This year, U.S. News Travel combed the entire country to find just the sort of unforgettable hotels (in the good way) in the States. The top 10 are:

1. The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, An Auberge Resort; Bluffton, S.C. "The property truly speaks for itself, the four-mile drive with the oaks over arching the road, our village square and the river front, captures all that is unique to the Lowcountry and our resort." Just 50 cottages and cottage suites dapple the landscape of forests and meadows, making the luxurious resort feel intimate and cozy.

2. Four Seasons Resort Lana'i, The Lodge at Koele; Lanai, Hawaii. Take an exclusive tropical island and add a luxurious resort, and you've got a winning duo. But when you consider that this resort is a Four Seasons and offers its guests rooms with private lanais and original artwork, a spa with Hawaiian treatments like "lomi lomi," a Greg Norman-design golf course, and a handful of delicious dining experiences, you've got a match made in heaven.

3. Wentworth Mansion; Charleston, South Carolina. Designed at the height of the Gilded Age, the mansion is filled with details like hand-carved marble fireplaces and Tiffany stained-glass windows. And the spa, though decorated with historic artifacts, offers modern treatments like hot-stone massage and detoxifying body wraps.

4. Four Seasons Hotel Seattle; Seattle, Wash. The Four Seasons Hotel Seattle—located in the heart of the Emerald City near top things to do like Pike Place Market and the Seattle Art Museum—is 10 floors of decadent luxury. Accommodations are plush and comfortable, featuring down duvets, iPod docking stations, and marble bathrooms.

5. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu; Big Island, Hawaii. Standing majestically on the Kona-Kohala Coast of Hawaii's Big Island, this resort preserves a laid-back Hawaiian ambience while not sacrificing a bit of the Four Seasons' impeccable elegance and service. Guests enjoy the expected down comforters and plasma TVs, but also private lanais and the nearby Pacific waves. A lush golf course, a number of pools—including a special ocean pool that is chiseled out of lava rock—and a handful of dining establishments like the oceanfront Pahu I'a round out the resort.

6. Amangani; Jackson, Wyo. Amangani rests 7,000 feet above sea level, yet it's still shadowed by the stunning Teton Mountains. And lucky for guests, all of the suites afford spectacular views from their floor-to-ceiling windows; even the deep-soaking tubs in the bathrooms sit before pristine natural scenery.

7. Rancho Valencia; Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. The Rancho Valencia Resort, nestled among 45 acres of hills and gardens, lures guests with three accommodation types: There are suites, private villas, and even the über-luxe 5,000-square-foot Hacienda. The Rancho Valencia also provides for other basic needs quite well, with a spa, fitness center, and a restaurant that serves SoCal cuisine.

8. Triple Creek Ranch; Darby, Mont. The adults-only Triple Creek Ranch is picturesquely situated on Trapper Peak, Western Montana's tallest mountain. Interspersed among the mountain's soaring pine trees, guests will find private guest cabins, fishing lakes, tennis courts, a pool, an inviting main lodge, and an upscale restaurant with an enviable cache of labels in its wine cellar.

9. Calistoga Ranch, An Auberge Resort; Calistoga, Calif. The luxuriously rustic resort features everything from a spa with organic treatments to The Lakehouse restaurant, which is defined by its "land to table" cuisine and a wine list that includes some of Calistoga Ranch's own vintages. The accommodations are equally idyllic, consisting of 48 separate lodges with fireplaces, original artwork, Italian bed linens, and even a private outdoor shower.

10. The Elysian Hotel Chicago; Chicago, Ill. While its location is great, the interior of the Waldorf Astoria Chicago (formerly the Elysian Hotel Chicago) is even better. Even as you open the doors, you'll step foot on gleaming Carrera marble, lit by a gorgeous chandelier and guarded by mixed-media sculptures by Mexico City artist Javier Marin. Upstairs, the guest rooms feature fireplaces, deep soaking bathtubs, Italian linens, and the same sort of swanky décor found downstairs.