5. Four Seasons Hotel Chicago
Previous lodgers raved about this North Michigan Avenue hotel’s refinement and its unbeatable location. Sitting just steps from Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago is central to all of the city’s best restaurants, shops and nightlife. After you’ve sufficiently tested the limits of your credit card, retreat to one of the hotel’s soundproofed spa treatment rooms to enjoy a relaxing massage or skin renewal treatment. Before you call it a night, previous guests highly recommend sitting down to a meal at Adorn, where diners are treated to fresh, farm-to-table Midwest cuisine. When it’s time to bed down, this Four Seasons hotel’s well-appointed accommodations provide a comfortable escape. Previous guests love the elegant decor, which combines contemporary fittings (like flat-screen TVs) with 20th century-inspired design accents and spacious marble bathrooms. Recent visitors recommend splurging on the lake view accommodations, rather than the rooms with the city skyline vistas.
6. The Umstead Hotel and Spa
Sitting just off Interstate 40 about 9 miles northwest of Raleigh, North Carolina, The Umstead Hotel and Spa strives to provide guests with a sense of tranquility. The hotel’s designers had a keen eye for detail: The Umstead’s ornamentations are reflective of its natural surroundings, with plants and statues of animals adorning the lobby and other common areas. Guest rooms also feature muted green tones. Accommodations are equipped with Nespresso machines, free Wi-Fi access and deep soaking tubs. Travelers rave about The Umstead’s appearance as well as its services and amenities, including the soothing treatments at the Umstead Spa, the seasonal outdoor pool and the AAA Five Diamond Award-winning Herons restaurant. But above all, guests credit the hotel employees for their positive experience; many note that the concierge and front desk staff make a point to learn your name. Keep in mind: You’ll need a car to access the region’s other major attractions.
