Courtyard Hotels are Hidden Gems in Unique Locations

With well over a thousand hotels, Courtyard is primarily considered an upscale business service brand, mostly designed with the weary road warrior in mind and not necessarily the kind of hotel you look for in a vacation stay.

We recently went looking beyond the typical highway and airport hotels that are the brand's mainstay and found a heaping hand-full of Courtyards that break the mold.

Prepare to be surprised.

Manhattan/World Trade

Walking distance from the 9/11 Memorial, a roof-top terrace and rooms with views of the harbor-is there anything else you could ask for in a Manhattan vacay? How about a sleek modern design and an on-site restaurant? Rates at the new Courtyard Manhattan/World Trade Center Area start around $175 per night.

Manhattan/Central Park

If Midtown or Hell's Kitchen are more your style for your Manhattan escape, the new and quirky Courtyard Manhattan/Central Park might be the perfect spot for you. It is walking distance from Radio City Music Hall and Times Square. Rates begin around $450 per night.

Washington Convention Center

With a newly remodeled lobby in what was formerly an imposing bank building, the Courtyard Washington Convention Center is centrally located, has an indoor pool for a splash after sightseeing and also has a Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant onsite.

Oh, and the International Spy Museum is right across the street-perfect start to your capital vacation. At $160 per night, you can't go wrong.

Memphis

Want to stay in the heart of Memphis with access to the Main Street Trolley? Courtyard Memphis delivers all that, just blocks from the Beale Street entertainment district where you can eat your way through the home of the blues. Rooms start at just $119 per night.

Albuquerque

If a vacation Southwestern style is on your list, the Courtyard Albuquerque has you covered. Centrally located to allow you to enjoy the Albuquerque Bio Park Zoo and Aquarium, Old Town and the Sandia Peak Tramway, the hotel has an indoor pool and on-site dining. Rooms start around $96 per night.

Sedona

Courtyard Sedona is new and backs right up to the stunning Red Rock Mountains-the number one reason for visiting Sedona. Outdoor spaces let you enjoy the beauty of the mountains and include a pool and firepit area onsite, along with a hiking trail at the nearby Cultural Park.

The onsite Bistro serves breakfast and dinner. Rates begin around $195 per night.

San Diego Downtown

The first thing you think when you walk into the lobby of the former San Diego Trust and Savings Bank is that you must be in the wrong hotel. How could this elegant space be part of a Courtyard?

Located at the edge of the Gaslamp Quarter, the Courtyard San Diego Downtown puts you in the heart of San Diego charm for around $130 per night.

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Guatemala City

The recently opened Courtyard Guatemala City is a stunning surprise in Latin America, as the brand moves into Guatemala for the first time. Located in the vibrant Zona Viva near restaurants, clubs, and shopping, the hotel makes a perfect home base for exploring the rich culture of this often-overlooked country.

Whether you crave the adventure of volcano hiking or the Mayan history of the UNESCO-recognized city of Antigua, the hotel has rooms beginning at around $86 per night.

Edinburgh, Scotland

Don't let the charming stone exterior of the Courtyard Edinburgh fool you. Inside, the familiar Courtyard modern conveniences make your stay in the Scottish capital a breeze, as does the location near Waverly Station.

With onsite dining and rooms starting at around $125 per night, this could be your ideal vacation hotel in Scotland.

Shanghai Disney

For a mere $80 per night, the 355-room Courtyard Shanghai International Tourism and Resorts Zone is an exceptional value next door to the Shanghai Disney Resort that opened last year.

Onsite dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with a kid's play area, might make this an ideal vacation hotel for Disney enthusiasts wanting to check another park off of their lists.

Bali

Private beach club, lagoon-style pool, spa and even a kid's club at a Courtyard? Since when did Courtyard go 5-star?

The Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua Resort goes well beyond the typical business hotel, becoming a definite destination resort. With rooms starting at around $102 per night, the Courtyard brand may help put Bali on your list of affordable luxury vacation spots.

And More on the Way

Even though the brand has no plans to detour too far from being a tried-and-true haven for business travelers, there are more locations coming soon that might appeal as much to vacationers as to business travelers.

Earlier this year, the Courtyard Bonaire became the first Courtyard with an onsite dive shop for scuba divers. Next year, neighboring Aruba will welcome a new Courtyard that includes an onsite spa.

For an even more exotic vacation, look for the Courtyard Siem Reep to open later this year as Cambodia's first Courtyard Hotel-also complete with spa. In Singapore, the Courtyard Singapore Novena is set to open in November, occupying the 22nd to 23rd floors of the luxurious Royal Square.

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