N
, stand-
ardsof luxuryde-
mandedacertaingilded
sameness, reassuringly
similar in locales from
metropolistotropics.But
thankstomind-expanding
designersandmore intrepid
travelers, thescroll frames
andheavydrapesaregone—
unlessnearVersailles— and
arenowreplacedbyhotels
framedaroundasense
ofplace.
Localdesigndistin-
guishesourU.S.winner
TheBroadmoor
,which
lastyeardebutedanew
satelliteresortcalledThe
RanchatEmeraldValley
featuringclassicColorado
logcabins,hottubsamid
thepines,and local trout
onthemenu. InCalifornia,
TheBeverlyHillsHotel&
Bungalows
payshomageto
historywithanewsuitede-
votedtopastguestMarilyn
Monroe featuringcurva-
ceousmidcentury furnish-
ings,aChampagneBubble
BathMenu, songselections
fromthe1950sandabottle
ofChanelNo.5.
InEurope,peren-
nial reader favorite
Four
SeasonsHotelGeorge
V
,
Paris
,oersoutings
with itsMichelin-starred
cheftothelocalmarkets
andback into thekitchens
forahands-onsession.
Across thechannel,
TheBalmoral
can’tget
moreScottishnow that
theEdinburghhotel
openedSCOTCH, anew
barstockedwithmore
than400 typesofwhisky
dispensedbykilt-wearing
“ambassadors.”
Cultural immersion isa
specialty inHawaii,where
the
FairmontKeaLani
on
Mauiemploysa“cultural
coach”whooverseesev-
erything fromon-property
floratoursto lessonswith
localcanoebuilders.And
thoughMaui lacksanart
museum, the
FourSeasons
ResortMauiatWailea
compensateswithmore
than2,300piecesofHawai-
ianartfeaturedthroughout
theresort, —completewith
educationalpodcasttours
inthepublicspaces. —
E.G.
ONTREND:
LOCALISM
HOTELS
TOP 10
U.S. BUSINESS
1. HoteldelCoronado,SanDiego
2. GrandHyattNewYork
3. ParkHyattChicago
4. TheBiltmore,CoralGables, Florida
5. LasVegasHotel&Casino
6. FourSeasonsHotel LasVegas
7. FourSeasonsHotel SanFrancisco
8. FourSeasonsHotelMiami
9. TheWaldorfAstoria,NewYork
10. FourSeasonsResortandClubDallasatLasColinas
TOP 10
INTERNATIONALBUSINESS
1. FourSeasonsHotelGeorgeV,Paris
2. TheDorchester, London
3. FourSeasonsHotelMilano,Milan
4. WLondon
5. GrandHyattShanghai, China
6.
GrandHôtel, Stockholm
7. TheSt. RegisRome
8. Baur auLac, Zurich
9. Hotel RitzMadrid
10. TheStaordLondonbyKempinski, England
TOP 10
AUSTRALIA/NEWZEALAND/
SOUTHPACIFIC
1. FourSeasonsResortBoraBora,FrenchPolynesia
2. FourSeasonsHotel Sydney
3. ParkHyattSydney
4. TheWestinSydney
5. InterContinentalMooreaResort&Spa,
FrenchPolynesia
6. Lizard Island,GreatBarrierReef,
Queensland,Australia
7. TheLangham,Melbourne,Australia
8. TheGeorge, Christchurch,NewZealand
9. Hayman,GreatBarrierReef,Australia
10. ParkHyattMelbourne,Australia
TOP 10
AFRICAAND
THEMIDDLEEAST
1. FourSeasonsHotelCairoatNilePlaza,Egypt
2. CapeGrace, CapeTown, SouthAfrica
3. LaMamounia,Marrakech,Morocco
4. EmiratesPalace, UnitedArabEmirates
5. FairmontMountKenyaSafariClub,Nanyuki,Kenya
6. One&OnlyCapeTown, SouthAfrica
7. (tie)Londolozi PrivateGameReserve,
Mpumalanga, SouthAfrica
7. (tie)MomboCamp,Moremi GameReserve,
Botswana
9. MaraSerenaSafari Lodge,Nairobi, Kenya
10. KirawiraTentedCamp, Tanzania
FourSeasonsHotel CairoatNilePlaza
SUMMER
AA.COM CELEBRATEDLIVING
