Forget your usual travel suspects. Beyond New York’s skyline and California’s coastlines, America’s small towns and lesser-known cities are quietly becoming design destinations in their own right. From a riverside camp resort nestled among redwoods to a Vermont hideaway by hospitality royalty, these chic stays prove that style and soul thrive well outside the spotlight.
Inn at Warner Hall (Gloucester, Virginia)
Built in 1642 by President George Washington’s great-great-grandfather, The Inn at Warner Hall is a living piece of American history nestled within Virginia’s Historic Triangle. Guests can wander among 38 acres of waterfront land, enjoy afternoon tea in the sunlit parlor, or kayak the river where Revolutionary battles once unfolded. Equal parts stately and serene, this storied estate pairs Southern hospitality with old-world grandeur—reminding travelers that sometimes, the past makes the most memorable stay.
Key Points:
Rating: 4 stars
Rooms: 11
Airport: Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport
Starting rate: $265/night
Amenities:
Complimentary breakfast
Kayak & canoe rentals
Afternoon tea
Gardens
Barn
Fidelity Hotel (Cleveland, Ohio)
Downtown Cleveland’s Euclid Avenue district is home to this stylish revival of a 1919 landmark. The Fidelity Hotel’s design marries vintage nostalgia—rotary phones, marble floors, brass fixtures—with modern flair. The restaurant, Club Room, serves reimagined local classics like pierogi with black garlic crème fraîche. Local art fills the walls, and the hotel’s “Director of Impact” ensures the community benefits from every stay. This is Cleveland’s chicest comeback: rich, radiant, and rooted in purpose.
Key Points:
Rating: 4 stars
Rooms: 97
Airport: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Starting rate: $200/night
Amenities:
Fitness center
Twice-daily housekeeping
Concierge
Parachute robes
Club Room restaurant
The River Electric (Guerneville, California)
Set on 12 redwood-shaded acres in Sonoma County, The River Electric reinvents camping with style. The new glamping resort and swim club from Shelter Co. pairs 40 furnished tents with eco-conscious design, a European-inspired pool club, and locally crafted wines by Ruth Lewandowski. By day, guests lounge poolside under the pines; by night, they gather for pop-up dinners or s’mores by the firepit. It’s California cool with a nostalgic twist—where summer camp meets Riviera chic.
Key Points:
Rating: 4 stars
Rooms: 40
Airport: Sonoma County Airport
Starting rate: $275/night
Amenities:
Swim club
Firepits
Heliotrope bath products
Wine program
On-site dining
Event spaces
Stockton Inn (Stockton, New Jersey)
Dating to 1710 and once a haunt for F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jackie Kennedy, the Stockton Inn blends centuries-old character with quiet luxury. Nine rooms mix stone walls, antique woodwork, and fine art, while dining at Finch and Dog & Deer Tavern celebrates Italian comfort and East Coast indulgence. Between waterfall gardens and fireside lounges, this is a storybook stay where history lingers in every corner—and the martinis are very much of the moment.
Key Points:
Rating: 4 stars
Rooms: 9
Airport: Newark Airport
Starting rate: $466/night
Amenities:
Complimentary snacks
Bikes
Lounge
Wi-Fi
2 restaurants
Outdoor fireplaces
The Weston (Weston, Vermont)
Hidden in Vermont’s Green Mountains, The Weston feels like stepping into a pastoral dream. From the Sharp family (of Carlyle and Gramercy Park fame), this countryside escape exudes English-manor elegance—think William Morris wallpaper, fireplaces in every suite, and hand-carved four-poster beds. Its regenerative farm supplies The Left Bank, a French bistro where dinner pairs with rare wines and soft candlelight. Bucolic, beautiful, and blissfully removed from it all.
Key Points:
Rating: 4 stars
Rooms: 9
Airport: Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport
Starting rate: $450–$1,600/night
Amenities:
Spa & Sauna
Fitness center
Firepit
Bocce court
Farm-to-table dining
Wine room
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