I am an American who grew up on the West Coast of the United States and have what I consider to be a very plain accent. British English comes across to me as polished, fluid and calming. I also feel there is something "upper crust" and refined about the sound of an English accent.

Personally, I think that American English is easier to understand (of course, I'm biased) but lacks the aesthetic, phonetic appeal of the English accent.

In the United States, I also prefer a Southern American accent (Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, etc.) to accents used in other parts of the country as well as accents primarily used on television and in movies.

Alas, the grass is always greener on the other side...