Biltmore Hotel

In the most opulent neighborhood of one of the showiest cities in the world, the Biltmore peers down its nose and says, ‘hrmph.’ It’s one of the greatest of the grand hotels of the American Jazz Age, and if this joint were a fictional character from a novel, it’d be, without question, Jay Gatsby. Al Capone had a speakeasy on-site, and the Capone Suite is said to be haunted by the spirit of Fats Walsh, who was murdered here.

Back in the day, imported gondolas transported celebrity guests like Judy Garland and the Vanderbilts around because, of course, there was a private canal system out the back. It’s gone now, but the largest hotel pool in the continental USA, which resembles a sultan’s water garden from One Thousand & One Nights, is still here. If you'd like to sidestroke across it without the price tag of an overnight stay, visitors can use the pool and fitness center by purchasing a $35 day pass.