I’ve always had a fascination with America’s most unique hotels and resorts. I have nothing against staying at an ordinary Holiday Inn or any typical Choice Hotel but there’s something magical about visiting a highly themed hotel that’s unlike any where you’ve ever been before. Bigger isn’t always better but you may want to discover America’s 25 largest resorts. You’d be surprised to see how cool of a place you could stay on such a limited budget.
Hotels With Water parks
Hotels with indoor water parks have become very popular in the 21st century. Great Wolf Lodge Check out my list of America’s 20 Largest Indoor Water Parks.
-Atlantis Paradise Island is actually located in Nassau, Bahamas but I still added it to this USA travel site because it is one of my all time favorite resorts in the entire world!
Hotels With Indoor Atriums
-Nickelodeon Universe
The Circus Circus
Gaylord Palms, Orlando
Located just 1.5 miles from the grand entrance of Walt Disney World, 1,406 guest rooms are located here, many of which have a private porch overlooking one of the three indoor atriums, which are theemed to the Everglades, Key West, and St. Augustine.
Gaylord Opryland, Nashville
Of the four Gaylord hotels, which are known for their lavish accomodations and beautiful indoor atriums, Gaylord Opryland stands out as the largest and most interesting. This hotel opened as The Opryland Hotel in 1977 and was expanded multiple times to eventually include 2,881 guest rooms and suites. One of the largest hotels outside of Las Vegas, this resort was chosen for the second spot on the list because of it’s three artiums. The Delta is the largest atrium in the resort and features the Delta Riverboats guided tour of the indoor river. The Delta features a coreographed fountain show twice nightly as well as many dining and retail choices. Free: Admission to the indoor atriums. is the largest non-gaming, in-hotel exhibition space in the world and one of the largest hotels in the US outside of Las Vegas with 2,881 rooms, including 220 suites. Located right next door to Oprymills and just minutes from downtown. This is our favorite place to go in Nashville because of it’s 9-acres of FREE indoor gardens, Garden Conservatory (1983), Cascades (1988), and Delta (1996). We love coming for a few hours to walk around this resort and view the beautiful gardens. Food can be purchased here or by going to Oprymills. If you want to eat at Opry Mills then I would reccomend eating at the Rainforest Cafe or the Aquarium Restaurant, see review below. 6 Great full-service restaurants are located right in Gaylord Opryland, which include

Ristorante Volare (our favorite), The Old Hickory Steakhouse, Cascades Seafood Restaurant, Rusty’s Sports Bar, Water’s Edge Marketplace, and Findley’s Irish Pub; 3 lounges: The Cascades Terrace Lounge, The Jack Daniel’s Saloon, and The Library at Old Hickory; 8 eateries: STAX Hamburgers, Paisano’s Pizza, Häagen-Dazs, Christie Cookie, Conservatory Café, Wasabi’s Sushi, Java Coast Coffee, and Godiva Chocolatier. 14 retail stores including Amelia’s, Savannah’s and Miss Scarlet’s, Alexzander Kalifano’s, a jewelry shop, the Cascades, Magnolia, and Delta Necessities Stores, Cowboys and Angels, Delta Gifts and Decor, Bushels and Baskets, The Opry Shop, Bookmark, Sunny G Children’s Boutique, and the Gaylord Golf Springs Shop. Other than trails and restaurants, attractions within this resort are

located in the Delta atrium. They include the Delta Riverboat Tours, a cruise aboard a Mississippi-style, Delta River Flatboat that leisurely winds through a lush indoor garden, guided by your very own tour guide that will tell you interesting facts about the resort and the fountain show. You don’t have to pay $18 for parking (and shouldn’t!), we always park in the Oprymills lot and walk on a short nature trail to get to the hotel. SummerFest is a annual summer celebration. Come in November or December to experience A Country Christmas with lights, decorations, and a few shows and seasonal attractions. Learn more about staying in the hotel and view pictures of each atrium in the complete review below.
Music city, home to famous natives and residents including Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, and Oprah Winfrey, is known specifically for country music with major attractions like the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and the Grand Ole Opry. Visit or stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center to see 9-acres of indoor gardens, with free admission. Nashville is the capitol of Tennessee, and is currently the second most populated city in the state after Memphis, yet it the largest metropolitan area in the state.
Hotels With A Touch Of Magic
The Disney Resorts are
Trump Towers
Wynn, Las Vegas
One of the finest resorts in town is Wynn Las Vegas (2005) covering 215 acres, this resort houses 2,716 rooms and suites, a 111,000 sq ft casino, a convention center with 223,000 sq ft of space, entertainment at Le Rêve, the Penske Wynn Ferrari Maserati, an 18-hole on-site championship golf course and 76,000 sq ft of retail space, standing at a height of 614 ft with 45 floors. Enjoy the two large pools, The Spa at Wynn Las Vegas, which has 45 treatment rooms, a barbershop and a salon. Upscale shopping can be found at Wynn Esplanade.
Wilderness Lodge, Orlando
Wilderness Lodge is not on the monorail track but is the cheapest of the deluxe resort options and offers a close proximity to the four WDW theme parks, incredible theming
13 – Polynesian, Orlando
Caesars Palace
It’s no secret that Vegas’ mega resorts are eliminating and revamping the classic, distinctively themed hotels, to have an ultra modern vibe. Fortunately, Caesars greek theme won’t be going away anytime soon.
11 – Hard Rock Hotel, Orlando
Nearby Attractions
10 – Trump International Hotel and Tower
Located in the heart of Chicago, Trumps biggest, badest hotel ever stands out in the winds city. It opened on January 30, 2008 and was completed in 2009. This is the highest residence above ground-level standing tall at 98 stories, giving it the title of second tallest building in the United States after Chicago’s Willis Tower (formerly named Sear’s Tower). It’s 1,362 feet high and has 2,600,000 sq. ft. of floor space, 339 guest rooms, retail space, 486 condominiums and a parking garage. The Spa at Trump is a 23,000 sq. ft. spa. Free: look around the lobby and admire the height of this huge building.
Nearby Attractions
9 – Atlantis Paradise Island, Nassau
One of the most extraordinary, awe inspiring my favorite places in the world. No, it’s not located in the US but it’s very close, being located in Nassau, Bahamas. The rich and famous love it here and I know you will too, but be prepared because they are ready to take your last dime. With the right tactic, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to get to visit this place. Just imagine… sitting outside your balcony door, overlooking beautiful beaches and a water park unlike any other. The state of the art waterpark opened in 2007 and As a child I can remember seeing the commercials for this place and continued to get in the buzz about ti until I finally started to plan a trip their. I was a little uneasy about it though because I didn’t know where to start out. Come to find out you must have a passport and if you want to stay in the main building (Royal Towers) you‘re looking at paying $500 or more a night, which seemed outrageous. But I knew that this was a once in a life time, must-see experience, so soon after I was exploring the Disney Cruise Line (another experience we had been considering for a while but weren’t sure when to go) and found out that their two newest ships, Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy, only go to the Bahamas, which was tops on our bucket list! If you want to see Atlantis on a budget, get your own feet into the sand of the Bahamas and go on a Disney cruise (or any cruise to the Bahamas for that matter) then book a three night cruise to the Caribbean on the Disney Dream, a brand spank ‘n new luxury cruise ship that welcomes, but is not limited to, families of every age. Both cruise ships feature an innovative, one of a kind experience, called the Aqua Duck, which is a clear waterslide that takes you out over the side of the ship. The entire complex is just breathtaking because it’s unlike anything else on the planet (Well…upon visiting their site you’ll find out that they have another location in Dubai that opened in 2008 and features a similar concept). Any who… every family should visit Atlantis. AtDon’t compromise on such an exclusive experience and consider taking part in Atlantis Live, a concert ceries that brings in top performers of every music genre. Past performers include Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Fergie, Lady Antebellum, and Taylor Swift. Read my blog post on Atlantis paradise Island for my complete review.

Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino
Mirage
Located in Vegas, a city with over 125,000 hotel rooms, the Mirage
Animal Kingdom Lodge, Orlando
opened April 16, 2001and was later expanded to include 1,307 rooms and suites. This African themed resort was ranked number one on our list because of it’s very own authentic African Savanna. Guest can observe African animals right from their very own room. African style cooking is served at the two major restaurants, Jiko: The Cooking Place and Boma: Flavors of Africa. Free: Come see the animals.
The Bellagio, Las Vegas
In a city with 197,144 slot machines, the Bellagio continues to stand out. Gambler or not (87% of visitors say they end up gambling)
The Bellagio (1998) is a 30-story hotel and casino themed to Bellagio, Italy. Home to The Fountains of Bellagio (see above), Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, 3,933 rooms and 512 suites & 116,000 sq ft casino. Step into the 1,800-seat showroom which is home to “O” from Cirque du Soleil. Amenities include five pools and four Jacuzzis, Spa Bellagio, a 65,000-square-foot spa offers multiple types of massages and services in its 56 treatment rooms. The spa also offers a 6,000-square-foot fitness facility, 1,000-square-foot exercise room and salon. Via Bellagio offers upscale shops within the hotel.
The Grand Floridean, Orlando – I will never forget the day-October 18,2010-when I took my first step into the lobby of Walt Disney World’s) flagship resort. Even if you are not staying here (prices typically start around $400), I highly recommend driving or taking the monorail (which runs from Epcot, The Magic Kingdom, The Contemporary or The Polynesian) to dine at this magical palace. We always like to plan an off day from the parks to head to Downtown Disney, Disney’s Bordwalk, and check out a few of the resorts that we’d consider staying at on future vacations.
*I have eaten at some very good restaurants throughout WDW and The Grand Floridian Café remains one of my favorites. I got the Cobb salad for $14.49 with all my favorites (salmon, avocado, cheese,
Aria Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
Drum roll please….and the NUMBER ONE hotel in the entire US of A is….The Aria (2009) at CityCenter in Las Vegas. This clean, modern retreat, rises a breathtaking 61-stories out of the ground, showcasing clean lines, and located in a prominent location. Affluent or not, you have no excuse not to splurge on a night at this trendy five star hotel. Since its opening on December 16, 2009 with 4,004 rooms, including 568 suites, in two towers. It’s the largest hotel in the world to receive LEED Gold Certification, its smart rooms automatically adjust curtains, turn off unused lights and electronics, and regulate the temperature when a guest enters or leaves a room! This development is part of a massive 76 acre mixed-use devopment called CityCenter. Prominently located in the heart of the strip, CityCenter is practically an attraction within itself with attractions including the 500, 000 sq. ft. Crystals retail and entertainment district, along with four other hotel and residential developments. 150,000 square feet of gaming area, an 80,000 sq. ft. 2 level spa, a three-story 300,000 sq ft. convention center
The Grand Floridian
