Best Luxury Hotel Restaurants in America

In the past, hotel restaurants in America were merely a place to fill up after a long day of sightseeing or a late flight into the destination. Even the most luxury hotels weren't renowned for their eateries - they provided decent enough fare for hungry guests, but outside customers could rarely be tempted in and the food was certainly not a reason for making a booking.

Now, however, things have changed dramatically and they have really pushed the boat out - some of the most elegant and exclusive restaurants in America can be found within the walls of luxury hotels. Here's the lowdown on the latest hotel dining spots to be voted into the top five.

1. French Room - The Adolphus Hotel, Texas

A gorgeous grand dame of a hotel in downtown Texas, The Adolphus tops the bill with French Room for its menu but also its décor and service. The atmosphere is pure old-world romance with subtle lighting and hand-painted ceilings - and the food is an unpretentious yet fabulous fusion of French and American cuisine.

2. Fountain Restaurant - The Four Seasons Hotel, Philadelphia

The Four Seasons is an American institution and a byword for superb luxury. Here in Philadelphia, the Fountain continues to be a firm favourite in the city and beyond thanks to the classic dishes served up by chef Martin Hamann in the New French-Continental style.

3. Dining Room - Little Palm Island Resort, Florida

This romantic getaway hotel is a boat ride away from the keys, set on its own private island. Both the hotel and restaurant promise a magical setting and they don't disappoint. The food is just as exceptional; the French-Caribbean themed menu adds to the exotic vibe of the location.

4. The Inn at Little Washington, Washington

A luxurious Virginia inn, the prestige of the hotel spills over into the dining room where chef Patrick O'Connell uses only the freshest ingredients and seasonal produce for a New American menu. With its romantic décor, the experience of the out of town hideaway is complete.

5. Maestro - Ritz Carlton Tysons Corner, Virginia

This elegant restaurant has all the impeccable style you would expect from the exclusive Ritz-Carlton hotels, but with a modern twist - an open kitchen to watch the master Fabio Trabocchi at work. The wine list (put together by sommelier Vincent Feraud) is something any restaurant in Italy would be proud of, whilst the flavours and dishes bring the kind of depth and subtlety that reflects their Italian heritage to perfection.

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Famous Tiki Bars

Tiki bars became popular in the years following World War I, when air travel became more affordable and ideal tropical island vacations were on everybody's mind. People wanted to have a piece of the topical beaches, mixed cocktails and laid-back bamboo huts that they saw on television and heard people talk about. The tiki bar catered to this popular obsession perfectly. The first tiki bar was Don the Beachcomber, which opened in 1933 in Los Angeles. It had all the markings of tiki bars today: cocktail umbrellas, woven grass wall-coverings, bamboo bars and stools. Don the Beachcomber closed a few years after it opened, but many other bars followed, some of which are still standing. Here are some of the most popular tiki bars today.

Forbidden Island

For being one of the newest tiki bars on the list, Forbidden Island, in Alameda, CA, is one of the most authentically old-school looking of the bunch. As soon as you walk in you get the feeling as if in a classic '50s or '60s tiki lounge. Owners Michel and Emmanuel Thanos got ever part of the decor right. There are blowfish lamps, bamboo bars and private bamboo booths, a waterfall, and (more importantly) not a single television screen.

Trader Vic's

The founder of Trader Vic's is Victor Bergeron, who helped Donn Beach, owner of Donn the Beachcomber, popularize tiki bars and tiki culture back in the '30s and '40s. Today, Trader Vic's is an international franchise with locations in Scottsdale, San Francisco, Chicago, Las Vegas, Dallas, Emeryville, Destin, and Palo Alto, as well as 20 international locations in countries like England, Spain and Germany. The original location, however, is in Atlanta, GA. It has excellent bamboo bar and tiki decor as well as live music and different drink specials each day.

The Tonga Room

Located in the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, the Tonga Room has a unique vintage feel. It is essentially a musical boat built in what used to be a swimming pool. The Tonga Room was purportedly the inspiration of Jimmy Buffet's famous song "Altered Boy". Patrons of the Tonga Room can relax under bamboo huts and enjoy the mixed drinks and South Seas ambiance, complete with occasional tropical storm sound effects and lighting.

Tiki-Ti

Tiki-Ti is a small, unpretentious, family-owned bar located in Los Angeles's Sunset Strip. It was opened in 1961 by master drink mixer Ray Buhen, who was involved in the original tiki bar craze at the Don the Beachcomber restaurant. Buhen's son and grandson are carrying on the tradition, mixing some of the best exotic cocktail drinks you will ever have.

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Mary Jane Mikuriya - Servas Traveller and Commited Local Volunteer in San Francisco

Well, if leading a positive life and dedicating your time to worthwhile causes keeps you young, Mary Jane is the perfect poster girl for this lifestyle. When I first met Mary Jane during the Canada-US Servas Conference, I thought she might be in her late 40s, early 50s. Once I got to know her on a more personal level I found out that she is 70! She didn't mind sharing her age, and her youthful energy and positive spirit captured me.

Mary Jane is a trained administrator and throughout her distinguished working career she has managed projects worth up to $16 million. She also has substantial experience as a grant writer which she has put to good use for various non-profit endeavours over the years. Her most important causes include peace and social justice which she supports in various ways.

"Faithful Fools" is a San Francisco street ministry for the homeless, and it is coordinated by members of the Unitarian and Catholic churches. The organization holds fundraisers and provides training to candidates for community ministry in how to work with local homeless individuals. It also offers a program called "witnessing", a concept used by the Quaker religion to acknowledge conscious concern. Individuals get to pratice being present with homeless people for either 2 days or a whole week to walk in their shoes to truly understand what it is like to not have a home. It is a purposeful empathy program, designed to make people understand what this group of people are going through on a daily basis. Her group also participates in memorial services that acknowledge the names of people who died in the street, who would otherwise have left this planet barely leaving a trace.

Throughout the years, Mary Jane has had a chance to dedicate herself to various causes. She has also been part of the Iraq War Awareness Initiative that allowed people to meditate and reflect on the Iraq War. Mary Jane has participated in a Quaker-organized event that shed light on the cost of the war in Iraq. This event featured a pair of army boots for each American soldier who has died in Iraq. In addition it showcased hundreds of women's and children's shoes that make the civilian loss of life in Iraq tangible.

In addition, Mary Jane has hosted hundreds of people as a Servas member and she will be sharing some of her interesting travel and hosting stories in the near future. One of the most significant initiatives she has been involved with included Holocaust victims that were staying with German families in order to make peace with history.

Mary Jane is a bridge builder and dedicates a great amount of her time volunteering to a variety of causes that are dear to her heart. In the near future she will be shedding more light on all her volunteer endeavours and hopefully divulge the secrets of her youthfulness.

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