Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans

Poised on Canal at the edge of the bustling French Quarter, the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans is an oasis of cool, calm leisure mixed with Southern hospitality. The owners spared little expense in the refurbishment of the Beaux-Arts Maison Blanch (1908) and Art Nouveau Kress (1913) buildings, incorporating design elements like cypress elevator cabs and a $3.5 million art collection. Billed as a "hotel within a hotel," the Maison Orleans is the Ritz's Club Level and features personalized concierge services, a business center, and suites inspired by the mansions of the Garden District. The hotel also offers a destination spa with 22 treatment rooms and M Bistro, which features the New Orleans-inspired cuisine of Emily Dillport.