Best hotels in the USA

A hotel is no longer just a place to lay one's head while traveling. Even the nicest and most luxurious accommodations have to tender something more than an in-house steakhouse and a high thread count in the bed linens — they also have to give their guests an unforgettable experience. This year, U.S. News Travel combed the entire country to find just this sort of hotel.

There are legions of guidebooks, magazines, and websites aimed at helping you find the best hotel. Some rely on in-house experts while others gather guest reviews. To compile the U.S. News list of Best Hotels in the USA 2012, our editors analyzed recommendations across many of these sources. Using this approach, we found the hotels that consistently come out on top.

The properties reflected on this list are winners not only for their luxurious amenities, fine service, and lavish décor, but also for the way they showcase America's diversity. These properties range from major hotel brands to independent boutiques, and you'll find them in states from California to Montana to South Carolina—truly from "sea to shining sea."

The Elysian Hotel Chicago (Photo: The Elysian Hotel Chicago)10. Waldorf Astoria Chicago (Chicago, IL)

This elegant hotel is positioned just a short stroll from Chicago's Magnificent Mile. But while its location is great, the interior of the Waldorf Astoria Chicago (formerly the Elysian Hotel Chicago) is even better. Even as you open the doors, you'll step foot on gleaming Carrera marble, lit by a gorgeous chandelier and guarded by mixed-media sculptures by Mexico City artist Javier Marin. Upstairs, the guest rooms feature fireplaces, deep soaking bathtubs, Italian linens, and the same sort of swanky décor found downstairs. Dining here is also rave-worthy: The in-house restaurant, RIA, has earned two Michelin stars for its local cuisine.

Calistoga Ranch, An Auberge Resort (Photo: Calistoga Ranch, An Auberge Resort)9. Calistoga Ranch, An Auberge Resort (Calistoga, CA)

You'll find the Calistoga Ranch, An Auberge Resort burrowed in a northern Napa Valley canyon. The luxuriously rustic resort features everything from a spa with organic treatments to The Lakehouse restaurant, which is defined by its "land to table" cuisine and a wine list that includes some of Calistoga Ranch's own vintages. The accommodations are equally idyllic, consisting of 48 separate lodges with fireplaces, original artwork, Italian bed linens, and even a private outdoor shower. And when you need to stretch your legs, you'll find rolling hills, private lakes, shaded woods, and sunlit patches of grass across the property's 157 acres. As you enjoy the natural surroundings, you can also appreciate that the resort's design "was carefully laid out around the existing landscape in order to not disturb any natural footprints," says Mike Moran, director of sales and marketing at the ranch.

Triple Creek Ranch (Photo: Triple Creek Ranch)8. Triple Creek Ranch (Darby, MT)

The adults-only Triple Creek Ranch is picturesquely situated on Trapper Peak, Western Montana's tallest mountain. Interspersed among the mountain's soaring pine trees, guests will find private guest cabins, fishing lakes, tennis courts, a pool, an inviting main lodge, and an upscale restaurant with an enviable cache of labels in its wine cellar. Deborah Schara, sales and marketing director at the property, says the resort's location is one of its main perks. "At Triple Creek Ranch, guests get involved in the unique 'cowboy culture' of the West while our staff inspires guests with an infectious passion for wildlife and the surrounding area. ... You can't help but fall in love with Montana's Rocky Mountain West."


Rancho Valencia Resort (Photo: Rancho Valencia Resort)7. Rancho Valencia (Rancho Santa Fe, CA)

The Rancho Valencia Resort, nestled among 45 acres of hills and gardens, lures guests with three accommodation types: There are suites, private villas, and even the über-luxe 5,000-square-foot Hacienda. The Rancho Valencia also provides for other basic needs quite well, with a spa, fitness center, and a restaurant that serves SoCal cuisine. Simon Chen, the resort's general manager, also says that "Recreation is abundant onsite with 18 tennis courts, world-class spa, swimming pools, fitness programs, cycling trails, and the Pacific Ocean nearby." But before you get too excited, keep in mind that much of the resort is currently undergoing a $20-million facelift that is due to wrap up in summer 2012. Some of its more marked improvements will include a larger al fresco dining area and an expanded fitness center replete with a yoga pavilion.