The Best Hotel in Every State
When we travel—whether it’s to go skiing in Utah or to have a shopping spree in New York City—nothing completes the experience quite like staying in a hotel that understands the local vibe.
Every year, T+L asks readers to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. Readers taking our World’s Best Awards survey ranked hotels in the United States for value, service, location, amenities, and attention to detail.
A few states didn’t have hotels represented on this year’s World’s Best list, so we tapped tourism boards and our own insider expertise to determine the top pick in that state. Like Hotel Donaldson in North Dakota—nominated by the state’s tourism division—where wine and cheese hour is as much as a draw as its reputation for being a workingman’s hotel in the '60s and '70s.
Whether you’re driving through amber plains or exploring a new city, these award-winning hotels won’t let you down.
Turquoise Place in Alabama
“Exactly what a beach vacation should be—and nothing it shouldn’t,” raved one happy T+L reader about this family-friendly resort in Orange Beach.
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Alyeska Resort in Alaska
Nestled in a valley carved by glaciers, this is one of few resorts in North America that can boast both mountain as well as ocean views. Find it 40 miles south of Anchorage.
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Boulders Resort & Spa in Arizona
Fresh off a multi-million dollar renovation in 2015, this resort is spread across acres of the Sonoran Desert foothills.
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Pratt Place Inn and Barn in Arkansas
“If you’re visiting the Ozarks, this is one of the most beautiful places you could stay,” suggested one World’s Best survey respondent. Old World details like French walnut doors and a wraparound porch made this charming Fayetteville boutique a favorite with readers.
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Farmhouse Inn in California
Family-run and with only 25 rooms (including a handful of 20th-century cottages), this wine country property wooed readers with a Michelin-starred restaurant and easy to access to many of Sonoma’s top vineyards.
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Gateway Canyons Resort in Colorado
Adrenaline junkies love this upscale resort on the edge of the Dolores River, which offers easy access to red rock hikes and Class V rapids.
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Winvian in Connecticut
There’s nothing staid about Winvian, in Litchfield Hills. Fifteen architects collaborated on the hotel’s cottages, which include a two-story tree house complete with a fireplace, Jacuzzi, steam shower, and fully-stocked bar.
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Hotel du Pont in Delaware
Rich history (the property has seen a lot since it was opened in 1913) and an impressive collection of Wyeth works made Hotel du Pont in Wilmington the top hotel in the state.
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Rosewood Washington D.C. in the District of Columbia
Formerly the Capella, this Georgetown hotel took top honors, thanks to top-notch rooftop bar and grill, which is reserved for guests only.
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The Gasparilla Inn & Club in Florida
One reader went so far as to suggest this wasn’t just the best hotel in Florida, but perhaps the top spot in the entire South. After more than a century, Gasparilla Inn expertly balances historic charm (there’s still a dress code and Grecian columns) and modernity, with seaplane excursions and stand-up paddleboarding.
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Lodge at Sea Island Golf Club in Georgia
Legendary golf courses are a huge draw for this 40-room lodge—as is the bagpiper who roams the ground every evening.
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Montage Kapalua Bay in Hawaii
One of the newest properties in town, Montage Kapalua Bay quickly edged out the competition, thanks to its world-class spa and incredible restaurant overlooking Namalu Bay where you’re guaranteed to be the only diners.
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Coeur d’Alene Resort in Idaho
Our readers’ favorite hotel in Idaho is also one of the country’s best places to celebrate Christmas. Every year, this lakefront resort celebrates the season with a 1.5 million light show: the largest in the United States.
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The Langham, Chicago in Illinois
Inside a landmark Mies van der Rohe building is the Langham, where guests enjoy views of the Chicago River and the Windy City’s skyline from rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows.
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West Baden Springs Hotel in Indiana
Readers continued to rave about the Jesuit seminary-turned National Historic Landmark and upscale hotel. “This is Indiana’s best resort property,” proclaimed one World’s Best voter, who recommends reserving the Chef’s Table experience.
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Hotel Blackhawk, an Autograph Collection Hotel in Iowa
Iowa’s hotels weren’t represented in this year’s World’s Best Awards, but the state’s tourism office recommends Hotel Blackhawk as the top property. Local artwork and an on-site bowling alley add to the Davenport hotel’s whimsy.
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Eldridge Hotel in Kansas
“Excellent service” and a true downtown vibe helped this historic, all-suite Lawrence property earn top marks in this year’s survey.
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21C Museum Hotel Louisville in Kentucky
Five 19th-century brick buildings are now home to a rotating collection of modern paintings, sculptures, and other artworks—along with 91 guest rooms. It’s part hotel, part cultural institution.
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The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandelry in Louisiana
Hailed as one of the coolest new city hotels in the country, the Old No. 77 Hotel is an exciting addition to New Orleans’ Warehouse Arts District. Rooms feature hardwood floors, an antique writing desk, and exposed brick.
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Inn by the Sea in Maine
“Best of Maine!” raved one satisfied reader, while another hailed it as “a beautiful property [with] its own private beach…that embodies the Maine experience.” Families should book a suite with a kitchen and fireplace.
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Inn at Perry Cabin by Belmond in Maryland
Homey touches, like fresh-baked cookies at turndown, helped make this 1816 manor-turned inn the best hotel in the state of Maryland.
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Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Massachusetts
Simultaneously lavish and relaxed, guests love this 1740s house and clapboard cottages for its family-centric activities (evening s’mores kits, a rock-climbing wall, treasure hunts), seafood restaurant, and 27 acres of beautiful gardens.
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The Townsend Hotel in Michigan
“A five-star hotel on the outskirts of Detroit that offers the best service, accommodations, restaurant, and surroundings in Michigan.” More concisely, another T+L reader called it “the best place to stay in Michigan, period!”
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Le Méridien Chambers Minneapolis in Minnesota
With only 60 rooms, this theater district property feels cozy and intimate. Décor is playful and contemporary, with a graffiti-covered stairwell and 200 modern artworks by artists like Damien Hirst and Gary Hume.
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The Alluvian in Mississippi
“What a gem to be found in a small town in Mississippi,” said one contented World’ Best readers. The restaurant, spa, and southern hospitality earned equal praise.
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Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri
Also ranked as the No. 1 resort in the Midwest, Ridgedale’s Big Cedar Lodge looks out over Table Rock Lake, and offers 4,600 acres of reserve land to families who love fishing, horseback riding, hiking, biking, and golfing. After all that adventure, guests can retreat to an 18,000-square-foot spa.
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Triple Creek Ranch in Montana
Rural Montana is home to an upscale dude ranch, where 23 posh cabins featuring hot tubs and wood-burning fireplaces are eclipsed only by the all-inclusive activities (think: helicopter tours and horseback riding).
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Element Omaha Midtown Crossing Hotel in Nebraska
Location is everything at this contemporary property, where guests have easy access to restaurants, shopping, a clutch of great wine bars, and museums.
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Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas in Nevada
Without a casino, the Mandarin Oriental in Las Vegas proves to be a spot of tranquility, or a “haven in the center of the strip,” as described by T+L Reader Devon Conrad. You can’t miss the shimmering gold wall in the 23rd-floor lobby.
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Wentworth by the Sea, a Marriott Hotel & Spa in New Hampshire
A grand New England resort dating back to the 1800s, Wentworth by the Sea has an unbeatable coastal location near Portsmouth. Opt for a room with a balcony overlooking the ocean.
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Congress Hall in New Jersey
America’s oldest seaside hotel has survived two fires, a rebuild, and even a 10-year-closure. In addition to T+L readers, Congress Hall has impressed the likes of John Philip Sousa and five presidents.
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Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in New Mexico
Sandstone walls and latilla-and-viga ceilings (beams crossed with slender sticks) give the rooms in this A-list hotel a decidedly Southwestern vibe. Look out for local celebs at the eponymous restaurant and lounge, or cozy up to the in-room, kiva-shaped gas fireplace.