What to expect: Beyond the front desk, the vaulted lobby feels like a large living room, with clusters of easy chairs, Lawson-style sofas, and a working fireplace. Lobby windows facing east overlook a small garden and gazebo. With 390 rooms, two ballrooms, and 22 conference rooms, Hunt Valley is a favorite of groups and conventions; other guests include leisure and business travelers. The hotel is within a mile of several office parks, including the offices of Proctor & Gamble, UPS, and McCormick & Company.

Amenity highlights: The hotel operates a complimentary shuttle to the light-rail, which stops throughout Baltimore before reaching BWI airport 30 miles south. Indoor and outdoor splash pools are separated by a glass wall. The fitness room overlooking the pools has treadmills, stationary bikes, TVs, and rowing and cross-country machines.

Insider tip: Hikers and runners can get maps at the front desk of a two-mile path through the office parks behind the hotel, as well as directions to Oregon Ridge Park, a 1,043-acre spread of rolling hills located four miles west.