The Best City Hotels in the Continental U.S. in 2016

By Melanie Lieberman
July 06, 2016
Credit: Courtesy of the Spectator Hotel
Some of the very best cities on the planet can be found in the continental United States — so is it any wonder that some of the most exciting hotels are found in the lower 48?

Take the Old 77 Hotel & Chandlery in Louisiana, for example. One of the coolest new hotels in the country debuted at the No. 7 spot this year in the No. 7 city in the world: New Orleans. The Old 77 has two galleries promoting local artists and a French-Caribbean restaurant (conch croquettes share the menu with black drum fish with beurre blanc and caviar). Inside the 167 rooms, guests will find custom vintage-inspired writing desks and exposed-brick walls.

The best hotels in American cities are those that introduce you to your destination the moment you drop your bags.

New York City hotels, including the recently reopened Knickerbocker in Times Square and the Greenwich Hotel, immerse guests in the Big Apple experience. You’ll find everything from 24/7 bartenders mixing bedside Old-Fashioneds (at the Knick) to a hotelier who doubles as an unofficial mayor of New York (Robert De Niro, who grew up near the Greenwich Hotel).

When visiting the Windy City, could you ask for a better view of the Chicago River and downtown skyline than from a room at the Langham Chicago, which all boast floor-to-ceiling windows? And on a frosty Boston night, where else would you want to bed down than at the XV Beacon, where every one of its 63 rooms is outfitted with cashmere throws and a gas fireplace?

How did these 15 U.S. city hotels become World’s Best darlings? In our annual World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to score their travel experiences, evaluating everything from hotels and cities to islands,cruise lines, and spas. Hotels were rated on their rooms and facilities, location, service, food and drink, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations.

Read on for the full list.
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No. 15: French Quarter Inn, Charleston, South Carolina

Credit: Courtesy of French Quarter Inn

Score: 93.89

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No. 14: Mokara Hotel & Spa, San Antonio, Texas            

Credit: Courtesy of Mokara Hotel and Spa

Score: 93.89

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No. 13: Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago

Credit: Diego Delso

Score: 94.03

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No. 12: The Hay-Adams, Washington, D.C.

Credit: Courtesy of The Hay-Adams

Score: 94.03

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No. 11: Rosewood (formerly the Capella; Washington, D.C.

Credit: Courtesy of Rosewood

Score: 94.04

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No. 10: Hotel Vintage, Seattle, Washington

Credit: David Lewis Phelps

Score: 94.12

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No. 9: The Alfond Inn, Winter Park (Orlando Area; Florida

Credit: Courtesy of the Alfond Inn

Score: 94.12

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No. 8: The Langham, Chicago

Credit: Courtesy of the Langham

Score: 94.21

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No. 7: The Old 77 Hotel & Chandlery, New Orleans

Credit: Courtesy of the Old No. 77 Hotel and Chandlery

Score: 94.26

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No. 6: River Inn of Harbor Town, Memphis, Tennessee          

Credit: Courtesy of River Inn of Harbor Town

Score: 94.71

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No. 5: The Knickerbocker, New York City

Credit: Courtesy of the Knickerbocker

Score: 94.75

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No. 4: Greenwich Hotel, New York City

Credit: Courtesy of the Greenwich Hotel

Score: 94.76

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No. 3: The Surrey, New York City

Credit: Courtesy of the Surrey

Score: 95.37

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No. 2: XV Beacon, Boston

Credit: Courtesy of XV Beacon

Score: 96.27

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No. 1: The Spectator Hotel, Charleston, South Carolina

Credit: Courtesy of the Spectator Hotel

Score: 97.78

“Probably the most elegant boutique hotel I’ve ever been to,” said Jane Keenan, a T+L reader who thought the Spectator Hotel was “perfect in every way.” The relatively new addition to Charleston (which was crowned the No. 1 city in the world this year) has glam details like hand-painted wallpaper, mirrored ceilings, and a taxidermied white peacock in the lounge. Every room is assigned a personal butler, who can do everything from shine your shoes to book you a seat at the hottest table in town. Request a room with a private patio, where you can relax with a 1920s-inspired cocktail.

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