www.gayot.com
November 14, 2010

It’s been a busy year for U.S. hotel openings. The latest New York properties alone could easily fill our top ten list, but we’ve branched out from the Big Apple to offer samplings from around the country. Among them, The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles, actually changed the city’s skyline and took it (finally!) into the 21st-century, while the Hotel Parq Central in Albuquerque caters to guests’ nostalgia for bygone days….

Wanna get your kicks on Route 66? Check into the latest luxury lodging to sprout up on this historic motorway. Housed in a building dating back to 1926, Hotel Parq Central has fun with its roots. This former hospital now features a rooftop Apothecary Lounge, which serves Prohibition-era cocktails against a backdrop of mountain views. A B&B mood is nurtured with personal touches, including complimentary tea and coffee bars on every floor and gourmet continental breakfast served in the parlor or outdoor dining terrace.

Just 75 guest rooms include fifteen suites and three cottages, whose original features such as windows and clay tiles are integrated into the calming desert tones and contemporary décor.