Selecting the perfect place to stay on your next vacation is about so much more than just a place to lay your head. The best hotels and resorts offer a variety of amenities, incredible landscapes and mouth-watering dining options to ensure a fabulous stay.
We set out to find the best hotels, best hotel amenities and best resorts across the United States. So, we invited a panel of hotel and travel experts to nominate their top picks and, for the last four weeks, invited our readers to vote for their favorite in each category.
Click on each category below to see the full winners list:
Best All-Inclusive Resort: The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island in Georgia
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Guests of The Lodge on Little St. Simons Island on Georgia’s Golden Isles have 7 miles of pristine beach and 11,000 acres of undeveloped wilderness to explore. The resort is only accessible by boat, and there are never more than 32 overnight guests, making this a truly serene retreat.
Naturalist-led activities include birding, hiking, kayaking, fishing and cycling. Rates include three daily meals, non-alcoholic beverages, boat transfers and all activities on the island.
Full list of winners: Best All-Inclusive Resort »
Best Budget-Friendly Hotel Brand: Red Roof
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Red Roof is proud to be leaders in the game of economy hotels and motels. Spacious standard rooms feature free Wi-Fi, desk workspace and extra outlets for charging devices. Their upgraded Red Roof Plus rooms are outfitted with Serta mattresses, wood-like flooring and sleek furnishings. Upgraded linens and towels make all the difference as do the extra inches on the flat screen TV.
Full list of winners: Best Budget-Friendly Hotel Brand »
Best Destination Resort: The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort in Solvang, California
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Guests can experience the Old West’s majesty and romance at California’s Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort. This one-of-a-kind resort, located in the renowned Santa Barbara wine country, is set on a 10,000-acre working cattle ranch and offers amenities such as a fitness center, spa, tennis, golf, horseback riding and fishing on a private lake.
All guest rooms, suites and cottages are decorated in authentic Western style and come with wood-burning fireplaces, but no televisions or telephones. Come back to a simpler time and bring your taste for adventure.
Full list of winners: Best Destination Resort »
Best Eco-Friendly Hotel: The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte in North Carolina
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This 18-story facility is the first LEED Gold-certified hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as within the Ritz-Carlton hotel chain. Among other sustainable design features, a green roof and garden with two beehives keep the building cooler while providing herbs and honey for the kitchen. Employees wear uniforms made from recycled plastic bottle materials, and the 146-room hotel includes an electric vehicle charging station.
Full list of winners: Best Eco-Friendly Hotel »
Best Family Resort: Woodloch Resort in Hawley, Pennsylvania
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The Woodloch Resort welcomes families to the Poconos with accommodations ranging from single rooms to two-bedroom suites. Meals are served family-style, and guests enjoy access to a range of activities daily, with amenities such as a rock climbing wall, indoor and outdoor pools, go-karts, bumper cars and boats, kayaks and snow tubing in the winter.
Full list of winners: Best Family Resort »
Best Historic Hotel: Historic Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
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Guests of the Historic Hotel Bethlehem can learn about the hotel’s storied history in the Lower Lobby. A hotel has occupied the site since 1741, though the structure was used as a convalescent home for World War I soldiers for a period. Today, guests enjoy modern amenities in this historic setting in the heart of Moravian Bethlehem.
Full list of winners: Best Historic Hotel »
Best Hotel Bar: The Sazerac Bar in The Roosevelt New Orleans
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Named after the world’s first mixed drink (according to some), The Sazerac Bar has been quenching New Orleans‘s thirst for decades. Located within The Roosevelt New Orleans, this classic space features an African walnut bar and murals by Paul Ninas; it was once a popular haunt of politician Huey P. Long.
Full list of winners: Best Hotel Bar »
Best Hotel Pool: Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu in Koloa, Hawaii
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Koloa Landing Resort at Poipu is home to one of the largest single pools on the island of Kauai, the 350,000-gallon Main Pool packed with water slides, swim-through waterfalls, a grotto and an infinity edge. The smaller but equally spectacular Lagoon Pool offers 6,000 square feet of family-friendly fun.
Full list of winners: Best Hotel Pool »
Best Hotel Restaurant: Kuro in Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
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Kuro at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City features contemporary Japanese dishes made from a combination of local ingredients and items imported from Japan. Diners can pair sushi, tempura, grilled meats and fresh seafood with an assortment of Japanese whiskies, shochu, sake and wine.
Full list of winners: Best Hotel Restaurant »
Best Hotel Spa: The Indigo Spa at Hilton Head Health on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
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Located on beautiful Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, Hilton Head Health’s comprehensive programs provide a holistic weight loss approach that incorporates healthy eating, fitness and mindfulness education. Guests enjoy Mediterranean-inspired dining at True Dining and can unwind between activities at The Indigo Spa.
Full list of winners: Best Hotel Spa »
Best Luxury Hotel: Hotel Bennett in Charleston, South Carolina
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Hotel Bennett in Charleston invites guests to experience indulgent luxury combined with the finest in Southern hospitality. Its 179 elegant guest rooms and suites provide the ultimate comfort and include, among other amenities, free-standing soaking tubs.
Guests can feast on the bounty of the coast at the hotel’s signature formal restaurant, enjoy a cocktail at one of the two upscale bars, and enjoy a swim in the heated rooftop pool with views of the magnificent Charleston skyline.
Full list of winners: Best Luxury Hotel »
Best Pet-Friendly Hotel: Pasea Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, California
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This Huntington Beach hotel enjoys its own private dog park, as well as pet-friendly amenities such as in-room beds, food and water bowls, welcome amenities and pet items in the gift shop. The Huntington Dog Beach, where dogs can go for a swim leash-free, is only a couple miles away.
Full list of winners: Best Pet Friendly Hotel »
Best Romantic Hotel: Hamilton-Turner Inn in Savannah, Georgia
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This romantic inn in the already romantic city of Savannah sits just off Lafayette Square in the heart of the historic district. A former private home built in the French Empire style, the hotel offers daily breakfast, complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres in the evening and a cozy fireplace for a nightcap.
Full list of winners: Best Romantic Hotel »
Best Waterfront Hotel: Acqualina Resort & Residences in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
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Located on what some call the “Florida Riviera,” this award-winning Miami resort’s setting resembles an all-inclusive villa. It offers a vast tropical beachfront and luxurious extras, such as fresh fruit and homemade biscotti delivered to the rooms, a marine biology-based children’s program and heavenly spa access.
Lavish accommodations boast stunning views, while three pools add to the appeal.
Full list of winners: Best Waterfront Hotel »
Best Wellness Retreat: Eupepsia in Bland, Virginia
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This 250-acre wellness sanctuary in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley seeks to help guests reconnect with themselves through the philosophy of Ayurveda. Guests enjoy vegetarian farm-to-table meals, health screenings and a range of therapies tailored to each individual.
Full list of winners: Best Wellness Retreat »
Congratulations to all these winning nominees! Remember to visit 10Best.com daily to vote in all of our Readers’ Choice contests.
10Best is a part of the USA TODAY Network, providing an authentically local point of view on destinations around the world, in addition to travel and lifestyle advice.