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USA Today
6 days ago
- USA Today
Best hotels and resorts in the US? Here are readers' top picks
Whether you're planning a vacation, honeymoon, or business trip, choosing your hotel is about so much more than just a place to sleep. The best hotels and resorts offer a variety of amenities, activities, and dining options to ensure you have a stellar experience. To identify the best hotels and resorts across the United States, we invited a panel of hotel and travel experts to nominate their top picks, then readers voted for their favorites across nine categories. Here are the winners. Click on each category below to see the full winners list: Advertisement Best All-Inclusive Resort: The Lodge at Woodloch in Hawley, Pennsylvania Get away from it all with a stay at The Lodge at Woodloch – Photo courtesy of Annie Killam for The Lodge at Woodloch The Lodge at Woodloch, an all-inclusive, adults-only spa resort in the heart of the Pennsylvania Poconos, invites guests to step away from the whirlwind of life to refocus. Guests enjoy a full-service spa and a wide range of classes and activities — everything from meditation, yoga, or spinning to painting, cooking, or wine tasting. Full list of winners: Best All-Inclusive Resort » Best Bed-and-Breakfast: C.W. Worth House Bed & Breakfast in Wilmington, North Carolina Escape to Wilmington and enjoy some Southern hospitality at C.W. Worth House Bed & Breakfast – Photo courtesy of Matt McGraw This Queen Anne-style bed-and-breakfast has just seven rooms, giving it a cozy, intimate feel. Guests of C.W. Worth House enjoy a farm-to-table breakfast each morning, and the property is close enough to downtown and the Wilmington Riverwalk that you can walk to many restaurants and attractions. Advertisement Full list of winners: Best Bed-and-Breakfast » Best Boutique Hotel: Bottleworks Hotel in Indianapolis, Indiana Explore Indianapolis with Bottleworks Hotel as your home base – Photo courtesy of Bottleworks Hotel A former Coca-Cola bottling plant, Bottleworks Hotel puts the fizz in its experience with architectural throwbacks and modern amenities ranging from a chic bar, a coffee shop, and a billiards salon to plush appointments in the rooms. Guests enjoy an experience that's both grand and intimate. Full list of winners: Best Boutique Hotel » Advertisement Best Destination Resort: Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida You won't even want to leave the resort grounds when you stay at Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach – Photo courtesy of Acqualina Resort & Residences Situated on the shores of Sunny Isles Beach, Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach offers a perfect blend of Miami's cultural richness and serene beachfront relaxation. Plus, guests can indulge in the resort's Acqua Experiences, which provide unique ways to enjoy South Florida's beauty. With its top-notch service, sumptuous dining options, an award-winning spa, and opulent accommodations, this resort is a destination that truly embodies the essence of a tropical paradise getaway. Full list of winners: Best Destination Resort » Advertisement Best Extended Stay Hotel: AKA Upgrade your extended stay with AKA – Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Totaro AKA properties blur the line between luxury hotel and upscale apartment living, offering white-glove service in residential-style suites. These are far beyond the typical extended stay, with designer furnishings, chef-inspired kitchens, amenities like fitness centers and libraries, and a concierge who can curate local experiences. The brand works for those who refuse to compromise on style during extended assignments. Full list of winners: Best Extended Stay Hotel » Best Family Resort: Woodloch Resort in Hawley, Pennsylvania Woodloch Resort wins Best Family Resort for fifth year in a row – Photo courtesy of Woodloch Resort The Woodloch Resort welcomes families to the Poconos with accommodations ranging from single rooms to two-bedroom suites. If you need more space, vacation rentals are also available. Advertisement Meal plans mean all-inclusive family dining at flexible prices, and guests can enjoy access to a range of activities daily, with amenities like a rock-climbing wall, indoor and outdoor pools, go-karts, bumper cars and boats, kayaking, and snow tubing in the winter. Full list of winners: Best Family Resort » Best Historic Hotel / Resort: Historic Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania For fifth consecutive year, Historic Hotel Bethlehem wins Best Historic Hotel / Resort – Photo courtesy of Historic Hotel Bethlehem 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 convalescence home for World War I soldiers for a period. Today, guests enjoy modern amenities at this historic setting in the heart of Moravian Bethlehem. Advertisement Salamander Collection claims the No. 1 spot for Best Luxury Hotel Brand for third year in a row – Photo courtesy of Provided The Salamander Collection offers one-of-a-kind getaways. Authenticity is always a priority, especially regarding cuisine and fine dining, wellness, and the overall experience of each stay. In addition to luxury amenities, guests can enjoy unique adventures, equestrian events, and golf. Full list of winners: Best Luxury Hotel Brand » Advertisement Best Waterfront Hotel / Resort: Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida Take in the Atlantic Ocean scenery at Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach – Photo courtesy of Acqualina Resort & Residences
Irish Daily Mirror
01-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Discover Indianapolis and get back to what America is really all about
If your sole bit of go-to knowledge about Indianapolis was that they race cars there for a very long distance in one go, then you're in good company. I must confess that I hadn't given the place much thought until invited on the inaugural Aer Lingus direct flight from Dublin to the capital of Indiana, known to locals and visitors alike as Indy. Also historically known as the 'Crossroads of America' thanks to its Midwest location, Indy served as a transport hub for legit and not-so-legit goods for many years — featuring prominently in slave railroad and Prohibition era tales of smuggling, firefights and car chases. Nowadays it's a prospering Midwest city — the 16th most-populated city in the US — but its unhurried atmosphere and acres of bike trails and walking areas studded with impressive war monuments mean it's a far more relaxing prospect than even its nearby cousin Chicago. Our journey began with an eight-hour flight from Dublin with Aer Lingus on a brand new A321 XLR (extra long range) aircraft that will be servicing this route as well as Nashville and other similarly distant US cities. The beauty of leaving from Dublin in these trying times for those across the Atlantic is that you complete all customs and immigration formalities before you even leave Irish soil. And despite all the recently raised fears around social media checks and interrogations, a brief interview was all it took along with a check of the ESTA (apply at least a week in advance). On the other side was where this flight really showed its worth. As the only international flight to land at Indy's airport, we found ourselves at the baggage hall before we knew it with no further checks and into a car for the 15-minute transfer downtown. I don't know any other US city where you'd get even your bag back in that time so this was another major selling point for the route. Then when we arrived at the stunning Bottleworks Hotel — a sprawling former Coca Cola bottling plant now a painfully cool art deco hotel — we saw they'd lit it up in Irish colours to welcome us to their city. And that, for me, became the theme of the four-day trip to Indy. Welcome. Everywhere we went from then on, we found an overwhelming welcome from all walks of life, be they working in a cafe offering exotic coffees or running the sprawling NFL Lucas Oil stadium whose towering hulk adds some beef to Indy's delicate skyline. This city is fond of the arts, with districts offering handmade curiosities, underground music bars and row after row of vintage shops where you can browse to your heart's content. For those with younger kids, Indy is tailor-made for you with a superb zoo (see below), a gigantic kids' museum and all the biking and walking trails you could ever want. The Cultural Trail Bike Tour was a highlight one morning and is a great way to get your bearings before stopping for a well-earned coffee. Another superb way to explore is by canoe and Frank's Paddlesports Livery is the one to look for here, with a guided tour of the White River an absolute highlight of the trip. Imagine letting the current take you on this historic waterway while all around you basking turtles slither into the water as you pass while above you bald eagles mark their turf with a piercing cry. Bliss. Indianapolis is a city steeped in history too, with people having lived in this area for millennia. Even now they are only getting around to excavating some ancient catacombs found under a carpark of all things — while a trip to the iconic Slippery Noodle bar ended in a beer-fuelled tour of its cellars and its past as a stop on the Underground Railway, a place of refuge for hunted slaves desperate to escape snatch squads and make it to freedom in the north. Or if that's not American enough for you, what about a trip to a baseball game? Victory Field is smack-bang in the middle of Indy and the spot to watch the Indianapolis Indians take on their foes while chowing down on $1 hot dogs with all the trimmings. And of course when talking about sport in this sport-mad city, the big dog in the room is the Indy 500 — the largest one-day sporting event in the world, where more than 350,000 fans cram in to watch fearless drivers slug it out over 500 gruelling miles to take the most famous crown in US racing. A visit to the Speedway is a must with an extensive museum and attraction as well as a display of some of the finest race cars ever built. When it comes to refuelling yourself after all these exertions, Indy boasts some superb dining options, too with the most famous being St Elmo's Steak House where they serve just one starter — a renowned shrimp cocktail served with an eye-watering sauce that will quite simply explode your sinuses for a few terrifying moments before vanishing entirely. Or then there's the achingly cool Bluebeard restaurant — named after one of local Kurt Vonnegut's books, he of Slaughterhouse-Five fame — where local and seasonal fare is transformed into mouthwatering delicacies accompanied by an extensive wine list. Then a gentle walk back to the hotel, passing dive bars playing soft jazz into the warm air of the night. This is the America we all dreamed of as kids growing up on a strict diet of US TV shows. It's not anger and division or fear and mistrust that rule America. To me, it's the people who make you feel welcome. And it's good to know they're still there. One of the things Indianapolis shares with Dublin, along with a bustling bar scene and friendly natives, is an expansive and state-of-the-art zoo within the city limits. It's housed along the White River, a short walk from Mile Square, home to the impressive Indiana War and Memorial Museum. Within its gates it's home to an incredible range of animals from dolphins to giant tortoises, grizzly bears, African elephants, orangutans and even wildebeest, which I have never seen in a zoo before. However their outstanding feature is an expansive new chimpanzee run, a series of interconnected mesh tunnels that let the giant apes have the full run of the park. The zoo's Tim Littig was kind enough to show me around and explain how the notoriously tetchy primates are both kept away from each other and allowed to explore and how the management team protect weaker members of the tribe while ensuring a rich environment for the young, strong and boisterous males. I also got up close and personal with a giant of the zoo, the elephant matriarch who obligingly let me scratch her bristly hide and endured me peering behind her ears without crushing me like a pea. And that was barely the half of it. We could go on about spotting baby orangutans hiding in the straw or grizzly bears wrestling but to really experience it you have to go. A simply fantastic day out awaits any family on a trip of a lifetime to Indianapolis. Getting there: Aer Lingus fly four times a week direct to Indianapolis, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. Fares from €499 return. In a nutshell: Indianapolis is a compact gem of a US city, offering a great introduction to American urban life for families and those not yet ready for the chaos of New York, Chicago or LA. Go to Visit Indy to plan your perfect US getaway.
