Providence Biltmore Hotel, Providence RI

If you prefer one-of-a-kind luxury hotels over the standardized kind, the Providence Biltmore in Providence RI is probably for you.

This classic traditional urban hotel has undergone extensive renovations through the years without compromising its innate charm. It's a big hotel with 292 rooms that includes 138 junior suites and 24 premium suites, but the attention to detail and personable service from what a few colleagues have told me is absolutely first class.

In many ways, the Biltmore mirrors Providence. Both the city and hotel seemed to be on the decline around 25 years ago. Having casually witnessed the transformation on this city and the hotel is nothing short of miraculous! Providence now has a skyline, but that's just the beginning. Providence Place Mall has brought back the vibrancy of an urban downtown shopping center that has seemed to be on the decline for a while in many American cities. Waterplace Park combines cobblestone pedestrian walkways and Venice-like bridges, boat rides on the Woonasquatucket River and bonfires lit on the river set to the sounds of Classical and World music. The old Providence still resonates majestically with the mile of beautiful old Colonial homes on Benefit St., the academic ambiance around Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Art and Design, and Federal Hill with its Italian neighborhood vibe (and some amazing Italian restaurants and pizza places!).

Great that the Providence Biltmore is walkable or just a short drive to so many of wonderful Providence attractions.

For more information, log onto the Providence Biltmore Hotel page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels blog.

The Chanler At Cliff Walk, Newport RI

If location is everything, The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, R.I. ranks right up there with the best of New England lodging. Located on the magnificent Cliff Walk -- a walking path affording amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean -- The Chanler at Cliff Walk is, fortunately, for travelers one of those famous Newport mansions that just so happens to be a hotel!

Here, you are also just minutes from sprawling, family-friendly Easton's Beach (one of our favorites in New England), the mansions, and thriving lively downtown Newport with an impressive array of shops, boutiques, galleries, museums and restaurants.

Twenty charming rooms, a high end restaurant for that special date night out and an oceanfront setting help make The Chanler at Cliff Walk an exceptional choice when staying in Newport.

For more information on The Chanler at Cliff Walk or to book a room at the lowest available rate, log onto The Chanler at Cliff Walk page through our New England Travel Luxury Hotels blog.