These City Hotels Combine the Perfect Location with Next-Level Luxury

The Sunset Travel Awards celebrate the best in travel in the West. These 16 hotels are the 2026 winners of the Where to Stay: City Stays category. Check out the complete list of winners here. For our definitive and searchable travel directory to help you plan your next trip in the West, click here.

1 Hotel San Francisco

1 Hotel San Francisco

This Embarcadero property does sustainability with style and redefines luxury through an environment-first lens, with a stunning design that incorporates natural materials and a restaurant scene to match.

Harry’s Guest House

Likeness Studio

Tucked into Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, Harry’s Guest House delivers the kind of stay that feels less like a hotel and more like being welcomed into a beautifully designed home. Thoughtful interiors, a strong sense of place, and its seamless connection to neighboring Harry’s Fine Foods create an intimate Seattle hideaway.

Lotte Hotel Seattle

Lotte Hotel Seattle

A sleek and stylish hotel from luxury South Korean hotel brand Lotte. With interiors designed by Philippe Starck, the space is whimsically elegant, the spa offers restorative treatments, and Charlotte Restaurant and Lounge serves up Pacific Northwestern cuisine and sweeping views of Elliott Bay.

Populus Seattle

Ric Stovall

The best new hotel in Seattle. Housed in a beautifully restored Pioneer Square landmark, Populus Seattle reflects the Pacific Northwest through thoughtful design, regional art, and a strong environmental ethos. Carbon positive and rooted in its surroundings, it offers a stay where historic character, contemporary hospitality, and sustainability go hand in hand.

The Aster

The Aster

The Aster in Hollywood’s Vinyl District combines a chic workspace, boutique hotel, and social hideaway. The 35-room hotel is an urban utopia. The rooms are some of the biggest bang for the buck in Hollywood. With a rooftop restaurant and lounge with sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills, it’s the ideal retreat for industry creatives.

The Global Ambassador

The Global Ambassador

The Global Ambassador brings a worldly perspective to the desert, pairing sophisticated design, exceptional dining, and a strong sense of place in the heart of greater Phoenix. From its celebrated rooftop restaurant to its wellness-focused amenities, the hotel delivers a polished and contemporary take on Arizona luxury.

The Hôtel Lili

Courtesy of Palisociety

The Hôtel Lili brings a refreshing sense of personality to Beverly Hills, pairing European-inspired style with the intimate scale of a boutique hotel. Set within a reimagined 1930s residence, it offers a more relaxed and contemporary take on luxury, with thoughtful design, a lively cocktail scene, and easy access to incredible shopping, dining, and culture.

The Ramble Hotel

The Ramble Hotel

As the hotel that helped put Denver’s RiNo district on the hospitality map, The Ramble blends boutique luxury with the neighborhood’s creative energy. Anchored by the acclaimed Death & Co bar and filled with thoughtful artistic touches, it offers a stay suited to a lively night out or a quiet retreat.

The Ritz-Carlton, Portland

The Ritz-Carlton, Portland

Rising above downtown Portland, The Ritz- Carlton brings a distinctly Pacific Northwest sensibility to urban luxury. Thoughtful design, sweeping views of the city and mountains, destination-worthy dining, and a serene wellness floor create an elevated home base for exploring one of the West’s most creative cities.

Thompson Denver

Thompson Denver

Thompson Denver in the LoDo neighborhood is a buzzy home base for exploring the city. Home to Chez Maggy by Chef Ludo Lefebvre, and Reynard Social, a rooftop bar with seasonal cocktails, the hotel also provides curated wellness programs, while the adventure concierge tailors custom itineraries.

ARRIVE Albuquerque

ARRIVE by Palisociety

ARRIVE pairs playful design, a vibrant social scene, and a prime location along historic Route 66. From its iconic Zia-shaped pool to its celebration of local art and culture, the hotel offers a stylish gateway to one of the Southwest’s most intriguing cities.

The Heathman Hotel

The Heathman Hotel

A cherished landmark since 1927, The Heathman Hotel is a cultural cornerstone in downtown Portland, long serving as a welcoming hub for travelers, artists, and urban explorers. The 151-room property blends historic charm with a deep connection to the city’s creative spirit with thoughtfully curated art, warm, residential-style interiors, and subtle literary touches that acknowledge its lauded library collection. At street level, The Tavern offers an ingredient-driven, seasonal menu spanning from brunch to dinner, celebrating the flavors of the Pacific Northwest.

Beacon Grand

Joseph Weaver

Located in the heart of San Francisco’s Union Square, the historic Beacon Grand is a vibrant hotel and creative gathering place offering travelers a new way of experiencing the city. The renovated property’s 418 rooms and thoughtful shared spaces bring modern, elegant design to life with restored architectural details, from grand ceilings to stunning chandeliers. Guests can dine at The Post Room, serving craft cocktails and American Brasserie bites, sample the property’s collection of rare whiskeys and barrel-aged spirits at The Library, or venture up to Starlite, an iconic cocktail lounge on the 21st floor. Guests will find locally celebrated amenities and experiences, all delivered with intuitive, memorable service, in addition to more than 17,000 square feet of meeting and event space. With walkable shops, restaurants and cable cars outside the front door, the property’s central Union Square location is the perfect home base for exploring San Francisco.

Hotel Figueroa

Hotel Figueroa

Hotel Figueroa is one of Downtown Los Angeles’ most storied landmarks, blending grit, beauty, and inclusivity. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026, the hotel continues the trailblazing spirit of its female founders, inspiring guests to invest in themselves and others. Following a comprehensive 2018 renovation, the property was restored to highlight its original Spanish Colonial design while reimagining spaces for modern travelers. Today, the hotel features 268 reimagined guest rooms and suites across 14 floors, 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space, and the neighborhood’s only ground-level pool. Its dynamic food and beverage program spans four venues, including Café Fig, Bar Magnolia, Le Petit Chef, and the new Florence by the Water. Rotating exhibitions and a variety of creative programming, supplement the hotel’s enduring artistic legacy, making Hotel Figueroa an urban oasis in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles.

The Jay, Autograph Collection

The Jay, Autograph Collection

Nestled in San Francisco’s vibrant Embarcadero neighborhood, The Jay, Autograph Collection is infused with the city’s history and ideally positioned for business and leisure travelers. From its striking architecture to its deeply considered interiors and guest rooms, the hotel honors the innovators, artists, and dreamers who have long defined San Francisco’s spirit. At the center of the hotel’s design identity is the legacy of Ruth Asawa, the beloved local sculptor celebrated for her mesmerizing wire forms. Her influence is throughout the property in patterns, materials, and textures that invite guests to slow down and reflect. The Jay, Autograph Collection’s creativity carries through to its acclaimed dining program by the Omakase Restaurant Group. Downstairs, Prelude reimagines Southern cooking with Bay Area ingredients, while The Third Floor and Terrace deliver sweeping city views and an elevated dining experience rooted in Northern California’s finest seasonal produce, from breakfast through late-night cocktails.

Clayton Hotel & Members Club

Courtesy of Clayton Hotel & Members Club

Located in Denver’s coveted Cherry Creek North neighborhood, Clayton is an elevated boutique retreat featuring 63 stylish, urban-inspired guestrooms and Denver’s only private Members Club. Ideal for travelers seeking both sophistication and exclusivity, Clayton invites guests to stay like a member with access to all members-only events and private club spaces. Amenities include a lively Parlour Bar with cocktails and light bites, a members-only restaurant, rooftop pool and dining, co-working lounge, a private library, state-of-the-art fitness center, steam room, and more. Thoughtfully designed and impeccably appointed, Clayton blends refined service with welcoming spaces created for connection and spontaneous gathering, making it one of the city’s premier destinations for experiencing Denver’s vibrant social scene.