What is your favorite hotel and why? My vote is for the Hampton Inn’s. They are clean, offer a free newspaper in the morning and have free breakfasts. The pools seem to have a secluded section which is perfect for some hanky panky. The price isn’t too bad either.
I don’t think you can get better than a good bed and breakfast, though grand hotels have eligance and style, in a good family owned b&b you get friendship, good home made food, and a real home away from home experience.
Do you mean chain hotel or just any hotel? My favorite, hands down, was the Ngorongoro Crater Lodge in Tanzania. It’s perched on the edge of a 2000 foot drop, and all rooms are actually cabanas decorated by an Italian designer to provide spectacular views of the crater from every room, including the shower and bathroom. Each cabana has a deck overlooking said crater, which is a brilliant green. Sitting out there for ‘sundowners’ and watching the changing weather systems (the crater is about 11 miles across) is hard to beat.
A close second is the North Face Lodge in Denali National Park here in Alaska. Spectacular views, friendly and personal ownership, and good food.
The Harbor View Hotel in Martha’s Vineyard. Right on the water; lovely wraparound porch; terrific blueberry-and-blackberry jam with breakfast.
The Hotel Portmeirion in Portmeiron, Wales. Bizarre, romantic, hallucinogenic.
“What’s your favorite …?” belong in In My Humble Opinion. I’ll move this for you.
Cajun Man ~ SDMB Moderator
Oh Chefguy that first hotel sounds magnificent! Do you have a link to show the hotel?
What hotels do you like in the states?
Conrad hotels. I stay there in Honk Kong, Singapore, Ireland… alweays awesome service, very clean and comfortable, never had an issue.
I love the Rio in Las Vegas and the Grand Floridian at Disney.
I travel a lot and don;t mind spending money for quality. A suite at Durrant’s Hotel in London (as I mentioned in the London thread) can’t be beat.
Their restaurant actually serves a good steak too.
As far as chains go, my favorite has always been the Courtyard Marriott because they seem so close to spending time at some luxory spa or villa. They’re roomy and pretty and not SO far off-the-chart expensive that your average poor person can’t scrape together enough for a a one-time special occassion visit.
As far as specialty hotels…
The Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans is awfully swank and old world. Plus, it’s right in the middle of freakin’ everything. Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras!
And for sheer sprawled-out class, try the Town and Country Resort in San Diego. By far, the cleanest place I’ve ever been to in my life. They’re janitors probably have personal attendants.
Now both of these last two are beyond my level of pricey, but hey, the hubby’s work footed the bill and we had a blast at their expense (ah, carnival atmospheres and sea creatures, oh my!). Gotta LOVE seminars! 
P.S. The Excalibur in Vegas ain’t too shabby neither. 
Very similar experience here - I recently stayed at the Gorges Lodge in Zimbabwe. We looked out over the Zambeeze (sp?) escarpment. Man, oh, man, it was breathtaking. The silence after dark, the river below. The rooms were not appointed with lots of extras, but the staff was friendly and the service was impeccable.
Here are some pictures that don’t do it justice
For travel in the states, well, it depends on what I’m looking for. Since I am currently working for Embassy Suites, I tend to stay at Hilton products. Hampton Inns, The Suites, Hilton Garden etc… As long as the room is clean, I’m pretty much OK with anything.
This site has a few photos, but I don’t think the lodge has its own website. http://www.rbrww.com/safari/79/ You might try a search on Yahoo.
er…Alaska is a state…we just don’t like to admit it.
D’oh! Forgot to mention that during the day, you can take vehicles down into the crater (a rather nerve-wracking descent), where there is an entire ecosystem that includes rare black rhinos and some of the last remaining large-tusker elephants. You have to be out by nightfall or be in danger of becoming dinner for the many predators there.
Sofitel. I have stayed at Sofitel in Brussels and in Frankfurt. They have the BEST breakfast buffet, which is included in the price of the room. Their rooms are very tastefully decorated. I will go out of my way to stay at a Sofitel Hotel.
The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, VA. http://www.jefferson-hotel.com/
Not really for the accomodations; although they’re nice, I’ve seen better in bigger cities. However, it is home to a beautiful staircase, one that the story goes was used in “Gone With the Wind,” but really wasn’t. The lobby at either level of the staircase is a wonderful place to sit and relax and have some coffee with friends, or have wine with a significant other, or what have you.
The Budget Inn Interstate in beautiful Cocoa, Florida- just a step away from 95 and the beaches! <end promo>
My favorite was probably the Beverly Hills hotel in LA. It had genuinely exceptional service.
Honorable mentions to the JW Marriot in Atlanta, Leopard Rock in Zimbabwe (perched on top of a mountain, stunningly beautiful), Belagio in Las Vegas and King George V in Paris.
OK, I have a few answers to this question depending on the context:
Favorite value chain in the US: Fairfield Inn (Marriott points) or Hampton Inn
Favorite high-end chain: gotta second Sofitel. Great style and accoutrements in the rooms, great service.
Favorite “budget” hotel - individual: Hotel Home Latin in Paris. Small, family-run, clean, in the Latin Quarter. Although I haven’t stayed there in a couple years, so things may have changed.
Favorite “blow the budget” hotel: La Mamounia in Marrakech, Morocco. Former palace. Awesome marble lobby. Gardens for strolling. Great pool. Fantastic restaurants. Great service. The rooms are appointed in a way you wouldn’t believe. I’ve been told it was Winston Churchill’s favorite hotel, and I think he as a pretty picky guy about these things. Oh, and it’s in MARRAKECH, which is cool and fantastic in itself.
I will always have a great love of the Miyako hotel in Kyoto.
The concierge arranged for my daughter to be blessed by the Buddhist monks at the largest mountain temple in Kyoto.
They went out of their way in countless examples to make our stay memorable.
The nicest place I’ve stayed in in Kyoto is the Hiiragiya Bekkan. The Hiiragiya proper is one of the most famous (and expensive) traditional inns in Kyoto, but their annex (bekkan) is quite affordable. The building and rooms are very nice but the food is just absolutely heavenly. The evening meal alone is worth the price.
In Japan, however, the prize goes to Benesse House in Naoshima. The hotel is inside a contemporary art museum designed by uber-famous architect Tadao Ando.
The island is quite remote and to find this sort of complex in such a rural place is surreal. The building is designed so that every room has an amazing view.
The food is beyond description. The dishes just keep on coming and coming, each more spectacular and delicious than the other.
Plus, there’s a strange kind of tent village where you can stay for cheaper - although the hotel itself is surprisingly affordable.