2013

THE WORLD’S GOLD BEST PLACES TO STAY LIST

Who can you trust? When it comes to those crucial choices in travel—the , the , the cruise lines—there is only one thing that literally sets the gold standard, and it’s Condé Nast Traveler. Every entry on this list has been rigorously tested and screened by our readers. Nearly 47,000 of you, an unprecedented number, produced an independent (and savvy) final selection of the very best by participating in our annual Readers’ Choice survey. !e Gold List is truly a global representation of real quality, no matter how far-flung. It’s newsy, too, highlighting impressive newcomers and discerning trends. Consistency is rewarded: !ose who make the Gold List five years in a row earn Platinum Circle status, marked by the icon. In the GET EVEN MORE FROM THE GOLD LIST: following pages are DOWNLOAD OUR DIGITAL EDITION FOR A SLIDE more than 500 travel SHOW OF PROPERTIES NEW TO THE LIST THIS experiences for you to YEAR AS WELL AS AN EXTENDED DESCRIPTION choose from, all of OF EVERY ENTRY. YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS THE them the best in class. EXPANDED EDITION AT 5 1 0 CONDENASTTRAVELER .COM, PLUS PHOTOS TOP HOTELS, OF EVERY ENTRY. RESORTS & CRUISE LINES

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At nearly 12,000 square feet, the Villa Cupola at Rome’s Westin Excelsior claims the title of Europe’s biggest suite. It comes with a whirlpool (shown), a private wine cellar, a boardroom, and an eight- seat screening room.

PHOTOGRAPH BY WILLIAMS & HIRAKAWA

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By the Numbers Europe ...... 58 Countries: 18 Properties: 96 hotels and resorts Room counts: 20 to 483 United States ...... 62 States: 32, plus the District of Columbia Properties: 195 hotels and resorts Room counts: 8 to 4,027 !e Americas ...... 83 Countries: 24 Properties: 116 hotels and resorts Room counts: 6 to 635 Asia, & Pacific Nations ...... 89 Countries: 14 Properties: 64 hotels and resorts Room counts: 24 to 952 Africa & the Middle East ...... 98 Countries: 11 Properties: 29 hotels and resorts Room counts: 12 to 726 Cruise Lines ...... 99 Number: 10 Continents visited: Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America—which, as far as we know, is all of them!

!ese pages highlight the 510 hotels, resorts, and cruise lines that made this year’s Gold List—the highest-scoring properties in our most recent Readers’ Choice survey. Reviews of properties that are on the Gold List for the first time this year appear in the pages that follow; for reviews of every Gold List property, go to condenasttraveler.com/goldlist or download our digital edition.

METHODOLOGY Entries include the edited com- ments of readers and are intended to reveal a prop- erty’s character rather than to catalog its facilities. Each score represents the percentage of respon- dents who rated a property excellent or very good on specific criteria (see “Key to Symbols,” on the next page). For example, the first entry on this year’s Gold List, the Imperial, in Vienna (also on the next page), has an overall score of 88.0, the highest component of which is 91.8 for Location. Criteria for hotels, resorts, and cruise lines vary. !e Gold List is based on data collected from the annual Readers’ Choice survey; to qualify for inclu- sion in these rankings, a property had to receive a required minimum number of responses.

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h!e Stafford,j g Londonf 91.3H Europe 88.6 91.4 90.6 94.3 91.4 A mixture of old and new describes both Europe in the !en"-fir# Hotel Kämp (Luxury Collection), century and the properties that comprise this li# Helsinki 92.7 h92.0 j96.0 g82.6 f100 H92.0 WHEN SEEKING HOTELS with a palpable history, travelers usually find that no region can hold a candle to Europe. !e continent has properties by the bundle that have hosted kings and queens, dukes and duchesses, lords and ladies, and sundry statesmen. Cities dominate Hotel Villa Gallici, Aix-en- the list (all 13 properties in are in London), and traditional destinations remain in Provence 98.2 fashion: We’ll always have Paris and Rome. But other cities not on the classic European h100 j100 g100 f95.5 H95.5 circuit, yet with incredibly rich pasts, are now contenders. Budapest has five hotels on the La Mirande, Avignon 88.3 list (five years ago it had only two), and of the four Barcelona hotels below, three appear on h83.9 j90.3 g90.0 f93.5 H83.9 the Gold List for the very first time. Readers’ tastes are clearly evolving, and an increasingly Château Eza, Côte d’Azur 88.5 sophisticated hotel market is rising to meet that burgeoning demand. h95.2 j81.0 g85.0 f100 H81.0 Château de la Chèvre d’Or, Èze 91.7 h87.5 j100 g91.7 f95.8 H83.3

NEW Sofitel Marseille Vieux Port, Marseille 93.3 h95.2 j95.2 g95.0 f85.7 H95.2 In the historic center of Marseille, “the Sofi- tel is a beautiful oasis in an old city”—within walking distance of Notre-Dame de la Garde and the old port. Designed to mimic the From the 90-foot- style of a lavish yacht, interiors are outfitted long pool at the with deep-blue carpets and have floor-to- Four Seasons ceiling windows. !e contemporary rooms Istanbul at the are “just perfect to return to,” with wooden Bosphorus, which venetian blinds and bathrooms fitted with scores a 97.9 for double tubs or hydromassage showers. At design, you can Le Carré, the bar is trimmed in white tufted look onto the leather, and guests can order tapas like famous strait and homemade foie gras with their cocktails. the hilly shore of Four Seasons George V, Paris 96.3 Asia beyond. h96.2 j96.2 g95.6 f98.4 H95.1 Hôtel d’Aubusson, Paris 88.9 Claridge’s, London 88.2 h82.1 j89.3 g82.6 f92.9 H96.4 h89.7 j93.1 g82.4 f93.1 H82.8 Hotel Imperial (Luxury Hotel Le Bristol, Paris 89.7 Collection), Vienna 88.0 !e Connaught, London 91.6 h87.7 j91.2 g92.6 f93.0 H84.2 h87.8 j85.7 g87.0 f91.8 H87.8 h90.7 j93.0 g83.3 f97.7 H93.0 Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris 93.8 Hotel Sacher, Vienna 89.4 !e Dorchester, London 88.5 h89.1 j92.3 g96.9 f96.9 H93.8 h92.7 j88.1 g82.5 f95.2 H88.1 h85.4 j87.6 g88.5 f91.0 H89.9 Le Meurice, Paris 96.2 Dukes Hotel, London 88.0 h95.9 j94.5 g98.6 f98.6 H93.2 h81.5 j96.3 g84.0 f98.1 H79.6 Esplanade Zagreb Hotel, Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, Paris 94.4 Zagreb 89.3 !e Goring, London 91.1 h91.6 j97.6 g91.0 f100 H91.5 h91.7 j88.9 g85.7 f94.4 H85.7 h88.9 j94.4 g85.7 f97.2 H88.9 NEW Renaissance Paris Arc de !e Lanesborough, London 94.3 Triomphe, Paris 90.8 h100 j95.2 g85.7 f95.2 H95.2 h95.3 j88.4 g82.9 f93.0 H93.0 Four Seasons, Prague 91.4 “Guests are treated like royalty” at this h91.5 j94.9 g85.5 f94.9 H89.8 , London 95.5 h93.4 j98.7 g93.3 f97.4 H94.7 “pleasingly modern” glass hotel just steps Mandarin Oriental, Prague 94.2 from the landmark for which it is named. h96.4 j92.9 g96.3 f96.4 H89.3 NEW Rubens at the Palace, London 88.0 !e “ultra-chic” Paris-meets- h81.4 j91.8 g88.5 f96.9 H81.4 design includes an interior garden and ele- ENGLAND Watch the guardsmen in the Royal Mews vators in bright colors. With balconies and from the windows of this “lovely gem large bay windows, some with “a gorgeous h41, Londonj 96.0g f H of a hotel” on Buckingham Palace Road. view of the Eiffel Tower,” rooms are con- 94.3 98.6 94.1 97.1 95.7 !e property has traditional English decor temporary in look. Select from French or that includes marble floors, crystal chan- KEY TO SYMBOLS Indonesian cuisine at Makassar Restaurant NEW Andaz Liverpool Street, London 88.7 deliers, and “beautifully appointed rooms” h as you look upon the garden. h90.7 j93.0 g82.5 f81.4 H95.3 with antiques and original artwork. “!e Rooms j Built in the late 1800s by the Great Eastern rooms tend to be a little small but are very Service Railway Company, this two-wing redbrick comfortable.” Enjoy “a really excellent g Food Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa, hotel sits on the eastern fringe of !e City meal” at !e Library, where specialties f Location Baden-Baden 88.5 (London’s financial district). Its design is a range from Dover sole to hand-chopped H Design h85.7 j95.2 g95.0 f90.5 H76.2 mix of Victorian and modern, with oak- Buccleuch Estate sirloin, and an “addictive a Activities honeycomb ice cream.” “Staff treat you Hotel Adlon Kempinski, paneled walls in the George pub and Eames SCORES IN RED Berlin 93.8 like a VIP from the moment you step = OVERALL chairs and Jacobsen lamps in contemporary h95.4 j93.8 g93.4 f98.5 H87.7 into the lobby,” and the “service is guest rooms that also have “great amenities New to consistently superb.” NEW and bathtubs.” “Excellent restaurant choic- Gold List NEW Hotel Concorde, Berlin 88.0 h90.9 j90.9 g90.0 f81.8 H86.4 es” include Japanese cuisine at Miyako and !e Savoy, London 90.8 Platinum afternoon tea at 1901 restaurant. Staff are h91.8 j90.6 g90.2 f91.8 H89.4 Circle !is “high-class hotel” opened in 2005 in “attentive and friendly.” !e property has a B Condé Nast western Berlin, across from the legendary hidden Masonic temple on-site, accessed via Soho Hotel, London 93.5 Traveler 2012 Café Kranzler and near the main shopping a heavy studded door and winding staircase. h93.5 j93.5 g90.0 f96.8 H93.5 Best Golf Resorts boulevard of Kurfürstendamm. “I was

58 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2013 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM

0113-TR-GLJA04 EUROPE GOLD LIST 2013 there on business and was impressed !is urban hotel’s “excellent location” Hotel de Russie, Rome 90.7 with the service and the meeting space.” puts the Danube River, Parliament, h95.1 j82.9 g87.8 f92.7 H95.1 Rising 17 stories, the building received a and Buda Castle “within walking distance.” Berlin Architecture Award for its lime- After a day of sightseeing, rest in rooms Hotel Hassler, Rome 92.9 h91.1 j91.1 g89.6 f100 H92.4 stone facade and tapering shape. with “luxurious interiors.” Many have high Works by German artists such as Dietrich ceilings and windows overlooking either NEW Hotel Majestic, Rome 89.5 Klinge and Katrin Kampmann are dis- Erzsébet Square or the pedestrian street h87.1 j87.1 g86.2 f96.8 H90.3 played in the public areas, and contempo- Déak Ferenc. Furnishings are “superbly Opened in 1889 as the first hotel on the Via rary rooms have white walls and scaled to complement grandiose vaulted Veneto, this neoclassical property is “within clean-lined wood furniture. Le Faubourg ceilings.” !e “incredible French restau- walking distance of all the sights,” including serves classic French brasserie food. rant” Le Bourbon has a signature goose the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, and liver terrine with dried-fruit chutney. Ritz-Carlton, Berlin 88.9 the Villa Borghese. Rooms have hardwood “Staff are friendly and helpful.” h90.5 j89.1 g86.9 f90.6 H87.5 floors and white-lacquered furnishings. Ju- nior suites use soft shades of beige, brown, hPark Hyatt,j Hamburgg f 89.1H and purple on the walls. “!ere’s great peo- 96.4 96.4 84.6 85.7 82.1 BDromoland Castle, ple watching” from the terrace overlooking Mandarin Oriental, Munich 91.6 h Countyj gClare 90.9f H a the Via Veneto at Filippo La Mantia, where h90.7 j90.7 g90.5 f95.3 H90.7 91.7 92.9 90.4 89.3 95.2 85.5 the menu focuses on the tastes of Sicily, with ingredients such as mint, toasted almonds, THE GOLD Ballynahinch Castle Hotel, basil, and oranges strongly represented. STANDARD County Galway 92.3 h j g f H Westin Excelsior, Rome 88.8 Hotel Grande Bretagne, Athens 90.0 88.2 97.1 100 91.2 85.3 h j g f H h91.2 j89.5 g81.8 f95.9 H91.3 93.6 87.2 85.4 90.1 87.2 All the properties Mount Juliet, County Kilkenny 89.0 on this list are h j g f H Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, NEW Blue Palace & Spa (Luxury 89.3 89.3 85.7 92.9 89.3 Collection), Crete 94.0 the crème de a87.5 h Sorrentoj g 93.8 f H h97.2 j91.7 g91.7 f91.7 H97.2 a94.3 la crème. But 92.7 96.4 96.2 94.5 89.1 BAdare Manor, “!e view is breathtaking when you open some of them are in a class of their County Limerick 91.0 Bauer Il Palazzo, Venice 91.0 the curtains” at this “truly inspiring resort” h j g f H own. Here, we h90.2 j93.2 g86.6 f92.2 H93.2 86.8 97.4 81.1 100 89.5 set amid palm and olive trees and jasmine celebrate 12 and bougainvillea plants in Elounda, oppo- , County Mayo 95.1 Ca’Sagredo Hotel, Venice 88.0 of the best details, h92.6 j88.9 g76.0 f88.9 H92.6 site the isle of Spinalonga. !e low-rise touches, sights, h92.1 j96.8 g92.1 f95.2 H98.4 property blends into the landscape with and dishes a96.3 Hotel Cipriani, Venice 91.1 clay roof tiles, wooden shutters, and tradi- (including chicken h91.1 j93.3 g86.4 f93.3 H91.1 tional pebble mosaics, while the lobby’s de- and wa!les Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, sign evokes the local shipyard. Guest rooms that are worth Countyh j Wicklowg 93.1f H a Londra Palace, Venice 90.4 are arranged in groups along a slope over- sacri"icing your 100 90.5 87.2 90.5 97.6 92.7 h85.3 j91.2 g87.1 f97.1 H91.2 looking the sea—so “definitely splurge on waistline for; see page 96) !e Merrion, Dublin 93.2 Luna Hotel Baglioni, Venice 88.0 one with a private infinity pool.” Vegetables h94.1 j95.6 g87.7 f95.6 H92.6 h93.0 j83.7 g81.6 f97.6 H83.7 handpicked by the chef accompany Flame’s which make these hotels truly locally sourced steak. Sample typical Cre- unforgettable—all tan pastries and egg dishes for breakfast at nominated Hotel Santa Caterina, Hôtel de Paris, Monte Carlo 92.3 Olea. “!e highly qualified staff provide by nearly 47,000 h j g f H royal service.” Amalfi 97.0 88.5 84.6 92.3 100 96.2 of you: our very h97.0 j93.9 g97.0 f97.0 H100 Perivolas Traditional Houses, picky readers. THE Santorini 98.1 Hotel Caesar Augustus, Capri 98.6 And the h j g f H a Amsterdam 88.3 h98.3 j100 g95.8 f100 H98.3 a95.7 100 98.8 97.6 100 98.8 96.4 NEW Renaissance, "irst best is . . . h86.0 j93.9 g80.5 f94.0 H86.0 Four Seasons Firenze, “It’s a breeze to explore the city” from this BEST UP!CLOSE! Florence 94.4 “wonderful hotel” with a brown-brick fa- h95.1 j92.8 g95.0 f94.0 H95.2 NEW Corinthia Hotel Budapest, AND!PERSONAL cade near the central station and on the Budapest 91.4 WILDLIFE MOMENT Hotel Lungarno, Florence 89.1 UNESCO-listed Singel Canal. Comprising h91.8 j93.4 g89.5 f88.5 H93.4 For one guest of the h89.3 j89.3 g80.8 f96.4 H89.3 12 refurbished historic homes, the property “Truly grand in all aspects,” with “a very Amboseli Serena has “small rooms” done in contemporary Safari Lodge, in courteous staff,” this property is in an St. Regis, Florence 95.0 style—the decor combines black-and-white , “watching “excellent and convenient location” that’s h95.0 j95.0 g95.0 f95.0 H95.0 hundreds of monkeys images of the city with browns, greens, and within walking distance of Andrássy Ave- in the morning walk- Westin Excelsior, Florence 91.4 blues. Dine on Mediterranean cuisine pre- nue and the opera house. !e French Re- ing single !ile to the pared in a show kitchen at Scossa restau- h89.7 j89.7 g89.7 f95.3 H92.5 naissance style “epitomizes grand old river to get a drink” rant. “!e ambience is great, and the staff’s European ambience,” with a sweeping was the best part of Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, attentiveness is outstanding,” including “a staircase and six-story atrium preserved her vacation Lake Como 94.7 well-versed and helpful concierge.” from the original 1886 building, when it (talk about morning h j g f H commutes). 94.1 94.1 90.9 100 94.1 was a meeting place for local aristocrats. Villa d’Este, Lake Como 93.1 Rooms decorated with mahogany overlook h j g f H Four Seasons Hotel Ritz the atrium or Hársfa Street and are notable 92.5 95.1 92.6 96.3 92.7 a88.6 Lisbon, Lisbon 94.8 for their marble bathrooms. Grab a table h97.8 j100 g89.1 f93.5 H93.5 at Rickshaw for dishes from Asia, like Park Hyatt, Milan 94.2 Szechuan sirloin beef or Goan fish-and- h96.9 j96.9 g77.8 f100 H96.9 Olissippo Lapa Palace, Lisbon 88.0 shrimp curry. Equipped with rain showers h90.0 j100 g85.0 f75.0 H90.0 and a pool that is “pure bliss,” the spa is Hotel Splendido & Splendido Mare, “just terrific.” Portofino 98.0 h96.4 j100 g100 f100 H93.3 Four Seasons Gresham Palace, !e Balmoral, Edinburgh 90.1 h86.4 j88.1 g89.2 f98.5 H88.1 h Budapestj g 93.7f H Il San Pietro di Positano, 96.7 91.7 90.0 96.7 93.3 Positano 95.6 , Golf Resort & h97.8 j97.8 g93.3 f91.3 H97.8 Hilton Budapest, Budapest 90.1 Spa, St. Andrews 88.4 h94.6 j89.6 g81.3 f92.5 H91.7 Le Sirenuse, Positano 94.6 h91.7 j84.0 g84.0 f96.0 H84.0 a91.3 h92.2 j96.2 g92.3 f98.1 H94.2 InterContinental Budapest, Budapest 89.4 Palazzo Avino (formerly Palazzo Barcelona 89.9 h91.5 j89.0 g78.2 f97.6 H90.2 Sasso), Ravello 98.5 NEW Hotel 1898, h95.2 j85.7 g82.5 f95.2 H90.5 h100 j96.3 g96.3 f100 H100 NEW Le Méridien Budapest, Steps from the Plaza Cataluña, “right on Budapest 89.3 Aldrovandi Villa Borghese, Rome 93.5 the Ramblas,” this property used to be the h92.9 j89.1 g81.6 f94.6 H87.5 h97.5 j96.7 g91.7 f88.4 H93.4 headquarters of the Philippines Tobacco

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Company. “Spacious rooms” done in colo- nial style are equipped with marble baths and a pillow menu. Spend an evening nib- United States bling on homemade tapas and sipping cocktails at the “amazing rooftop terrace It’s a big country, but many of your favorite U.S. hotels and resorts are and bar” or sampling Spanish wine at now on the smaller side Vinoteca H1898. Housed in a former cellar, the spa has a heated pool, therapeutic NO REGION CAN MATCH the supreme scope of hotels and resorts that we have in our own fountains, and massages inspired by the backyard. !e 195 properties below range from small B&Bs in serene towns to giant Silk Road—“the spa and pool area is the best in the city.” complexes that celebrate consumption, from mountain lodges in snow country to beach retreats and chic city hideaways on the East and West coasts. But this year’s great trend is Hotel Arts, Barcelona 89.6 h92.6 j92.6 g91.5 f82.4 H88.9 the rise of the small, intimate property. Of the three hotels in Napa Valley that appear on the list for the first time, two have fewer than 100 rooms (one of them has just 8!). In Ouray, NEW Hotel Casa Fuster, Barcelona 89.3 h85.7 j90.5 g84.2 f95.2 H90.5 Colorado, an inn built in 1886 is now open for business with 12 rooms. Of the eight Near Sagrada Família, “in the heart properties in Charleston, only one has more than 70 rooms. Big may be mind-blowing, but of the arts district,” this hotel is named small is so much more seductive. for a Mallorcan society gentleman who purchased the building for his wife in the early 1900s. Built during the Modernisme architectural movement of the late 1800s (the Catalan version of Art Nouveau), it is characterized by curves and a white marble facade. “Some rooms are better than others,” so opt for a deluxe, which has a king-size bed and faces the Passeig de Gràcia. Sip tea or a cocktail at Café Vienés, or dine on Mediterranean at Galaxó. !e rooftop pool and terrace offer views across the city.

NEW Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona 90.0 h83.3 j86.7 g93.3 f96.7 H90.0 !e location of this former bank headquar- ters, which opened as a hotel at the end of 2009 on “the lovely Passeig de Gràcia,” ensures that “guests can easily stroll to restaurants and shopping.” “!e very contemporary and modern room design” by Spaniard Patricia Urquiola mixes leather and velvet upholstery with a pal- ette of green, black, and gold. Relax in a Scandinavian-style armchair and dine on authentic Catalan cuisine at Moments restaurant, or visit Banker’s Bar to sip cocktails in a venue reminiscent of a gen- tlemen’s club. On the downside, “the rooms are very small and the service a bit snooty,” but “you would stay there again ARIZONA design and style” is an homage to Southern Grab a poolside in a second.” California estates of the 1920s and ’30s. chaise at Auberge Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain, “Exceptionally elegant rooms” come with a du Soleil in Napa hHotel Ritz,j Madridg f 88.0 H Maranah j 92.5g f H a neutral color palette and Spanish-, Italian-, Valley and sta" 85.4 89.8 85.1 91.8 87.8 94.9 90.8 89.0 87.4 98.3 94.8 and Moroccan-inspired furnishings. Next will bring you ME Madrid, Madrid 91.1 Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, to the “excellent rooftop pool,” the Conser- chilled eucalyptus- h92.0 j88.0 g91.7 f96.0 H88.0 Paradise Valley 92.5 vatory Grill offers California cuisine and infused towels. h95.3 j91.0 g90.5 f95.3 H93.2 a89.6 panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills. Perhaps that helps “Staff don’t miss a trick.” !e 20,000- explain the 97.2 Royal Palms Resort and Spa, square-foot spa has a mineral pool, Swiss service score. Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Phoenix 90.9 showers, and an on-site nutritionist. Spa, Interlaken 89.2 h92.4 j93.3 g91.1 f90.4 H92.1 a85.5 h j g f H !e Peninsula, Beverly Hills 93.1 87.5 90.6 86.7 93.8 87.5 B Four Seasons Scottsdale at Troon h93.9 j95.0 g92.4 f93.0 H91.5 Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne 95.2 North, Scottsdale 90.4 h100 j95.2 g90.5 f95.2 H95.2 h96.4 j94.4 g87.1 f82.1 H91.9 a90.6 Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur 95.3 h94.8 j94.9 g92.3 f97.8 H96.7 KEY TO SYMBOLS , Zurich 89.7 Enchantment Resort, Sedona 90.1 h j g f H h j g f H a Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley 89.8 87.2 97.4 89.7 92.3 82.1 88.8 90.1 83.3 95.1 94.2 89.0 h Rooms h88.9 j90.5 g90.5 f88.7 H90.5 , Zurich 89.7 L’ Au b e r g e d e S e d o n a , Sedona 91.4 j Service h90.3 j84.4 g90.6 f90.6 H93.8 a88.5 h91.2 j92.6 g91.7 f92.6 H88.7 Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, g Food Dana Point 90.2 f Location Park Hyatt, Zurich 91.5 Mii Amo, Sedona 96.3 h90.1 j90.8 g86.3 f95.6 H90.2 a87.7 H h90.0 j97.5 g90.0 f90.0 H90.0 h95.6 j95.7 g96.8 f97.9 H95.7 a95.7 Design BRitz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay 90.8 a Activities Miraval Resort & Spa, Tucson 92.3 h91.2 j91.6 g87.5 f93.0 H92.3 a89.2 SCORES IN RED h91.1 j92.4 g92.4 f91.1 H92.4 a94.7 = OVERALL Çirağan Palace Kempinski, Hotel Healdsburg, Healdsburg 89.0 CK

h j g f H New to A Istanbul 96.2 CALIFORNIA 87.5 84.7 91.2 94.4 87.5 NEW J Gold List A h97.6 j97.6 g95.2 f95.2 H95.2 Beverly Hills Hotel and Montage, Laguna Beach 93.0

Platinum F LLY

h j g f H E Four Seasons Istanbul at h Bungalows,j g Beverlyf HHills 89.3 a 94.3 91.2 93.1 95.6 94.0 Circle h Sultanahmet,j g fIstanbulH 96.6 89.6 90.8 87.2 90.0 88.8 89.8 A Condé Nast 98.6 98.6 89.9 98.6 97.2 Traveler 2012 K BY PH NEW Montage, Beverly Hills 90.1 NEW Scripps Inn, La Jolla 91.4 Best Ski Resorts A h92.7 j91.1 g86.0 f91.7 H89.1 h92.7 j92.6 g91.9 f94.5 H85.5 GR Four Seasons Istanbul at the B Condé Nast

Bosphorus, Istanbul 93.6 In the heart of Beverly Hills shopping, this !is “quaint, adorable bed-and-breakfast” Traveler 2012 OTO h93.6 j93.6 g93.6 f89.4 H97.9 Spanish colonial hotel with “impeccable in the heart of La Jolla Village is a short Best Golf Resorts PH

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walk from restaurants and across from the NEW Vintage Inn, Napa Valley 93.1 “great selection” of steaks, seafood, and Museum of Contemporary Art. Despite h94.4 j93.4 g92.2 f97.2 H91.6 a89.1 vegetarian plates in an open-air setting, as its Lilliputian size, it manages to have !is “relaxing, beautiful inn” and spa on a well as a “lovely brunch” on the weekend. “beautiful, large rooms” overlooking the 23-acre estate with landscaped gardens “Staff make you feel at home.” Pacific with its dolphins, seals, and sea and a waterway “captures all the charm of CordeValle (Rosewood), San Martin 96.3 lions. !e property’s palette leans toward Napa.” French country–style buildings h100 j100 g96.3 f85.2 H100 a96.3 coastal grays and sandy greens. !ere is no connected by pathways and footbridges restaurant here, but the “delicious conti- house “refined rustic” rooms with an- Four Seasons !e Biltmore, nental breakfast” includes fresh-baked tiques, wood-burning fireplaces, and over- Santa Barbara 91.5 scones and muffins. Staff are “sooooo sized tubs. Staff provide “pampering, h92.8 j91.7 g90.3 f94.2 H92.3 a87.2 friendly,” contributing to the “serene and exceptional service that makes you feel Cal-A-Vie Health Spa, Vista 91.3 calming energy.” like family . . . royal family!” !e daily h91.3 j91.3 g91.3 f91.3 H91.3 a91.3 champagne breakfast buffet included in ARitz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe 91.0 the rate is “exquisitely delicious—the best h93.7 j87.5 g85.7 f92.1 H93.7 a93.3 COLORADO I’ve had anywhere.” San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito 92.9 ALittle Nell, Aspen 90.0 BResort at Pelican Hill, h94.9 j90.9 g93.9 f90.9 H93.9 h89.9 j89.0 g89.8 f96.0 H87.5 a87.9 Newport Beach 96.1 h j g f H a AB Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley 97.1 97.9 96.2 92.9 96.2 97.3 96.0 g Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch, h97.5 j97.2 g97.9 f97.2 H95.7 B Avon 91.0 Inn at Spanish Bay, h93.0 j88.9 g86.1 f91.6 H92.6 a93.5 Bardessono Inn & Spa, Napa Valley 89.9 Pebble Beach 90.8 WHAT YOU h89.3 j86.9 g84.8 f96.5 H91.8 h90.6 j90.2 g90.2 f94.9 H88.0 a91.1 SAID ABOUT ABWestin Riverfront Resort & Spa at B FOOD . . . Beaver Creek Mountain, Avon 95.8 Calistoga Ranch, Napa Valley 90.8 Lodge at Pebble Beach, h97.1 j94.2 g92.9 f96.0 H97.6 a96.8 h91.5 j91.6 g91.4 f94.2 H90.2 a85.8 Pebble Beach 93.1 PENINSULA h88.8 j94.5 g89.1 f98.2 H92.7 a95.1 HOUSE, St Julien Hotel & Spa, Boulder 89.2 Carneros Inn, Napa Valley 91.4 LAS TERRENAS, h93.4 j86.8 g82.5 f93.0 H89.9 DOMINICAN h95.4 j89.3 g94.6 f85.6 H92.4 NEW Terranea Resort, Rancho Palos Verdes 91.9 REPUBLIC B!e Broadmoor, “For an NEW Lavender, Napa Valley 90.1 h95.1 j90.6 g88.4 f93.3 H93.3 a90.7 Colorado Springs 92.5 h j g f H unforgettable 95.2 90.5 82.4 90.5 90.5 !is rambling resort on the Palos Verdes h94.1 j93.5 g90.5 f91.7 H93.3 a92.1 culinary and Built in the early twentieth century as a Peninsula overlooking Catalina Island “feels sensory Oxford Hotel, Denver 92.9 private home, this Napa Valley bed-and- more Mediterranean than Southern Cali- h j g f H breakfast has gray wooden siding, a wrap- experience, try 89.6 94.8 88.7 97.8 93.3 fornia.” “It’s hard to believe a resort as re- a seafood lunch around porch, and a flower garden with the mote as this is only 30 minutes from L.A.” at the Beach NEW Beaumont Hotel and Spa, namesake lavender. French Provincial !e 102-acre estate has bungalows, casitas, Ouray 92.2 Restaurant” accessories and fabrics in blue, green, lav- and villas with granite countertops, hard- h95.2 j90.5 g78.9 f100 H95.2 ender, red, and yellow adorn the eight wood floors, and vaulted ceilings. “From Built in 1886 at the height of the Gold Rush, guest rooms, which also come with fire- your room, you can look through the RITZ!CARLTON, this mountain-town hotel was one of the places, king-size beds, and “huge, brightly billowy white curtain and watch pods of NAPLES first to have electricity. !e French Gothic painted bathrooms.” While there’s no dolphins swim by.” Catalina Kitchen offers “The best place building with a skylit atrium has “great on-site restaurant, a “very yummy” a “can’t-miss” Friday night seafood buffet. for a burger ambience and a perfect location” near breakfast is included in the rate. “Don’t “It’s super family-friendly,” and the on the beach, shopping and hot springs. All 12 rooms are miss a game of boules in the garden.” nine-hole golf course is “a jewel—every and order the Key individually furnished and decorated lime pie while Solage Calistoga, Napa Valley 94.5 hole has a view.” !e 50,000-square-foot with antiques and restorations of original watching h95.8 j95.8 g95.7 f92.0 H93.9 a93.6 spa has 25 treatment rooms. hotel furnishings. Ouray Ore House the sun set.” St. Regis, San Francisco 91.5 Bar & Grille has a mining theme and serves NEW Villagio Inn & Spa, h j g f H steaks, seafood, and sandwiches. Napa Valley 89.5 93.0 90.4 87.4 94.1 92.0 h j g f H a HOTEL ARTS, AViceroy, Snowmass 90.4 88.8 89.8 87.6 95.9 88.8 85.6 Hotel Valencia Santana Row, BARCELONA NEW h90.1 j86.8 g85.6 f90.1 H94.5 a95.5 !is Mediterranean-style hotel is “a little San Jose 92.7 “After eating slice of heaven,” with Italian gardens, h96.3 j91.8 g87.1 f96.3 H91.8 at Enoteca, A NEW Fairmont Heritage Place, Franz cobblestone courtyards, fountains, and a For a “European vacation in the middle of you’ll go home Klammer Lodge, Telluride 94.9 faux Roman ruin. Rooms are scattered in Silicon Valley,” stay at this sleek, modern and dream h97.8 j97.8 g86.7 f100 H91.1 a93.3 two-story Tuscan-esque buildings hotel in the midst of the “shopping mecca” about Iberian !is rustic European-style resort in the surrounded by flowers and olive trees, Santana Row. !e location is “spectacular— ham” Rockies is “one of the best ski lodges in one and each has a wood-burning fireplace the area around the hotel has so many of the best ski towns in North America,” and an oversize sunken bathtub. !e things to do and places to have fun.” “De- garnering a perfect location score for its 13,000-square-foot Spa Villagio offers a signer accommodations” with a “spa-like setting in the heart of Mountain Village. Monticelli Mud treatment, with mud from feel” start at 350 square feet and come with After a day on the slopes, guests retire Parma that’s combined with cypress, views of Santana Row or a landscaped to “spacious, top-notch” 1,400- to lemon, and fennel essential oils. courtyard. Citrus Restaurant dishes up a 2,000-square-foot residences with two or three bedrooms, private balconies, exposed beams, distressed-wood furnishings, Viking stoves, European porcelain sinks, and natural-gas stone fireplaces. “Staff take care of all your needs with a smile.” !e gondola provides complimentary transpor- tation to nearby restaurants. AHotel Telluride, Telluride 92.6 Rows of h98.0 j98.0 g86.0 f93.9 H89.8 a88.9 reproduction A tortoise shells Inn at Lost Creek, Telluride 90.4 decorate h91.7 j97.2 g87.1 f97.2 H83.3 a84.8 ET the seafood AArrabelle at Vail Square, Vail 91.4 restaurant La h94.3 j88.7 g82.0 f96.2 H94.3 a92.2

L FIGU

E Marea at the King A and Grove Tides NEW !e Sebastian–Vail, Vail 91.6 South Beach. The h92.6 j92.0 g88.5 f95.6 H90.5 Kelly Wearstler– a90.3 PH BY MICH BY PH

A designed In the heart of Vail Village, this slopeside

GR Miami Beach resort, which opened in early 2011, has

OTO hotel scores a “homey, welcoming atmosphere yet is still

PH an 87.5 for food. so elegant.” Grounds include a mountain-

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0113-TR-GLJA07 UNITED STATES GOLD LIST 2013 view pool, fire pits, and hot tubs, while Marquesa Hotel, Key West 93.2 guest rooms are “made to feel like the house h92.6 j92.6 g91.8 f94.4 H94.3 you dream of,” with custom furnishings and stone-floor bathrooms. “!e world-class art hOceanj Key Resortg f & Spa,H Key Westa 91.5 displayed throughout is more than reason 91.9 92.3 89.1 97.6 90.3 87.3 enough for a visit.” Inspired by Napa, Block Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, 16’s menu is seasonal and employs ingredi- Little Torch Key 94.3 ents from Vail Valley, with wines from h94.9 j94.3 g92.1 f97.9 H96.4 a90.3 around the world. “!e caring staff treated B us like royalty from the second we arrived.” Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort, A Golf Club & Spa, Marco Island 90.3 Sonnenalp Resort of Vail, Vail 90.8 h91.0 j89.3 g81.3 f96.6 H92.3 a91.5 h90.2 j91.6 g90.1 f92.8 H90.4 a89.9 Mandarin Oriental, Miami 89.7 CONNECTICUT h94.0 j92.6 g91.1 f80.0 H91.1 Mayflower Inn and Spa, King and Grove Tides South Beach, Washington 92.7 Miami Beach 91.5 h93.4 j93.7 g93.7 f87.3 H95.2 h91.2 j91.2 g87.5 f94.7 H93.0

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA NEW Z Ocean Hotel South Beach, Miami Beach 90.5 !e Hay-Adams, Washington, D.C. 89.3 h j g f H h j g f H 95.5 86.4 82.4 95.5 90.9 89.1 90.7 83.4 95.1 88.0 “!e location and staff are excellent” at Willard InterContinental, this “very hip, fun small hotel” on South Washington, D.C. 89.3 Beach’s famous Ocean Drive. “!e rooms h88.5 j89.8 g81.5 f96.2 H90.3 are incredible, with every amenity,” including 250-square-foot balconies, FLORIDA floor-to-ceiling windows, and marble showers. “A good restaurant for break- Elizabeth Pointe Lodge, fast,” Front Porch Café also offers fish Ameliah j Islandg 93.0f H a tacos for lunch and seasonal cuisine 92.6 97.5 87.3 96.9 95.7 87.5 for dinner. “!e intimate pool area is BRitz-Carlton, Amelia Island 90.1 very inviting” and “hard to leave for the h91.6 j92.6 g86.0 f90.8 H90.6 a88.8 beach, which is a block away.” BLaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, NEW Sandpearl Resort, Clearwater Beach 90.6 Naples 92.3 h91.6 j91.1 g84.5 f94.3 H93.7 a88.3 h92.4 j92.1 g89.1 f96.0 H91.7 a92.5 “You would think you were on a tropical is- Ritz-Carlton, Naples 92.8 land” at the former Clearwater Beach Hotel, h94.0 j93.2 g88.6 f96.1 H92.1 now an LEED Silver–certified beach resort B within walking distance of Clearwater’s Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, strip of restaurants and bars and Pier 60. Naples 91.2 “Welcoming, comfortable rooms” are deco- h91.3 j94.0 g92.7 f85.4 H90.7 a93.2 rated in sandy hues with orange and yellow Waldorf Astoria, Orlando 91.9 highlights, dark wood furniture, local art, h97.2 j94.5 g88.8 f89.9 H89.0 and balconies that showcase “heavenly sunsets night after night.” !e dining at Brazilian Court Hotel & Beach Club, Caretta on the Gulf includes a seasonal Palm Beach 91.6 menu, sushi, and mostly organic produce. h92.6 j90.9 g94.4 f89.1 H90.9 “!e A+ service is prompt and pleasant.” B h!e Breakers,j g Palmf BeachH 91.6a NEW Il Lugano Suite Hotel, 85.8 92.5 87.5 96.6 94.7 92.9 Fort Lauderdale 89.8 h88.5 j92.3 g83.3 f92.3 H92.3 WaterColor Inn, Santa Rosa Beach 93.3 Stroll to the Intracoastal Waterway or h95.4 j90.0 g89.0 f96.4 H94.5 a94.3 Atlantic Ocean—two blocks away—from this contemporary hotel near Las Olas GEORGIA Boulevard. !e 15-floor property ushers guests into a chandelier-clad lobby done in NEW St. Regis, Atlanta 90.6 Venetian plaster. !e “amazing rooms have h92.8 j90.5 g86.3 f89.3 H94.0 gorgeous panoramic views,” and “we loved Located in the upscale Buckhead neighbor- the music coming from the Bose speakers hood, this 26-story hotel with a facade of when we entered.” With views of the ocean semicircular windows is within walking and waterway, the “excellent though distance of shopping, restaurants, and art expensive” Da Campo Osteria serves galleries. Inside, guests are greeted by a pair Italian fare. “!e staff were attentive, and of dramatic curved staircases and fireplac- the food and drinks were delicious.” es. “Spacious and modern rooms” have leather-wrapped desks, ivory bed linens, Pillars Hotel, Fort Lauderdale 93.9 and five-fixture marble baths. Visit the bar h91.3 j95.7 g90.9 f100 H91.3 for the “most extraordinary cocktails you’ve ever had”; for dinner, Paces 88 NEW La Mer Hotel & Dewey House, Key West 89.2 serves traditional American cuisine. h92.6 j92.6 g72.7 f96.3 H88.9 Lodge on Little St. Simons Island, !is self-proclaimed southernmost hotel in Little St. Simons Island 91.3 the United States comprises two “gorgeous, h92.0 j92.0 g88.0 f96.0 H88.0 a92.0 charming gingerbread-style homes” with large front porches and ocean views. Inte- NEW Foley House Inn, Savannah 92.5 riors are influenced by the surroundings— h94.7 j89.5 g94.1 f94.7 H89.5 at the Dewey House, the palette is blue and !is bed-and-breakfast in downtown gray; at La Mer, tropical greens, oranges, Savannah comprises two restored town and browns. Southernmost Beach Café houses facing Chippewa Square. Accom- serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner over- modations are furnished with four-poster looking the water. !e spa menu includes beds, antiques, Asian rugs, and paintings. a facial that uses seawater pearls. “!e best breakfast in Savannah” is a hearty

70 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2013 PHOTOGRAPH BY ADAM FRIEDBERG. STYLED BY ALI PEW. HAIR AND MAKEUP BY KERRIE URBAN A suite’s private pool or large daybed are just two places from which to contemplate Amangiri’s stark Canyon Point surroundings. The southern Utah resort scores a perfect 100 for location. Her shirt, $325, and shorts, $198, both by Tibi (tibi.com).

0113-TR-GLJA09 GOLD LIST 2013

wilderness retreat with the modern ameni- ties and dining you usually get at a big-city hotel.” Adirondack-style buildings made of rough stone and deep-grained wood house “cozy but elegant accommodations” rang- ing from private log cabins with stained- The Grandview glass accents to rooms with vaulted ceilings Conference in Tudor-style cottages. Guests extol “all Center at the the specialty food items,” like the ice cream Big Cedar Lodge, served at Frosty’s, in a vintage Airstream. in Ridgedale, “!ere’s so much to do or nothing to Missouri, looks do, depending on how you like it,” includ- onto the wooded ing “great bass fishing in the lake.” A cookie slopes of the lady visits every room before turndown. Ozark Mountains. The resort earns a NEVADA 92.7 for location. , Las Vegas 89.7 h89.3 j82.9 g90.2 f95.3 H90.8 Southern-style affair taken indoors or in Park Hyatt, Chicago 93.3 the private garden. Dinner is not offered, h94.5 j92.1 g90.7 f97.0 H92.1 Encore at Wynn, Las Vegas 90.7 but head to the parlor for early-evening h96.1 j87.5 g91.9 f84.5 H93.3 complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres !e Peninsula, Chicago 94.8 h93.9 j94.4 g93.3 f97.0 H95.3 served by “innkeepers who really want you Four Seasons, Las Vegas 91.2 h93.7 j96.0 g90.5 f86.2 H89.7 to be satisfied with your stay.” hRitz-Carlton,j g Chicagof 92.3H B!e Cloister, Sea Island 95.6 93.9 93.9 90.8 95.9 86.7 !e Palazzo, Las Vegas 90.6 h94.5 j84.1 g90.7 f92.1 H92.0 a89.8 h96.5 j96.2 g94.0 f95.7 H95.3 a96.1 Waldorf Astoria, Chicago 97.9 h99.2 j97.7 g95.7 f97.4 H99.2 !e Venetian, Las Vegas 89.4 HAWAII h92.5 j85.0 g87.6 f92.0 H89.7 B KENTUCKY Fairmont Orchid, Big Island 90.0 BWynn, Las Vegas 91.8 h86.5 j91.5 g86.0 f93.8 H91.1 a90.8 21c Museum Hotel, Louisville 96.8 h96.9 j89.9 g91.4 f87.4 H94.4 a91.0 h97.3 j97.3 g95.8 f95.8 H97.9 BFour Seasons Hualalai, NEW HAMPSHIRE Big Island 95.2 MAINE h95.2 j97.1 g93.2 f95.7 H96.2 a94.1 Wentworth by the Sea Hotel & Spa, Chebeague Island Inn, Casco Bay 93.0 BGrand Hyatt Kauai Resort and h j g f H New Castle 93.2 95.5 95.7 91.3 91.3 91.3 THE GOLD h93.9 j94.5 g90.6 f95.0 H92.3 Spa, Kauai 90.4 STANDARD h88.4 j90.9 g84.8 f93.5 H91.8 a92.9 White Barn Inn & Spa, Kennebunk Beach 91.3 NEW JERSEY St. Regis Princeville Resort, Kauai 93.0 h94.0 j93.2 g94.0 f89.0 H86.4 BEST SPOT TO Virginia Hotel, Cape May 91.9 h95.1 j94.1 g89.1 f95.2 H94.1 a90.4 BANISH WRITER’S NEW h90.9 j92.6 g92.5 f94.5 H89.1 B MARYLAND BLOCK Four Seasons Lana‘i at Manele Attention, all aspiring At the oldest seashore resort in the coun- Bay, Lanai 94.7 Inn at Perry Cabin, St. Michaels 93.6 writers: Head straight try—“one of the prettiest beach towns”— h96.3 j96.3 g85.5 f95.6 H96.9 a97.5 h93.6 j92.4 g93.6 f94.9 H93.7 to the Café Laurent, find “top-drawer accommodations.” B at the Hôtel !e location in the core of the historic dis- Four Seasons Lana‘i, !e Lodge MASSACHUSETTS d’Aubusson in Paris, trict impresses: “You can park your car and at Koele, Lanai 96.2 where no less than never use it again until you depart.” !e h96.1 j95.1 g92.1 f97.1 H99.0 a98.0 Eliot Hotel, Boston 89.6 Jean-Paul Sartre, h j g f H Simone de Beauvoir, town house–like setup includes “beautiful B 92.4 87.0 89.5 94.6 84.8 hFairmontj Keag Lani,f MauiH 89.8a and Albert Camus rooms with high ceilings” and “super 90.6 90.0 81.9 97.5 89.4 89.5 hFifteenj Beacon,g Bostonf 95.4H were frequent comfortable beds” outfitted with Italian B 95.9 95.9 94.5 97.1 93.5 visitors. May you be and Belgian linens. !e Ebbitt Room “has a Four Seasons Maui at Wailea, similarly inspired. buzz and great energy without being too Four Seasons, Boston 89.7 Maui 93.9 formal” and an “impressively constructed” h93.4 j95.7 g92.2 f97.0 H92.2 a92.7 h90.0 j90.9 g86.9 f91.8 H88.7 BEST ARGUMENT farm-to-table menu. BRitz-Carlton, Kapalua, Maui 89.5 Mandarin Oriental, Boston 94.7 FOR NEW MEXICO h93.5 j90.4 g88.8 f87.2 H87.7 h95.3 j94.3 g93.3 f96.3 H94.4 GLOBALIZATION Some hotels strive to Inn and Spa at Loretto, Santa Fe 92.5 Chatham Bars Inn, Chatham, emulate local design, NEW Wailea Beach Villas, Maui 93.7 h88.7 j90.3 g87.9 f99.2 H96.0 h j g f H Cape Cod 89.4 but Hong Kong’s 96.2 92.3 86.4 96.2 96.2 h j g f H a !is gated 11-acre residential property on 89.4 87.5 87.4 95.8 90.3 85.8 Island Shangri-La Inn of the Five Graces, embraces the world. NEW Santa Fe 94.2 Wailea Beach has private pedestrian access Wequassett Resort and Golf Club, Its interiors include h j g f H to Maui’s luxury shopping mall !e Shops Chatham, Cape Cod 89.8 Brazilian mahogany 95.2 90.5 94.7 95.2 95.2 at Wailea. “Top-of-the-range” accommo- h87.5 j86.4 g91.3 f91.4 H91.4 a91.1 woodwork, Thai !is inn with 400-plus-year-old adobe dations, the two- and three-bedroom timber handrails, buildings arranged around courtyards “is penthouse suites and villas range from hBlantyre,j Lenoxg 91.9f H Portuguese like Disneyland for all your senses.” Kitted 1,900 to 3,100 square feet and have open 90.6 100 84.4 96.9 87.5 and Spanish marble, out with “unbelievable mosaic tilework,” and Austrian the rooms, in jewel tones, come with tapes- floor plans and balconies with garden or Canyon Ranch, Lenox 90.6 crystal chandeliers. ocean views; some come with private h85.3 j94.1 g91.2 f90.9 H91.2 a91.2 tries and candelabras, wood-burning fire- pools. Guests can walk to “three or four of places, and “bathrooms as large as the living the best restaurants in Wailea.” !e Wauwinet, Nantucket 93.1 room.” 315 Restaurant serves contemporary h83.7 j95.9 g100 f98.0 H87.8 French dinners, with desserts like squash- , Oahu 91.1 blossom beignets. !e “excellent staff pro- h91.5 j90.2 g90.7 f93.0 H90.2 White Elephant, Nantucket 92.1 h92.4 j92.4 g89.4 f93.9 H92.4 vide everything you could think of.” !e spa Royal Hawaiian (Luxury Collection), takes its inspiration from the therapies of In- Oahu 89.9 MISSISSIPPI dia and Tibet. While the location near the h82.3 j90.3 g87.5 f98.3 H90.9 Plaza is “great, we were so enamored of the Alluvian Hotel, Greenwood 89.3 room that we seldom left!” Trump International Hotel Waikiki h93.3 j90.0 g96.7 f73.3 H93.3 Beach Walk, Oahu 93.6 Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, h96.9 j95.1 g88.1 f92.0 H95.7 MISSOURI Santa Fe 89.1 h85.1 j90.4 g87.8 f94.7 H87.2 Big Cedar Lodge, Ridgedale 92.7 ILLINOIS NEW h90.2 j92.7 g89.0 f92.7 H97.6 a93.8 AEl Monte Sagrado Living Resort Four Seasons, Chicago 91.7 Tucked in the Ozarks, this lodge on 230 and Spa, Taos 89.9 h92.3 j93.6 g89.0 f96.3 H87.3 acres by Table Rock Lake “has the feel of a h91.1 j91.1 g83.9 f89.3 H94.6 a89.6

72 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2013 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM

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NEW YORK “the hotel car is a Maserati equipped with a OREGON A driver at your disposal to take you anywhere Lake Placid Lodge, Lake Placid 93.2 within the city limits.” “Very comfortable Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach 92.6 h95.2 j95.2 g92.7 f97.6 H90.5 a87.5 h j g f H rooms” have expansive windows, deep 92.1 92.1 88.8 96.0 94.1 AMirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa, soaking tubs with walnut veneer, and rain Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge, Gold Beach 92.9 Lake Placid 94.0 showers, as well as espresso/cappuccino h94.1 j91.2 g93.8 f94.3 H91.4 h93.7 j95.1 g90.7 f98.6 H93.0 a92.8 makers. Bar on Fifth serves eclectic meals Allison Inn & Spa, Newberg 93.1 A such as seared foie gras quesadilla and olive h j g f H Whiteface Lodge, Lake Placid 91.9 oil–poached black cod. Staff are “helpful in 95.8 92.0 93.9 86.0 98.0 h93.3 j89.8 g88.1 f91.7 H93.3 a94.8 a low-key manner and with no attitude.” Heathman Hotel, Portland 89.5 Mohonk Mountain House, h88.3 j92.8 g90.0 f93.3 H83.3 NEW !e Sherry-Netherland, New Paltz 91.9 New York 90.4 h84.1 j91.9 g87.6 f98.0 H93.8 a95.8 PENNSYLVANIA h100 j100 g66.7 f100 H79.2 Andaz 5th Avenue, New York 89.9 Built in 1927, this former residential hotel Omni Bedford Springs Resort, NEW h j g f H NEW 91.7 88.5 78.2 96.7 93.4 THE GOLD across from Central Park earns perfect h Bedfordj g89.7 f H a Across the street from the main branch of STANDARD scores for its “wonderful service,” “ideal 92.5 93.2 86.9 81.6 91.8 92.3 the New York Public Library and Bryant location,” and rooms with “million-dollar Eleven U.S. presidents have stayed at this Park, this Midtown property is “everything views of the park.” Accommodations are 2,200-acre “quaint, old-fashioned resort” you could dream of in a hotel.” Opened in FRESHEST HONEY individually decorated in tones of soothing in the Allegheny Mountains; “it takes 2010, the former department store blends Talk about no-foot- beige, and all have marble bathrooms. !e you back in time in style.” For more than contemporary design with elements of pre- print food: The “great people working here” include “the 200 years, the property’s eight springs have war industrial New York, such as exposed- rooftop garden at served as a gathering place and still figure Vancouver’s Fairmont doorman and an elevator operator who al- pipe ceilings and sash windows. “It felt like Waterfront has an ways has a smile on his face, rain or shine.” in the treatments at the 30,000-square- being in an apartment building as opposed foot spa. With “the utmost respect for its apiary with 500,000 Trump International Hotel & Tower, to a hotel.” “Modern without being cold,” bees that produce heritage,” the resort has restored some rooms have porcelain footbaths, travertine the golden nectar hNew Yorkj 94.9g f H guest rooms; most include balconies with marble bathrooms, and floor-to-ceiling for the hotel’s drinks 94.8 93.8 95.7 97.9 92.3 rocking chairs overlooking the creek or windows. !e Shop restaurant has a show and tru#les. mountains. !e 1796 Room is the signature NEW Trump SoHo, New York 92.0 kitchen and a 15-foot-long communal table h96.9 j91.6 g85.6 f91.2 H94.2 steak and chop house. “A visit to the spa is where guests dine on “fresh, healthy, and BEST PLACES TO !is Spring Street hotel is “in the heart of all alone worth the trip.” delicious” seasonal dishes. TIE ONE ON that’s happening in SoHo.” !e tallest build- Lodge at Woodloch, Hawley 90.6 Monte Carlo’s Hôtel h j g f H a !e Carlyle (Rosewood), New York 92.0 de Paris has wine ing in the neighborhood, topping out at 46 94.1 97.1 87.9 82.4 85.3 97.1 h90.5 j94.3 g95.0 f92.5 H87.7 cellars with more stories, it has floor-to-ceiling windows that than 600,000 provide “beautiful views” of the Hudson , 93.0 New York 89.0 h j g f H NEW Crosby Street Hotel, bottles, while the bar River and the Empire State Building. !e 91.6 94.7 90.7 96.2 91.6 h95.7 j87.5 g87.5 f69.6 H95.8 a95.8 at Scotland’s Old “stylish decor” in the two-story lobby RHODE ISLAND Opened in SoHo in 2009, this Kit Kemp– Course Hotel, showcases a water feature and walls of lava designed 11-story brownstone has floor- Golf Resort & Spa stone from Pompeii. Rooms are “contempo- Chanler at Cliff Walk, Newport 91.3 to-ceiling windows throughout and is stocks 200-plus rary with beautiful appointments,” includ- h91.0 j91.0 g93.9 f91.0 H89.6 environmentally certified as an LEED Gold whiskeys. (Restraint? What’s that?) ing custom sofas, chairs, and headboards by property. “Bright and cheery rooms” Ocean House, Watch Hill 90.0 Fendi Casa. Dine on Japanese cuisine at Koi NEW are individually decorated with tall head- h98.4 j85.2 g82.0 f96.7 H91.8 a85.2 SoHo. “Every single person—from the front boards and sleek modern furniture— EASIEST PLACE Opened in 1868, this Victorian hotel wel- desk to the doormen to the housekeepers—is “they’re a welcome refuge from the world TO DISCONNECT comed guests for 135 years before closing so friendly and personable.” !e spa has two below.” “We ate the delicious, robust, and The thatched-roof for a $146 million renovation that was com- bungalows at Little hammam treatment rooms. generous breakfast each morning—a great pleted in 2010. Much of the original design start to our day.” Palm Island Resort & Spa, on Florida’s NORTH CAROLINA and some of the furniture and artifacts from Four Seasons, New York 92.9 Little Torch Key, have the old structure were kept intact. “!e Inn on Biltmore Estate, h93.6 j92.7 g91.2 f95.0 H92.2 no phones, no televi- word awesome barely begins to describe sions, no clocks . . . Asheville 91.7 this Rhode Island treasure. It sits on a pris- and no stresses. h92.9 j93.0 g88.8 f91.7 H91.9 NEW Kimberly Hotel, New York 89.0 tine white beach and is very private and h92.8 j92.0 g77.5 f96.0 H84.8 (If, that is, you turn Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary 89.8 ultra-exclusive.” Expect “beautiful views” !is European-style hotel is a few minutes’ o" your cell phone.) h95.2 j94.3 g87.7 f79.4 H92.5 of the water from rooms done in yellow, walk from Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick’s blue, turquoise, and cream; many have Cathedral, and Radio City Music Hall. “It is CLOSEST Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte 89.1 fireplaces. Seasons Restaurant offers “so-so perfectly located for restaurants and shop- APPROXIMATION h93.3 j89.9 g85.6 f88.2 H88.2 farm-to-table cuisine” that changes daily. ping.” “Charming, spacious rooms” have OF NIRVANA FOR KIDS marble baths and “heavenly beds” with NEW Old Edwards Inn and Spa, SOUTH CAROLINA Frette linens. !e bar Upstairs is “great for Face painting, Highlands 90.1 puzzles, and sand h j g f H BInn at Palmetto Bluff, brunch and cocktails.” “!e only thing I 88.9 92.7 87.3 92.7 89.1 castles? Please! Bluffton 97.2 might change is the Nubian statues in In a “beautiful location” on Main Street in a That’s so ’90s. h99.3 j97.8 g95.6 f94.2 H98.5 a97.7 the lobby—they look out of place. Other- The kids’ club at town 90 minutes southwest of Asheville, wise it’s a small gem with superb service.” Chiang Mai’s this European-style hotel offers “under- Charleston Place, Charleston 91.6 Mandarin Oriental stated elegance in the best summer getaway h87.8 j90.0 g90.7 f98.3 H91.2 !e Peninsula, New York 95.4 Dhara Dhevi ups spot east of the Mississippi.” Converted h95.7 j95.7 g92.0 f96.7 H96.7 its game (and from Highlands’s first boardinghouse, the NEW Elliott House Inn, Charleston 90.1 puts other clubs to h j g f H !e Pierre (Taj), New York 89.3 “charming old inn” has guest rooms that 90.9 93.9 86.2 93.9 84.8 shame) with activities Built as a private home in 1861, this “won- h89.2 j94.0 g79.7 f96.4 H86.7 like rice planting, are individually decorated with antiques water bu"alo riding, selected by the owner, with additional derful inn” is in the city’s historic district !e Plaza, New York 91.3 and muay Thai rooms, suites, and cottages spread across and close to the Battery and the City Mar- h90.7 j91.3 g84.0 f98.9 H91.3 (kickboxing). the property’s several acres. Complete with ket. Rooms, which open onto a courtyard, Ritz-Carlton New York, Central a private wine cellar, Madison’s Restaurant have flat-screen TVs, hardwood floors, and Park, New York 90.6 highlights fresh organic fare, relying on Asian rugs following a two-year renovation h90.8 j90.7 g87.9 f95.1 H88.3 produce grown at the on-site farm. “Over- completed in 2011. !ough there is no res- all, the restaurants here are the best in the taurant on-site, a continental breakfast of St. Regis, New York 91.7 Highlands-Cashiers area.” bagels, fruit, yogurt, granola, and more is h92.5 j92.0 g86.8 f97.1 H89.7 delivered to guests each morning, and Fearrington House Inn & there’s a complimentary wine and cheese Setai Fifth Avenue, New York 91.0 NEW Restaurant, Pittsboro 96.7 reception each evening. “It’s like you are at h93.8 j93.8 g85.7 f87.5 H93.8 h100 j100 g100 f86.0 H97.7 home. !at’s a wonderful feeling.” “Best hotel in New York, period.” !ree blocks from the Empire State Building, this Swag Mountaintop Inn, Smoky French Quarter Inn, property is in a 60-story, mixed-use Art Mountains National Park 94.0 Charleston 96.6 Deco skyscraper. Don’t fret about cabs— h88.9 j86.3 g92.6 f96.3 H96.2 h97.4 j96.4 g92.2 f98.5 H98.0

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B hHarbourViewj g Inn,f CharlestonH 95.5 Mokara Hotel & Spa, hWilliamsburgj g Inn,f WilliamsburgH a 89.0 96.1 96.5 90.7 98.2 95.1 h Sanj Antoniog 92.9f H 90.3 87.3 85.8 94.1 87.4 89.3 95.8 91.8 89.1 95.9 91.8 B John Rutledge House Inn, NEW Williamsburg Lodge, Charleston 94.5 UTAH Williamsburg 90.7 h95.6 j95.1 g91.4 f95.1 H95.0 h89.5 j90.6 g86.6 f96.3 H91.0 a89.8 NEW Amangiri, Canyon Point 91.4 Steps away from historic Colonial Williams- Market Pavilion Hotel, Charleston 92.5 h93.5 j90.3 g83.9 f100 H93.5 a87.1 h91.3 j91.3 g88.4 f97.1 H94.2 burg, brick buildings connected by covered Opened in 2009 in the center of the Grand walkways make up this “charming lodge” Planters Inn, Charleston 93.2 Circle, this resort, designed to blend into designed in the 1930s by the Rockefellers. h92.2 j94.8 g91.7 f96.4 H91.1 the landscape, is located on a perfect- Interiors are characterized by folk art, orig- scoring 600 acres surrounded by the Grand inal bluestone floors, and cypress accents. Restoration on King, NEW Canyon, Monument Valley, and Grand “Gorgeous British colonial–style rooms Charleston 92.4 Staircase-Escalante. “It’s understated but h94.0 j92.0 g86.8 f94.0 H94.0 have spa-like bathrooms,” a palette absolute luxury in the desert.” Entry to of reds and blues, and quilted beds. At the Opened in 2010, this “one-of-a-kind, each “spare but very comfortable” suite is restaurant, indulge in contemporary beautiful hotel near Museum Mile and via a private courtyard with a Douglas fir American cuisine that is “nothing short of right off the King Street shopping district” timber screen; inside, white stone floors gourmet,” with an emphasis on Chesa- comprises four buildings, the oldest of and concrete walls complement rawhide peake seafood and local wines. which dates to 1921. Interiors mix the furniture with natural timbers, blackened “historic exposed-brick look with modern steel fittings, and light-colored cushions. H WASHINGTON decor” and include “out-of-this-world “Staff are low-key, friendly, and WHAT YOU rooms” with wood floors, dark-wood fur- attentive—but not always immediately NEW Heathman Hotel, Kirkland 94.5 niture, contemporary art, and stainless on top of anticipating guests’ needs, such SAID ABOUT h97.2 j95.3 g95.1 f91.6 H93.5 steel washers and dryers. Caveat: “Stay as towels by the pool.” !e Dining Room DESIGN . . . !is newcomer opened in 2007 on the east- on the top floor if you can. We didn’t. uses locally sourced seasonal produce and ern shore of Lake Washington. “All of the W, HONG KONG !ere’s not a lot of sound insulation, and has an open kitchen with a wood-fired staff were wonderful and even offered me a “Using the design we heard footsteps from the floor above.” oven that creates “spectacular food.” complimentary upgrade when I had to wait theme of an Dinner is not served, but a continental a little longer than expected due to an unruly AStein Eriksen Lodge Deer enchanted forest, breakfast is delivered to the room each guest in front of me. Going that extra mile Valley, Park City 89.7 this Kowloon hotel morning in a picnic basket and there’s a really left an impression—can’t wait to h86.4 j90.1 g90.1 f92.6 H86.4 a92.4 is incredibly wine and cheese reception in the lobby stay there again.” Remaining consistent innovative, each evening. with Kirkland’s turn-of-the-century look, VERMONT cutting-edge, hip, BSanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf the exterior showcases arches, balconies, ABStowe Mountain Lodge, Stowe 93.2 and wild” Resort, Kiawah Island 95.8 and brick and stucco finishes, while the h94.0 j91.5 g88.5 f96.2 H94.4 a94.7 h97.9 j95.4 g92.3 f96.2 H96.6 a96.4 interior uses stone, wood, and metal. Trellis Pitcher Inn, Warren 89.6 , Restaurant offers “fabulously prepared” COUNTY LIMERICK TENNESSEE h91.3 j95.7 g91.3 f82.6 H87.0 farm-to-table cuisine. “This nineteenth- Blackberry Farm, Walland 92.3 Hotel 1000, Seattle 94.4 VIRGINIA century neo- h j g f H h91.2 j91.5 g93.6 f90.4 H94.6 Gothic manor is a 94.8 94.8 91.0 94.3 97.1

NEW Kimpton’s Lorien Hotel & Spa, photographer’s Inn at the Market, Seattle 90.6 TEXAS Alexandria 94.5 h j g f H dream” h91.0 j86.5 g88.4 f99.3 H87.3 Lake Austin Spa Resort, 91.7 91.9 94.3 97.3 97.3 Austin 92.7 Encounter this “real treat” of a hotel in a Salish Lodge & Spa, Snoqualmie 90.2 h j g f H a “wonderful location” in the center of LE QUARTIER h91.8 j90.8 g86.7 f91.8 H89.8 93.0 94.9 93.7 90.9 92.0 92.0 FRANÇAIS, Old Town Alexandria. Walk through a brick FRANSCHHOEK, Alderbrook Resort & Spa, Ritz-Carlton, Dallas 91.9 courtyard into a lobby that mixes classic NEW h j g f H Union 94.9 92.5 93.3 91.4 90.8 91.7 with contemporary—slate floors, a wall of “The privately h j g f H a owned auberge is 100 100 87.0 95.7 100 87.0 Rosewood Crescent Hotel, stacked slate, modern chandeliers, and a Queen Anne–style reception desk. “Won- small and intimate, With perfect scores for rooms, service, Dallas 93.8 and design, “you won’t go wrong staying h90.7 j95.4 g95.2 f95.3 H92.6 derful rooms” in whites, pale blues, and with beautiful grays are furnished with trellis-like head- secluded gardens” here.” On the shores of Hood Canal, two Rosewood Mansion on Turtle boards and updated wing chairs. Specializ- hours from Seattle, this 88-acre “great get- Creek, Dallas 92.1 ing in American-inspired Belgian cuisine, away” is near the PGA-rated Alderbrook h92.1 j95.8 g94.4 f88.6 H89.8 Brabo delivers “amazing food and service.” Golf Course. When it opened in 1913, guests stayed in simple canvas tents; today accom- hHotel jSorellag CityCentre,f H Houston 93.5 Keswick Hall at Monticello, modations include waterfront cabins 95.3 92.8 94.0 90.7 94.6 Charlottesville 92.8 and private houses with Craftsman-style h94.1 j94.1 g94.2 f90.4 H92.3 a91.5 Hotel Valencia Riverwalk, exteriors and interiors that mimic a family San Antonio 92.2 Colonial Houses, Williamsburg 96.6 beach house. !e Restaurant at Alderbrook h93.3 j90.5 g89.5 f96.0 H91.4 h95.4 j98.3 g94.0 f98.9 H96.6 a96.4 dishes up local seafood such as tiny sweet oysters and Dungeness crab cakes. Willows Lodge, Woodinville 89.2 h92.5 j92.6 g92.5 f80.9 H88.3 a88.8

WEST VIRGINIA B!e Greenbrier, White Sulphur Springs 91.2 h92.0 j95.0 g89.1 f84.5 H94.1 a93.0

WYOMING Jenny Lake Lodge, Grand Teton National Park 89.2 h80.8 j93.7 g84.6 f97.5 H93.7 a84.5

Uruguayan artist AAmangani, Jackson Hole 93.5 Carlos Capelán h95.7 j95.7 g88.6 f93.6 H95.7 a90.9 painted the AFour Seasons, Jackson Hole 95.4 14-foot murals h96.9 j92.9 g93.8 f95.9 H94.9 that greet guests a97.9 in the lobby of New York’s Andaz AHotel Terra, Teton Village 94.9 5th Avenue. h94.9 j93.1 g94.7 f98.3 H94.9 a93.1

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BRosewood Tucker’s Point, Bermudah j 89.4g f H a The Americas 96.7 81.3 83.3 92.3 93.4 89.7 Peninsula House, Las Terrenas, $is region goes %om #rong to #ronger, with Mexico making a particularly 98.2 impressive &owing with high scores and new properties h100 j100 g97.0 f97.0 H97.0

WHILE MEXICO may have been making headlines recently for the wrong reasons, what is NEW Tortuga Bay at Punta Cana boldly apparent is that the country’s hotels and resorts continue to transfix our readers. Resort and Club, Punta Cana, Dominican Republic 91.3 !e Americas has a whopping 116 properties this year (second only to the United States’ 195), h100 j90.5 g85.7 f90.5 H90.5 a 25 percent leap from just five years ago. !is year, 37 hotels and resorts from our southern Explore the “exquisite grounds” of this neighbor populate the list, and 7 of those are brand-new additions. A notable surge is Oscar de la Renta–designed property using evident in San Miguel de Allende, a central Mexican city filled with colonial architecture the private golf cart assigned to each room. Bright, airy beachfront villas are “as that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008—and is now home to three good as it gets,” with wicker furnishings, Gold List hotels. Elsewhere, newcomers include a waterfront skyscraper in Vancouver, a palette of island colors, four-poster a small Bahamian inn, a Georgian retreat in the mountains of , three beach idylls canopy beds, and villa concierges awaiting in the Turks and Caicos, and a butterfly-shaped Trump tower in City. your call on the complimentary mobile phone. Two championship golf courses are “really good and scenic.” !e tucked- away Bamboo serves Mediterranean- influenced dishes. Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman 92.5 h93.7 j90.4 g92.5 f95.4 H90.4 a92.7

NEW Secrets St. James, Montego Bay, Jamaica 88.7 h96.0 j84.0 g80.0 f84.0 H92.0 a96.0 “Worth the cost,” this adults-only all- A lantern-lit table inclusive is set on a half-mile stretch of on the beach and Montego Bay. With dark hardwood floors another sublime and rich fabrics, the “beautiful decor” Caribbean sunset combines British colonial style and con- are de rigueur temporary touches. Accommodations have at Aruba’s Bucuti private furnished balconies and whirlpool & Tara Beach tubs. !ere are a total of nine restaurants, Resorts. The so guests can choose from pan-Asian at Hi- property, on Eagle mitsu to trattoria-style Italian at Portofino, Beach, scores a which also has a wine cellar—“the food was 96.3 for location. not particularly memorable, but the piña coladas by the pool were unforgettable.” ATLANTIC & CARIBBEAN B&B and private rental home is minutes Spend the day at the Secrets Spa by Pevo- ISLANDS from Harbour Island’s famous Pink Sand nia, which offers hydrotherapy and indige- Beach. Designed by J. Wallace Tutt, who nous treatments. Cap Juluca, 89.6 created Versace’s Miami mansion and h82.9 j86.7 g89.5 f97.1 H91.4 a90.2 !e Caves, Negril, Jamaica 94.7 Cher’s Malibu home, the property melds h90.0 j93.3 g96.7 f96.7 H96.7 colonial and contemporary Caribbean NEW Viceroy, Anguilla 91.3 h96.6 j87.3 g87.3 f87.3 H89.8 design. Rooms have 400-count linens as Couples Swept Away, Negril, a95.8 well as picnic baskets. Rock House Jamaica 91.5 h91.0 j95.5 g85.1 f92.5 H92.5 a92.3 Situated between the beaches of Barnes and Restaurant serves a Caribbean-meets- Meads bays, this “jaw-dropping, Mediter- California/Mediterranean menu using Couples Sans Souci, Ocho Rios, ranean-style modern resort” has large glass fresh seafood and vegetables. Jamaica 89.8 windows throughout with “remarkable One&Only Ocean Club, Paradise h90.2 j95.1 g87.8 f85.4 H92.7 a87.5 views in all directions.” In contrast to the Island, Bahamas 91.7 Jamaica Inn, Ocho Rios, Jamaica 88.3 geometric themes of the architecture, the h89.3 j90.6 g87.1 f94.1 H94.1 a95.0 h j g f H Kelly Wearstler–designed suites feature 91.7 88.9 83.3 91.7 86.1 organic elements like driftwood lamps and Pink Beach Club & Cottages, NEW Strawberry Hill Hotel, Spa & petrified-wood tables, plus sundecks and hBermudaj 92.5g f H a Gardens, St. Andrew, Jamaica 89.6 plenty of space: “You could fit a party of 50 96.3 96.3 88.9 92.6 88.9 92.0 h87.0 j87.0 g91.3 f91.3 H91.3 in there.” Signature restaurant Cobà serves Pompano Beach Club, !is Georgian-style hotel in the mountains seafood and homemade pastas. “You never NEW Bermuda 91.5 was built on a coffee plantation that have to ask for anything because staff KEY TO SYMBOLS h88.5 j96.2 g96.2 f88.5 H88.5 belonged to the British royal family always seem to know what you want and !is beachfront newcomer on Bermuda’s in the eighteenth century. Original an- need before you say a word.” !e three h Rooms southwest coast is “heaven on earth.” tiques, canopied beds, and hand-carved pools are “particularly heavenly.” Children j Service Started as the island’s first fishing club, the fretwork decorate the cottages—“and can learn to make kites at the kids’ center. g Food those views . . . wow!” Using ingredients family-run property is adjacent to Port f Curtain Bluff, 93.2 Royal Golf Course. “Peaceful surroundings” Location grown on the grounds and a stone grill h94.6 j94.6 g89.2 f97.3 H91.9 a91.9 include public areas with wicker and rattan H Design on the main lawn, chefs prepare local furniture upholstered in tan, green, and a Activities dishes with traditional pimento-infused Jumby Bay (Rosewood), Antigua 97.5 techniques. “Jamaica definitely isn’t turquoise fabrics, and classic island- SCORES IN RED h100 j95.8 g95.8 f95.8 H100 just for beach vacations. It was spectacular tropical rooms. “!e views from almost = OVERALL being up in the mountains where my Bucuti & Tara Beach Resorts, anywhere on the grounds are just spectacu- New to NEW favorite kind of coffee comes from.” !e Aruba 90.9 lar.” Named for the wood used in the Gold List infinity pool overlooks Kingston and offers h90.7 j96.3 g83.3 f96.3 H90.7 a87.8 chairs, beams, and paneled walls, the Platinum a 40-mile view. Cedar Room serves a five-course dinner Circle Rock House Hotel, Harbour Island, NEW that changes nightly. “!e staff are just A Sandals Whitehouse European Village Bahamas 91.1 Condé Nast awesome—so friendly and eager to accom- Traveler 2012 & Spa, Westmoreland, Jamaica 93.4 h88.9 j92.6 g96.3 f85.2 H92.6 modate your every whim.” Best Ski Resorts h97.0 j90.9 g95.5 f86.4 H97.0 a93.8 With “unique decor and artwork” match- B B Condé Nast B ing each individually themed room (Citrus, !e Reefs, Bermuda 95.1 Traveler 2012 Four Seasons, Nevis 91.5 Monkey, Parrot, Seahorse), this former h91.0 j96.2 g96.4 f98.1 H95.8 a92.9 Best Golf Resorts h92.8 j89.8 g84.7 f94.9 H94.9 a91.8

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Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Fairmont Vancouver Airport, Nevis 95.8 Richmond 88.2 h96.1 j97.5 g97.5 f96.6 H96.6 a90.5 h93.0 j91.4 g77.6 f90.9 H87.6 Las Casitas Village, Fajardo, Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver 91.4 Puerto Rico 88.2 h93.4 j89.5 g87.5 f93.9 H92.8 h95.0 j95.0 g63.2 f90.0 H90.0 a95.0 Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver 88.4 Horned Dorset Primavera, Rincón, h89.2 j89.5 g81.4 f95.5 H85.8 Puerto Rico 88.5 h90.0 j90.5 g90.5 f81.0 H90.5 NEW Loden Hotel, Vancouver 88.4 h94.4 j86.1 g82.8 f83.3 H94.4 NEW St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Vancouver’s bustling waterfront is reflect- Rio Grande, Puerto Rico 90.4 ed in the facade of this 15-story hotel made h97.5 j87.5 g92.5 f80.0 H97.5 a87.5 of glass, stone, and copper. Rooms “feel On a former coconut plantation between like home” and are done in caramels the Espíritu Santo River and El Yunque and corals, with floor-to-ceiling windows, rain forest, a 30-minute drive from Dornbracht Philippe Starck fixtures, Old San Juan, this two-year-old resort and marble bathrooms with soaker tubs is “pure secluded paradise.” Low-rise and rain showers. “Every member of plantation-style buildings on 483 acres Cocktails and porary furniture, tile floors, and dark the well-trained staff made our stay have guest rooms with custom-designed quick eats draw wenge woods outfit the “really big memorable.” Tableau Bar Bistro serves cherry furnishings, beamed ceilings, customers to rooms,” all of which have ocean views up “a fantastic French menu” with rattan fans, Pratesi linens, and “enormous Café-Bar Artefact, through floor-to-ceiling windows. “It’s dishes like tuna niçoise, rabbit terrine, showers.” Dining options are “varied at Auberge St- chic, but there’s no pretension.” At Stelle, and boeuf bourguignon. but superb”; for traditional Puerto Rican Antoine in modern Mediterranean cuisine with local food, head to the beachfront Fern, where Quebec City. The specialties includes conch, grouper, Wedgewood Hotel & Spa, “remarkable service and a stunning hotel, in the heart and Caribbean spiny lobster. “Friendly Vancouver 90.3 jungle setting combine for an unforgetta- of the Old Port staff” contribute to the “great vibe.” h93.0 j91.4 g86.0 f91.4 H89.7 neighborhood, ble experience!” !e property has a !e Exhale Spa offers reflexology. Sooke Harbour House, Sooke, gets a food private bird sanctuary. Vancouver Island 92.2 score of 91.0. NEW Regent Palms, Providenciales, Eden Rock, St. Barts 91.5 Turks and Caicos 89.3 h95.3 j97.7 g95.5 f88.6 H84.1 h88.7 j92.7 g92.6 f94.5 H89.1 h94.6 j85.1 g79.5 f95.9 H91.9 a88.6 Long Beach Lodge Resort, Tofino, At this “upscale yet comfortable” British Hôtel Christopher, St. Barts 91.8 Vancouver Island 93.4 NEW colonial–style hotel on Grace Bay Beach, h89.5 j87.0 g86.4 f100 H95.7 h92.2 j92.2 g92.2 f98.0 H94.1 a91.5 buildings clad in Barbadian coral stone With a perfect-scoring location in Pointe house two- and three-bedroom suites that Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, Milou, this recently renovated hotel has “a are “stunning, stunning, stunning,” with Vancouver Island 92.6 lovely setting, beautiful grounds, and a marble floors, king-size beds, and “gor- h95.8 j95.9 g85.4 f96.9 H94.8 a86.5 wonderful pool.” “Very modern and clean” geous views.” Continental breakfast is rooms are “small but utilize the space THE GOLD ABFairmont Chateau, Whistler 90.9 included in the rate; “it’s a nice touch to well,” and all have rain showers and Laura h90.4 j90.9 g86.0 f93.8 H90.9 a93.2 STANDARD get you started for a long day of sunbathing Tonatto amenities; some have terraces with and relaxing.” Parallel 23 has a wood- A teak lounges and sea views. Kick off an Four Seasons, Whistler 95.1 BEST NO!GUILT h j g f H alfresco dinner at Taïno Bar and Restaurant burning oven, serves steaks and seafood, 95.7 95.7 92.1 94.9 94.0 VACATION and offers alfresco dining. More “like a98.2 with seared tuna with coconut milk. “!e In Florida, guests at best massage I have ever had at a spa” is the salon of a private home,” the bar has the Marco Island indoor and outdoor seating. ONTARIO given in rooftop tents overlooking the sea. Marriott Beach “St. Barts is a dreamy place . . . and so is Resort, Golf Club & NEW Seven Stars Resort, Langdon Hall Country House Hotel this hotel.” Spa who participate Providenciales, Turks and and Spa, Cambridge 97.4 in the property’s Caicos 93.8 h100 j100 g96.8 f90.3 H100 Hôtel Le Toiny, St. Barts 93.9 voluntourism pro- h97.3 j91.0 g87.2 f98.2 H96.4 a92.8 h94.4 j95.0 g95.0 f90.0 H95.0 gram get 15 percent Queen’s Landing, A fan-shaped trio of seven-story buildings o" their stay. Where Niagara-on-the-Lake 92.8 Hotel St-Barth Isle de France, do we sign up? curve around a beachfront pool and patio at h92.9 j92.7 g92.9 f95.2 H90.5 St. Barts 92.9 this Grace Bay resort, close to Providencia- h89.5 j93.3 g96.7 f96.7 H88.3 les’s shopping district. “Enormous, gor- BEST REASON Fairmonth j Châteaug f Laurier,H Ottawa 88.3 Anse Chastanet, St. Lucia 95.4 TO ENJOY geous rooms” in soft colors have marble 84.4 88.5 85.7 94.3 85.5 h j g f H BEING A GIRL baths and soaking tubs, and prove that 97.0 96.3 93.3 96.3 94.8 Ritz-Carlton, Toronto 89.5 It’s a woman’s “bigger does mean better.” Staff “can be a NEW a94.7 h93.1 j91.4 g83.6 f91.4 H87.9 world at Riyadh’s little slow” but “always serve with a smile Jade Mountain, St. Lucia 95.1 Al Faisaliah Hotel, and remember names.” Seven dishes up !is “stylish, cutting-edge” hotel—opened h97.0 j95.5 g92.5 f97.0 H97.0 a91.7 where the ladies-only Caribbean-inspired cuisine at dinner, with in 2011 between Toronto’s theater and spa has 13 treatment entrées like house-made stone crab ravioli. financial districts and near the CN Tower— Ladera, St. Lucia 90.7 rooms spread “lives up to the hype.” Rooms are “gor- h86.0 j90.7 g95.3 f90.7 H 90.7 over four !loors. Biras Creek Resort, Virgin Gorda 93.1 geous, with amazing beds,” contemporary h92.3 j92.5 g95.2 f92.9 H92.9 a92.5 Sugar Beach (formerly Jalousie furnishings, heated floors, and either city Plantation), St. Lucia 90.3 BEST GARDEN OF Rosewood Little Dix Bay, or water views from the floor-to-ceiling EDEN MOMENT h91.4 j93.1 g87.9 f93.1 H86.2 Virgin Gorda 92.9 windows. Toca has a walk-through pastry One reader likened h95.2 j89.8 g86.9 f97.2 H95.4 corridor, a glass-encased cheese cave, and Palm Island Resort, St. Vincent and the Cambodia’s La a menu focusing on Canadian-raised and Grenadines 89.7 Résidence d’Angkor, housed within a CANADA -grown ingredients. “!e spa is a dream,” h80.8 j92.3 g88.5 f96.2 H92.3 a88.0 walled garden of with “fabulous treatments” like a regener- Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos 92.5 palms, bougainvillea, ALBERTA ating facial therapy using Clarins products, and frangipani, to “a as well as a saltwater pool. “Staff go way h92.2 j92.2 g90.2 f98.0 H90.2 AFairmont Chateau Lake Louise, jungle oasis.” All this above and beyond.” Lake Louise 91.0 Amanyara, Providenciales, Turks and and a twelfth-century h89.0 j90.6 g85.7 f98.6 H92.2 a89.7 Caicos 92.6 temple complex QUEBEC h j g f H just down the road. A 96.3 92.6 92.6 88.9 92.6 Post Hotel & Spa, Hôtel Nelligan, Montreal 91.4 Gansevoort Turks & Caicos, Lake Louise 91.0 h91.8 j95.1 g87.7 f96.7 H85.2 NEW h84.2 j97.4 g92.1 f89.5 H94.7 a87.1 Providenciales, Turks and Le St-Sulpice Hôtel, Montreal 91.9 Caicos 88.3 BRITISH COLUMBIA h96.7 j90.0 g82.8 f96.7 H93.3 h95.1 j85.4 g78.0 f87.8 H95.1 “New York City meets the Caribbean” at King Pacific Lodge, Princess Royal Auberge St-Antoine, this white beachfront resort surrounding a Island 96.9 Quebec City 94.2 7,000-square-foot infinity pool. Contem- h97.4 j97.4 g97.4 f100 H94.7 a94.7 h95.0 j93.8 g91.0 f96.3 H95.0

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MEXICO Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta (formerly San José del Cabo, the property has one-, Vallarta Palace), Nuevo Vallarta 88.4 two-, and three-bedroom villas that start at NEW Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués, h91.1 j89.3 g82.1 f91.1 H89.3 a87.5 1,200 square feet—“they are gigantic”—and h Acapulcoj g 88.7f H a are outfitted in “super-plush finishes” with 87.5 83.3 87.5 91.7 95.8 85.7 Grand Velas Riviera Maya, Playa del natural stone floors. !e signature restau- Opened in 2010, this “absolutely breath- Carmen 93.9 rant, Javier’s, is “five star” and serves tradi- h97.1 j94.2 g89.9 f94.2 H94.2 a94.0 taking” destination is “the place to go with tional Mexican cuisine facing the beach. your significant other.” !e Asian-inspired Poolside dining is offered at the palapa-style NEW Playacar Palace, Playa del design includes villas on stilts with pitched Carmen 91.6 Flor de Noche, where guests can swim up to roofs, each with its own private pool and h94.4 j97.2 g86.1 f91.7 H91.7 a88.2 the bar or relax under egg-shaped cabanas. wood sundeck. “Everything is like a In “a fantastic location” right on the Carib- “Staff are consistently attentive.” dream,” including interiors adorned with bean Sea, this “in-town resort” is steps Casa de Sierra Nevada, San Miguel de Talavera earthenware, black onyx lamps, from Playa del Carmen’s Fifth Avenue and and etched-tin mirror frames. Visit cliff- Allende 89.4 the Cozumel Ferry Dock. Guest rooms have h86.5 j89.5 g84.2 f94.7 H92.1 perched Saffron for traditional !ai over- double whirlpools, and most offer balconies looking the Pacific Ocean. Although it earns with ocean views. !e “best poolside games NEW Hotel Matilda, San Miguel de “an A+ for state-of-the-art relaxation,” and entertainment ever” are complement- Allende 94.1 some guests groused that “raccoons some- ed by a spa and an 18-hole Robert Van h97.1 j91.2 g94.1 f94.1 H94.1 times roam the grounds.” Hagge–designed golf course. From the !is modern, minimalist hotel with a colo- Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort & buffet-style international cuisine at Café del nial exterior three blocks from the main Spa, Tecate, Baja California 98.5 Mar to the Italian fare at Terrazza, “the square is “strangely the perfect comple- h97.8 j99.1 g99.6 f95.6 H100 a99.1 food is delicious.” “We can’t wait to go ment to this gorgeous historic colonial back” to experience the “true luxury and city.” Mexican artwork is the main focus Capella Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas 96.0 world-class service.” inside, and guest rooms are outfitted with h96.7 j95.1 g95.9 f95.1 H96.7 a96.6 black-and-white prints by Mexico City !e Royal, Playa del Carmen 90.2 h NEW photographer Eduardo Zaylan and custom BEsperanza, Cabo San Lucas 93.9 h92.5 j92.5 g84.9 f90.6 H90.6 lighting and have a white-and-graphite h96.5 j95.1 g89.1 f93.6 H96.0 a92.8 a90.4 WHAT YOU color scheme with pops of turquoise. “Staff !is beachfront all-inclusive for adults “lives SAID ABOUT Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & are the best anywhere.” Moxi Restaurant is up to its name, with a great beach, great ROOMS . . . Spa, Cabo San Lucas 94.7 helmed by celebrated chef Enrique Olvera— style, and all the trimmings.” !e resort’s h98.1 j96.2 g88.7 f98.1 H96.2 a90.6 CONRAD, TOKYO “his dishes are superb and innovative.” proximity to Playa’s Fifth Avenue makes it “Rooms are Spa treatments include an aromatherapy Pueblo Bonito Pacifica Resort & Spa, “the ideal location in town.” “Spacious befitting of any steam and are “perfect ways to unwind Cabo San Lucas 91.0 suites” have ocean views as well as hand- five-star property after a day spent wandering the city.” h91.2 j92.9 g89.0 f87.4 H96.1 a89.7 crafted furniture and marble baths, and have and Beachfront Swim-up Master Suites have Rosewood San Miguel de Allende, Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort & spectacular views NEW private pools. Nine restaurants, including San Miguel de Allende 97.1 Spa, Cabo San Lucas 91.9 of Tokyo Bay” the Spanish-style Tapas & Taxas, mean h100 j96.4 g89.3 f100 H100 h97.2 j92.5 g89.1 f89.2 H93.2 a90.3 a variety of “superb options.” Sip an evening Reminiscent of a historic hacienda, this “au- cocktail in the “beautiful lobby” and NEW Le Blanc Spa Resort, Cancún 95.2 HORNED DORSET thentic refuge” that opened in 2011 is h94.4 j94.4 g94.4 f96.7 H95.6 enjoy being waited on by staff—“they dem- PRIMAVERA, downtown, just blocks from El Jardin. Be RINCÓN, a95.5 onstrate impeccable attention to detail.” PUERTO RICO prepared for “the beauty and richness of !is beachfront “upscale all-inclusive” in Viceroy, Playa del Carmen 93.3 “Charming colonial Mexico and all the comforts of a the core of the hotel zone is “a piece of h98.0 j100 g92.0 f86.0 H98.0 a85.7 Moroccan-style state-of-the-art luxury hotel.” Traditional heaven in otherwise crazy Cancún.” Interi- suites have white interior architectural details include hand- ors are minimalist in decor, with all-white Excellence Riviera Cancun, marble floors, wrought iron, bronze, wood-beamed ceil- furnishings and “a pleasant spa-like scent.” Puertoh j Morelosg 88.6f H a oversized ings, sixth-century European antiques, and “Staff treat you like family.” At turndown, 93.7 93.7 82.5 82.5 90.5 88.9 tubs, and private sand plaster walls. !e rooftop tapas bar has “the best views in town” of La Parroquia browse an extensive pillow menu while BFour Seasons, Punta Mita 92.3 plunge pools” church, the city, and the sunset. “Staff are a butler prepares a whirlpool bath. “Food is h92.6 j94.2 g92.0 f92.0 H92.0 a91.1 over-the-top outstanding”—at Lumière, interesting and pay attention to all the de- sample the contemporary French tasting St. Regis, Punta Mita 89.6 FIFTEEN BEACON, tails.” Kids can learn how to make chocolate h92.0 j90.0 g84.0 f88.0 H94.0 a89.8 BOSTON and piñatas in the Rose Buds program. menu. !e spa caters to couples and “Individually is surrounded by bamboo gardens—“for Excellence Playa Mujeres, Quintana designed rooms La Casa Que Canta, pampering, there is no comparison!” Roo 90.5 are so luxurious h Zihuatanejoj g 92.5f H Ritz-Carlton, Cancún 92.6 h98.5 j93.8 g87.7 f80.0 H93.8 a88.9 and relaxing, 94.1 92.2 88.2 92.2 96.1 h j g f H a it’s hard 93.8 93.1 91.0 94.4 92.4 91.1 Banyan Tree Mayakoba, to leave them” CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA Las Mañanitas Hotel, Garden, Rivierah j Mayag 90.3f H a Restaurant & Spa, Cuernavaca 93.5 96.5 91.2 82.5 89.5 91.2 90.9 h93.9 j97.1 g91.2 f91.2 H94.1 B Fairmont Mayakoba, hLlao Llaoj Hotelg & Resort,f H Barilochea 91.0 Quinta Real, Guadalajara 91.4 Rivierah j Mayag 93.8 f H a 88.4 88.6 87.1 95.7 94.3 92.2 h95.2 j90.5 g90.5 f85.7 H95.2 97.0 95.0 90.0 90.0 95.0 95.8 hAlvearj Palace,g Buenosf AiresH 94.2 Capella Ixtapa Resort & Spa, Ixtapa 96.8 Maroma Resort & Spa, 95.0 96.0 89.9 97.0 93.0 h97.2 j97.2 g97.2 f97.2 H94.4 a97.2 Riviera Maya 94.9 h96.6 j96.6 g83.1 f100 H98.3 a94.7 hFour Seasons,j g Buenosf AiresH 90.6 Las Ventanas al Paraíso 90.6 92.7 84.0 92.7 92.7 Rosewood Mayakoba, Riviera Maya 94.7 (Rosewood), Los Cabos 93.6 h j g f H a Loi Suites Recoleta Hotel, h96.5 j92.0 g92.9 f91.2 H96.5 a92.7 97.8 95.6 91.2 94.5 94.5 94.4 NEW h Buenosj Airesg 91.2f H BOne&Only Palmilla, Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera 92.3 84.6 81.0 100 96.2 Los Cabos 96.3 hCancun,j Rivierag Mayaf 93.8H a Within walking distance of museums, gal- h97.2 j95.1 g95.1 f97.3 H96.2 a97.2 97.7 95.3 87.2 95.3 96.5 90.7 leries, shopping, and the famous Recoleta Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita, Cemetery, this hotel enjoys a perfect- Secrets Marquis Los Cabos, scoring “great location in one of the most Los Cabos 88.5 Riviera Maya 88.2 h90.9 j88.6 g90.9 f84.1 H95.5 a79.1 popular parts” of Buenos Aires. “Welcom- h97.4 j92.1 g84.2 f86.8 H89.5 a80.6 ing rooms vary in size” and have a soft Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort & NEW Cabo Azul Resort, San José del palette of creams and neutrals. An indoor Cabo 88.3 Spa, Mazatlán 89.7 tropical garden features a pool accessed h97.4 j85.9 g81.8 f87.2 H88.5 a89.0 h96.7 j94.5 g83.6 f80.9 H95.1 a87.5 through La Fuente restaurant, which serves !is contemporary Mexican resort is international cuisine and “a superb break- Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit, “so beautiful, it was the setting for a fashion fast each morning.” !e spa menu includes Nuevo Vallarta 90.8 shoot when I was there.” Near local mar- !ai massage.“It’s a really nice hotel, and h95.9 j93.9 g85.7 f89.8 H93.9 a85.1 kets and an easy stroll from the center of the price is always right.”

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Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt, h Buenosj Airesg 95.1f H 94.7 93.5 94.8 97.4 94.8 Asia, Australia & hSofitel,j Buenosg Airesf 89.2H 88.2 88.2 90.3 94.1 85.3 Paci!ic Nations NEW Park Hyatt Mendoza, h Mendozaj g 89.9f H a In a region where ci" hotels dazzle with dizzying ar'ite(ure, idyllic bea' 85.7 83.3 89.7 97.6 92.9 90.3 and jungle retreats #ill hold their own !is restored Spanish colonial structure and seven-story modern addition have “a great ASIA IS, at the moment, one of the few bright spots in the global economy, and it has seen an location” on the Plaza de la Independencia. explosion in new luxury urban hotels. But remote resorts in Asia and the Pacific glitter just “It’s the place to stay in Mendoza.” !e as much as soaring towers in central business districts. Of the 64 properties in this section—17 “classic with modern” interior incorpo- rates granite, stone, and wood, and rooms of them in —the top scorers are smaller resorts that satisfy a yearning for the outdoors: have wood furnishings, soft fabrics, and Qualia (Australia), Taj Exotica (), the Lodge at Kauri Cliffs (New Zealand), and bathrooms with white marble and crystal the Four Seasons (Bora Bora) all score above 98.0, with Qualia the only property on this washbasins. After visiting nearby vine- year’s Gold List with a perfect 100 overall score. What’s valued here isn’t the latest gadgets, yards, unwind with “one of the great vin- tages” at the Vines Wine Bar and Vinoteca. or the proximity of tourist sights and great shopping, but the chance to experience However, “staff need some customer- that increasingly rare commodity—Mother Nature—in unparalleled comfort, style, and ease. service training.”

BELIZE Kanantik Reef & Jungle Resort, Dangriga 94.4 h95.2 j95.2 g90.5 f95.2 H95.2 a95.2

COSTA RICA Xandari Resort & Spa, Alajuela 92.4 h91.7 j100 g79.2 f87.5 H95.8 a100 BFour Seasons at Peninsula Papagayo, Guanacaste 91.4 h95.6 j92.9 g80.5 f93.8 H92.9 a92.8 Hotel Punta Islita, Guanacaste 88.0 h88.6 j91.4 g82.9 f88.6 H91.4 a84.8

GUATEMALA Hotel Museo Casa Santo Domingo, Antigua 91.2 h85.5 j92.7 g90.7 f92.7 H94.5

PANAMA

NEW Trump Ocean Club Panama, Panama City 90.2 h96.6 j84.7 g91.5 f86.4 H91.5 Opened in July 2011, this oceanfront prop- ASIA The Fantastic Kowloon Shangri-La, erty is the first Trump hotel in Latin Ameri- Suites (real name), Hong Kong 94.0 ca, filling the top 20 floors of a mixed-use CAMBODIA one of eight h93.2 j96.6 g92.9 f94.0 H93.2 tower that resembles a butterfly. Public La Résidence d’Angkor, Siem Reap 88.5 categories of room at Hong Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong 95.8 areas showcase large bold sculptures and h96.7 j90.0 g85.7 f86.7 H83.3 h j g f H fixtures, and use local materials such as Kong’s W that 98.4 96.8 91.9 98.4 93.5 Gatun Lake woods, coconut fiber, and silk. Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa score a perfect !e Peninsula, Hong Kong 92.0 Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, Resort, Siem Reap 92.8 100, come with h92.5 j92.6 g88.8 f93.5 H92.5 glass-wall-enclosed bathrooms, Scandina- h94.4 j94.4 g88.6 f97.2 H95.8 a85.7 city and harbor vian-style light-wood finishes and furnish- views, 52-inch NEW W, Hong Kong 91.0 ings, and oceanview balconies. Tejas CHINA TVs, and Bang h100 j89.3 g86.8 f78.6 H100 serves traditional seafood dishes with con- & Olufsen Using the design theme of an enchanted China World Hotel, Beijing 90.2 temporary innovations, while BARcelona audio systems. forest, this Kowloon hotel is “incredibly in- h91.0 j91.0 g84.9 f93.6 H90.1 does tapas. “Because the hotel was brand- novative, cutting-edge, hip, and wild.” new, the service was definitely subpar. Raffles Beijing Hotel, Beijing 94.4 “Rooms offer contemporary luxury with It was the only element that was missing.” h95.6 j93.3 g88.8 f98.9 H95.6 amazing views” and come in two styles: A private island beach club is under KEY TO SYMBOLS wood-paneled with flashes of red and construction and will open in mid-2013. Regent Beijing, Beijing 93.1 green, or in more muted palettes with de- h97.5 j92.6 g87.7 f92.6 H95.1 h Rooms pictions of butterflies and branches on the walls. Pan-Asian dishes are served at the Ritz-Carlton, Beijing 88.2 j Service h j g f H modern bistro Kitchen, dim sum at the Hotel Monasterio, Cuzco 91.0 92.1 93.7 80.6 84.1 90.5 g Food h90.0 j91.3 g88.0 f93.8 H91.9 Cantonese Sing Yin. “Staff are agreeable and f Location Ritz-Carlton Financial Street, H helpful.” For nightlife, head to Woobar, Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel, Beijing 92.3 Design where DJs spin until the wee hours. Don’t SSEN Cuzco 89.1 h98.2 j94.5 g86.1 f87.3 H95.5 a Activities miss the seventy-sixth-floor pool: “It has an HR h j g f H a O 85.9 89.1 79.1 94.6 94.6 91.9 SCORES IN RED amazing view of the Hong Kong skyline.” Conrad, Hong Kong 95.1 = OVERALL Libertador Palacio del Inka, Cuzco 90.3 h97.8 j95.6 g97.8 f91.1 H93.3 Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai 89.8 h j g f H New to 92.3 94.2 80.4 94.2 90.4 NEW h95.9 j86.3 g87.5 f89.0 H90.4 Four Seasons, Hong Kong 92.9 Gold List h93.8 j93.8 g87.2 f93.8 H95.7 PH BY JIMMY C JIMMY BY PH Platinum Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai 93.6 A Circle h95.2 j94.2 g92.2 f91.3 H95.2 GR Four Seasons, Carmelo 90.1 Island Shangri-La, B Condé Nast h95.5 j86.4 g77.3 f90.9 H95.5 OTO Hong Kong 92.6 Traveler 2012 Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Shanghai 97.9

PH a95.2 h94.3 j91.4 g88.6 f97.1 H91.4 Best Golf Resorts h99.0 j98.1 g96.1 f98.1 H98.1

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Westin Bund Center, Ah, the joy of doing Shanghai 92.0 sweet nothing by the h95.9 j92.7 g84.7 f94.1 H92.7 Loy Kham pool at the Mandarin Oriental Xi’an Garden Hotel, Xi’an 88.7 NEW h j g f H Dhara Dhevi in Chiang 91.3 91.3 82.6 87.0 91.3 Mai. The northern Just east of the Dayan Pagoda, this property Thai hotel scores a has extensive gardens and ponds that create 92.1 for design. “a great hotel experience.” “Friendly staff are intent on pleasing guests.” Rooms have Tang-era decor and modern amenities like high-speed Internet access. Crabapple serves Tang imperial dishes and Szechuan specialties. At Tea Bar, sample Chinese teas while watching the swans float on the lake. !e contemporary Tang Restaurant serves Shaanxi cuisine and has a nightly show that incorporates music, video, cho- reographed lighting, and mist.

INDIA Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra 93.1 h95.7 j89.4 g84.8 f100 H97.9 Leela Palace, Bangalore 89.0 h93.5 j93.5 g87.1 f80.6 H90.3 Oberoi Rajvilas, Jaipur 95.4 h95.8 j97.9 g95.8 f89.6 H97.9 Rambagh Palace (Taj), Jaipur 91.0 h90.0 j90.0 g87.2 f92.5 H95.0 Oberoi Vanyavilas, Ranthambhore 95.2 h95.2 j95.0 g85.7 f100 H95.2 Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur 97.4 h100 j97.9 g93.6 f97.9 H97.9 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur 94.2 h91.7 j95.8 g95.8 f95.8 H91.7

INDONESIA Amankila, Manggis, Bali 93.3 h90.5 j90.5 g85.7 f100 H100 Amandari, Ubud, Bali 94.8 h96.3 j92.6 g96.3 f92.6 H96.3 Four Seasons Bali at Sayan, Ubud, Bali 91.8 h90.3 j90.3 g87.1 f96.8 H96.8 a89.7

JAPAN

NEW Conrad, Tokyo 90.8 h97.1 j94.3 g88.2 f82.9 H91.4 “!is hotel embodies what you dream about when you think of Tokyo.” Set in the port area of Shiodome, this skyscraper is just south of the Ginza shopping area and a five-minute walk from the Tsukiji fish mar- ket. Employing traditional lantern-style lamps, bolsters with floral-patterned fab- ric, and Japanese brush painting in the headboards and flooring, “rooms are befit- ting of any five-star property and have spectacular views of Tokyo Bay.” With two Gordon Ramsay restaurants and “a bar ri- valing the New York Bar at the Park Hyatt,” “this hotel is really worth the splurge.” “Staff are always there to help but are not in your face like at some other top hotels in the city.” “I’d like to live here.” Four Seasons Tokyo at Marunouchi, Tokyo 89.6 h88.9 j96.3 g85.2 f92.6 H85.2 Grand Hyatt, Tokyo 88.2 h89.7 j91.4 g85.7 f84.5 H89.7 !e Peninsula, Tokyo 95.8 h94.1 j100 g87.1 f100 H97.1 Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo 92.6 h96.3 j96.3 g92.6 f88.9 H88.9

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0113-TR-GL18 ASIA, AUSTRALIA & PACIFIC NATIONS GOLD LIST 2013

MALDIVES button.” !e Viu restaurant has ceiling THE GOLD NEW Qualia, Hamilton Island, beams, a stone slab floor, and an open Euro- STANDARD Great Barrier Reef 100 NEW Taj Exotica Resort & Spa Maldives, pean farmhouse–style kitchen; the interna- h100 j100 g100 f100 H100 a100 South Male Atoll 99.6 tional cuisine includes signature dishes “It doesn’t get any better” than this: It’s h100 j100 g100 f100 H100 a97.5 BEST DIET! like Japanese Kobe beef fillet with a pink the only property on this year’s Gold List Garnering five perfect scores, the second- DESTROYER French garlic oil confit and Scandinavian to get all perfect scores. “I had high expec- highest-rated property on this year’s list is Proof restaurant, salmon pastrami with barley salad. !e tations, and they were all surpassed.” “a true gem, even with such a strong luxury in the Four Seasons Elemis Spa offers color-light therapy. Pronounced kwa-lee-ah, which in Latin market in the Maldives. !ere’s nowhere Scottsdale at Troon North, proudly serves means “a deeper sensory experience,” this else on earth I would rather stay!” On its Shangri-La, Bangkok 92.5 American classics property is on the northernmost tip of own private motu, “it is perfect for anyone h96.9 j92.2 g87.5 f93.8 H92.2 like fried green Hamilton Island. “Relaxation kicks in who craves peace and quiet.” !e “heaven- tomatoes, shrimp Four Seasons, Chiang Mai 92.0 upon arrival, with the first sip of cham- ly villas” have palm-thatched roofs and and oyster po’boys, h94.0 j92.2 g94.1 f84.3 H96.1 a91.3 pagne taken with a view of the other wood finishes on the exteriors and floors, and chicken Whitsundays.” Hillside pavilions are and all come with panoramic Indian Ocean Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, and wa#les. Just tell spread over 30 acres of tropical bushland views. “!e bathrooms are spacious and Chiang Mai 88.4 yourself that you need the calories above the Coral Sea, and are designed to filled with fresh flowers, and one wall is h94.7 j89.5 g86.5 f78.9 H92.1 for a round of golf. reflect Aussie style using local hardwoods glass so you look at the glinting ocean while and quarried stone. “!e attention to de- having a shower or bath.” !ere are “nu- NEW Anantara Phuket Villas, Phuket 89.4 tail is exceptional,” and some pavilions merous little spots where you can lounge in BEST h90.9 j86.4 g86.4 f90.9 H90.9 a90.9 a hammock,” and activities such as the RE!CREATION have sundecks and private pools. !e Peb- OF SCOTLAND sunset dolphin-watching cruise are “just With “a dreamy location” on Mai Khao ble Beach restaurant serves casual Austra- Beach, on Phuket’s less frenetic northern OUTSIDE lian lunches, while the more formal Long breathtaking.” Deep End Restaurant offers SCOTLAND coast, this “fantastic hotel” on a former co- Pavilion is all about seven-course meals “top-notch world cuisines,” focusing Every evening at the conut plantation is all gardens and grand that include dishes such as the organic mostly on the tastes of Europe. Inn at Spanish Bay, entryways. Traditional !ai villas border a in Pebble Beach, chicken with autumn vegetables and the PHILIPPINES free-form lagoon and have wood-beam California, a bagpiper Tasmanian salmon with whiting and eno- ceilings, terrazzo tubs, outdoor decks, and roams the golf ki. “No request is too difficult” for the NEW Shangri-La’s Boracay Resort & private pools. “Staff do everything well— course playing the “super-friendly, super-efficient staff.” h Spa,j Boracayg 88.5f H a incredibly well.” For !ai-accented tapas pipes as the sun dips “Once you stay at Qualia, it’s difficult to 87.8 92.7 90.2 90.2 87.8 82.1 and Andaman Sea views, climb to the into the Paci!ic. stay anywhere else.” Providing “a great resort experience that Tree House—accessed via a spiral staircase Sea Temple Resort & Spa, everyone should enjoy,” this 30-acre prop- that wraps around an ancient banyan tree. Port Douglas 88.1 erty debuted in 2009. !e main building is Sea Fire Salt does a beachside seafood A typical Indian h100 j90 g93.3 f73.3 H86.7 a85.2 an open pavilion with a pitched roof and an barbecue and has a salt sommelier on hand. welcome at the exterior of local coral stone. Public areas Mixologists man the infinity pool bar. Oberoi Amarvilas, !e Langham (formerly the create a sense of place with ten-foot-high in Agra, , Observatory Hotel), Sydney 91.9 tribal drums, carved wooden sculptures, which can include h95.8 j92.0 g88.0 f92.0 H92.0 and local art. “We had a gorgeous private a tall drink, a villa with a pool right near the ocean— Sofitel Legend Metropole, Hanoi 91.9 Park Hyatt, Sydney 88.1 h92.4 j93.0 g87.9 f93.7 H92.4 garland of h j g f H incredible.” Room interiors showcase marigolds, and 84.7 86.9 85.2 94.1 89.4 handwoven textiles, sconces made of local Park Hyatt Saigon, Ho Chi Minh vermilion powder capiz shells, and oars framed as art. “!e City 91.2 applied to your beautiful sunsets were eclipsed only by h91.5 j90.2 g90.2 f96.3 H87.8 forehead for Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa, the great personal service.” Seafood is the prosperity. The Bora Bora 92.2 focus at the cliffside Sirena. AUSTRALIA & PACIFIC NATIONS hotel, where every h96.4 j92.9 g85.7 f92.9 H96.4 a88.9 Edsa Shangri-La, Manila 90.3 room has a Taj AUSTRALIA Four Seasons, Bora Bora 98.1 h89.7 j96.6 g93.1 f86.2 H86.2 Mahal view, h100 j100 g92.3 f100 H100 a96.2 Palazzo Versace, Gold Coast 91.4 scores a perfect Makati Shangri-La, Manila 90.9 h94.3 j88.6 g97.1 f88.6 H94.3 a85.3 100 for location. InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & h94.3 j94.3 g86.8 f92.5 H86.8 h!alassoj Spa,g Boraf Bora 91.9H a 97.0 93.9 84.8 93.9 93.9 87.5 Fullerton Hotel, Singapore 90.4 hTe Tiarej Beachg Resort,f HuahineH a88.6 h89.6 j91.8 g86.7 f91.8 H91.8 86.4 90.9 86.4 95.5 90.9 81.8

St. Regis, Singapore 90.3 NEW Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and h91.7 j89.6 g87.0 f91.7 H91.7 Spa, Moorea 88.5 h95.5 j86.4 g68.2 f95.5 H90.9 a95.2 Located in the north of Moorea Island be- tween two bays, this “jewel of a resort” Park Hyatt, Seoul 95.0 comprises thatched-roof bungalows situ- h100 j96.1 g93.2 f89.5 H96.1 ated amid flower gardens or suspended above the water on stilts. Highlighting contemporary Polynesian design, bunga- JW Marriott, Bangkok 89.1 lows use tropical earth tones to comple- h88.2 j92.6 g89.4 f86.8 H88.2 ment wood furnishings, marble Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok 95.9 bathrooms, and silk bedding. A few dining h94.4 j98.1 g97.2 f95.4 H94.4 options are on hand, including Arii Va- hine’s international cuisine, Eimeo Bar, !e Peninsula, Bangkok 94.5 and Rotui Bar & Grill—but be warned: “!e h95.3 j97.2 g94.3 f91.5 H94.3 drinks and wine are wildly overpriced, even for French Polynesia.” !e snorkel- St. Regis, Bangkok 94.5 NEW ing, on the other hand, “is to die for.” h95.5 j95.5 g90.9 f95.5 H95.5 Opened in 2011 on the high-end Rajadamri Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa, shopping strip, this “exceptional-in-every- Mooreah j 88.0g f H a ANNA way hotel” melds traditional !ai style with 94.3 97.1 68.6 94.3 94.3 78.8 KH modernism. “It’s a refreshing place to re- H Le Taha‘a Island Resort & Spa, NES turn to after a long day in the busy capital.” I

“Stunning rooms have impressive touches” Taha‘a 89.7 D

h j g f H a BY 90.5 85.7 85.7 100 90.5 85.7 like local artwork and large desks, floor-to- PH ceiling windows that look onto the city A NEW ZEALAND skyline, butler service, and furnishings in GR

brown, taupe, and cream. “Staff don’t let Lodge at Kauri Cliffs, Northland 99.2 OTO

you open a door or even push an elevator h100 j100 g100 f95.2 H100 a100 PH

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0113-TR-GLJA19 GOLD LIST 2013 Africa & the Middle East Nowhere is the call of the wild #ronger than in A%ica, whi' continues to lure travelers with its promise of animals up close and untamed IF THERE IS ONE OVERRIDING THEME among these regions, it’s the dominance of South Africa. !e country, about twice the size of Texas, remains a powerhouse with almost half of the properties in these pages (14 out of 29). In fact, the seven highest scoring properties in the whole of Africa and the Middle East are in South Africa. Six of them are safari camps whose promise of wildlife—despite the current poaching crisis (see !e Informer in this issue)—is as much a draw today as it was when the first safaris set off in the 1800s. !e one newcomer to this list is Gibb’s Farm, a working coffee plantation with guest cottages near ’s Ngorongoro Crater—it was a finalist in the 2012 World Savers Awards.

AFRICA Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town 88.7 h83.0 j93.8 g91.7 f85.4 H89.6 BOTSWANA BSteenberg Hotel, Cape Town 94.4 Mombo and Little Mombo Camps, h94.4 j94.4 g94.4 f94.4 H94.4 a94.3 Moremi Game Reserve 94.7 h95.5 j90.9 g95.5 f95.5 H95.5 a95.5 Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town 91.9 h93.0 j87.7 g89.3 f98.2 H91.2 Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, Semiramis InterContinental Cairo, Cape Town 95.7 Cairo 90.0 h96.2 j96.2 g96.2 f93.7 H96.2 h87.9 j91.4 g86.2 f93.1 H91.4 Victoria & Alfred Hotel, KENYA hCape Townj 91.6g f H Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, 88.9 91.7 88.6 97.2 91.7 Amboseli National Game Park 89.1 Le Quartier Français, h93.3 j92.0 g72.0 f94.7 H92.0 a90.8 Franschhoekh j g 88.9 f H a Governors’ Camp, Masai Mara Game 84.4 90.9 93.9 100 84.4 77.8 hReservej 89.3g f H a Saxon Boutique Hotel, 92.6 88.9 85.2 96.3 85.2 87.5 Johannesburg 90.3 Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, h94.6 j91.9 g89.2 f83.8 H91.9 Nanyuki 88.6 MalaMala Game Reserve, Kruger h93.5 j83.9 g77.4 f90.3 H96.8 a89.7 In Dubai, the pool National Park 94.9 h90.9 j93.9 g87.9 f100 H97.0 a100 at the Park Hyatt— which scores a Singita Kruger National Park, La Mamounia, Marrakech 92.3 92.0 for design— h90.3 j90.3 g87.1 f96.8 H96.8 Kruger National Park 97.8 comes with h100 j95.7 g100 f95.7 H100 a95.5 whirlpools in each SOUTH AFRICA corner, verdant Lion Sands Private Game Reserve, Cape Grace, Cape Town 92.7 landscaping, and Sabi Sand Reserve 96.0 h91.7 j93.3 g87.3 f96.7 H94.2 palm trees galore. h90.0 j96.7 g96.7 f100 H93.3 a100

Londolozi Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Reserve 96.0 h97.0 j90.9 g93.9 f100 H97.0 a97.0 Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Reserve 98.3 h97.9 j100 g97.9 f100 H97.9 a95.7 T

Singita Sabi Sand, Sabi Sand R Reserve 96.2 A HC

h97.5 j97.5 g95.0 f97.5 H95.0 a94.9 AT C EN EN

TANZANIA L E H

Gibb’s Farm, Ngorongoro BY NEW

Conservation Area 89.6 PH h92.6 j92.9 g75.0 f89.3 H96.4 a91.7 A GR “With a view to settle the nerves,” this colonial farmhouse on the wooded slopes OTO PH

of the Ngorongoro Crater was built as a T: F E

coffee plantation in 1929. Looking out onto L

coffee fields and the Great Rift Valley, ac- M commodations in clustered cottages have OTTO

wooden floors, wraparound windows, and B

98 CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER JANUARY 2013 CONDENASTTRAVELER.COM

0113-TR-GLJA20 Cruise Lines On the high seas or the world’s rivers, trips on these lines will be smooth sailing

THERE ARE some journeys that make so much more sense when done by water. A hop around the Greek islands. A meander from city to city along the Danube. An expedition to the Antarctic. !e lines below, with ships large and small, affirm that premise and then some. !ey bring travelers to destinations new and old. !ey provide a reassuring and welcoming environment after each port stop. And they put the local culture in context while supplying memorable meals and crews who ensure that there’s never a dull moment on board.

O CEAN Crystal Cruises 94.2 d94.5 h91.6 j97.7 g96.5 H96.4 a94.2 e88.4 Disney Cruise Line 88.4 d86.3 h92.1 j95.9 g82.2 H89.9 a92.9 e79.0 Lindblad Expeditions 88.3 d98.3 h63.2 j97.4 g87.4 H77.4 a96.1 e97.9 Oceania Cruises 88.9 d95.1 h91.4 j96.9 g95.2 H93.6 a80.6 e68.0 Regent Seven Seas Cruises 90.9 d93.8 h94.9 j93.8 g90.5 H91.3 a87.8 e84.0 Seabourn 90.3 d92.9 h92.6 j94.9 g93.5 H90.5 a85.7 e81.4 Silversea 89.1 d93.7 h92.0 j94.4 g88.9 H87.1 a83.8 e83.7 bathrooms with indoor and outdoor show- MIDDLE EAST At Gibb’s Farm, R IVER ers. Prepared with organic vegetables, in Tanzania’s fruits, and meats from the farm, the classic Ngorongoro Grand Circle Cruise Line 94.3 d97.5 h89.3 j97.3 g94.7 H93.7 English meals are “good and interesting” David Citadel Hotel, Jerusalem 90.9 Conservation a90.8 e96.5 to some guests and “quite forgettable” to h92.2 j87.5 g78.1 f100 H96.9 Area, a quiet spot others. “Observe hundreds of species of for re!lection and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises a cold libation. colorful tropical birds,” or take part in JORDAN 92.0 The working hiking and mountain biking trips with d95.9 h86.5 j95.7 g91.3 H90.3 a88.1 Four Seasons, Amman 88.5 farm scores a naturalists. “I can’t think of a more beauti- h97.6 j92.9 g81.0 f85.7 H85.7 e96.3 ful, interesting place.” 96.4 for design. Viking River Cruises 88.3 Kirawira Luxury Tented Camp, d95.4 h79.8 j95.1 g88.5 H82.4 a82.8 Serengeti National Park 94.6 Al Faisaliah Hotel (Rosewood), e93.8 h92.9 j96.4 g92.9 f96.4 H96.4 a92.3 Riyadh 94.0 h95.0 j90.0 g90.0 f100 H95.0 Serengeti Serena Safari Lodge, KEY TO SYMBOLS Serengetih j Nationalg fPark 88.8H a 92.9 87.7 80.4 94.7 91.2 85.4 d Itineraries a Activities Burj Al Arab, Dubai 94.3 h e Shore Excursions h98.1 j90.7 g88.7 f94.4 H96.3 Cabins a98.0 j Service SCORES IN RED = Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, OVERALL g Food Victoria Falls 92.5 Park Hyatt, Dubai 94.4 Platinum h90.2 j90.2 g92.7 f97.6 H92.7 a91.4 h100 j96.0 g88.0 f96.0 H92.0 H Design Circle

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