And what is the most you’d be willing to pay for a room? Would you stay in a pod hotel?
Hotel Serena in Gisenyi Rwanda was really the best.
I’ll bite - Villa d’Este, Hotel de Russie, Hotel du Cap Ferrat, Hotel Ritz Paris, Hotel Eden Roc, Beverly Hills Hotel, the Plaza, Le Sirenuse, Cipriani in Venice…all just off the top of my head. I love landmark hotels in great locations. I’ve stayed in many great UK hotels and Irish castles, too. I would never stay in a pod hotel.
The nicest hotel we’ve ever stayed at was in Garmisch, Germany. I think it might have been a Marriott or something along those lines, and it was gorgeous, wood everywhere. Nowadays I’d probably not think twice about a hotel like that, but at the time it was a dream hotel that we just randomly stopped at in hope that it gave a good military discount. And it did-about $75. It was awesome.
Of course, it’s all in your perspective. All we’d ever stayed at were cheap hotels or military BOQ’s.
Our 20th anniversary occurred right after 9/11 and our original plans were grounded, so we drove to Dana Point, CA and stayed at the St. Regis on the ocean which had just opened a week or so before. The hotel was almost completely empty, and DH was a top-tier Starwood member. They gave us the largest suite on the top floor overlooking the water and complimentary privileges at the club on the ocean. We were treated like royalty for five days. It seemed like we had the place to ourselves the entire time. I’ll never forget it. We have not had a vacation since.
ETA: Forgot about this one because it was work-related. DH lived at the Waldorf for a year while he was on a bank engagement in NYC in '97. I stayed with him there over Christmas/New Years. That was pretty magical.
Auberge St. Antoine in Quebec City, Ritz-Carlton in Key Biscayne and 21 East Battery in Charleston SC.
$300 and up per night makes me squirm, even more so now that we are retired. I am incapable of staying in a total dive. I’d sleep in the car first.
I love pod hotels. Best was the Yotel in Manhattan and the Yotel in the airport in Amsterdam. I also love night trains and other small sleeping areas.
What is a pod hotel?
The Pierre in NYC.
Yes, what is a ‘pod’ hotel?
Extremely small, often with no window, built to sleep and not much else. I have a trailer that is 5 foot by 8 foot by 4 feet high that we camp with - and love it. It is very pod like!
Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island was not the fanciest, but definitely magical and memorable. The breakfast was amazing, and the Japanese reataurant was excellent. The highlight of the stay was when the resident cat named Sushi caught one of the annoying breakfast-stealing sparrows mid-flight. You should have seen the restaurant staff giving her a round of applause! 
@BunsenBurner – I have fond memories of the Orchid. Six weeks after my bone cancer surgery, feeling the need for some time to heal, I found a deal at the Orchid–flight from Seattle and room were about $1000 total (yes, really) for two weeks. Such a deal! It was August. It was hot, and my room was tiny and in the back, but I spent a lot of time just lazing around and swimming, and came home much restored.
The absolute best hotel I ever stayed at was the Ngorongoro Crate Lodge. Amazing!
I was just recently at Le Meridien Koh Samui Resort in Thailand. I don’t think it was the nicest hotel, but the suite I had was pretty awesome with a very large private pool and ocean view. The Regent in Taiwan was pretty nice too. I enjoy most of Four Seasons resorts (not their business hotels).
I liked Hotel Arts Barcelona. It was quite memorable.
I also enjoyed Four Seasons George V in Paris.
No, I will not stay at a pod hotel, I would rather stay home.
JW Marriott Seoul. It has the largest gym I had ever seen outside of my college. I did have to learn the hard way to always take a hotel business card with me, as my cab driver spoke only Korean.
I’ve been lucky to stay in some very nice hotels in my adult life, so it’s hard to pick “the nicest.”
As far as the actual room, probably the most physically beautiful was the two bedroom Grande Suite at the Ritz in Berlin:
http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/germany/berlin/rooms-suites/grand-suite#fndtn-Video
We stayed in a gorgeous over the water hut in the Lagoon at the Hotel Bora Bora:
Similar to this:
https://www.tahiti.com/images1/gallery/BOBSMO_Overwater_Bungalows_Dawn_1000x600_29846.jpg
http://www.hotelroomsearch.net/im/hotels/al/villa-bora-bora-17.jpg
We’ve rented some private villas and homes that blow those away though, in terms of physical accommodations and views.
We don’t travel as much as we’d like, but when we do, we like to stay at beautiful places.
I am going to say that the best hotel we ever stayed at had nothing to do with luxury and comfort at all.
It happened to be a place that was listed on a biking website along the C&O canal in Leesburg , VA.
To sum it up, the bike ride from DC to Leesburg was difficult and I was about ready to collapse or oil my husband over it. We got to the Inn and the woman who was running the place was incredibly accomodating to us. She was used to dealing with guests who were exhausted from that ride and went above and beyond to take care of us. She even let me stay in the room, hours past checkout time and made sandwiches free of charge for my husband ( who rode back to DC solo to get our van )
I have stayed at much nicer place over my lifetime , but nothing compared to this little Inn in terms of service.
It was called The Leesburg Colonial Inn and we will go back simply because of how attentive they were
Ryokan Ugenta in Kyoto. Personal dinner served on a platform over a creek with rapids. Most comfortable, memorable (and expensive) experience worthy of a big anniversary.
I’ve stayed in some very nice (and expensive) hotel rooms over the years but, like @Nrdsb4, the very best places we’ve stayed have been homes and apartments we’ve rented.
I would actually get a kick out of staying in a pod hotel provided it’s exceedingly inexpensive, secure, and centrally located to the sights/areas I want to visit. Am ok with just having a no frills room to crash if it means I can allocate more money to experiences…including good interesting food and souvenirs.
Most luxurious hotel I stayed at is a luxury hotel my extended family paid for us to stay while we were in Taipei for a family gathering. Still remember the floor to ceiling large pink marble bathroom.
Close #2 was a tie between a luxury hotel in Honolulu also paid for by extended family for a cousin’s wedding and an entire floor of a bungalow house with 3 bedrooms we were offered on Maui for $89 a night which we paid for ourselves.
Ahhhh. Several of the Relais and Chateaux properties in France. Back in the early days of marriage and a strong US dollar.