You’ve heard perhaps of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel near Central Park in New York City? It placed 22nd in the 2011 poll of the best hotels in the United States as rated by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.

The Halekulani in Honolulu? It took 36th place.

The Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles? Readers awarded it at 50th place.

And Hotel Murano in Tacoma?

Those readers – obviously a sophisticated bunch – said it was the 17th best hotel in the country, right between the Carlyle in New York and the Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.

The results came in late Tuesday.

The only hotel north of the Napa Valley and west of Milwaukee rated higher than the Murano (with 92.3 points) was Seattle’s Hotel 1000 (with 92.7).

“It is an amazing ranking for the hotel, showing just how well the property can hold her own among stiff competition from top properties around the nation,” said Kate Buska, p.r. director for Murano owner Provenance Hotels.

If you’d like to stop by and congratulate the folks down there, say hi to Dale at the door and go up to Bite for a plate of their gravy-covered fries.