After traveling extensively we’ve experienced our fair share of good hotels and really bad hotels. Here are our favorite hotels in the world including resorts, boutique hotels, ranches, and more. 
At this point, the kids and I have stayed in way too many hotels. In fact, I would guess that even my youngest is somewhat of a hotel expert. Today I am sharing our favorite hotels from around the world. Some of these we picked because our rooms were so incredible and others because of the overall charm of the hotel.
I ask two out of three kids what the best hotel we’ve stayed at is and their first two answers were identical. #1 Aulani and #2 Atlantis and since I also consider them to be fabulous I went ahead and made them the top two even though this list is in no particular order. I did try to keep the list to family-friendly hotels, but there are a few adult-only resorts.
Table of Contents
Aulani
Aulani is spectacular. I am often asked if it is worth the money. My kids would wholeheartedly tell you that it is. However, as the parent I cannot lie, it is expensive. But for your money, you get a lot including nice rooms, pools, semi-private beach, beach equipment, kid’s clubs/activities, character meet and greets and more!
I know that there’s a lot of thought and planning that goes into taking an Aulani vacation, so I’ve written a few posts to help you.
- Free things to do at Aulani
- How to Save Money on an Aulani Vacation
- One Bedroom Aulani condo
- Everything you need to know before your trip to Aulani
The Cove Atlantis
Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas
You know a hotel is good when you spend just one night there and it makes the top of your list. We ended up in the Bahamas by accident once on our way to Beaches Turks and Caicos. We ended up staying at the Cove Atlantis. It was phenomenal. It’s not overhyped, it’s just that good. We had tons of fun at the waterpark and our room inside the Cove tower was incredible!
Here is a look at our Cove Tower room:
Row NYC
Row NYC was a total surprise for us. Often in NYC you never know what you are going to get and for the affordability of the Row I had low expectations. Maybe that’s why it completely blew our minds! The location is killer, just steps away from Times Square. It has a food court with really fantastic dining options. Our room was unbelievable! Basically, we liked everything about it.
Here’s a look at our room:
Agionissi Resort
Agionissi is one all of us loved for multiple reasons. It’s off the beaten path on Amouliani Island, with two beaches, and it is incredibly peaceful. There are not tons of rooms, so you practically have the entire place to yourself. The rooms are basic but perfect and the food is excellent. This is near Ouranopolis in Greece.
RiverPlace
The hotel scene in Portland Oregon has gotten substantially better over the last few years. We went from not having enough hotels to having some pretty fantastic ones. At this moment the RiverPlace hotel is our favorite for multiple reasons. The suite we stayed in was gorgeous and the unique amenities like the roaming butler blew our minds. Our full review of RiverPlace
Hotel Mousai
My all-time favorite all-inclusive resort is Hotel Mousai. The experience I had here was an epic. That’s a picture of my balcony with a jacuzzi and hammock. I enjoyed sitting at the rooftop infinity pool enjoying some chips and guacamole while a trumpet player played smooth jazz.
- My full review of Hotel Mousai
Silvies Valley Ranch
Gorgeous log cabins, profoundly delicious food, and activities like shooting guns and playing with goats! Plus, you are off the grid so whoever you are traveling with you are going to get some serious quality time with them. Read our in-depth review of Silvies Valley Ranch.
Sonnenalp
Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail, Colorado
Sonnenalp is a boutique hotel in Vail set up quite nicely for families. The property itself is gorgeous and in the summer months overflowing with flowers. On-site is a spa, an indoor/outdoor pool, 3 hot tubs, and daily yoga. The hotel as multiple restaurants and a kid’s club!
- Plan your entire trip with our Vail Travel Guide or our 4 Day Vail Itinerary
Edgefield 
We happen to hang out at this hotel a lot. It’s near where we used to live in Oregon. It’s an old poor farm in Troutdale, Oregon that they turned into an entertainment complex. Every building on the property has been turned into a bar, restaurant, hotel room, spa, movie theater, a winery or something else awesome. Chances are high that on the weekend and several times during the week there will be live music somewhere on the property.
Hotel Emma
Hotel Emma is outstanding on many levels. They took an old brewery and turned it into a boutique luxury hotel. It has a library that will blow you away and one of the most unique bars I’ve ever seen in a hotel. The outdoor pool is relaxing with decent views. My full review of Hotel Emma
El Dorado Royale
An adults-only all-inclusive resort in Riviera Maya with pristine beaches and incredible food. The rooms are just so-so, but the beach more than makes up for it. We spent most of our time bumming around the beach or the pool.
It’s not a party hotel, but they do have nightly shows. I loved this hotel so much I told one of my best friends to get married here. I was so nervous to see if she liked it or not when she came back. I was pleased to hear that she loved it just as much as I did! My full review of El Dorado Royal
Check current rates.
Lido House
Lido House – Newport Beach, California
The Lido House in Newport Beach is a fairly new property and it is oh so nice! We spent a few days here earlier this year with Chevy and spent quite a bit of time utilizing the hotel’s amenities. The outdoor pool and hot tub area is relaxing. Their restaurant serves gourmet food, plus the adjacent bar has a shuffleboard. The rooftop lounge has epic views and they have loaner bikes that you can take around Newport beach.
L’Auberge du Vieux Moulin
Central Oregon Hotel
Jonah and I stayed at the L’Auberge du Vieux Moulin last summer in Lanaudière we absolutely loved it. You feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. It’s secluded and has everything families need for a wonderful stay including kayaks, paddleboards, a playground, and gourmet food.
Sacajawea Hotel
Sacajawea Hotel
The Sacajawea Hotel is a historic hotel in Three Forks, Montana is oozing in charm. Upon arrival you are given a glass of champagne. The perfect place to enjoy it is on their massive front porch.
The Grand at Moon Palace
Saratoga Springs Resort
Our favorite place to stay at Disney World is Saratoga Springs Resort. It is a Disney timeshare property, but you do not have to own a timeshare to stay here. Each area has its own pool with Disney staff leading activities and games. The rooms are mainly condos with a washer, dryer, and full kitchen. Read our full review of Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort.
Cosmopolitan
My favorite place to stay in Las Vegas is the Cosmopolitan. They have one of the best pool spaces on the strip not to mention one of the best nightclubs and the dining options are excellent. My favorite buffet in Las Vegas is the one here. Our room had a balcony with epic views of Las Vegas.
Steamboat Inn
A hidden gem in Oregon is the Steamboat Inn. It’s a beautiful little property with intimate condos perfect for families in the Umpqua National Forest. The dining options are outstanding, some of the best we’ve ever had at a hotel. Families have a chance to reconnect since there’s no wifi in the cabins and you are basically off the grid. People stay here to fly fish on the river that runs next to the hotel. Nearby are tons of waterfalls and good hiking. Read our full Steamboat Inn review.
Ahhhh, these hotels are so grand. But, my favorite has to be Atlantis because of that beach!
This is a great reference for travelers. Thank you for sharing with all of us
You have stayed in so many great hotels! I love staying in different hotels too. Aulani and Atlantis is definitely both on my list of hotels to stay
Wow those are all very impressive – I also like to choose a different destination every time we go on a holiday :)
Atlantis, hotel emma, the grand at moo place are some of my favorite. Thank you so much for sharing so many amazing hotels at Grand locations.
Wow those are all very impressive – I also like to choose another place to go to every time we go on a holiday :)
So many wonderful hotels. This post makes me want to book my spring vacay somewhere in one of these hotels too!
Hotel Emma is one of the classics and my all time favorite.
Loved it. Thanks for listing all the wonderful hotels.
You are so fortunate to see all these beautiful places, and thankful that we get to see them too through your blog.
So many great places you have stayed at, but you missed my all-time favourite which is in Singapore.