If there's one thing that's sure to change your mind about the accommodation, food, and shopping options in the slowly-but-surely-reviving city of Detroit, it's a night or two (or four) at The Townsend Hotel.

In the 16 years since its grand opening, the 150 room hotel has become the place to stay for visiting celebrities and sports stars (whom the professionally discreet staff refers to as “those really tall people”). It would be fair to say that the elite are attracted to the 2006 Conde Nast Traveler Gold List award-winning property because it's a luxe, private haven in the swanky Detroit suburb of Birmingham.