
Best Luxury Hotels in USA
The USA, with 50 states, has something for every luxury traveller. From the metropolis of New York to the national parks of Yellowstone or Yosemite, the States can provide an urban adventure or indeed one in nature. Go surfing off the coast of California or enjoy the skate scene in Los Angeles. Head north to the Rocky Mountains and trek between stunning summits or swim beneath spectacular waterfalls.
Travel east to New York and enjoy the street food scene or retreat to the Napa Valley and enjoy world-class wine tasting. Discover the elegance of historic mansions in the south or fly over the pacific to Hawaii and stay in exclusive resorts. Whether it’s white water rafting in Colorado or sunbathing in a sandy bay in Florida, USA has something for the luxury traveller who seeks both relaxation and thrill. The accommodation options are just as varied from large hotels in the cities to smaller retreats in beautiful coastal towns. Read on to find out about our favourite places to stay.
California, San Diego, Carmel Valley
Fairmont Grand Del Mar

An award-winning championship golf course, a Forbes Five-Star spa (with its own custom organic product line), four heated pools, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor gyms and a Michelin starred restaurant are just some of the facilities you can take advantage of when checking in here. It has 249 rooms and suites, with opulent marble bathrooms and balconies. The Spanish Mission-style property is surrounded by 400 acres of landscaped gardens and a wild coastal canyon. It’s easy to see why the Fairmont Grand del Mar was voted the #1 Luxury Hotel in California by Trip Advisor travellers.
New York State, Brooklyn
The Hoxton Williamsburg

This British boutique brand (taking its name from the trendy London district) has expanded across the pond to an equally trendy area. Once the site of a water tower factory, this nine-storey new build takes design inspiration from its industrial heritage, with interiors by Ennismore. The restaurant is built around an old carriage house, with a square brass bar and huge glass wall opening out onto an alfresco courtyard dining area. Packed with quirky features, the hotel has 175 urban chic rooms divided into categories of ‘cosy’ or ‘roomy’. The rooftop restaurant and bar has a New England feel, while a lower terrace provides lighter meals (don’t miss their lobster rolls) to a backdrop of fairy lights, comfy loungers and ping pong tables. There’s no gym, but there is access to one nearby and The Hoxton has a fleet of vintage style bikes for guests’ use.
New York State, Brooklyn
Williamsburg Hotel Brooklyn

Popular with honeymooners and those seeking a romantic getaway, this sexy hotel was designed by Michaelis Boyd, the London-based architects known for Babington House, the Groucho Club and Soho House Berlin. Art installations and additional furnishings come from the Bill Amberg Studio, providing a gritty industrial edge with accents of colour to its 147 rooms. There’s a pretty terrace area decorated by local artists, with outdoor pool, cafe-bar and black and white striped daybeds. Formal dining takes place at Seven Seeds, the dramatically decorated restaurant with an open theatre kitchen. Here you’ll find exotic dishes from the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece, Israel, Lebanon and Egypt. And be sure to take a sightseeing trip or two in one of Williamsburg Hotel’s best features, its tuk-tuk, available at no extra charge. It’s one of the best ways to sample the delights of Brooklyn.
New York State, Brooklyn
1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

This sustainable design hotel was created from upcycled materials – its furniture is made from recycled factory wood from the Coney Island boardwalk, wood from Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, and Bronx-grown trees felled by Hurricane Sandy. Its 194 rooms are bright and airy, with Nespresso machines, minibars, yoga mats and artwork depicting the borough’s history. Head up to the tenth floor where you’ll find a plunge pool with views of the Manhattan skyline, or down to the basement where you can catch a movie in the hotel’s cinema. The onsite Bamford Haybarn Spa has holistic, all-natural treatments and there are two eateries: The Osprey offering hearty American dishes and Neighbors Cafe for lighter bites.
California, Los Angeles
The Peninsula Beverly Hills

Previously named the best hotel in Los Angeles by readers of Travel + Leisure, this is the only hotel in the region to have received an AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star accolade every year since 1993. Offering an enhanced level of flexibility, check-in (and out) can be arranged at any time of the day or night as part of the brand’s Peninsula Time experience. Accommodating 195 rooms, suites and villas, it’s nestled in lush tropical gardens, with an additional rooftop garden home to a pool and dining area. The Peninsula is on Santa Monica Boulevard (an address made famous by Sheryl Crow’s song All I Wanna Do), which is a short walk to Rodeo Drive.
California, Palm Springs
Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel

Rising six floors (very high by Palm Springs standards), this artful Kimpton hotel has a rooftop pool area – which feels a little like a cruise liner – with a view of the downtown area. On arrival, guests are greeted by a double-height light-filled lobby, with huge windows and a huge macrame owl. Beyond this, there’s the orange celinged Juniper Tree restaurant, the top floor 4Saints dining room, a fireside Window Bar and a poolside High Bar. Valet parking, a house car for short journeys, free bicycle hire and use of yoga mats are all included in your stay.
California, Rancho Mirage
The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage

Stay among the gated communities of Rancho Mirage, in this Ritz-Carlton property overlooking Coachella Valley — the hotel’s Edge Steakhouse offers some of the best vistas. The hotel opened in 1988 but has been modernised many times since. It has two restaurants serving seasonal dishes, two pools surrounded by plush exclusive cabanas and a high tech fitness centre. Its spa treatments take their inspiration from the surrounding land, using indigenous botanicals within the treatments. And guests can join yoga classes or request personal training sessions. Bedrooms exude a typical Palm Springs feel, with polished dark wood, offset by light-coloured soft furnishings.
California, Los Angeles
The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey

An in-house Sisley Spa and prime waterfront setting will ensure you won’t want to leave the confines of this lavish Marina del Ray Ritz hotel. The pool – open 24 hours a day – looks out onto the wharf. For those wishing to stay active, there’s a gym and two tennis courts, with energetic kids occupied by dedicated children’s activities. The AAA Four Diamond resort contains 304 bedrooms (with the top two floors of Club Level rooms proffering the best views) and a restaurant with a trendy terrace area. The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey is just 5 miles from LAX, so ideal for a pre or post-flight stopover.
California, Los Angeles, Santa Monica
Santa Monica Proper Hotel

Found on Wilshire Boulevard, this hotel is a short schlep to the beach. The rooftop pool deck (the only one on the Westside) is a feature, along with the Ayurvedic Surya Spa, lush garden terrace and the Balearic outdoor restaurant and bar with its chic cabanas. Earthy tones blend with a Scandi meets mid-century design vibe, that’s accented by creative artworks, murals and indoor palm trees. The Proper Hotel is deeply fashionable, with sushi, oysters, organic juices, biodynamic wines and small-batch mezcals found on the menus. Here you can start the day with a Greek Goddess yoghurt bowl and end it with prime flat iron steak.
New York State, Greenport
The Menhaden Hotel Hamptons

For stunning harbour views and close access to the region’s wine lands, book into The Menhaden Hotel. This too is a boutique establishment, with 16 bedrooms, designed to evoke a smart maritime theme displaying various related artefacts. There are lots of drinking and dining options here: a sophisticated ground floor restaurant, a rooftop bar, cafe and a galley snack stop, plus excellent places to eat in the Greenpoint neighbourhood. There’s much to see and do on the doorstep and the hotel offers a free water taxi, bike hire and transfers via its electric vehicle.
New York State, Amagansett
The Roundtree Hamptons

Found in the district of Amagansett, surrounded by acres of land (this was once a working farm), yet close to the shore, The Roundtree offers just 15 forms of accommodation. It has a homely, yet undoubtedly upscale feel. The main house is over a century old, although the internal decor reflects the kind of effortless, contemporary design appealing to New Yorkers heading out of town. As bedrooms take the form of suites and cottages, and there’s no restaurant on the premises, The Roundtree is better suited to families, groups and those preferring to do their own thing when it comes to dining.
New York State, Montauk
Hero Beach Club Hamptons

Montauk was once populated by creatives, surfers and those who made their living from the water. But it’s becoming increasingly sought after by well-heeled visitors in recent times, with hotels like the Hero Beach Club popping up. The property has a laid back charm though – you won’t find a dedicated restaurant, but you will be provided with complimentary morning bagels and coffee, as well as s’mores roasting on some nights. The design in the 30 bedrooms (most with balconies) is airy and mirrors the natural pastel hues seen in the coastal landscape. Outside, there’s a large heated pool, with plenty of lounging space and movie nights held under the stars.