette, adobe walls, exposed beams, and kiva fires (though some burn gas rather than wood). Invest in a deluxe room or above; these have outdoor spaces, whereas some regular rooms are claustrophobically viewless.

"Attention to rustic details" is a hallmark of this Smoky Mountain retreat. Guests can choose art- and antiques-filled rooms with feather beds, or opt for a cottage with a fireplace and a porch. "Fantastic farm-fresh food" like Laurel Creek squab is served at The Barn. A creamery, bakery, and charcuterie are on the premises. By day guests fish for rainbow trout or unwind at the spa set in a nineteenth-century farmhouse.

(59 rooms)

After a $128 million restoration (and a decade of legal wrangling), the historic Blackstone has emerged as the swankest hotel in Chicago's revitalized South Loop, convenient to Millennium Park, the Art Institute, and the theater district. Behind the redbrick, white stucco, and green copper Beaux Arts exterior are 332 updated rooms whose masculine red, black, and beige decor features Eames chairs and original works by contemporary Windy City artists. In place of the usual tourist bedside reading, the culturally attuned management provides books by local authors, including social histories of the Chicago blues and witty biographies of Chicago firehouse dogs. The lively in-house restaurant, Mercat a la Planxa, dishes up exquisitely presented (and reasonably priced) Catalan grills, tapas plates, and wine flights, conceived by Chicago-born chef José Garces.

The Scottish Tudor replica "at first appears stuffy, but then you meet the staff and feel so welcomed." In the antiques-filled rooms, "no detail is left undone," hence fabric-lined dresser drawers. The formal main dining room blends American and European flavors. In December, the property turns into "a winter wonderland" with an ice rink and a giant Christmas tree.

(24 rooms)

Bracketed between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway, this hotel is part of a 1,600-acre private resort. "Very generously sized rooms" have flat-screen TVs and French doors that open onto balconies. Sea Island Grill serves "fabulous hamburgers"; Lettered Olive offers contemporary dishes. The island "is great for walking and riding bikes without fear of traffic."

(93 rooms)

After staying at this upscale five-bedroom B&B that caters to fishing enthusiasts, you'll hopefully get to tell a tale about the big fish you caught instead of the one that got away. On the northern tip of a barrier island, this 1914-built home has a covered porch, a Knot Room filled with old fishing gear and charts, a private pier, and the feeling of living within an old-style Florida fishing village. There's deepwater fishing for grouper, tarpon, or shark just off-shore, and you can catch redfish, snook, ladyfish, trout, snapper, and more right from the pier. Breakfast is the only meal served here, but you can take a golf cart to lunch or dinner.

This resort north of Phoenix "blends in with the landscape" of 12-million-year-old granite formations. The mix of modern and traditional Southwestern decor is "done very well"; casitas have high wood-beamed ceilings and hot tubs. Eat oven-roasted guinea hen while taking in the waterfall view at the Latilla restaurant. The 33,000-square-foot spa offers Native American–inspired treatments.

220 rooms

The flophouses and drug dens of Bowery past have long been supplanted by boutiques and bars, but the new occupants still pay homage to the neighborhood's rakish past. Take the Bowery Hotel, which opened in 2007. Bathrooms with marble slabs and brass fixtures feel old-money New York, but in some, tubs-for-two sit next to exhibitionist floor-to-ceiling windows. The lobby bar's worn leather club chairs and salvaged church pews hold a rotating cast of models and media types under the influence of two-too-many vodka gimlets. But if the Bowery Hotel is a scene, it's a relatively unassuming one. Italian restaurant Gemma has all of the culinary chops of its downtown peers with none of the pretension (prices are reasonable and reservations a breeze for hotel guests). The decadent neo-boudoir style of the common spaces carved sandstone fireplaces, velvet-covered stools, fringed lampshades is offset by the more modern edge of the 135 rooms, with floor-to-ceiling factory windows and pillowy white-on-white beds. You won't get coddled at the Bowery eye-candy doormen are often too busy flirting to actually open the doors, and there is nary a spa, gym, or pool to be found but you will find a good-looking crowd and a comfortably lush place to lay your head when you're ready to escape it.

This longtime Provincetown fixture was starting to look worn when new owners—who also bought the Crowne Pointe Inn across the street—took over in 2008 and shined it up like new. Comprised of nine buildings surrounding a private courtyard with a pool, the Brass Key has a pleasantly compoundlike feel that makes it an unlikely oasis in P-town's densely populated downtown. Its almost entirely gay clientele includes many regulars who have returned for years, elevating the guests' average age. So, in the hope of luring a younger crowd—not too young, though; no children are allowed—the owners have brought in new furnishings and replaced the bathrooms in nearly half of the 43 units (so far). Also in the works are two new suites. The rooms are masculine and tastefully decorated with reproduction furniture, but guests spend less time in the rooms than around the pool and in the many public spaces, including a high deck in a turret that's popular at sunset, and a living room–like lobby with comfortable couches and a piano.

Set around two large courtyards filled with lush greenery and leafy palm trees, this hotel is where heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post crashed while prepping her manse Mar-a-Lago for the season. The hotel was designed in 1926 by Rosario Candela (the architect behind some of Manhattan's swankest Fifth Avenue apartment buildings) and got a face-lift in late 2007 that redesigned the still very British-colonial rooms with mahogany and Hauteville Doré limestone. The Brazilian Court continues to attract society types who prefer the privacy of the 80-room inn versus the Breakers, which is almost seven times the size. (The Brazilian Court also skips the Breakers's beachfront location, family-friendly fun, tennis courts, and golf course.) What the hotel lacks in activities it makes up for in big-name amenities: The salon is Frédéric Fekkai and the restaurant is Café Boulud, which provides room service until 11 pm.

Aah, the Breakers—one of the most famous, most exclusive, and yes, priciest places to stay in America (it's even snagged a spot on the National Register of Historic Places). Since its opening in 1896, the 550-room Breakers has played host to generations of great families—and those willing to pay big bucks to mix with the great families—during the social season. This 140-acre oceanfront Italian Renaissance–style property has extraordinary views, exceptional service, and amenities galore: Book in here for two 18-hole championship golf courses, three fitness centers, a beach club with fancy cabanas and water sports, five swimming pools, ten tennis courts, a 20,000-square-foot spa, and eight restaurants, most notably gourmet French spot L'Escalier. Lifelong visitors might remember the Breakers' rooms during the less-than-glorious 1990s, when they were, frankly, a little dingy and careworn. The owners have spent $250 million since then, updating the rooms and ensuring guests have access to high-speed Internet while they lounge on the gilt-and-floral furniture.

Rooms in yellows contrast with dark wood furniture at this Italian Renaissance resort. "You're 90 miles from Denver, but it feels like an oasis." Guests can get pedicures on a terrace or watch black swans glide around the property's lake. The Golden Bee is a pub with nineteenth-century panels shipped from England.

(700 rooms)

Close to the Seventh Avenue showrooms and just across the street from Bryant Park, where New York fashion shows are held, this modern hotel is popular with the style crowd—book very, very far in advance for September and February stays. As designed by British architect David Chipperfield, the rooms are lean and sharp with blond wood furniture and Tibetan rugs. Thankfully, a bedside sound machine helps block the rumble of midtown's streets. Expect to spot models and model wannabes everywhere, from the hip L.A. restaurant transplant Koi, located in the lobby, to the basement Cellar Bar.

Like Elton John, who performs regularly in the hotel's major concert venue, Caesars Palace has been around forever—and seems forever new. The resort casino turned 40 in 2006 but has never stood still. It has expanded the Forum Shops, opened the Roman bath–inspired QUA Spa, launched the celeb-studded Pure nightclub, and debuted the new Augustus Tower guest rooms—designed in a soothing mustard and white palette with clean lines, granite countertops, and modern amenities such as 42-inch flat-screen TVs. The redesign makes nary a reference to Caesar, which is refreshing, because the rest of the hotel is covered in columns, toga-clad cocktail waitresses, and other Roman kitsch. The resort is huge, so pack your walking shoes. And be specific when booking: It has almost 3,400 rooms in all, and some older ones still look dated with flowered bedspreads. These rooms are being renovated to match the modern look of the newer rooms—and go for around $100 a night less—but reserve one only if you plan to spend very little time in it.

From the folks who brought you Auberge du Soleil comes the Calistoga Ranch. Set amid tall pines and gnarled oaks in a narrow canyon southeast of downtown Calistoga in Napa Valley, the 46 private guest lodges have open layouts, private patios, indoor/outdoor showers, fireplaces, and large, well-placed windows that overlook dense woodlands. Because it's zoned as a trailer park, though, the property had to fit the existing footprint: Rooms are close together, small, and built on blocks—and though they're adorned with copper trim and cedar shingles, they still look like side-by-side storage boxes from the outside. To compensate and provide extra floor space, designers connected each suite's interior rooms with big outdoor decks under the canopy of oaks. On the grounds are walking trails, bocce courts, and an outdoor pool; the guests-only dining room overlooks Lake Lommel. The Bathhouse Spa gets its water from local hot springs, and all the treatments use indigenous ingredients such as bay laurel and eucalyptus. Some decry this property as garish and showy, and service isn't as tight as it should be at this price, but Calistoga Ranch still makes a great hideaway for a romantic retreat.

Refined Campton Place, which was purchased in spring of 2007 by the Taj hotel group, has only 110 rooms, which means that service is personal as well as polished. Staying here is as soothing as a cup of hot chocolate. Rooms are decorated in sand and cinnamon hues, with old-fashioned leather-topped writing desks and pear-wood paneling. Because the insulated glass windows block out urban noise, you may feel as if you're enjoying a weekend at a country house. The attached Campton Place Restaurant gets rave reviews for its Cal-Med cuisine executed with French-style precision and highlighting local produce (the full menu is also available for room service). The guests, mostly high-flying executives and couples on romantic getaways, tend to keep to themselves.

This alcohol-free health resort has classes "geared to every fitness level and interest," from preventative medicine to workshops on watercolors. The main marble and brick building is a replica of Louis XIV's Petit Trianon. Rooms have residential-style furnishings. Meals, designed by nutritionists, have "portion control and more flavor than typical healthy meals."

(126 rooms)

In a prime Mountain Village spot steps from the gondola into Telluride town, this 100-room stone-and-stucco resort feels pleasingly intimate despite its large scale. The polished staff—which includes a personal assistant stationed in the cozy Living Room (stocked around the clock with coffee and snacks)—are as courteous as they are good-looking, from waitstaff who remember special requests from the day before to ski valets who wipe down and warm up your gear. The guest rooms, coated in neutral tones that lend it a somewhat generic mountain lodge-style, are nonetheless bright and generously proportioned, with extra drawer space under an obscenely restful bed, a sofa and an armchair with a tufted leather ottomon, complimentary soft drinks, a soaking tub, and a powerful shower with a seating area. The Onyx restaurant, which overlooks the new ice rink, serves waist-widening breakfasts and a more formal meat-and-potatoes menu at night, while Suede Bar is a low-key après-ski choice. Flexible check-out times, a small but inviting indoor pool with bench seating (retractable glass doors open in good weather), and a spa with a relaxation lounge complete with a fireplace round out the amenities.

This handsome former sea captain's estate turned B&B—near Chatham's classic retail district and a short drive from the beach—is impeccably maintained by the enthusiastic young couple who bought the place in 2006. The 16 rooms are divided among four buildings: the Greek Revival–style main house, built in 1839, with beamed ceilings and walnut plank floors; a historic cottage relocated from Nantucket; a carriage house; and a converted stable. The best room is the Lydia Harding Suite, which takes up the entire second floor of the stable and has two fireplaces, a whirlpool, and a balcony. Several other rooms have whirlpools, too, and all are bright and tastefully decorated in colonial style. The friendly staff—composed almost entirely of hospitality and tourism students recruited from England—serves breakfast and afternoon tea in the airy dining room, which has patio tables overlooking the quiet lawn and garden. Subtle modern amenities, including Wi-Fi, a fitness center, and a heated pool, don't detract from the old-world charm.

Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum—the Captain Lord Mansion sits like a giant ship in downtown Kennebunkport, with a salty crew that tends to its 20,000 square feet. During the War of 1812, shipbuilder Nathaniel Lord commissioned this three-story Federal home; in 1978, innkeepers Bev and Rick Litchfield transformed the mansion into a B&B, naming its 20 elaborate rooms, all with down comforters and gas fireplaces, after ships built by the Lord family. But this is hardly a place of grog and gruel. Cook Sue Bouley makes mushroom, red pepper, and onion soufflés to start the day, along with sticky buns and fresh fruit over organic yogurt; bunks are filled with fine linens and ornate antiques. The best is the Merchant Captain's Suite, whose heated-floor bathroom has a ten-jet hydro-massage shower and hot tub you might never leave were it not for the lure of Gooch's Beach and a glimpse at the Bush compound nearby. (The inn will lend you a bike, gratis; water, juice, and soda are also complimentary.) The froufrou furnishings may be a bit over-the-top for some, but you can't beat the views from the cupola and widow's walk that top the mansion.

The most pedigreed of the Upper East Side hotels, this grande dame opened originally as a residential hotel in 1930, with composer Richard Rodgers as its first occupant. Over the years, every president and practically every celebrity and world leader has checked in behind its white-glove wall of discretion (so leakproof that only many years later did word come out about JFK's trysts with Marilyn Monroe here). Café Carlyle, longtime home to the late Bobby Short, still draws a stellar lineup of cabaret talent (including Woody Allen and his band on the Mondays he's in town), while Bemelmans Bar, one of Manhattan's swankiest boîtes, is enlivened by Loston Harris, a suave, talented pianist and singer. The 122 rooms, however, are a mixed bag: As designed by late society decorators Mark Hampton and Dorothy Draper in Empire and Louis XVI fashion, they're a little stiff and old fashioned, but renovations are underway (the hotel was taken over by the Rosewood group in 2000). The 59 additional suites are not to be sniffed at, with their grand pianos and even grander views of Central Park. Even if playing Chopsticks is the extent of your skill, opt for one of these.

If you prefer Wallpaper over Town & Country, and Minis over Bentleys, you'll love the modernist-meets-farmhouse aesthetic of the Carneros Inn, located in one of Napa Valley's least-developed areas. The inn was designed to reflect its agrarian surroundings, with 86 tin-roofed cottages grouped around flower-filled courtyards and rocking-chair front porches surrounded by orderly rows of grapevines, bucolic fields, and rolling hills. Interiors are idyllic in a very different way, with iconic Eames and Le Corbusier loungers, heated slate floors in the bathrooms, indoor-outdoor showers, and wood-burning fireplaces. Unlike most wine country retreats, kids are welcome here and even have their own pool. The inn's Euro-Cal dining room, Farm, has plush velvet booths, dark-wood floors, and high ceilings that give it the look of a converted dairy barn. Guests gather at the fire pits outside to sip wine at day's end. There's also the more casual Boonfly Cafe, as well as an on-site spa that puts local ingredients to good use—try the mustard-seed massage or the soothing goat butter wrap.

Originally built in 1920 by railway magnate Henry Flagler, Casa Marina reopened in December 2007 after a $43 million makeover and is now part of Hilton's Waldorf-Astoria Collection. The renovation was a stunning feat, restoring the place to its Golden Era glamour. (Sadly, the coffered wooden ceiling in the lobby is a reproduction: Ferocious termites chomped through the original.) The 311 rooms are now airy and loftlike, with dark woods, crisp white sheets, and ceramic tile floors. Rooms in the original building are the best, for their idiosyncratic layout and 15 rooms with large balconies. The nickel-and-diming on the small print (in addition to a $20 resort fee tacked on each day, Internet access costs $12) is irritating, but there are also unexpected free flourishes, like in-room Nespresso makers, hallway tables piled with copies of The New York Times, and pool attendants doling out gratis ice pops.

The Reach is Casa Marina's sister hotel, though it's on an entirely separate lot five minutes' walk away along the backstreets (1435 Simonton St.; 305-296-5000; www.reachresort.com). There's little difference between them in amenities or price: The Casa complex is a little more grand, though the 150 rooms at the Reach are more colorful, with bright accents like throw pillows in red and yellow. The clientele at both is Key West's most jet-set (expect to hear Italian, French, and German), though the pools at Casa Marina make it more popular with families.

The former courthouse sits on a street with "horse-drawn carriages and gas lamps—it's so welcoming." Inside, the "very Spanish" theme is evident in the tapestries and Moorish arches. Rooms with iron beds use colors to mirror the town's waterfront presence. At the "sexy 95 Cordova," try the ginger and black pepper sea scallops, served on Moroccan tile tabletops.

(138 rooms)

Live to golf? You won't get closer to the game than at this grand 1927 Mediterranean-style villa: It sits right on the first fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links. The hotel's 24 rooms are in newer, two-story buildings with hidden doorways and soundproof walls, so you won't have to hear fellow enthusiasts shouting "Fore!" Casa Palmero is the most luxurious of Pebble Beach's three lodging options; it's more chic and sophisticated than the Lodge at Pebble Beach (where the bars are crowded with noisy golfers at the end of the day), and more intimate than the sprawling Inn at Spanish Bay. Here, downstairs rooms have private gardens with Jacuzzi pools; upstairs rooms have oversized window seats as big as twin beds. All have wood-burning fireplaces. The furnishings are predictably fancy/stuffy—lots of rich fabrics, plush carpets, and linens from England—but the bathrooms are supermodern, with rainfall showerheads in marble stalls and heated slate floors. The property has a 25-room spa offering facials and massages, and evening cocktails are served fireside every night in the main villa's salon. For a spot of privacy, you can also take drinks in the billiard room or wood-paneled library.

This place is more famous for its beautiful—and overrated—restaurant. The five suites in the Mediterranean villa, on the other hand, are less widely known but altogether a better bet—provided you can snag one. Casa Tua now operates as a private club (Boris Becker and Elle Macpherson are among the founding set), and members get first dibs, so you must reserve as far in advance as possible. It's worth it. The owners, Michele and Leticia Grendene, have lavished extraordinary attention on the rooms, creating deluxe cocoons with overstuffed white sofas, four-poster beds, and lovely, unexpected details—Loro Piana cashmere throws, 200-year-old Chinese chests, '50s Italian chairs. Before you arrive, you fill out a personal amenity list so that your choice of Santa Maria de Novella toiletries is waiting in your glistening, white bathroom (you can buy them and plenty of other things around the house). You also choose grade of sheet, type of flower, scent of candle…it is, after all, "your house."

The Catalina is a rock 'n' roll mod fantasy: There's red shag carpeting everywhere, curvy white furniture, and thumping music in the lobbies and out by the pool. The all-white rooms are large and well equipped, with enveloping beds, stereos, gleaming bathrooms, and a chaise; for a few extra square feet—at a slightly higher price—book a room in the hotel's second building (the onetime Maxine Hotel). Best bonus at this hotel? Private nooks in the common areas, where you can steal away with a cocktail or a book. There are art books to browse in the main lobby's mezzanine, and a semi-private garden with squishy chairs and sofas. The only downside is the service, which is enthusiastic but a bit amateurish.

Originally the Scripps family's summer estate, this property was sold and converted into a hotel in 1958. The new owners opted for colonial Hawaiian–style architecture that's still in place today. Mahogany woods and South Pacific–inspired furniture outfit the 315 rooms. Yes, the theme can get a little stilted, especially when it comes to the luau nights, the lei-making table, and the the canoe hanging in the fake waterfall–equipped lobby. But hokey or not, the activities and the relaxed and welcoming vibe keep the Catamaran on the short list for families. The location is great too: a narrow spit of land between the Pacific Ocean and Mission Bay, good for swimming, kayaking, and sailing. The beach and boardwalk are just across the street, and Belmont Park and SeaWorld are also nearby.

This waterfront charmer with just 115 rooms—practically a B&B by Orlando's bloated standards—is a successful evocation of the Old Florida vibe, down to the verandahs furnished with leather couches and gently swatting ceiling fans. In the rooms, wooden four-poster beds and faux barn wood bathroom ceilings evoke an antique sensation, even if the property opened only in 1999. Service is a priority, and check-in is conducted, in the old style, at private desks. One could wish for slightly larger rooms, deeper bathtubs, or better parking facilities, but there's no faulting the tranquil lakeside location, a respite from the usual din of Orlando hotels. The in-house restaurant might encourage an insular stay despite the fact that Disney's campus is just two miles west, but just outside, guests can ply the Disney-built lakeside quay, which is lined with cafés, boutiques, and wooden rocking chairs.

With more than 200 works of modern art on display and just 60 rooms, Chambers is either a hotel acting as an art gallery or vice versa—you decide. Whatever the verdict, it's shockingly trendy, remarkably austere, and yet pleasingly comfortable. The arctic-cool tone of the place is established behind the front desk, where a Damien Hirst skinned bull's head floats starkly in a tank of formaldehyde, and continues as you travel down a dim corridor to your room, past a video art installation showing the work of William Wegman and others on dozens of monitors. The service, though less than efficient, is delivered with unfailing Midwestern goodwill; rooms are spartan but have pampering touches such as heated bathroom floors and beds as soft as ermine. The excellent Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant and the blue-flamed fire in the lobby offer warmth and sustenance in the coolest venue of one of the country's coldest climes. The Rooftop Bar is included among the 2007 Hot List Nights.

A far more overt attempt than the subtler City Club to bring downtown style to midtown, this 77-room hotel owes its soul to art, with 500 contemporary works exhibited throughout the hotel. In keeping with the theme, rooms are designed as open-plan artists' lofts—rich artists, presumably, to be able to afford such a prime location just off Fifth Avenue. The showiest is a duplex suite with a 750-square-foot terrace. Furnishings are contemporary but not stridently so. Red rugs on polished wood floors and gold or purple velvet seating warm the spaces.

A favorite of power brokers, politicians, and movie stars, this stylish 440-room hotel is best enjoyed on an expense account. Orient Express hotels does it up right here, from the Italian marble lobby with its spiral staircase and 12-foot crystal chandelier to the attentive staff. Big, inviting rooms are appointed with period furnishings, balconies, and marble bathrooms. For first-class treatment and stunning views, request a "club level" room. An infinity pool with retractable roof, spa, and swank restaurant round out the deluxe possibilities. What's more, the hotel is just a credit card swipe from the city's hottest restaurants, attractions, and shops; in fact Gucci's on the ground floor.

This rustic Relais & Châteaux property in the center of Edgartown is the best hotel on Martha's Vineyard—and one of the most expensive. (Rooms start at $295 and top out at $950 per night.) A no-kids and no–cell phone policy and a doting but discreet staff make this equestrian-themed oasis with manicured gardens and intimate nooks our first choice for romantic getaways or special occasions. (Book way in advance.) Owners Gerret and Paula Conover decorated the five 18th- and 19th-century houses so beautifully that the inn inspired its own coffee-table book: Behind the Times on Purpose. While each of the 25 rooms is distinctive, all are appointed in comfortable English country style with antiques, old paintings, objets d'art, and large bathrooms. For extreme privacy, ask for the three-room carriage house; if you want to lounge on your own private terrace, snag room 21.

At this hotel south of Yosemite, guests encounter "one-of-a-kind heaven." All rooms are individually furnished and "superbly comfortable while elegant," with fresh flowers, wood-burning fireplaces, and wrought iron Parisian balconies. "Staff read your wishes from your eyes." The dinner-only Erna's Elderberry House offers French cuisine with California ingredients.

(12 rooms)

Jean Harlow carried on an affair with Clark Gable while honeymooning here with her husband, Harold Rosson—that's just one of many rendezvous the Chateau has supposedly played host to. Built in the late '20s in the style of a Loire Valley mansion, it was falling into disrepair by the time John Belushi overdosed and died there in 1982. In the early '90s, though, haute hotelier André Balazs took over, and it's been a hot spot ever since. Although it sits at the eastern end of the Sunset Strip, it's set so high up from the road and surrounded by such dense vegetation that it feels like a secret oasis. You never know who you'll spy sitting in the garden or lounging in a chair amid the Gothic arches of the colonnade. The 50 rooms and suites, four cottages, and nine bungalows are all unique. Suites in the main building have dressing rooms, kitchens, and dining areas; a few have working fireplaces. The decor is a mix of eras: Stickley coffee tables and Deco headboards share space with wicker chairs and Oriental rugs. The infamous Room 64, the two-bedroom penthouse in the main building, has a 1,500-square-foot terrace, where Colin Farrell was once caught making out with Britney Spears by the paparazzi. Over-the-top amenities include chauffeur-driven cars, personal trainers, 24-hour shoeshine service, and Frette baby linens.

The grandest of the classic Cape Cod hotels, and by far the best, the Chatham Bars was built in 1914 by a Boston stockbroker. In 2006, another Boston mogul, Richard Cohen (formerly Mr. Paula Zahn), bought it for $166 million and spent another $30 million on renovations and an expansion. With 18 room types to choose from—there are 40 rooms in the main inn, and an additional 176 in the surrounding cottages—making a reservation can feel like choosing a college. Rooms in the main inn, Cranberry Cottage, and Privet Cottage were renovated in 2009. Each room has a Bose Wave radio, plasma TV, espresso machine, and a new bed enveloped in Frette linens; the best one of all is the two-bedroom, 1,500-square-foot Presidential Suite, with a deck overlooking the ocean. For privacy and direct access to the quarter-mile hotel beach, book a room in one of the cottages along the water; ocean-facing rooms in the main house have the best views. Avoid the rooms in the Beach House—they're above a restaurant and bar that can get noisy. The Chatham Bars is a ten-minute walk from Chatham's quaint downtown and 20 minutes from picturesque Chatham Light—but with a private beach, poolside minibar-equipped cabanas, a wide veranda overlooking Pleasant Bay, a 52-foot Viking yacht for deep-sea fishing, and on-site spa treatments, you'll find plenty to do right here. There are also children's programs during the summer—including etiquette classes!—and an adjacent nine-hole public golf course. (Many of these services cost extra, on top of the $9 daily resort fee.) The dining options, all overseen by chef Anthony Cole, are equally diverse: seafood-centric formal dining, comfort food in the tavern, tapas-style snacks from the Veranda, or a clambake and a drink on the beach at the Beach House Grill. At peak season, a staff of 460 employees is on hand to make sure your stay is flawless—they'll hover but not intrude.

The Veranda and Beach House Grill close in the winter, but the inn stays open year-round.

During the gold rush, it wasn't uncommon for a hopeful miner to spend 18 hours a day in a dark shaft, shivering. But about 60 miles north of Fairbanks, there was a cure: Chena Hot Springs. Now a popular getaway for locals and travelers looking to experience the boonies without the inconvenience of a two-seater airplane and a tent, Chena is a classic gold rush–style lodge in the middle of nowhere. (Directions from Fairbanks are basically to drive toward the Arctic Circle and turn right.) Befitting the location, the 80 rooms are simple—similar to a budget motel down south. In summer, you can opt to sleep in one of the Mongolian-style yurts (bring your own sleeping bag). The real draw here are the tubs outside, which fill with mineralized hot water that's considered great for rheumatism, psoriasis, and generally lazing about. Unlike a lot of Alaskan resorts, Chena is open year-round, and winter is the best time to come: There are fewer day-trippers (passes are $10 per day); the contrast between the hot water and cold landscape is marvelous; and night after night, the aurora borealis lights up the sky.—Edward Readicker-Henderson

This is a British expat favorite—note the Union Jack fluttering above the entrance—with 52 rooms decorated to make these guests feel right at home. Flouncy bedspreads, heavy drapes, and antique-style desks seem borrowed directly from a chintzy English country house, though the huge TVs are flat-screens. There's a smallish pool with striped awnings and metal furniture that give a whiff of vintage Agatha Christie (the beach is three blocks away). The after-hours spots are worth stopping in even if you aren't staying at the hotel: The cigar menu at the Churchill Room is intense (pair a $25 Savinelli with a $175 shot of Louis XIII Remy Martin) and the Leopard Lounge is one of the few buzzy spots for an evening drink on the Island. That, and the hotel's quirky/quaint details—dishes of jelly beans everywhere, satisfyingly hefty old-fashioned room keys instead of electronic cards—lend the Chesterfield a sense of whimsy sorely missing from other Palm Beach hotels.

Jill Abbyad opened this bed-and-breakfast more than two decades ago with her husband, Charles, after fleeing a corporate job in San Francisco. The couple live upstairs with their two teenage children, which gives this place an inimitable homeyness—but not at the expense of privacy. Each of the five rooms, arrayed around two quiet courtyards, has its own entrance; numbers 2 and 3 have original heart pine floors and (nonworking) fireplaces from 1876. All are cozy and cottagelike without coming off as overly precious. During breakfast (fresh French bread, cheeses, fruit, and pastries), Jill, always knowledgeable and animated, will help you plan your day, matching your particular interests with her favorite spots and outings. She can also put together a self-drive Katrina tour for interested guests. The residential Uptown location makes for a peaceful retreat: It's at the edge of the Garden District and within close walking distance of stately, mansion-lined St. Charles Avenue. Parking and WiFi are included in the room rate.

The Cliffside's big draw is its right-on-the-sand location, just west of Jetties Beach a mile from town: You can walk out of your room or suite (there are 26 total) and a minute later be in the water. A private club since 1949, the Cliffside owns its stretch of shore and has a healthy respect for its history. The beach pavilion and a set of wooden changing rooms have been there since 1904, and some of the interiors (especially in the 10 Gold Coast rooms and the beach cottage) have a vintage feel, with patchwork quilts and antique wood or wicker furniture. There's a 3,000-square-foot exercise room, hydrotherapy spa, and a guests-only bar and café. The outdoor pool complex is great for lap-swimming, but otherwise superfluous, since the waves beckon just outside. Although certain rooms are designated adults-only, the hotel is very family-friendly; you'll see more than a few tykes making sand castles or napping under the trademark yellow, blue, or green beach umbrellas.

Open mid-May through mid-October.

The Mediterranean Revival hotel has a terra-cotta roof, towered stairways, and interiors with Turkish kilims. The spa is "like being in a botanical garden." Enjoy a specialty margarita at the River Bar, followed by regional cuisine such as barbecued stuffed quail. Rooms with global antiques are "so peaceful."

(175 rooms)

This 90-room hotel is a youngster by Palm Beach terms—it was only built in 1947—but it echoes its neighbors' hushed, moneyed elegance (the Florida-shaped swimming pool's a waggish touch). Like most of the hotels on the Island, the Colony is only a couple blocks from the beach and just a block from Worth Avenue. A five-year, $13 million makeover upgraded the admittedly still pocket-size rooms with breezy yellow decor inspired by the British West Indies. But if you are staying at the Colony, you are here for the legendary suites. The Duke and Duchess of Windsor crashed in the penthouse during their itinerant post-abdication exile, and last year the hotel finally honored the renegade royals by renaming the 1,900-square-foot, two-bedroom penthouse in their honor. (Look for the framed check His Royal Highness used to pay the $1,000 bill back in 1961—now, rates start at $2,000 a night.) Across the road from the main building is the Colony's most exclusive enclave. The circa-1928 Casa Manana has been turned into seven stand-alone villas, available in season for monthly rentals from $20,000 to $30,000. That monthly charge is a hint at the clientele here: largely longtime regulars who hole up in Palm Beach for a chunk of the chilly northern winter. Their dominance helps give the hotel a pleasant, homey vibe. Nightlife here also fits with the laid-back atmosphere, with a steak house that doubles as a piano bar and the Royal Room Cabaret.

Following a $16 million renovation—courtesy of Cher's interior designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard—the Spanish-style Colony Palms is redeeming itself after stints as a brothel and a mobster-owned speakeasy back in the 1930s. The 56 rooms in this Moroccan-chic boutique are small but lovingly appointed with high-tech goodies (flat-screen TVs, Wi–Fi, iPod docking stations), seven-foot tall Turkish tapestry headboards, and swank touches such as Dean & Deluca nibbles in the mini-bar. The tropical-inspired restaurant bar, The Purple Palm, is a comfortable place to sip cocktails by the pool or take in the purple mountain vistas, all of which makes this casually cool retreat feel worlds away—somewhere between Casablanca and Ibiza—from its convenient downtown Palm Springs setting.

Hyper-stylish and bathed in natural light and textures, most rooms in the 26-story high-rise have floor-to-ceiling windows lasciviously exposed (should you opt not to use the blackout curtains) to neighboring offices and condos. The vibe is simultaneously spare and plush, with industrial-cement ceilings, ribbed wallpaper, indecently comfortable beds, and metallic velour textiles. All rooms have spa-inspired bathrooms and the latest gadgetry, including fully stocked wine chillers. The spa, booked solid on weekends, offers a greatest hits menu of moderately priced massages, facials, and wraps. The Dana has a choice location between North Michigan Avenue and the River North dining and gallery district, but reserve a table if you want to go to its duplex steak and sushi restaurant, Ajasteak, a new neighborhood hot spot. The rooftop Vertigo Sky Lounge has a glassed-in bar and an outdoor fire pit where the city's remaining smokers can light up with impunity.

West Dover is home to Mount Snow, the Vermont ski mountain closest to the tristate area (i.e., metropolitan New York City). Urban escapees looking to be doted on, whatever the season, would do well with the Deerhill. That's because one of the owners, Michael Allen, is a former chef who fuels guests with the likes of white wine–braised artichokes, pan-fried veal tenderloin, and lemon-ricotta tarts. He and partner Stan Gresens have been running this cheery inn since 2002, and the top-notch food (including out-of-this-world homemade breads) keeps guests coming back. The 14 rooms are winners, too: Each has its own character, ranging from the Rose Garden, with an antique brass bed and flowered spread, to the canopied Apple Blossom and the two-room Garden Suite. Many have private balconies that face the mountains or the pool and gardens. In the summer, there's nothing better than sitting in the fresh air, reading one of the many books or magazines that are strewn about the place.

By far the most interesting Disney-run hotel—and the best choice for guests who aren't enamored of the company's mythology—the 1,307-room property, several miles from the western frontier of the Disney campus, overlooks savannahs stocked with real African game. Giraffes, zebras, ostrich, and other animals roam carefree, and most rooms have a furnished balcony peering over the cud-chewing action (a fraction face the parking lot or animal-free gardens). The buzzy lobby mimics a luxury safari lodge and hosts regular wildlife talks and movie screenings beneath its 100-foot vaulted atrium. Away from the animals, in a secluded grove by the property's three restaurants (one counter-service, two by reservation), there's a pool with a water slide. Rooms are accented with carved woods and mock-Afro fabrics, but are standard in every other way. And if you actually want to do anything—from having dinner (with a reservation) to storing luggage—be prepared to wait in line.

The ne plus ultra of Walt Disney World hotels, the lakeside Grand Floridian cribs directly from the palatial Victorian look of San Diego's Hotel del Coronado, down to the faux-cage elevator in the five-story lobby. You can't pick a more dreamily convenient Disney hotel—it's a single monorail stop away from the Magic Kingdom, and four from Epcot. There are tennis courts, boat rentals, seven places to eat (two at the gourmet end), two pools, a spa, and a well-used wedding pavilion. The service is less than solicitous, but the sense of elitism is as well stage-managed as you'd expect (cue the small orchestra in the lobby). Rooms are fairly standard and have the usual dark and tiny Disney bathrooms, but are somewhat embellished by flat-screen TVs and iPod-playing clock-radios. Since they're spread around six buildings, you'll likely have to walk outside to reach yours. Only the few "Lagoon View" rooms stand a chance of having a view of the Magic Kingdom (availability is first-come, first-serve upon check-in), but the park's nightly fireworks are visible to all from the resort's ferry dock.

We'll be shocked if the Donovan makes it through the Obama administration without cropping up in some political sex scandal or other. Opened in March 2008 by the same group behind the Hollywood Roosevelt and New York's 60 Thompson, it has a racy, after-hours vibe, thanks to dim mirrored hallways and a loungelike lobby. The Thomas Circle location is sure to invite misbehavior as well—it's within walking distance of the new string of high-end clubs along K Street (Lima, Lotus) and the hipster hangouts lining 14th and U. The hotel's rooftop pool is certain to become a stop along that circuit. The 193 spacious rooms have brand-conscious adornments—Kiehl's body products, Sferra linens, Kiki de Montparnasse intimacy kits—and a mod '60s vibe. A chocolate leather headboard wraps up the wall and across the ceiling; aubergine curtains cover floor-to-ceiling windows. An opaque white shower stall spirals out from the bathroom, casting a glow into the bedroom and revealing suggestive shadows of whoever's inside. The standard rooms are among the biggest in D.C., though upgrading will give you access to deep soak tubs for two. It all adds up to a refreshing dose of grown-up sophistication among Washington, D.C.'s crop of boutique hotels, many of which cross the line between class and kitsch.

Named for the cattle baron who built it in 1886, this grand four-story mansion is an old-world sanctuary set smack in the heart of boisterous Sixth Street. The historic ambience—LBJ once holed up here awaiting election results—is established by the soaring stained-glass dome in the lobby. A 2008 renovation combined the new with the old in the 189 guest rooms: a Victorian-style settee is upholstered with modern graphic fabric, nailhead-trimmed leather furniture is a nod to Texas ranches. The bar is decked out in comfy leather chairs, low lighting, warm wood, and—of course—cowhide; and you're likely to see quite a few locals rubbing elbows with out-of-towners. Other modern touches include high-speed Internet, a fitness center, and a spa, making it a civilized base for sampling the vitality of the surrounding neighborhood. From one of the balconies overlooking Sixth, you'll spot several restaurants, but you won't find one in the neighborhood better than the Driskill Grill.

The only public space at this quietly hip newcomer is the sleek, narrow lobby, whose lounge is far too small for entourages, let alone paparazzi. With one bold red parenthesis of a banquette and a few dashes of cushioned benches, it is just big enough for a few people to meet before dinner at adjoining 'BeCa, which has an Italian-leaning menu notable not only for its quality but also for its ample portions and reasonable prices (a dish of gnocchi, $14). Compact as a yacht, the hotel anchors the workaday corner of Church and Duane streets, surrounded by TriBeCa's evolving mix of superb restaurants and old take-out joints, cutting-edge shops and discount clothing stores. Light floods the 45 guest rooms, which tend to be small but quiet. Done in cheerful green chartreuse with blond wood, they display quality details, from faux-stone bath tiles to generous white Mama Bear bedding. The darkly elegant hallways, with glowing silver panels inset in mauve walls, epitomize this fine new property, which clearly—and wisely—values privacy over flash-in-the-pan popularity.

This one-of-a-kind metal-clad property is Seattle's only waterfront hotel. Not only waterfront—the entire building is actually perched on piers in Elliott Bay, so when you're looking out your bedroom window, you feel as if you're on a boat. (The Beatles stayed here in 1964 during their first American tour and fished from the window of room 272—now a deluxe suite.) The 223-room hotel has a woodsy Northwest theme: red-and-green plaid carpets, antler chandeliers and chairs, birch-bark wallpaper, and a teddy bear on every bed. Be sure to ask for one of the newly renovated waterside rooms—they're a bit more expensive, but they have larger bathrooms and sliding doors that open to incredible sunset views.

The 27 rooms may be tiny, but what they lack in space they make up for in style, price, and prime location on Sonoma's historic town plaza. Each room has a steel four-poster bed, Miró-esque paintings, and a small wrought-iron balcony. The bathrooms are also small, and nothing special, but they're spotless. The hotel's common spaces are more spacious: a popular restaurant that serves contemporary Californian dishes, a swimming pool flanked by lounge chairs, a lush courtyard with intertwining grapevines and a 150-year-old fig tree, an on-site café bakery, and a lobby with hip decor that would be equally at home in a W hotel. If you require more space for lounging than a bed and a single chair, you'll feel cramped (opt fo