10 best new hotels across the United States

Readers’ Choice Awards 2026 – View the Results

Where to stay in 2026: the ten top new hotels across the United States

— Our editors and readers independently choose the listings you see on USA TODAY 10BEST. If you purchase

A hotel stay can shape a trip, whether it’s for business or leisure. Fortunately, dozens of new properties launch across the United States annually, giving travelers more options for where to rest.

A panel of travel experts nominated their favorite recent openings and extensively renovated hotels from the past eighteen months, after which readers voted to select the winners. Below are the ten best new hotels.

Set amid ancient lava fields and the dramatic cliffs of southern Utah’s Greater Zion area, Black Desert Resort offers a luxury experience centered on wellness, relaxation, and outdoor activities. Just outside Zion National Park, the resort spans 600 acres of breathtaking scenery, providing options for all guests. Golfers praise the Tom Weiskopf‑designed 18‑hole course for its challenging layout and stunning views, and the 15,000‑sq‑ft spa offers a tranquil retreat. Families are attracted to the 5‑acre water park and the range of lodging options.

No. 9: HALL Park Hotel, Autograph Collection

Situated next to Kaleidoscope Park in Frisco, HALL Park Hotel belongs to the Autograph Collection within Marriott Bonvoy. Guests can dine at a chef‑led restaurant, work out in the fitness center, relax by the outdoor pool and bar, and access 20,000 sq ft of indoor and outdoor meeting space. Its 224 rooms and suites feature contemporary design and modern amenities. The Reserve Suites, a collection of 60 long‑stay units, each include a balcony, kitchenette, and views of the park.

Located about an hour from Washington, D.C., Hotel Burg resides in a restored 1880s estate in downtown Leesburg, Virginia. Its 39 rooms and suites showcase Ralph Lauren‑inspired décor that reflects Virginia Hunt Country. The Diana Lounge offers breakfast, snacks, and cocktails, and The Huntōn serves as the flagship restaurant. Featuring a fitness center, rooftop bar, lounge, and meeting rooms, Hotel Burg provides full‑service boutique hospitality, perfect for visiting nearby wineries and horse country.

No. 7: Moxy Cincinnati Downtown

Moxy Cincinnati Downtown sits centrally, just a short walk from the Great American Ball Park and other attractions. Its roomy accommodations showcase whimsical Bavarian touches and hydrotherapy showers. Travelers may select from various room types, such as standard king or two‑queen rooms, or larger suites like The Six Pack, which includes two queen beds and two twin bunks. Moxy provides complimentary perks including a welcome drink, fitness center, lobby bar, and a rooftop bar offering skyline and stadium vistas.

No. 6: Waldorf Astoria New York

Following an eight‑year shutdown, the Waldorf Astoria New York reopened after a $2 billion renovation and restoration. All 375 rooms feature understated elegance, marble bathrooms equipped with soaking tubs and Aesop toiletries. The hotel offers three bars and restaurants, a fitness center, and a 22,000‑sq‑ft Guerlain spa. Spanning an entire city block in Midtown Manhattan, guests value the property’s historic charm, luxurious details, and personalized service.

Located in Anchorage, Alaska, The Wildbirch Hotel sits within walking distance of city attractions and the Anchorage Depot. A central fireplace and lounge provide a cozy spot after cold‑weather outings, while rooms incorporate natural motifs drawn from the surroundings, such as leather accents and custom‑carved headboards. Crimson, the signature restaurant, serves all meals, and Canteen operates as a coffee shop and provisions store.

Hotel Celare, Cincinnati’s newest property, sits opposite the University of Cincinnati, just minutes from downtown. As part of the Tribute Portfolio, this pet‑friendly hotel offers sleek, contemporary rooms featuring upscale amenities such as Molton Brown bath products. The on‑site Iris Café provides breakfast and coffee in the mornings, then converts to a cocktail bar at night; the rooftop bar and restaurant, The Vick, offers indoor/outdoor seating with skyline vistas. Additional amenities include a fitness center, concierge, convenience store, and meeting space.

Fresh Coast Motel, situated on the waterfront in Fish Creek, northern Door County, revives a vintage motel concept within a walkable downtown area. Originally the By‑the‑Bay Motel from the 1940s, Fresh Coast Motel now offers 15 renovated rooms featuring a modern coastal style that reflects the area’s serene beauty. Visitors appreciate the boutique’s retro charm, central spot, and waterfront vistas. Each room includes a smart TV, coffee bar, and mini‑fridge; some rooms feature balconies, and others welcome pets. The Deckhouse, a detached two‑story residence, suits extended stays or larger parties, accommodating up to ten guests.

No. 2: Universal Helios Grand Hotel, a Loews Hotel

Universal Helios Grand Hotel, part of Loews Hotels, is a 500‑room luxury property situated inside Universal’s Epic Universe. Its Mediterranean design incorporates references to the astrological and mythological themes of the surrounding Epic Universe realms. Rooms feature a muted color scheme and tech amenities such as in‑room tablets that manage the TV, curtains, and temperature. The property offers four dining venues, a game room, fitness center, and an expansive zero‑entry resort‑style pool.

No. 1: Compass Hotel by Margaritaville Pigeon Forge

Compass Hotel by Margaritaville serves as a resort‑style haven in the Great Smoky Mountains, perfectly positioned for exploring local attractions and outdoor pursuits. Its roomy accommodations showcase coastal décor, rain‑shower heads, and balconies overlooking the Smoky Mountains. Additionally, each stay includes a complimentary breakfast buffet. Families appreciate the expansive pool area, lazy river, splash pad, and suite configurations that feature a two‑bedroom option.

Allison Tibaldi is a travel and food writer based in New York City. She has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne Australia, Toronto and Los Angeles.

She studied early childhood development in graduate school and firmly believes that travel is the best education.

She writes for numerous publications including CNN, Travel Channel, HGTV, am New York, Emirates Open Skies, Family Traveller and Travel Weekly.

Amanda Mactas is a freelance journalist based in New York City. Her work has appeared in Time Out, Women’s Health, Eat This Not That, Bella Magazine, and PureWow, among others. Her favorite pastime is eating and drinking her way around the world, and when she’s not doing that, she’s probably thinking or writing about doing just that. Besides being on the hunt for the best food offerings in any given city, she’s often looking for a cozy independent bookstore, beautiful cemetery, or haunted locale to discover. You can follow her work and her travels on Instagram.

Brandon Withrow is a travel journalist based in Northwest Ohio, covering ecotourism, wildlife, outdoor adventures, and eco-friendly stays, as well as the secrets of underrated cities. He appears in The Daily Beast, BBC Travel, Canadian Geographic, Business Insider, The Hill, and Sierra Magazine. You can find him at www.brandonwithrow.com, @bwithrow on Twitter, and @bgwithrow on Instagram.

Carly Caramanna has a passion for covering the latest in unique food, travel, and theme park trends. Growing up in the carb-filled land of bagels and pizza by the slice (aka New Jersey), her parents instilled a love of all things adventure and food. Featured on CNN Business, BBC, NPR, MSN, Huffington Post, and host of the Attractions Magazine podcast, she uses her expertise as a contributor to Travel + Leisure, Business Insider, Delish, and many more.

IG: https://www.instagram.com/adventuresbycarly/

X: https://twitter.com/CarlyCaramanna

‘Chez’ Chesak is Executive Director of the Outdoor Writers Association of America, an adventure travel writer, board member of the Society of American Travel Writers and 22-year veteran of the outdoor and travel industries. While he’s lived all over the U.S. and traveled to more than 30 countries, he has the most fun when he’s exploring with his wife Sally and two daughters. An avid outdoors person, he’s happiest on a trail, on skis, or nestled into a sleeping bag. Learn more about him and his work at www.chezconnects.com.

Dawn is a full-time travel & lifestyle blogger whose adventures take her all over California and around the globe. Her focus is on creating in-depth articles, travel guides, and hotel reviews to help others plan their own adventures. Every Monday you can find a new comprehensive blog post and “virtual visit” video on her travel website FlyingDawnMarie.com

Derek Perry is the Communications Director for the world’s largest ride enthusiast group, American Coaster Enthusiasts. Derek first joined ACE as a kid with his parents and twin brother on a roller coaster‑riding road trip after unexpectedly being at a park the same day as an ACE event. In addition to his love of travel, he is one half of The Perry Twins, a DJ and music production duo with his brother, Doug. They have written, produced and remixed many songs, including their original songs that topped Billboard Magazine’s dance chart. He has been lucky to combine his love of amusement parks with traveling-while-pregnant-9-expert-tips-health-matters-2/” title=”Traveling While Pregnant: 9 Expert Tips | Health Matters”>traveling for DJ gigs and has ridden over 1,200 unique roller coasters around the world and share their adventures on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

I sleep more in planes than I do my own bed. Probably visiting your local theme park! I am an emotional Aries, with a big love of fantasy‑romance books, and continually immersing myself in film and television. I love to live life in color because the world can use a lot of it. And I live it unapologetically! It’s okay to continually choose yourself!

Connect with Francis on Instagram. TikTok and Twitter.

Jamie is a travel writer who has visited over 90 countries, many of them with her children in tow. She loves visiting everything from theme parks to ancient ruins and packs strictly carry‑on‑only. Jamie can be reached at byjamiesmith@gmail.com.Follow her on Instagram.

Jenny Peters – aka Jet Set Jen – is a Los Angeles‑based freelance journalist, editor and party columnist specializing in travel, entertainment, film, food, wine, fashion and the other good things in life. She is a founding/voting member of the Critics Choice Association, who present the Critics’ Choice Awards every January. Her favorite places to be are on the beach in Southern California playing volleyball, scuba diving with the sharks in warm tropical waters or strolling the streets and soaking in the atmosphere of one of the world’s great cities (New Orleans and Florence are her favorites).

Kyle McCarthy is co‑founder of Family Travel Forum’s award‑winning publications: The FamilyVacationist, MyFamilyTravels.com, and “America’s Most Popular Family Vacations.” Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, MSN, CNN and other publications. Find her on Instagram and Facebook @familytravelforum.

Marla is an award‑winning writer with a passion for travel, music, surfing and culinary adventures! An avid globetrotter and guidebook writer, she has covered topics such as the Hawaiian islands (including food trends and luxury beachfront resorts), as well as European getaways and global destination-in-national-poll-2/” title=”Mackinac Island named best summer travel destination in national poll”>destinations. Her articles have appeared in many publications worldwide, including USA Today.

Marla lives in New Jersey (Philadelphia area) and is a frequent visitor to Hawaii and Southern California, and often covers those destinations. Her travel website is: www.marlacimini.com

At age 20 Melissa Curtin traveled around the world on Semester at Sea, igniting her passion for globetrotting and learning about new cultures. She is a longtime educator, a Fora travel advisor, and has been a freelance travel and food writer for over 10 years – published in Lonely Planet, Fodor’s, Insider, MSN, AAA World, Travel Awaits, and many more. Raised in Connecticut, she has joyfully lived in California the last 17 years splitting her time between Malibu and Palm Springs.

Melody Pittman is the owner and creator of Wherever I May Roam Blog and is co‑owner of the Southern Travelers Explore annual conference, in its 4th year, which brings CVBS and writers/influencers together from all over the country.

She is a digital influencer and writes for both online and print publications, such as Travel Awaits, Charleston Home and Living Magazine, Matador Network, She Buys Travel, and more. Melody has worked with major brands during her nine‑year career, such as Viking River Cruises, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, Disney, hundreds of tourism boards, and GO RVing.

Melody’s first book “100 Things to Do in West Virginia Before You Die” was released in the spring of 2023. She has a podcast, 100ThingsWV, and social channels to go along with the book.

Melody loves road trips, small towns, cruising, and sharing lesser‑known destinations with her followersavel, she now resides in Mesquite, Nevada

Michele Herrmann is a travel, culinary and lifestyle writer for various AAA publications, Lonely Planet, USA TODAY 10BEST, VinePair, Livability and Smithsonian Magazine, among others. Her adventures have taken her as far as Fiji, to date.

Ramsey Qubein is a travel journalist covering hotels, cruises, airlines and loyalty programs from around the globe. His work has appeared in numerous publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Forbes.com, CNBC.com, AFAR, Robb Report, Readers Digest, BBC Worldwide, USA Today, NerdWallet.com and Business Traveler magazine among others. Ramsey flies more than 400,000 miles per