Huanyu Chen

← Misc · 2022–2026

Rooms with a View

The hotels we would happily stay at again, and what we saw from them.

27 hotels · 2022–2026
5 hotels in 5 nights in Waikīkī · 7 resorts · 14 city hotels, most of them high up · 1 cabin in the woods
Highest room: the 43rd floor in Sydney · best New Year's Eve: right above Times Square

On 小红书, people share the hotels they stayed at the way others share restaurants: the room, the view, the pool, and whether it was worth it. Going through five years of photos for the other posts on this page, I found that I had been doing half of that without noticing. Almost every trip has a few photos taken from a hotel window, usually on the first evening, before unpacking.

So here are the hotels we liked, out of the eighty or so we have slept in since 2022. Most of the rest were one-night stops on long drives, the kind of place you remember only for its waffle machine. These are the ones worth a detour, sorted by region, each with a map. At a resort the reason to stay was usually the balcony; in a city, the room I want is the one on the highest floor I can get. None of this is sponsored; quite a few of the city nights were booked with hotel points.

By region: Waikīkī · Big Island and Kauaʻi · California · Las Vegas and Sedona · Texas and Colorado · New York and Chicago · Outside the US

Waikīkī, one hotel a night

On Oʻahu in September 2026 we tried something we had never done before: a different hotel every night. Waikīkī is small, and it turned five nights into a tasting menu. Here they are in the order I would recommend them.

Street map of Waikīkī marking five hotels with photo pins: 1 Ka Laʻi Waikiki Beach, 2 Hilton Hawaiian Village, 3 Ambassador Waikiki, 4 Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk, 5 DoubleTree by Hilton Alana.
Hotels in Waikīkī: 1 Ka Laʻi Waikiki Beach, 2 Hilton Hawaiian Village, 3 Ambassador Waikiki, 4 Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk, 5 DoubleTree by Hilton Alana. The numbers follow my ranking.

1. Ka Laʻi Waikiki Beach, LXR

The best of the five, and the quietest. Our balcony faced west over the green lawns of Fort DeRussy, so the sunset dropped straight into the ocean in front of us, with the towers of Waikīkī lined up along the shore. At 7:45 that Friday evening, the balcony gave us front-row seats for the fireworks from Hilton Hawaiian Village's luau, bursting over the beach next door.

Fireworks bursting red, green and gold over the beach at night, with pink fireworks rising from the shore, a lit boat on the water and hotel towers at the right.
Friday fireworks from the balcony, 7:45 pm (a frame from a video).

Before that came the sunset, and in the morning the same view was all park, palms and blue water.

Sunset over the ocean from a glass-railed balcony, with Waikīkī hotel towers along the shore.
Sunset from the balcony, 6:24 pm.
Morning view over the green park of Fort DeRussy to hotel towers and the ocean.
The next morning, over Fort DeRussy.

There is also an infinity pool above the palms, and the bathroom has a deep marble soaking tub.

The edge of an infinity pool with a glass railing, palms and treetops beyond, and a tower at the left.
The pool, 9:31 am.
A deep white soaking tub set in gray-veined marble, with a wooden bath tray and rolled towels.
The soaking tub.

2. Hilton Hawaiian Village

The classic. It is a whole village of towers at the west end of the beach, with a lagoon and pools, and our room was high enough to see the full curve of Waikīkī Beach all the way to Diamond Head.

High view over Waikīkī: hotel towers, pools, the beach curving east and Diamond Head on the horizon.
The whole beach, and Diamond Head.
A shaded balcony with two chairs, framing the towers, the curve of the beach, turquoise water and Diamond Head.
The balcony, in the morning.

3. Ambassador Waikiki

The surprise. The Ambassador is a small Tapestry hotel a few blocks back from the beach, and our room had a double-decker bed: compact, cozy and a bit like a college dorm. My wife liked it a lot, more than some of the much grander rooms on this list. We did not take a single photo there, so the pictures below are the hotel's own.

A compact hotel room: a bed below a wooden bunk with a ladder, a window onto city towers, a wall-mounted TV, two round leather stools and a slatted wooden wardrobe.
The bunk-bed room.
Close-up of the wooden bunk bed with white bedding, a ladder and a reading light, beside a window and pink leaf-patterned wallpaper.
Bunk, ladder and reading light. Photos: Ambassador Waikiki (hotel website).

4. Embassy Suites Waikiki Beach Walk

A solid suite in the middle of everything, and the best sunrise of the trip: at 6:36 on our last morning the clouds over the rooftops turned gold.

Dawn over Waikīkī rooftops and towers from a balcony, with gold clouds above.
Dawn from the balcony.

5. DoubleTree by Hilton Alana

Last on my list, but not for the view. Our room was high up, facing inland over central Waikīkī rather than the sea, and at night the towers around it were lit window by window, a vertical city of tiny yellow rooms, with the streets and pool decks glowing far below. It was a great view.

Waikīkī towers lit up at night, with a street and a glowing pool far below.
From the room, 9:24 pm.
Night view from a balcony over lit hotel towers and a pool deck below.
The same balcony, a few seconds later.

The Big Island and Kauaʻi

Three resorts: two on the Big Island's Kohala Coast and one on Kauaʻi's north shore.

Map of the Hawaiian Islands marking three resorts: 1 Mauna Lani and 3 Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island, 2 Westin Princeville on Kauaʻi.
Hotels on the Big Island and Kauaʻi: 1 Mauna Lani, 2 Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas, 3 Hilton Waikoloa Village.

1. Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts · Big Island, 2025

The most beautiful building on this list. The hotel is built around a huge open-air atrium filled with a garden, and our ocean-view balcony looked straight down the beach and over the palms to the sea. I wrote about the design in the Big Island post; I would recommend it to anyone visiting the Kohala Coast.

An ocean-view balcony framed by an overhang: blue sea, a beach and palms.
The balcony, 11 am.
Looking down into the open-air atrium: terraced balconies, palms and a wooden walkway.
The atrium.

2. Westin Princeville Ocean Resort Villas · Kauaʻi, 2026

On Kauaʻi's north shore, a lagoon-style pool under enormous clouds and a stream full of koi below a small waterfall.

A still lagoon-style pool reflecting palms and white clouds, with thatched cabanas and loungers beyond.
The pool, 8:21 am.
Orange and white koi in a stream below a rock waterfall and a lawn.
The koi stream.

3. Hilton Waikoloa Village · Big Island, 2026

A resort big enough to need a tram and a canal boat, with a gallery of statues along its walkways and a balcony that looked over lawns and lagoons to the ocean. One morning a bright green gecko sat on the balcony wall. At night the lagoons light up. More in the Hawaiʻi 2026 post.

Balcony view over landscaped lawns and lagoons to the ocean on a sunny morning.
The view, 10 am.
Night view from a balcony over the lit resort grounds and lagoons.
The same view after midnight.

The West Coast

From San Francisco down to Catalina, with Oxnard and the pines near Big Bear in between, and one night in Portland.

Map of the West Coast marking five hotels: 1 Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 2 Hotel St. Lauren on Catalina, 3 Zachari Dunes in Oxnard, 4 Postcard Cabins near Big Bear, 5 Hyatt Centric in Portland.
Hotels on the West Coast: 1 Hyatt Regency San Francisco, 2 Hotel St. Lauren, 3 Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, 4 Postcard Cabins, 5 Hyatt Centric Portland.

1. Hyatt Regency · San Francisco, 2023

This one earns a mention for something other than the view: the Hyatt Regency San Francisco's tiered atrium, seen from the top floors at midnight.

Looking down a tall tiered hotel atrium onto a lit bar and a large sculpture.
Hyatt Regency San Francisco.

2. Hotel St. Lauren · Catalina, 2024

A smaller place. The St. Lauren sits on the hill above Avalon, and its balconies look over the town's rooftops to the harbor.

Avalon from the hill: white buildings and palms above the harbor, with a cruise ship anchored offshore.
Avalon and the harbor from the hill.

3. Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach · Oxnard, 2025

The easiest escape from Los Angeles on this list: an hour up the coast, a Spanish-style courtyard with a rock waterfall, and a balcony over red tile roofs to the dunes and the ocean.

View from a balcony over red tile roof to sand dunes, palms and the ocean.
From the balcony, 8:37 am.
A courtyard path with succulent beds and a rock waterfall between red-roofed wings.
The courtyard.

4. Postcard Cabins · Big Bear

A tiny black cabin in the pines with a big picture window over the bed. Our dog came too.

A small black cabin with a big picture window, among pine trees.
Postcard Cabins, Big Bear.

5. Hyatt Centric · Portland, 2023

A downtown room high enough to see Mt. Hood between the towers on a clear July morning.

Downtown Portland rooftops from a high window, a glass tower on the left and the snowy cone of Mt. Hood on the horizon between buildings.
Mt. Hood from the room, 11:03 am.

Las Vegas and Sedona

Three hotels on the Strip, and one resort among Sedona's red rocks.

Map of southern Nevada and northern Arizona marking four hotels: 1 The Palazzo, 2 ARIA and 3 Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, 4 The Wilde in Sedona.
Hotels in Las Vegas and Sedona: 1 The Palazzo, 2 ARIA, 3 Caesars Palace, 4 The Wilde.

1. The Palazzo · Las Vegas, 2022, 2023 and 2024

Las Vegas rooms are mostly about the view out of them. The Palazzo gave me a suite in 2022, with the Venetian tower and the Strip below the window.

High view down onto the Venetian tower and the Strip in daylight.
The Palazzo, 2022: the Venetian below.
A suite living room with dark red curtains, a round table, a desk and a sofa in front of a large window.
The suite.

We stayed there again over Labor Day 2023, and in 2024 for a night, in a room facing the Sphere.

The Sphere lit up at night, seen from a high hotel room, with the city lights behind.
The Palazzo, 2024: the Sphere at midnight.

2. ARIA · Las Vegas, 2023

At ARIA, a high floor looked straight at Vdara next door and down onto the pool deck.

The curved blue glass Vdara tower beside the city and mountains, seen from a high room.
ARIA: Vdara next door.
Looking straight down onto a pool deck with teal umbrellas and a curved entry drive.
ARIA's pool, from above.

3. Caesars Palace · Las Vegas, 2024

The night after that second Palazzo stay we were at Caesars Palace, where the Garden of the Gods pools look like a Roman ruin with sun loungers.

High view over the Caesars Palace pools: a domed temple, round pools, red loungers and statues.
Caesars Palace: the Garden of the Gods.

4. The Wilde · Sedona, 2026

A smaller place. The Wilde, in Sedona, is a resort of stucco wings and terraced red-walled gardens with the red rocks behind.

Terraced red-walled garden stairs with desert plants beside a stucco wing.
The gardens at the Wilde.

Texas and Colorado

Dallas and Austin, and two hotels in downtown Denver.

Map of the central United States marking four hotels: 1 Hyatt Regency Dallas, 2 Four Seasons Austin, 3 Embassy Suites Denver, 4 Art Hotel Denver.
Hotels in Texas and Colorado: 1 Hyatt Regency Dallas, 2 Four Seasons Austin, 3 Embassy Suites Denver, 4 The Art Hotel Denver.

1. Hyatt Regency Dallas · 2023

Next to Reunion Tower, and the view of the downtown skyline is the best thing about it, especially at night, when one tower is outlined in green.

Dallas skyline at night with a tower outlined in green lights.
Night, 9:37 pm.
Downtown Dallas by day from a high room: Bank of America Plaza, green-glass towers and the red Old Red courthouse, with rail lines below.
The next morning.

2. Four Seasons · Austin, 2023

Another one that earns a mention for something other than the view: the Four Seasons Austin's quiet courtyard of old trees.

A courtyard of large trees below hotel towers in Austin.
Four Seasons Austin.

3. Embassy Suites Denver · 2024

A conference hotel with a good window: the Embassy Suites by the convention center had the downtown towers.

Downtown Denver towers and rooftops in morning light.
Embassy Suites Denver, 2024.

4. The Art Hotel Denver · 2026

Two years later, on a spring-break drive, the Art Hotel Denver looked over the art museum's roof garden to the Rocky Mountains.

A museum roof garden and city buildings with the Rocky Mountains on the horizon.
The Art Hotel Denver, 2026.

The East Coast and Chicago

Times Square from above, the Chicago skyline across the water, and a morning over Philadelphia.

Map of the Great Lakes and the Northeast marking three hotels: 1 Hotel Edison in New York, 2 Sable at Navy Pier in Chicago, 3 Hilton at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia.
Hotels on the East Coast and in Chicago: 1 Hotel Edison, 2 Sable at Navy Pier, 3 Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing.

1. Hotel Edison · New York, New Year's Eve 2022

Hard to beat for location. Our window looked straight down on Times Square, so on New Year's Eve we watched the crowds, the stage and the billboards from above.

Looking straight down from a hotel window onto the billboards and stage area of Times Square at night.
Times Square from the room, 8:42 pm on December 31.

2. Sable at Navy Pier · Chicago, 2024

The one I would recommend most from our 2024 road trip. Most nights on that trip were in budget hotels along the highway, to save money for the drive. For Chicago we redeemed points for the Sable, a hotel on Navy Pier itself, and it was worth every one: the window looks back across the water at the whole Chicago skyline, with the cruise boats right below. The bathroom had backlit mirrors and a wood-tiled shower.

The Chicago skyline across the water from Navy Pier, with a cruise boat below.
The skyline from the room, 9:07 am.
A hotel bathroom with two backlit round-cornered mirrors and a wood-tiled glass shower.
The bathroom.

3. Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing · 2026

A night on the Delaware riverfront before the Fourth. From a high window the view runs back over I-95 to I. M. Pei's Society Hill Towers, with the Center City skyline behind them.

The white Society Hill Towers and a newer glass tower above a highway, with the Center City skyline in the distance under a blue sky.
Philadelphia from the hotel, 9:57 am on July 4.

Outside the US

Cancún, Sydney and Vancouver.

Map of the Pacific marking three hotels: 1 Hyatt Ziva Cancún, 2 Hilton Sydney, 3 Hilton Vancouver Downtown.
Hotels outside the US: 1 Hyatt Ziva Cancún, 2 Hilton Sydney, 3 Hilton Vancouver Downtown.

1. Hyatt Ziva Cancún · 2022

An all-inclusive at the tip of the Cancún hotel zone. The room looked down on a stack of blue pools, a palapa and the Caribbean, and the infinity pools by the lobby seem to run straight into the sea.

High view over blue pools, a lawn and a palapa to the Caribbean.
From the room.
Infinity pools under a canopy, with palms and the sea beyond.
The infinity pools.

2. Hilton Sydney · 2023

The highest room on this list: the 43rd floor, in the middle of the city. At sunset the towers lit up below us, with the green dome of the Queen Victoria Building straight down, and at six in the morning there was a window seat to sit in and watch them wake up. (The four nights before that, at the Novotel, were less memorable; my advisor, at the Sofitel next door, had a stunning view of the harbor.)

Looking straight down from a high window on city towers at sunset, with the green copper dome of the Queen Victoria Building at the bottom.
Straight down from the 43rd floor at sunset.
A deep window seat framing city towers in morning light.
The window seat, 6:39 am.

3. Hilton Vancouver Downtown · 2025

A conference hotel with a good window: the Hilton downtown looked down a street of glass towers to the white roof of BC Place.

High view over Vancouver towers to the white roof of BC Place.
Hilton Vancouver Downtown, 2025.

What I look for now

After eighty-odd hotels, my rule is simple: a high floor in a city, a balcony at a resort, and a window I want to photograph before I unpack. The rooms blur together after a while; the photos from the windows don't.

Hotels listed from my own photos, booking records and notes; times are local. Photo locations have been removed from the published images. No hotel paid for or asked for this post.

Maps: © OpenStreetMap contributors; hotel locations are approximate.

Some photos in this post are my wife's.

Likes and comments

React with an emoji or leave a comment. Signing in with GitHub is required.