For something slightly less usual, can I recommend these two:

The Cadogan Guides -- these started out in a relatively modest way, with some rather limited destinations, but were always interestingly and informatively written. I know Paris reasonably well, but still get a lot out of the Cadogan guide to the city, not least because it sets out a series of walks in different areas, with stops to eat, drink, shop, museum-hop and so forth along the way. It takes you to some out of the way places that you might not have thought of.

As they now appear to be expanding their range, I do wonder whether the quirkily individual nature of their books will survive, but for the time being I like them (or at least the ones I have).

In terms of context, I'd say they are aimed at the reasonably well-off traveller, with an interest in history and culture (and eating!). They don't list hotels and restaurants exhaustively, just a few in each place, with an indication of price. Their website has a few mini-guides that you can download for free in pdf form to get a taste of what they are like.

My unconventional choice would be the Smithsonian Guides to Natural America, which I love to browse at home and which are excellent if you wish to see something of America's splendour. Definitely not about hotels, restaurants and shops, but you can easily buy an alternative to give you that stuff. I'm shortly off to Arizona and will have a couple of days at leisure with a hire car -- the Smithsonian Guide has given me some great ideas for places to see in a way that another, more everyday guidebook just hasn't.

Jolyon