Superlative city hotels channel the distinctive personalities of their urban environments while providing guests tranquil spaces for unwinding after a busy day. The finest accommodations are often located in the country’s cultural epicenters, including Chicago and New York, where six of this year’s honorees are concentrated.
Every year for the World’s Best Awards survey, iBestTravel invites its readers to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their amenities, location, service, dining options, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and offerings.
New York earned an impressive four spots on this year’s list, with the Mark coming in at No. 11, the Chatwal at No. 9, the Whitby Hotel at No. 8, and the Lowell at No. 5. Multiple readers cited the Lowell’s attention to detail as a primary reason for its popularity, while the Mark stood out for “amazing amenities” and “bathrooms with giant soaking tubs.” Chicago came in second with three honorees: the Langham, Chicago (No. 15), Hotel Zachary (No. 12), and Viceroy Chicago (No. 7), which boasts a “lively rooftop bar with great views of the city at night.”
In smaller cities, boutique properties reigned supreme. San Antonio’s 146-room Hotel Emma (No. 13) features historic elements that reflect its past as a 19th-century brewhouse. In Charleston—our readers’ favorite city in the Continental U.S. for the seventh consecutive year—the Spectator Hotel enchants with “incomparable service” and rooms that are “quiet, stylish, comfortable, and luxurious.”
This year’s winner is described as a “spectacular hotel” in the heart of the American Southwest. Read on to discover the full list and see which hotel earned the top spot.
15. The Langham, Chicago
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Score: 93.87
More information: langhamhotels.com
14. The Peninsula Beverly Hills, California
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WBA Hall of Fame honoree. Score: 93.89
More information: peninsula.com
13. Hotel Emma, San Antonio, Texas
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Score: 93.96
More information: thehotelemma.com
12. Hotel Zachary, Chicago
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Score: 94.13
More information: hotelzachary.com
11. The Mark, New York City
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Score: 94.40
More information: themarkhotel.com
10. The Edwin, Chattanooga, Tennessee
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Score: 94.46
More information: theedwinhotel.com
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9. The Chatwal, New York City
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Score: 94.58
More information: thechatwalny.com
8. The Whitby Hotel, New York City
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Score: 94.75
More information: firmdalehotels.com
7. Viceroy Chicago
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Score: 94.86
More information: viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
5. (tie) The Spectator Hotel, Charleston, South Carolina
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Score: 95.29
More information: thespectatorhotel.com
5. (tie) The Lowell, New York City
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Score: 95.29
More information: lowellhotel.com
4. The Bristol Hotel, Bristol, Virginia
Score: 96.09
More information: bristolhotelva.com
3. The Row Hotel at Assembly Row, Somerville, Massachusetts
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Score: 96.32
More information: marriott.com
2. Hotel Eleven, Austin, Texas
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Score: 96.55
More information: hotelelevenaustin.com
1. The Inn of the Five Graces, Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Score: 96.62
More information: fivegraces.com
This “spectacular hotel,” as one reader commented, is conveniently situated at the edge of Santa Fe’s central plaza, placing visitors within walking distance of the area’s art galleries and superb dining options along Canyon Road, as well as historical landmarks such as Loretto Chapel and the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum. Its low-slung adobe structures provide a sense of understated “charm and luxury,” a sentiment reinforced by wood-burning kiva fireplaces in every room and hand-laid mosaic tiles throughout the bathrooms. Another guest referred to the inn as “one of the finest establishments we have ever visited.”
Explore our readers’ favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more recognized in the World’s Best Awards.
