This one-of-a-kind guide details the "palaces of the people" built in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries: big, luxurious granite structures, full of opulent rooms, extravagant gadgets, and high status for anyone who stayed there.America"s Grand Hotels features dozens of America"s finest vintage hotels-including such luminaries as the Plaza and the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, San Francisco"s Palace, Chicago"s Palmer House, and Boston"s Tremont -- and in the process also treats readers to an informal history of the hotel in American life Full descriptions and specialized recommendations are offered, including tips on which rooms to request and where to find the most notable lobbies and public rooms.The hotels listed were judged on service and amenities, personality, and elegance and style Combining history and travel guide essentials, this unique guide to America"s fabulous grand hotels is a must for anyone who"s ever wanted to travel in style in America"s great cities and towns.