Hotel Rooms with a View: 15 Top Picks

By Carrie Havranek

Every traveler hopes to score a hotel room with a view, but there's no need to leave it to chance. Each of these hotels, inns, and vacation rentals comes with unbelievable views of oceans, lakes, mountains, forests, or skylines.

Photo Caption: The waiting area in the spa at the The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur, India.

What: Shangri-La
Where: Paris, France
The Details: Built in 1896 as the home of Prince Roland Bonaparte, the Shangri-La offers views fit for royalty. From your room at this palatial hotel on Chaillot Hill, it's impossible to miss the Eiffel Tower and the Seine. Your room may also look out toward some of the neighborhood's 19 buildings designed by French architect Hector Guimard, recognizable for their quintessentially French cast-iron balconies.
Rooms and Rates: 40 percent of the rooms and 60 percent of the suites offer a direct view of the Tower and the Seine, from €750 (about $1,027) per night.
More Info: tel. 866/565-5050; www.shangri-la.com

Photo Caption: View of the Eiffel Tower from the Shangri-La Hotel in Paris, France. Courtesy Shangri-La Hotel

What: Maho Bay Camps Eco Resort
Where: St. John, USVI
The Details: Established in 1976, this resort has been green from the get-go. A tent cottage gives you priceless Caribbean views at a fraction of the cost.
Rooms and Rates: From $135 per night for two people in high season (Dec. 15-April 30); Concordia Eco-Tents start at $155 and $185 per night.
More Info: tel. 800/392-9004; www.maho.org

Photo Caption: Maho Bay Camps & Concordia Eco Resort, St. John

What: InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa
Where: Bora Bora, French Polynesia
The Details: This luxury resort, on a beach along the eastern side of Bora Bora, is accessible only by boat. Its 80 overwater bungalows bring the ocean to your feet; you can step from your deck right into the lagoon.
Rooms and Rates: Off-season rates start at 99,800 French Polynesia Francs (about $1,137).
More Info: tel. 800/424-6835; www.ichotelsgroup.com

Photo Caption: Overlooking the water from the bungalows at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort and Thalasso Spa. Courtesy InterContinental Bora Bora Resort

What: The Falls at Reed's Island
Where: Hilo, Hawaii
The Details: While you soak in a hot tub in this secluded house on the Big Island, you can admire the rain forest and waterfalls outside your window. The house rental, which sleeps up to six people, is already booked through Valentine's Day, but it's not too early to reserve it for your next vacation.
Rooms and Rates: $295 per night for 2-3 nights; $275 per night for 4-5 nights; $245 per night if you book 6 nights or more.
More Info: tel. 877/228-3145; www.homeaway.com

Photo Caption: The hot tub at The Falls at Reed's Island in Hilo, Hawaii. Courtesy HomeAway.com

What: Cavallo Point -- The Lodge at the Golden Gate
Where: San Francisco, California
The Details: Set at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge, this luxury lodge offers panoramic vistas of the Marin Headlands and San Francisco Bay.
Rooms and Rates: Ask for a contemporary king or junior suite with a view, from $495 per night.
More Info: tel. 415/339-4700; www.cavallopoint.com

Photo Caption: View of the Golden Gate Bridge from Cavallo Point Lodge, San Francisco. Photo by Kodiak Greenwood/Cavallo Point Lodge.

What: Edgewater Hotel
Where: Seattle, Washington
The Details: Celebrities have stayed at the Edgewater Hotel, which provides panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains and the Seattle skyline. Rooms are outfitted with hand-carved pine furniture and custom bedding.
Rooms and Rates: Waterfront rooms from $339 per night; waterfront premium rooms with panoramic views from $399 per night.
More Info: tel. 800/624-0670; www.edgewaterhotel.com

Photo Caption: The lobby of the Edgewater Hotel in Seattle. Photo Courtesy Edgewater Hotel

What: Andaz West Hollywood
Where: West Hollywood, California
The Details: From the Andaz West Hollywood hotel on the Sunset Strip, you can see the Hollywood Hills, the Pacific Ocean, and downtown Los Angeles. The penthouse suite has floor-to-ceiling windows that let it all in.
Rooms and Rates: Andaz View rooms are from $425 per night; the penthouse suite starts at $1,660 per night.
More Info: tel. 877/875-5036; www.westhollywood.andaz.hyatt.com

Photo Caption: A penthouse suite patio at Andaz in West Hollywood. Courtesy Andaz Hotel.

What: Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom
Where: Vienna, Austria
The Details: This glass-and-steel hotel towers over St. Stephen's Gothic Cathedral and the rest of the city. The 182-room hotel, which just opened in Dec. 2010, is expected to unveil its spa and fitness center this spring.
Rooms and Rates: A Superior Room from $307 per night; a Prestige Suite from $720 per night.
More Info: tel. +43/1/906160; www.sofitel.com

Photo Caption: Hotel Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom in Vienna, Austria. Photo by Vincent Thibert

What: Sheraton Lincoln Harbor
Where: Weehawken, New Jersey
The Details: The Sheraton Lincoln Harbor offers city views without the New York City prices. Relax at this recently renovated hotel, where many of the 346 suite-size rooms have unobstructed skyline views. Located on the New Jersey waterfront, the hotel is a short ferry ride from Manhattan.
Rooms and Rates: Ask for a room with a Manhattan view, from $165; non-city views start at $149. Guests who stay four nights or more receive 20 percent off their stay.
More Info: tel. 800/325-3535; www.starwoodhotels.com

Photo Caption: View of the New York City skyline from Sheraton Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken, New Jersey. Photo by Michael Kleinberg/Sheraton Lincoln Harbor.

What: Queen's Gardens Resort
Where: Saba
The Details: Poised 1,200 feet above sea level, Queen's Gardens Resort is the only four-star resort on the isolated island of Saba in the Caribbean. There's only one way around the island, called "The Road." The intimate resort feels like you're staying in the owner's guesthouse.
Rooms and Rates: Stay in one of the resort's 10 suites, from $364 per night for the Majesty Romance package. The deal -- valid Feb. 1-Oct. 1, 2011 -- includes the use of an in-room Jacuzzi, an in-room breakfast, a picnic lunch for a rain forest hike, and airport transfers.
More Info: tel. 599/416-3494; www.queensaba.com

Photo Caption: View from the Queen's Garden Resort, Saba. Courtesy Queen's Garden Resort.

What: Hotel Indigo
Where: Asheville, North Carolina
The Details: Seeing the Blue Ridge Mountains from the top-floor condominiums will make it hard to believe that this boutique hotel is located downtown.
Rooms and Rates: From $299 per night for a condo
More Info: tel. 877/846-3446; www.ichotelsgroup.com

Photo Caption: View of the Blue Ridge Mountains at the Hotel Indigo, Asheville. Courtesy Hotel Indigo

What: The Lodge at Doonbeg
Where: Doonbeg, County Clare, Ireland
The Details: Greg Norman designed the golf course, but you may be too distracted by the Atlantic Ocean and the green landscape to notice. Rooms have fireplaces, winding staircases, and antiques.
Rooms and Rates: Ocean-view suites start at $438 per night.
More Info: tel. +353/6590-55600; www.doonbeggolfclub.com

Photo Caption: The Lodge at Doonbeg Golf Club in County Clare, Ireland. Courtesy the Lodge at Doonbeg Golf Club.

What: Inn at Dos Brisas
Where: Washington, Texas
The Details: Rolling farmland surrounds this 300-acre Relais & Châteaux resort, located between Houston and Austin.
Rooms and Rates: For the most unobstructed views, ask for Casita 3 or 4 (from $480 per night for weeknights; from $780 per night for Fridays and Saturdays). A two-night minimum is required for stays Feb. 10-14, 2011; a special menu has been planned in its gourmet restaurant, and horse-drawn carriage rides around the property are also possible for $75.
More Info: tel. 979/277-7750; www.dosbrisas.com

The Inn at Dos Brisas in Washington, Texas. Courtesy Inn at Dos Brisas

What: 1785 Inn and Restaurant
Where: North Conway, New Hampshire
The Details: After a day of hiking or skiing, unwind at this historic inn in the White Mountains.
Rooms and Rates: Rooms 3, 5, and 17, from $119 per night; Room 18 (a condo/suite), from $149 per night.
More Info: tel. 800/421-1785; www.the1785inn.com

Photo Caption: Mountain vistas at 1785 Inn & Restaurant in North Conway, New Hampshire. Courtesy 1785 Inn & Restaurant

What: Leela Palace Kempinksi
Where: Udaipur, India
The Details: Inspired by elements of the art and architecture of Rajasthan, Leela Palace is set on the banks of Lake Pichola. Its 80 rooms and suites look out toward the city and Aravilli Mountains. Relax in your room after yoga, a massage, or a traditional Ayurvedic treatment at the resort.
Rooms and Rates: Request a lake-view room, from 3,300 Indian rupees (about $722) through March and 2,600 Indian rupees (about $569) from April 1 through September.
More Info: tel. 91/294-6701234; www.theleela.com

Photo Caption: The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur, India. Photo courtesy Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur