I generally dislike Samsung phones, but I quite liked the hardware on the S4. Was really pleasant to hold and use. Still not sold on the UI and its features though.
I'd normally suggest the HTC One, but the company is on a downward slope, so not sure if it's worth relying on them. But the One is just looks and feels premium.
You sure you don't wanna consider the Nexus 4, or even the soon-to-be-announced Nexus 5? Or the Moto X?