The Gold List 2012
Aman Sveti Stefan Montenegro
In this, the eighth of our annual lists, the hotels chosen by our team of editors, writers and experts are the best for service, location, food, rooms, leisure facilities and ambience & design
Aman Sveti Stefan, Montenegro: Best for location
Occupying the UNESCO-protected island of Sveti Stefan - attached to the Montenegrin mainland by a narrow causeway - the latest property in the enviable Amanresorts porfolio is a sympathetic restoration of a 15th-century fortified village. The island's 50 rooms and suites are in traditional, red-roofed stone buildings (there are a further eight in Villa Miločer on the mainland), and tick all the five-star-luxury boxes. There are also six spa cottages, a pool with wonderful views of the Adriatic and a range of restaurants, bars and cafés on both the island and mainland.
X-factor 'Cypresses rise up from among the terracotta roofs of ancient stone buildings; passageways lead this way and that to pretty piazzas and pools, and to viewpoints that look out across the blue-green Adriatic and the dramatic coastline of Montenegro,' says Gold List contributor Laura Fowler.
Sveti Stefan, Montenegro (00 800 2255 2626; www.amanresorts.com). Doubles from €700
Grace Santorini, Greece
Grace Santorini: Best for location
The Grace is carved from a clifftop overlooking Santorini's famous volcanic caldera. Its 13 rooms and seven all-white suites may be simple in terms of decor, but the quality - from the bed linen to the sleek contemporaryfurniture and the very latest audio-visual equipment - is second-to-none. The service is equally high-end: concierges can arrange anything from water sports and horseback treks to complimentary laptops, and the new Grace Bespoke service allows guests to customise aspects of their stay before they arrive. The infinity pool looks down onto the caldera; there's also a cocktail bar and a restaurant serving superb Mediterranean-fusion cuisine.
X**-factor** 'The unbroken view of the calderafrom the hotel's cliffside setting is magnificent, and particularly bewitching at sunset,' says Gold List contributor Paula Maynard.
Imerovigli, Santorini, Greece (00 30 228 602 1300; www.santorinigrace.com). Doubles from €325
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithIl San Pietro Positano, Italy
Il San Pietro di Positano: Best for location
A serene hotel high on the cliffs above Positano, with superb views over one of the Amalfi coast's most glamorous bays, Il San Pietro di Positano has 62 bedrooms with private terraces and sea views. The restaurant (indoor and outdoor) serves traditional local cuisine. Other facilities include a private beach and tennis court (reached from the lobby via a lift through the rock) and a complimentary boat service (May-September) for exploring the coast.
X-factor 'Its position just outside Positano is extraordinary,' says Gold List contributor Nicky Swallow. 'But for a discreet sign on the road and a small parking bay, the hotel - which is built into a sheer cliffside that plunges down to the sea - is entirely hidden. Views of Positano from the terrace bar and restaurant are magical.'
Via Laurito 2, Positano, Italy (00 39 089 875455; www.ilsanpietro.it). Doubles from €380
Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall
Hotel Tresanton: Best for location
Comprising a cluster of buildings decorated in blues and whites, the Tresanton is a former 1940s yacht club with a distinctly nautical feel. Bought by Olga Polizzi in 1996 and reopened two years later, the hotel has 29 individually designed rooms, including two family suites. A new house, Rock Cottage, with a family room and a showpiece suite, a kitchen, private garden and two balconies, will open this summer. The small restaurant serves a daily-changing menu; the hotel also has
a massage room, a screening room and a 48ft yacht for private charters.
X-factor 'The view is spectacular,' says Gold List contributor Rufus Purdy. 'All rooms look out over St Mawes Bay, and guests - many of whom have their own private balconies - can while away the hours watching boats bob, seagulls sweep and storm clouds gather over the wide, blue expanse.'
27 Lower Castle Road, St Mawes, Cornwall (01326 270053; www.tresanton.com). Doubles from £190
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The Royal Crescent Hotel, Bath
The Royal Crescent Hotel: Best for location
Occupying two Grade I-listed buildings on Bath's famous Royal Crescent (and another three behind), this delightful hotel is filled with Regency-style furniture and oil paintings by Reynolds and Gainsborough, among others. There are landscaped gardens at the back, and the 45 stylish bedrooms have been expertly restored and decorated to Georgian specifications - bar, of course the essential 21st-century mod cons. There's fine dining in The Dower House restaurant, and afternoon tea is served in the sitting rooms and gardens. Guests also have access to the renowned Bath House spa and the hotel's river launch, Lady Sophina.
X-factor 'The location - not just the hotel - is five-star,' says Gold List contributor Sally Shalam. 'It is full-blown Austen-esque, Georgian fantasy for real. If you come to Bath you want to be on Royal Crescent. It is as simple as that.'
16 Royal Crescent, Bath (01225 823333; www.royalcrescent.co.uk). Doubles from £345
St Pancras Renaissance, London
St Pancras Renaissance: Best for location
Sir George Gilbert Scott's glorious temple to Victoriana finally reopened to great fanfare in May last year. As part of St Pancras station, it couldn't be better placed for trains heading north and to the Continent, and London's key landmarks are within easy reach. Its 38 historic suites feature beautifully restored windows and mouldings; the 207 more contemporary rooms are designed to chime with the hotel's Age of Empire ambience. There is a health club, gym and pool, and a spa with a sauna, steam room, male-grooming salon and Victorian tiled baths. Marcus Wareing oversees the traditional British menus at The Gilbert Scott restaurant; the Booking Office Bar is great for a cocktail.
X-factor 'Some of the rooms look right onto the Eurostar terminal,' says Gold List contributor Chris Caldicott. 'It's the ultimate people-watching experience in London.'
Euston Road, London NW1 (020 7841 3540; www.marriott.co.uk). Doubles from £250
The Fairmont Banff Springs
The Fairmont Banff Springs: Best for location
Modelled on a baronial Scottish castle, this huge resort opened in 1888. Rebuilt in the 1920s and revamped in 2010 and 2011, it now has 768 rooms dotted around the huge building, many with fantastic views of the Bow River and the mountains. Among the wide range of dining options is the Castle Pantry - open 24 hours a day and a great boon for jet-lagged guests. The Willow Stream Spa, which promotes hydrotherapy, has mineral pools, waterfall-fed whirlpools and 23 treatment rooms. The 72-room Fairmont Gold floor has a separate reception desk and concierge team, and offers a complimentary Continental breakfast, Internet facilities and cocktail-hour canapés.
X-factor 'The setting is wild and wonderful,' says Gold List contributor Stephen Wood. 'Keep an eye open for bears on the golf course.'
405 Spray Avenue, Banff, Alberta, Canada (0845 071 0153; www.fairmont.com). Doubles from C$289 (about £180)
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge, Peru
Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge: Best for location
The only hotel adjacent to the ancient citadel, the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge is a former government-run hotel now managed by Orient-Express. At 2,500 metresabove sea level, in the centre of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the lodge offers extraordinary views (ask for a room overlooking Huayna Picchu peak). It has 29 rooms and two suites decorated in dark woods with authentic Peruvian details; most have a terrace with direct access to the peaceful grounds. The two restaurants, the Tinkuy Buffet and Tampu Bar Restaurant, serve international and contemporary Peruvian cuisine. Private guided tours of the ancient site can be arranged.
X-factor Although the ruins are not visible from the lodge, the entrance is only five minutes' walk away, making a visit at first light - the quietest time of the day - a real bonus for guests.
Monumento Arqueológico de Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Peru (00 51 84 211039; www.sanctuarylodgehotel.com). Doubles from US$725
Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur
Post Ranch Inn, California: Best for location
With stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, the 40 romantic guest rooms at Post Ranch Inn are constructed using recycled materials, including redwood reclaimed from wine casks. All have king-size beds, wood-burning fireplaces and indoor spa tubs. There are also two separate villas. Dining is at Sierra Mar, where executive chef Elizabeth Murray serves Californian dishes with a European twist, accompanied by selections from an extensive Old and New World wine list. Two heated infinity pools, an outdoor swimming pool, an extensive spa-treatment menu and daily yoga sessions show that relaxation is taken very seriously here.
X-factor 'It doesn't get better than this dreamy cliffhanger, 1,200ft above the rugged Big Sur coast,' says Gold List contributor Bonnie Tsui. 'At night, the dramatic Pacific wave-scape gives way to a sky filled with stars.'
Highway 1, Big Sur, California, USA (00 1 831 667 2200; www.postranchinn.com). Doubles from $595
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs Smith&Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge
&Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge: Best for location
This 30-suite lodge enjoys a remarkable setting on the edge of a volcanic crater in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. The rooms are divided between three separate camps, with Maasai-inspired mud architecture offset by opulent interiors (velvet bedspreads, antiques, chandelier-lit bathrooms). The fresh cuisine is just wonderful, as is the service: personal butlers will attend to your every need, and the game rangers, trained by Johannesburg-based company &Beyond, are excellent.
X-factor The setting on the edge of the largest intact caldera in the world - also a wildlife haven that's home to around 30,000 animals - is incredible. The views are phenomenal and game drives down to the crater floor provide many a
thrilling wildlife encounter.
Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania (00 27 11 809 4441; www.andbeyond.com). Doubles from US$1,580
- Anders Overgaard
Jack's Camp, Botswana
Jack's Camp: Best for location
Set on the edge of the Kalahari Desert's Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, Jack's Camp has outgrownits rudimentary origins to become one of the most luxurious safari camps in southern Africa. Accommodation is in 10 tented suites with ensuite bathrooms and opulent, Forties-style decor; guests dine together in a central pavilion. Days are spent walking with San trackers looking out for - depending on the season - meerkats, zebra, wildebeest and other wildlife that live in, or migrate through, this part of the famous desert.
X-factor 'In the dry season, Jack's Camp is surrounded by miles and miles of sand, parched grass and saltpans; in the rainy season the landscape is transformed into watery floodplains which attract thousands upon thousands of birds,' says Gold List contributor Lisa Grainger.
00 27 11 447 1605; www.unchartedafrica.com. Doubles from US$2,040
Mena House Oberoi, Cairo
Mena House Oberoi: Best for location
A former hunting lodge built in 1869, the Mena House Oberoi is just 700 metres from the Pyramid of Cheops. The 420 rooms are decorated in an opulent, Moorish style and facilities within the hotel's 40-acre grounds include a swimming pool, spa and fitness centre; the 18-hole golf course will reopen this spring following a renovation. The five restaurants include The Moghul Room for outstanding Indian cuisine, Alfredo for contemporary Italian food, Le Jardin for pan-Asian, Mediterranean and European dishes, and 24-hour dining at Khan El Khalili.
X-factor The rooms and suites in the original hunting lodge have the best pyramid views. Guests are advised to book well in advance.
Pyramids Road, Giza, Cairo, Egypt (00 20 2 3377 3222; www.oberoihotels.com). Doubles from US$224
Amankora, Bhutan
Amankora: Best for location
Given the country's notoriously stringent policies on tourism, luxury hotels in Bhutan are few and far between. But the Himalayan kingdom received a large dose of style in 2004, when Amanresorts opened the first of its lodges. Amankora has since expanded to include five distinct lodges - Paro, Thimpu, Gangtey, Punakha and Bumthang - dotted around the country's central and western regions, each one set against a spectacular backdrop of plunging valleys and lush rice paddies. And, as you'd expect from Amanresorts, each combines contemporary design with traditional features, and has an indulgent spa and impeccable dining.
X-factor 'I love Amankora Bumthang,' saysGold List contributor Sophy Roberts. 'It is built in the grounds of an old royal palace, where novice monks run across lawns each evening to prayer. And the location - the cradle of Buddhism in Bhutan - is wonderful.'
00 800 2255 2626; www.amanresorts.com. Doubles from US$1,400
The Peninsula Hong Kong
The Peninsula Hong Kong: Best for location
The Peninsula bridges the gulf between Hong Kong's futuristic architecture and its 19th-century colonial past. This famous landmark opened in 1928, and a tower was added in 1994. The 300 rooms are richly decorated, and those in the tower have panoramic views of the city skyline; the pool and sun terrace overlook Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong island. The six restaurants include the Philippe Starck- designed Felix on the 28th floor, for Modern European cuisine, and facilities include a fleet of Rolls-Royces (helicopter transfers are another option).
X-factor 'The Peninsula Hong Kong is at the top of my list for location,' says Gold List contributor Jamie James. 'I stayed in a suite with the best possible view of the harbour (which came with a telescope to explore it), and a view of the Peak from the tub in the bathroom.'
Salisbury Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China (00 852 2920 2888; www.peninsula.com). Doubles from HK$3,700 (about £300)
The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
The Taj Mahal Palace: Best for location
After the terrorist attack of 2008 and a complete refurbishment, the venerableTaj Mahal Palace officially reopened on Indian Independence Day in August 2010. The 560 rooms are in a 1903 building and a modern tower extension, providing a choice of old-world charm in the palace, European and Indian elegance in the Taj Mahal Tower and regal luxury in the 44 suites. The public areas display Moorish, Oriental, Indian and Florentine influences, with vaulted alabaster ceilings, hand-woven carpets and crystal chandeliers. Its eight restaurants offer a huge range of cuisines, including Eastern Mediterranean at the rooftop Souk and contemporary Japanese at Wasabi by Morimoto.
X-factor 'With its stunning view of the Gate of India and the harbour beyond, The Taj Mahal Palace has one the best locations of any hotel in the world,' says Gold List contributor Jamie James.
*Apollo Bunder, Mumbai, India (00 800 4 588 1825; www.tajhotels.com). Doubles from Rs25,250 (about £320)
Gold List 2012 Hotel Offer - this hotel is discounted for one week only at Jetsetter.co.uk - book now!
(deals valid until 9pm, 30 January, 2012)*
Blue Sydney, New South Wales
Blue Sydney, New South Wales: Best for location
Within touching distance of the yachts on the Wharf at Woolloomooloo, this Taj Hotels property is at the heart of the city's most luxurious entertainment and residential development. A converted factory, it has 100 contemporary rooms, including 36 loft suites; public areas have an industrial look, with metal staircases and girder-crossed ceilings. WaterBar, where guests lounge on bed-sized ottomans, is popular for cocktails and its extensive menu.
X-factor 'What a location! To the east is the Opera House and harbour, to the west the shops of Paddington. But the hotel has its own marina and shops, so it's tempting to stay right where you are,' says Gold List contributor Fiona Lintott.
6 Cowper Wharf Road, Woolloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (00 61 2 9331 9000; www.tajhotels.com). Doubles from A$270 (about £175)
Longitude 131°, Uluru
Longitude 131°, Uluru: Best for location
Just 10km from Uluru (Ayers Rock) in the remote Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, the 15 glass-fronted 'designer' tents at Longitude 131° provide a very luxurious take on camping.Architect Philip Cox's conical structures - set in the Outback's sand dunes - may have been inspired by Bedouin encampments, but they come with air-conditioning, large bathrooms and Bose sound systems. There's a small swimming pool, and activities include eco-walks, visits to indigenous Anangu villages and artists' communities, and dinners beneath the stars with the in-house astronomer. Modern Australian cuisine is served in the central Dune House.
X-factor 'At Longitude 131°, you can watch the first rays of the sun turn the Rock red as you eat breakfast in the comfort of your own bed,' says Gold List contributor Mike Dolan.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory, Australia (00 61 2 8296 8010; www.longitude131.com.au). Doubles from A$4,080 (about £2,665) for two nights
St Regis Bora Bora
The St Regis Bora Bora: Best for location
This luxurious resort has 100 large over-water and beach villas; each comes with a private butler. Decorated in a contemporary Asian style, they all have private gardens or sun decks; some have private plunge pools. The top suite, the Royal Estate, has its own chef's kitchen, a dining room with a sunset terrace, a whirlpool and a private spa area. The choice of public pools includes the adults-only Oasis; the Spa Miri Miri is set on its own island. Culinary highlights include Lagoon, the gastronomic restaurant headed by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Japanese cuisine at Sushi Taki.
X-factor The location - on a private, 44-acre motu, surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean - makes it the ultimate tropical paradise.
Motu Ome'e, Bora Bora, French Polynesia (00 689 607898; www.starwoodhotels.com). Doubles from £580
Barnsley House, Gloucestershire
Barnsley House: Best for rooms
This 17th-century former manor house is in beautiful countryside less than two hours' drive from central London. The 18 recently refurbished bedrooms are all chic and sleek with huge bathrooms (some have a roll-top tub, others a Jacuzzi or a twin bath). The Stableyard Suites are split-level, with galleried sitting rooms and a bathtub at the foot of the bed. Known for its Rosemary Verey-designed gardens, the hotel also has a small cinema, a tennis court, a croquet lawn and an Aromatherapy Associates spa with six treatment rooms and a hydrotherapy pool. Barnsley House owns the nearby Village Pub - also recently refurbished - which has six additional rooms as well as a menu of classic English food.
X-factor No two rooms at Barnsley House are the same, but all feature stylish contemporary furniture and a home-cinema, plus a surround-sound hi-fi system.
Barnsley, Cirencester, Gloucestershire (01285 740000; www.barnsleyhouse.com). Doubles from £275
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithThe Dorchester, London
The Dorchester, London: Best for rooms
This 80-year-old Mayfair hotel overlooking Hyde Park is one of the best hotels in London. Its 250 guest rooms and suites are decorated in a classic English style using specially commissioned fabrics and exquisite antique furniture. Facilities include a Royston Blythe hair salon and a relaxed, Art Deco-style spa, which reopened in 2009 after a £3.2-million refurbishment. Interior designer Thierry Despont redesigned the popular bar in 2006, and diners have a choice of five restaurants, including China Tang for Cantonese specialities, Alain Ducasse for three-Michelin-starred French cuisine, and The Grill at The Dorchester, reputed to do the best roast in London.
X-factor The three Rooftop Suites, a favourite with visiting A-listers, have wraparound terraces with views of Hyde Park and the London skyline. Alexandra Champalimaud has redesigned 23 of the Premium Suites.
Park Lane, London W1 (020 7629 8888; www.thedorchester.com). Doubles from £265
The Soho Hotel, London
The Soho Hotel, London: Best for rooms
Imaginatively converted from a multi-storey car park, the Firmdale Hotel group's Soho property is one of the best hotels in London - and one of the most fashionable. Fernando Botero's 10ft bronze cat sculpture dominates the lobby, and the adjacent Refuel bar and restaurant is always busy. The 91 rooms, suites and apartments - each an individual celebration of colour and pattern - are gorgeously decorated by co-owner Kit Kemp in her characteristic eclectic-English style. Six apartments have private entrances, kitchens and sitting rooms. There are two glamorous screening rooms in the basement, a gym, and two beauty-treatment rooms.
X-factor The rooftop terrace suite might be the hotel's most desirable, but those in the know go for the fifth-floor rooms and suites, all of which have private terraces. 'Every room at the Soho Hotel is a gorgeous example of Kit Kemp's winning aesthetic vision and attention to detail,' says Gold List contributor Emily Mathieson.
4 Richmond Mews, London W1 (020 7559 3000; www.firmdale.com). Doubles from £280
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking serviceThe Beverly Hills Hotel
The Beverly Hills Hotel: Best for rooms
This pale-pink, palm-fringed hotel on Sunset Boulevard is a favourite with Hollywood A-listers: stars love the 210-room property (which celebrates its 100th birthday this year) for its old-fashioned grandeur, as well as its friendly, efficient and discreet service. The La Prairie spa provides customised anti-ageing treatments in private cabanas. The famous Polo Lounge (due for renovation this year) is one of the hotel's three restaurants; it serves seasonal Californian cuisine and afternoon tea.
X-factor The 23 individually designed bungalows, set in 12 acres of gardens, are the ultimate in film-star glamour. Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned here with six of her eight husbands. Two new 5,000sq ft Presidential Bungalows opened last June.
9641 Sunset Boulevard, Beverly Hills, California, USA (00 1 310 276 2251; www.beverlyhillshotel.com). Doubles from $500
Crosby Street Hotel, New York
Crosby Street Hotel: Best for rooms
Constructed from brick, steel and glass on the site of a SoHo parking lot, the Crosby Street Hotel - which opened in September 2009 - is the first stateside venture by the London-based Firmdale Hotel group. Like its design-savvy British cousins, this hotel bears the stamp of co-owner Kit Kemp, whose imaginative combinations of fresh colours and textures, antique and contemporary furnishings lend its 86 rooms a quirky English edge. The hotel has a sculpture garden, a gym and a screening room. The Crosby Bar & Terrace serves some of the city's best cocktails, as well as an excellent bistro-style menu made with produce from its own rooftop kitchen garden.
X-factor 'The rooms at Crosby Street Hotel are bright, light, joyful spaces from which to enjoy the best of SoHo,' says Gold List contributor Peter Browne. 'The owners have assembled a most inspiring collection of artefacts and art.'
79 Crosby Street, New York City, USA (00 1 212 226 6400; www.firmdale.com). Doubles from $525
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithSandy Lane, Barbados
Sandy Lane: Best for rooms
This Palladian-style beach resort is the most luxurious on Barbados. Frequent revamps (the most recent was to update the spa, rooms and restaurants) ensure that this 50-year-old hotel is still as good as it can be. The service is top-notch, too. The 112 opulent rooms and suites average 900sq ft, and have marble floors and large private terraces. The resort has four restaurants, seven bars, nine floodlit tennis courts, three golf courses (two of which were designed by Tom Fazio) and dedicated clubs for both children and teens. The magnificent 47,000sq ft spa uses Anne Sémonin and Aromatherapy Associates products in its treatments.
X-factor The five-bedroom Villa is the epitome of luxury: set in its own gardens, with a dedicated team of staff, it is essentially a private home in the midst of one of the world's great luxury resorts.
St James, Barbados, West Indies (00 1 246 444 2000; www.sandylane.com). Doubles from US$1,040
- PA Photos
Armani Hotel Dubai
Armani Hotel: Best for rooms
Occupying the first eight floors (and floors 38 and 39) of the dart-shaped, 828-metre Burj Khalifa tower - Dubai's tallest skyscraper - Giorgio Armani's first hotel opened in 2010. As you'd expect from a venture such as this, in such a glitzy destination, the 160 rooms are ultra-luxurious. There are seven restaurants to choose from (serving Japanese, Indian, Italian or Mediterranean cuisine), plus an outpost of Peck, Armani's favourite Milanese deli. Every guest is appointed a personal Lifestyle Manager to guide them around the hotel's impressive array of facilities, including a nightclub, a spa and several boutiques.
X-factor The hotel's 'residences' - which range between 100 and 200sq ft - are the epitome of upmarket Italian glamour, many with views of the 490ft-high Dubai Fountain.
Burj Khalifa, Dubai (00 971 4 888 3888; http://dubai.armanihotels.com). Doubles from US$750
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs Smith Kasbah Tamadot
Kasbah Tamadot: Best for rooms
Richard Branson's magical Moroccan retreat in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains is a 1940s former private home that has been converted into a stylish boutique hotel, built around a series of courtyards and pools. There are 15 opulent suites in the main building, a three-bedroom Main Suite, six Berber Tented Suites and four new Berber Tents. Each room has been individually designed with a mix of traditional Moroccan and contemporary pieces. There is a spa and an infinity pool in the extensive grounds. Very good Moroccan and International cuisine is served in the Kanoun Restaurant.
X-factor 'I love the over-the-top decor at Kasbah Tamadot,' says Gold List contributor Peter Browne. 'Every room is a wonderful Aladdin's Cave of vibrant colour and interesting curiosities.'
Near Asni, Morocco (020 8600 0430; www.kasbahtamadot.virgin.com). Doubles from €415
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithNorth Island, Seychelles
North Island: Best for rooms
Managed by South Africa-based Wilderness Safaris, this environmentally conscious Robinson Crusoe retreat is a private island with just 11 gorgeous villas laid out along a two-kilometre beach, one of four on the island. There's a lovely freeform swimming pool, a spa set on a granite hill and a dive centre. Chef David Godin's 'no menu' philosophy means he consults each guest on their food preferences before producing his daily dishes; light meals can beserved in the villas from special 'butler stations'.
X-factor The vast villas have two bedrooms (one doubles as a study), circular plunge pools and huge open-plan bathrooms. 'They are sensational,' says Gold List contributor Peter Browne. 'Not only are they precision-designed, they provide a sense of space and privacy beyond most people's wildest fantasies.'
00 248 293100; www.north-island.com. Villas from €4,570
Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai
Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai: Best for rooms
Set on 20 acres in the Mae Rim valley, this luxurious resort is surrounded by paddy fields and mountains, yet is just a short drive from Chiang Mai. It has 98 Lanna-style pavilions, villas and residences decorated with Thai art, each of which comes with an outdoor sala. Facilities include two pools, a spa with seven treatment rooms, a tennis court and two restaurants: Sala Mae Rim for Thai food and Terraces for international cuisine. There is also private dining for two at Rice Barn. The wonderful cookery school holds alfresco classes.
X-factor The three- and four-storey private residences, built to resemble Thai and Burmese temples, have polished teak floors, gabled buttresses and fireplaces.
Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road, Chiang Mai, Thailand (00 66 53 298181; www.fourseasons.com/chiangmai). Doubles from £490
The Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore
The Fullerton Bay Hotel: Best for rooms
A stylish, glass-and-steel building jutting out over Marina Bay, the Fullerton Bay Hotel opened in 2010 as part of Singapore's Fullerton Heritage development, a complex of galleries, restaurants and bars adjoining its 1920s sister property The Fullerton Hotel. The contemporary-style lobby and restaurants are by Hong Kong designer Andre Fu, and the 100 rooms and suites feature plenty of polished rosewood, leather and marble. There are great city views from the gym and a 25-metre rooftop infinity pool. Diners can choose between French-inspired cuisine at Clifford, Asian dishes at The Landing Point and light meals at the top-floor Lantern bar.
X-factor The five individually designed suites - which feature such decadent design flourishes as gold-silk wall panels - have panoramic views over Marina Bay.
80 Collyer Quay, Singapore (00 65 6333 8388; www.fullertonbayhotel.com). Doubles from S$560 (about £275)
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithThe Upper House, Hong Kong
The Upper House: Best for rooms
The Upper House, created by architect Andre Fu in a 1980s apartment block in the Admiralty district, is every bit as stylish as its Beijing sister property, The Opposite House. All 117 rooms, including 21 suites and two penthouses, are uncluttered, contemporary and incredibly spacious by Hong Kong standards. Although the hotel does not have a pool or spa, there is a roof garden, a fitness centre and one of the city's most popular restaurants in Café Gray Deluxe, where chef Gray Kunz creates an international menu with predominantly local organic produce.
X-factor 'A suite here is like the ultimate fantasy apartment,' says Gold List contributor Fiona Caulfield. 'There are panoramic views of the Hong Kong skyline, sophisticated design, superb contemporary art, discreet butlers and a bathroom sanctuary to die for.'
Pacific Place, 88 Queensway, Hong Kong, China (00 852 2918 1838; www.upperhouse.com). Doubles from HK$4,000 (about £320)
Huka Lodge, New Zealand
Huka Lodge: Best for rooms
The 19 suites at this secluded 1920s fishing resort, near Lake Taupo on New Zealand's North Island, are set along the bank of the Waikato River. Spacious and bright, with outdoor terraces, they have a comfortable 'cabin' look; their bathrooms have underfloor heating and sunken tubs. Guests can choose from a number of unique and romantic diningvenues dotted throughout the property. The big attraction here is some of the world's best rainbow-trout fishing, but there are also tennis and pétanque courts, a swimming pool and spa pools. Hunting, horseback treks and golf can be arranged.
X-factor There is more spacious accommodation in the four-suite Owner's Cottage, where the light, Hamptons-style interiors make the most of the fine art collection, including works by some of New Zealand's best artists. The two-suite Alan Pye Cottage is equally stylish, and comes with its own collection of Maori artefacts.
Huka Falls Road, Taupo, North Island, New Zealand (00 64 7 378 5791; www.hukalodge.com). Doubles from NZ$813 (about £405)
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithSaffire Freycinet, Tasmania
Saffire Freycinet: Best for rooms
With jaw-dropping views across Great Oyster Bay to the peaks of the Hazards beyond, this luxurious hotel stands on a wooded plateau that, just a few years ago, was a trailer park. Its 20 timber-panelled cabin suites have floor-to-ceiling windows; guests in the Luxury Suites can even enjoy the scenery from the bath. Location-wise, the hotel can't be bettered - a nearby walking trail leads to Wineglass Bay, one of the finest beaches in Australasia - though, thanks to chef Hugh Whitehouse's innovative menus at Palate, no one's going to be in any hurry to go anywhere.
X-factor 'The top-of-the-line suites are packed with enough luxuries and comforts to make the weary traveller weep,' says Gold List contributor Jonathan Bastable. 'The well-stocked fridge and bar; the iPod pre-loaded with your favourite music; the night-time flask of hot chocolate; and the deep, deep peace of the soft, soft bed.'
2352 Coles Bay Road, Tasmania, Australia (00 61 3 6256 7888; www.saffire-freycinet.com.au). Doubles from A$1,450 (about £940)
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Southern Ocean Lodge, South Australia
Southern Ocean Lodge, South Australia: Best for rooms
Combining striking modern design and an excellent pedigree (its sister hotel is the fantastic Capella Lodge), the 21-suite Southern Ocean Lodge opened in 2008. Local architect Max Pritchard has created a sleek eco-retreat on South Australia's Kangaroo Island which reflects, and focuses on, the pristine landscape. A glass corridor leads to the suites, all with glass-fronted bathrooms to maximise scenery-scanning. Talented chef Tim Bourke provides a daily-changing seasonal menu in the restaurant; there is a spa and stargazing platform on a cliff overlooking the ocean.
X-factor 'Each suite has a glass wall facing the ocean,' says Gold List contributor Mike Dolan. 'Inside it's a world of unsurpassed luxury,outside one of unparalleled natural beauty.'
Hanson Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia (00 61 2 9918 4355; www.southernoceanlodge.com.au). Doubles from A$1,980 (about £1,285)
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze: Best for rooms
This converted Renaissance palazzois set in 11 acres (the largest private garden in the city). There are 116 individually decorated bedrooms and suites divided between the Palazzo della Gherardesca and a former 16th-century convent. The sensitive, seven-year restoration, completed in 2008, has created an utterly gorgeous hotel: original frescoes and friezes adorn the walls; baroque portraits line the ballroom; and the gardens are splendid. The service is fantastic, as is the restaurant, Il Palagio. There is a large swimming pool and a substantial spa using products from the city's Santa Maria Novella pharmacy.
X-factor 'The 11 "speciality suites" with their frescoes, vast chandeliers, silk wall hangings and period furniture are magnificent,' says Gold List contributor Nicky Swallow. The Royal Suite has a vaulted ceiling, stuccos, a 17th-century ceramic floor and original frescoes depicting the life of Medici Pope Leo XI.
Borgo Pinti 99, Florence, Italy (00 39 055 26261; www.fourseasons.com/florence). Doubles from €605
Hôtel du Cap Eden Roc, Antibes
Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes: Best for rooms
A firm favourite with A-listers during the Cannes Film Festival, Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc recently reopened after a four-year, €45-million restoration. It has retained its elegant, 19th-century ambience, and its 67 rooms, many with Mediterranean views, are now as grand as when the hotel first opened in 1870. Facilities include 22 acres of forested grounds, a heated seawater swimming pool, ultra-private cliff-top cabanas, five tennis courts, a La Prairie spa, and a hair and beauty boutique. Chef Arnaud Poëtte's exquisite French cuisine is served in Restaurant Eden-Roc.
**X-factor '**Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc is quite the most idyllic hotel I've ever stayed at,' says Gold List contributor Claire Wrathall. 'You would never know they'd just lavished €45 million on it - but that's a compliment. The rooms are palatial and the service exemplary; it seems to encapsulate the eternal allure of the Côte d'Azur.'
Boulevard JF Kennedy, Antibes, France (00 33 4 93 61 39 01; www.hotel-du-cap-eden-roc.com). Doubles from €495
Hotel Imperial, Vienna
Hotel Imperial: Best for rooms
Vienna's grandest hotel is a short walk from the Vienna State Opera, the Musikverein concert hall and the city's 12th-century cathedral. An opulent property with an ornate façade and splendid entrance lobby, it was built in 1863 for the Prince of Württemberg. The 138 rooms and two Royal Suites are decorated in a palatial Viennese style, with chandeliers and heavy drapes, deep-pile carpets and antique parquet floors. Facilities include a fitness and health studio and an Imperial Torte boutique, should guests wish to stock up on Viennese cake. The Imperial restaurant serves traditional Austrian and international fare; Viennese coffeehouse culture lives on at the Café Imperial.
X-factor The two Royal Suites have silk-upholstered walls and seven-metre-high stucco ceilings, as well as antiques dating back to the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. All suites have butler service.
Kärntner Ring 16, Vienna, Austria (00 43 1 501100; www.luxurycollection.com/imperial). Doubles from €399
Alvear Palace, Buenos Aires
Alvear Palace: Best for service
The grandest hotel in Buenos Aires has been a high-society fixture since 1932. The 197 rooms and suites are opulently furnished with art and antiques; the original features are in tip-top condition; and the atmospheremanages to be both elegant and decadent. There are two restaurants, L'Orangerie and La Bourgogne, and an Art Deco-style Cigar Bar.
X-factor 'The service here befits the Alvear's high-society clientele,' says Gold List contributor Colin Barraclough. 'Bilingual butlers press clothes on arrival, concierges handle anything from flower deliveries to chopper charters, and personal shoppers unearth hidden gems.'
Avenida Alvear 1891, Buenos Aires, Argentina (00 54 11 4808 2100; www.alvearpalace.com). Doubles from US$495
Carlisle Bay, Antigua
Carlisle Bay: Best for service
Right on the beach, with a backdrop of rolling hills and rainforest,this sister property to Beirut's Le Gray hotel is an effortlessly stylish bolthole on the south coast of Antigua. There are two restaurants (East for pan-Asian fusion cuisine; Indigo on the Beach for grills and seafood), nine tennis courts, a swimming pool, a children's club, a library and a private screening room. The Blue Spa has six treatment rooms, plunge pools and a sauna, and holds yoga and Pilates classes. The 82 sea-facing suites all have private balconies or terraces.
X-factor The staff (who outnumber guests three to one) are thoughtful, attentive, and readily available.
Old Road, St Mary's, Antigua (00 1 268 484 0000; www.carlisle-bay.com). Doubles from US$920
The Carlyle, New York
The Carlyle: Best for service
This landmark on the Upper East Side has been an elite Manhattan establishment since 1930. Originally designed by Dorothy Draper, it was revamped by Thierry Despont in 2002, when the 188 rooms and suites were given contemporary touches while retaining their classic elegance. The art collection includes renderings by Piranesi and Audubon prints, as well as murals by Ludwig Bemelmans (creator of the Madeline books) in the Bemelmans Bar. There's a great spa and three restaurants, including the renowned Café Carlyle.
X-factor The service is famously discreet. For many years it remained a secret that this was where JFK stayed with Marilyn Monroe.
35 East 76th Street, New York, USA (00 800 8767 3966; www.rosewoodhotels.com). Doubles from $800
Frégate Island Private, Seychelles
Frégate Island Private: Best for service
This exotic,ecologically aware, 300-hectare private-island resort provides the sort of castaway idyll guests grew up dreaming about. Its 16 vast villas have been built in African chamfuta teak, and come with four-poster beds, three showers, a Jacuzzi on the terrace and private pools. Facilities include the tranquil Rock Spa, and as many activities (both sporty and relaxing) as guests can handle. There's gourmet dining in Frégate House and the historic Plantation House.
X-factor 'At Frégate,' says Gold List contributor Lucy Hughes-Hallett, 'your meals can be served wherever your fancy dictates: on the beach, by your private pool or - best of all - up a tree. Enthroned among the birds, you can watch your lunch being winched up into the leafy canopy from a barbecue some 30ft beneath the dining-platform.'
00 27 21 556 9984; www.fregate.com. Villas from €2,700
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The Oberoi, Mauritius
The Oberoi: Best for service
Set in 20 acres of sub-tropical gardens on the island's north-west coast, The Oberoi, Mauritius, has 71 villas and pavilions, all with four-poster beds and marble bathrooms. Each villa has a private garden; some have private pools. The restaurant serves a range of cuisines including European, Asian and Creole; the Lagoon Pool Restaurant is open for light lunches. There's also a spa, tennis courts, a pool and a gym.
X-factor Oberoi Hotels & Resorts is well known for its excellent staff, and The Oberoi, Mauritius, is no exception: the service here is easygoing, helpful and charming.
Turtle Bay, Pointe aux Piments, Mauritius (00 230 204 3600; www.oberoi-mauritius.com). Doubles from €500
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithSingita Sabi Sand, South Africa
Singita Sabi Sand: Best for service
The original Singita (there are now four) comprises three extremely luxurious safari lodges on an 18,000-hectare concession in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve: traditional Ebony Lodge, contemporary Afro-chic Boulders Lodge and Castleton Camp, an elegant private house. The first two have 12 air-conditioned suites with plunge pools; Castleton Camp has six and a swimming pool. Talented chef Tamarin van Zyl specialises in pan-African cuisine, and there is a sommelier on hand to help make sense of the 20,000-plus bottles of wine; he also organises regular wine-tastings.
X-factor 'Put simply, the Singita brand sets the service standard for safari lodges in Africa,' says Gold List contributor Peter Browne.
Sabi Sand Reserve, South Africa (00 27 21 683 3424; www.singita.com). Doubles from R12,250 (about £960)
The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur
The Leela Palace Kempinski Udaipur: Best for service
This opulent hotel lies on the shores of Lake Pichola. The 72 rooms and eight suites have views over the City Palace, Jag Niwas Palace or the lake, and are decorated with local handicrafts and furnishings. Restaurants include Sheesh Mahal for Indian cuisine and The Dining Room for international dishes. An ESPA spa complex, which opened in 2010, has nine tented suites, 14 treatment rooms, a fitness centre and a pool.
X-factor 'The service at the Leela Palace Udaipur is as lavish as its rich interiors,' says Gold List contributor Fiona Caulfield. 'There's a dedicated butler for every guest, and they magically appear just when you need them.'
Lake Pichola, Udaipur, India (00 91 294 670 1234; www.theleela.com). Doubles from Rs18,500 (about £235)
Park Hyatt Tokyo
Park Hyatt Tokyo: Best for service
Occupying the top 14 floors of the 52-storey Shinjuku Park Tower, the 178-room Park HyattTokyo enjoys dizzying views over the city. Culinary options include Japanese cuisine at Kozue and Western dishes at Girandole and the New York Grill. The pool on the 47th floor is part of the Club on the Park, with its seven-treatment-room spa, whirlpools and wet and dry saunas. The service at the Park Hyatt is universally acclaimed: the Entertainment Concierges assume the role of personal assistants, taking care of all aspects of a group's or individual's visit.
X-factor The hotel provides a portable Wi-Fi module that fits in your pocket and can be carried around for high-speed Internet access on iPhones, iPads, BlackBerries and laptops wherever you go - even if you're hiking up Mount Fuji.
3-7-1-2 Nishi Shinjuku, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, Japan (00 81 3 5322 1234; www.tokyo.park.hyatt.com). Doubles from ¥69,339 (about £570)
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The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, Singapore
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia: Best for service
In the heart of Singapore's Marina Bay, with unobstructed views of both the Singapore skyline and the busy waterfront, this 32-floor, 608-room property was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Kevin Roche. Its newly renovated guest rooms are the largest of any hotel in the city-state. Facilities include a spa, a fitness centre with hot and cold plunge pools, and iPad tours of the hotel's contemporary art collection, which includes pieces by Andy Warhol and Frank Stella. Dining options include Cantonese cuisine at Summer Pavilion and traditional Japanese dishes at Shiraishi.
X-factor 'This may not be the most glamorous of Singapore's elite hotels but the rooms are spacious, service is peerless, and the view over Marina Bay from the bathtub is worth the room rate alone,' says Gold List contributor Gary Bowerman.
7 Raffles Avenue, Singapore (00 65 6 337 8888; www.ritzcarlton.com). Doubles from US$720
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney: Best for service
This popular Sydney hotel has 531 very plush, contemporary rooms; those facing the front have views over the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Opera House, the harbour and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Make sure you're in situ at sunset. Kable's, the main restaurant, serves modern Australian cuisine with a seafood bias. There's also a spa specialising in Sodashi and Elemis treatments. Children are as well looked-after as older guests: the hotel provides child-sized bathrobes and junior toiletries as well as a welcome 'cocktail' of milk and biscuits on arrival.
X-factor 'The service here is fantastic,' says Gold List contributor Fiona Lintott. 'Suffering from jet lag, I went for an early-morning jog; and when I got back, the doorman was waiting with a bottle of water and a chilled towel. Amazing.'
199 George Street, Sydney, Australia (00 61 2 9238 0000; www.fourseasons.com/sydney). Doubles from A$250 (about £160)
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, French Polynesia
InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa: Best for service
Set on the Motu Piti Aau coral island in the Pacific Ocean, this stylish beach resort - decorated in a bright colour palette with Sixties-inspired design touches - is a refreshing alternative to its more traditional neighbours in the region. The 80 over-water bungalows have floor-to-ceiling windows, spacious terraces and private pontoons for offshore sunbathing. Facilities include a stunning infinity pool, a health and fitness centre, tennis courts and - of course - a spa. Dining is at either the sophisticated La Reef or the more laid-back Le Sands.
X-factor The Deep Ocean Spa by Algotherm is the South Pacific's first dedicated Thalasso spa. It has glass-floored treatment rooms so guests can admire the marine life, and the standard of service is outstanding.
Motu Piti Aau, Bora Bora, French Polynesia (00 689 607600; www.ichotelsgroup.com). Bungalows from £433
Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, New South Wales
Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa: Best for service
This exclusive luxury resort in the Blue Mountains outside Sydney cost around A$125 million to build, and it shows. The 36 Heritage Suites have wonderful views of the Wolgan Valley Reserve and come with locally crafted wooden furniture, Federation-era decor and private pools. There are also three family-sized Wollemi Suites and the 410-square-metre Wolgan Suite. Facilities include a pool, a gym and a spa; activities such as horse-riding, bush walks and wildlife safaris are very popular. There are two restaurants, the Country Kitchen and the Wolgan Dining Room (both of which serve superb Modern Australian cuisine), and a walk-in wine cellar.
X-factor 'The welcome here is warm, the service polite and intuitive,' says Gold List contributor Mike Dolan. 'But in true Australian style, there isn't a hint of ingratiation.'
2600 Wolgan Road, Wolgan Valley, Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia (00 61 2 6350 1800; www.wolganvalley.com). Suites from A$1,560 (about £1,020)
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Adlon Kempinski Berlin
Adlon Kempinski: Best for service
This historic hotel is in a great location, close to both the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. In business for just over 100 years, it burned down in 1945, was rebuilt in 1997 and renovated in 2007. Some of the 304 rooms and 78 suites have spectacular views of the Brandenburg Gate or the Academy of Arts. Dining options include the Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer, Italian cuisine at Gabriele Restaurant and sushi at Uma Restaurant. There's also a spa, pool and nightclub. The wonderful concierge team will organise anything for you, whether it's a boat trip, a guided city tour, atour of the Kennedy Museum, children's activities or the use of a limo.
X-factor 'The staff are serene and unflappable,' says Gold List contributor William Cook. 'They're great at eliminating problems before they surface. What's their secret? Faultless preparation. Or, as the Prussians put it: Alles muss in ordnung sein.'
Unter den Linden 77, Berlin, Germany (00 49 30 22610; www.hotel-adlon.de). Doubles from €230
Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris: Best for service
A grand palace hotel built in 1928 close to the Champs-Elysées, the George V has gone from strength to strength under the management of Four Seasons. There are 244 rooms (more than a quarter of which are suites), and many have private terraces. Public areas are impressive, with high ceilings, serious antiques, tapestries and lavish floral displays by designer Jeff Leatham. The two-Michelin-starred restaurant Le Cinq continues to win plaudits for its classic French cuisine; La Galerie and Le Bar are popular for cocktails. There's a small pool and spa in the basement.
X-factor The impressively efficient team of concierges can arrange anything you want; and they have been known to find and return lost items weeks after a guest has left.
31 avenue George V, Paris, France (00 33 1 49 52 70 00; www.fourseasons.com/paris). Doubles from €730
- Orient-Express
Villa San Michele, Florence
Villa San Michele: Best for service
This fabulous, 15th-century former monastery, part of the Orient-Express group, occupies a hilltop setting on the outskirts of Florence with mesmerising views of the city. It has 46 Italianate rooms (including 25 suites) divided between the main building and a former lemon-tree store in the landscaped grounds. Traditional Tuscan cuisine is served in the elegant Loggia restaurant, and lunch can be taken poolside. The popular cookery school is led by head chef Attilio di Fabrizio.
X-factor 'One summer lunchtime, I turned up at Villa San Michele out of the blue with a friend and her two young children,' says Gold List contributor Sarah Spankie. 'We were scruffy, hot and fractious. But instead of being marched to the exit we were lead courteously to a lovely table on the balcony, as though we were honoured guests. That's truly impeccable service.'
4 via Doccia, Fiesole, Florence, Italy (00 39 055 567 8200; www.villasanmichele.com). Doubles from €860
Chewton Glen, Hampshire
Chewton Glen, Hampshire: Best for service
Set in 130 acres on the edge of the New Forest, this country-house hotel has 58 rooms and suites furnished with a mix of antiques and contemporary furnishings; most have a private garden, terrace or balcony. Head chef Andrew Du Bourg makes good use of Hampshire produce such as New Forest game and Lymington seafood at the recently refurbished Vetiver restaurant. The spa has 10 treatment rooms, a 17-metre ozone-treated swimming pool, gym and hydrotherapy pool. Other diversions include a nine-hole golf course, tennis courts, an outdoor pool and a croquet lawn. Twelve stilted 'treehouse' suites are set
to open in June in the hotel grounds.
X-factor The excellent Kid's Club provides everything from painting and PlayStations to storytelling sessions.
Chewton Glen, New Milton, Hampshire (01425 275341; www.chewtonglen.com). Doubles from £299
Claridge's, London
Claridge's, London: Best for service
This Art Deco gem in the heart of Mayfair is still as fashionable as ever, and remains the top London hotel of choice for everyone from models to media moguls. The original 140 rooms and 63 suites are decorated with Art Deco or Victorian touches, and were supplemented in June 2010 by four rooms and suites designed by https://www.cntraveller.com/news/2010/march/diane-von-furstenberg-gives-claridges-a-make-overDiane von Furstenburg. There is a Sisley spa and beauty-treatment rooms, and fitness facilities on the sixth floor. Dining options include Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's for Modern European cuisine, and The Foyer (the place for afternoon tea). The Fumoir Bar serves fabulous cocktails in Lalique glassware.
X-factor Each of the feature suites comes with a personal butler to cater to guests' every need.
Brook Street, London W1 (020 7629 8860; www.claridges.co.uk). Doubles from £355
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithFour Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane: Best for service
This 186-bedroom hotel, which overlooks Hyde Park, reopened in January 2011 after a two-year refurbishment by designer Pierre-Yves Rochon. It maintains its expert combination of traditional English decor and atmosphere with state-of-the-art in-room technology, and is understandably one of the top hotels in London for business travellers. The impressive Amaranto restaurant attracts London's stylish diners, as much for the views of the hotel's gardens as the excellent Italian-inspired menu. There's also a cocktail bar and lounge, as well as a 10th-floor spa and fitness centre.
X-factor 'Four Seasons Hotel Park Lane is typical of the brand,' says Gold List contributor Francesca Syz. 'Staff are friendly and attentive, yet unobtrusive. They were there when we needed them, and melted away when we didn't.'
Hamilton Place, Park Lane, London W1 (020 7499 0888; www.fourseasons.com/london). Doubles from £594
Bushman's Kloof, South Africa
Bushman's Kloof: Best for food
Set on a private, 7,500-hectare game reserve in the Western Cape's Cederberg Mountains, Bushman's Kloof has 16 rooms and suites divided between its Main Lodge and Koro Lodge, a private villa for families and groups of friends. Guides can arrange nature drives and excursions into the bush to look at ancient rock art, as well as fly-fishing and hiking. There are four pools, a spa and a gym.
X-factor Head chef Floris Smith excels in contemporary Cape cuisine, and makes fantastic use of local ingredients and indigenous herbs. Choose between elegant, formal dining at the Homestead and relaxed barbecues at Embers.
Western Cape, South Africa (00 27 21481 1860; www.bushmanskloof.co.za). Doubles from R4,000 (about £320)
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa: Best for food
Built in the style of a traditional Maldivian village, this Four Seasons resort has 96 thatched villas scattered around the island or built on stilts over the water. There's a fantastic spa on its own little island, reached by wooden dhoni, and a great children's club with table-tennis, snorkelling and painting classes. A stay here can easily be combined with a few days on the resort's 39-metre catamaran.
X-factor The resort has four superb restaurants: choose from menus of low-key Italian, classy Indian, Asian delicacies and freshly caught seafood.
North Malé Atoll, Maldives (00 960 6644 888; www.fourseasons.com/maldiveskh). Doubles from US$1,008
Le Quartier Francais, South Africa
Le Quartier Français: Best for food
A stylish hotel with a great reputation, Le Quartier Français is in Franschhoek, a foodie haven in the heart of South Africa's Western Cape winelands. Accommodation comprises four suites overlooking a courtyard, two suites with private pools and 16 rooms built around a central pool. A small, two-bedroom cottage and a three-bedroom house are also available. Chef Margot Janse showcases her award-winning contemporary cuisine with an African-inspired Surprise menu in The Tasting Room.
X-factor 'It takes quite some panache to be regarded as the best restaurant in the acknowledged gourmet capital of South Africa,' says Gold List contributor Harriet O'Brien. 'But Margot Janse's dishes are at once innovative, theatrical and exquisite. This is the El Bulli of Africa.'
16 Huguenot Road, Franschhoek, South Africa (00 27 21 876 2151; www.lequartier.co.za). Doubles from R3,950 (about £315)
Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo: Best for food
The 38-floor Mandarin Oriental Tokyo is a cool, cutting-edge hotel in the buzzing business and shopping district of Nihonbashi. All 179 rooms and suites have floor-to-ceiling windows with jaw-dropping views of the city; all combine state-of-the-art technology with sleek Asian design. Facilities include a fitness centre, five restaurants, three bars, a tearoom and the 37th-floor spa, where guests are massaged, cleansed and wrapped while enjoying a bird's-eye view of the spectacular Tokyo skyline.
X-factor The hotel is home to two Michelin-starred restaurants. Gourmands can agonise over whether to opt for Kenichi Takase's Cantonese cuisine at Sense or eschew cutlery in favour of pipettes and syringes at the innovative Tapas Molecular Bar.
2-1-1 Nihonbashi Muromachi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan (00 81 3 3270 8800; www.mandarinoriental.com/tokyo). Doubles from ¥45,000 (about £360)
The Opposite House, Beijing
The Opposite House: Best for food
Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, this 99-room, steel-and-glass boutique hotel opened in Beijing's fashionable Sanlitun district in 2008. Its Rubik's Cube-like green-and-yellow glass exterior gives way to a striking, six-floor atrium hung with curtains of steel mesh. Original sculptures and art installations are prominently displayed in the public areas. Other features include a gym, two spa-treatment rooms and a 22-metre stainless-steel pool illuminated by delicate fibre-optics. Three restaurants provide sustenance; the Mesh bar and Punk nightclub provide the perfect excuse to stay up late.
X-factor Whether they're preparing Mediterranean flavours at Sureño or innovative North Asian cuisine at Bei, the expert chefs at The Opposite House are up there with the very best in China.
The Village, Building 1, No 11 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China (00 8610 6417 6688; www.theoppositehouse.com). Doubles from 2,500 yuan (about £250)
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithPudong Shangri-La, Shanghai
Pudong Shangri-La: Best for food
The Pudong Shangri-La is famed for its location on the Huangpu River, with stunning views of the Bund and the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. But it's also worth checking into for its luxurious accommodation. There are 952 glamorous rooms and suites, including 375 added to the hotel's Grant Tower in 2005, which are decorated in a soothing palette of browns and creams. CHI, the Spa at Shangri-La, provides treatments inspired by traditional Asian philosophies. The hotel also has two swimming pools, a health club and a staggering choice of bars, restaurants and guest lounges.
X-factor 'What sets the Pudong Shangri-La apart is the depth and range of its dining,' says Gold List contributor Gary Bowerman. 'All the restaurants - from modern French, inventive Japanese and classy Chinese to Shanghai's first live cooking-station and an international buffet diner - are genuinely excellent.'
33 Fu Cheng Road, Pudong, Shanghai, China (0800 028 3337; www.shangri-la.com). Doubles from 1,900 yuan (about £190)
The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand
The Farm at Cape Kidnappers: Best for food
Set on a 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle farm in the Hawke's Bay wine region, this 22-suite luxury resort - which also includes a four-bedroom Owner's Cottage - is famed for its spectacular, Tom Doak-designed golf course. Most of the suites are clustered on either side of the main lodge (designed in a 'farm-chic' style), which contains four Lodge Suites. The spa, on a hillside above the lodge, has three treatment rooms. Activities include quad-bike tours of the farm, visits to the local gannet colony and mountain-biking.
X-factor Group chef Dale Gartland and head chef Tim Pickering's menus feature local produce - much of which comes from the lodge's own vegetable garden - including seafood and New Zealand beef and lamb. The wine list is excellent.
446 Clifton Road, Te Awanga, Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (00 64 6 875 1900; www.capekidnappers.com). Doubles from NZ$1,480 (about £740)
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithShangri-La Hotel Sydney
Shangri-La Hotel Sydney: Best for food
A slick, 563-room hotel in the Rocks district, the Shangri-La Hotel Sydney has a great many appealing features. There are 80 Horizon Club rooms for business travellers, with a lounge, complimentary evening drinks and free suit-press, and the hotel has a terrific business centre. Other attractions include an indoor pool, fitness centre, sauna and steam room; a spa opened in February 2010. The Altitude restaurant, which servesmodern Australian cuisine, has dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows with great harbour views; Café Mix is good for pasta and tandoori dishes.
X-factor 'A rising star on Australia's modern-cuisine scene, chef Steve Krasicki ensures Altitude restaurant is famous for more than its iconic harbour views,' says Gold List contributor Mike Dolan.
176 Cumberland Street, The Rocks, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (0800 028 3337; www.shangri-la.com). Doubles from A$355 (about £230)
Hacienda Benazuza, Seville
Hacienda Benazuza: Best for food
As you'd expect from the Andalucian outpost of El Bulli restaurant (now sadly closed), the food at Hacienda Benazuza is very special indeed. And so is the hotel: a 10th-century Moorish farmhouse set in a garden of orange and lemon trees just outside Seville, it has 44 rooms decorated in a traditional Spanish style, with antiques and original art (some even have frescoed ceilings). Facilities include a sunken garden, a pool with an adjacent Arab tent, and a spa with a sauna, a Turkish bath and an ice fountain.
X-factor The hotel's Alma restaurant is where chef Rafa Zafra recreates El Bulli maestro Ferran Adrià's groundbreaking recipes. Try his 'surprise' tasting menu.
Sanlucar la Mayor, Seville, Spain (00 34 955 703344; www.haciendabenazuza.com). Doubles from €350
Hotel Splendido, Portofino
Hotel Splendido: Best for food
This former monastery in the millionaires' playground of Portofino has been one of Italy's most glamorous retreats for more than 100 years, playing host to countless stars (among them Bogart and Bacall, and Taylor and Burton). There are 64 rooms, including 34 suites, nearly all of which have balconies with commanding views across and beyond the picturesque harbour. Facilities include an outdoor, saltwater infinity pool, a foliage-fringed tennis court, a wellness centre and spa, and access to the hotel's own motor boat. A sister property, the Splendido Mare, is a short walk away in Portofino's village square.
X-factor An outdoor table at La Terrazza, with views over the bay, is the ideal place to enjoy chef Corrado Corti's superb regional Italian cooking.
16 viale Baratta, Portofino, Italy (00 39 0185 267801; www.hotelsplendido.com). Doubles from €913
- Guillaume de Laubie
Le Meurice, Paris
Le Meurice: Best for food
This 176-year-old Parisian grande dame is well located in the 1st arrondissement, opposite the Tuileries gardens and close to the Louvre. It has 120 rooms and 40 suites decorated in a Louis XVI style, but each of the seven floors has a different look. The top-floor Belle Etoile Suite has 360-degree views from its large terrace. The hotel's public areas were refurbished by Philippe Starck in 2007. Restaurant Le Dalí now features a huge ceiling canvas painted by Starck's daughter, Ara. The Spa Valmont provides an extensive range of exclusive and tailor-made treatments.
X-factor Yannick Alléno's inventive cooking at Restaurant le Meurice has won it three Michelin stars. 'The food is superb,' says Gold List contributor Natasha Edwards. 'Alléno has been very clever with the terroir menu, creating something that is really original and Parisian; and the second restaurant, Le Dalí, is brilliant for a more casual meal.'
228 rue de Rivoli, Paris, France (00 33 1 44 58 10 10; www.lemeurice.com). Doubles from €820
The Langham, London
The Langham
Recently reopened after a five-year, £80-million restoration project, The Langham now looks as sophisticated and elegant as it did when Napoleon III spent the night. Its 378 rooms and suites are the epitome of Victorian elegance, with more than a hint of chinoiserie; the David Collins-designed Artesian bar features timber chandeliers, imitation-snakeskin flooring and resin-topped tables. There's also a health club and pool, and Europe's first Chuan Spa, which uses elements of traditional Chinese medicine in its treatments and rituals.
X-factor Roux at the Landau, where legendary father-and-son chef team Albert and Michel Roux Jr are working together for the first time in 19 years, opened at the end of 2010. Their famed culinary expertise is complemented by that of chef de cuisine - and Roux protégé - Chris King.
1C Portland Place, London W1 (020 7636 1000; www.london.langhamhotels.co.uk). Doubles from £209
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park: Best for food
Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London is known for its award-winning spa, sharp service and luxurious accommodation. The 173 rooms and 25 suites are furnished with antiques, and the bathrooms are stocked with Jo Malone products; the hotel unveiled its refurbished Royal Suite, complete with crystal chandeliers and Lalique lamps, at the end of 2010. With Hyde Park on one side and Harvey Nichols and Harrods on the other, the hotel is one of London's best locations for both shopping and green space.
X-factor Last year, Daniel Boulud's traditional French restaurant Bar Boulud was joined by Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. 'A meal at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal is a hugely enjoyable feast of highly refined concept-food; the signature Fruit Meat starter is hilariously good,' says Gold List contributor Peter Browne.
66 Knightsbridge, London SW1 (020 7201 3773; www.mandarinoriental.com/london). Doubles from £329
Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons
Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Oxfordshire: Best for food
Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, in the Cotswolds, celebrates its 28th anniversary this year. Well-known for its two-Michelin-star restaurant and cookery school, it has 32 bedrooms in the 15th-century manor house and outbuildings. Blanc created four more Superior Suites in 2010, which include the completely white Blanc-de-Blanc and Lace, which the chef claims is the ultimate room for seduction. An annual music festival is held in the grounds; in-room health and beauty treatments are available. A vegetarian cookery course was introduced in 2011 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Raymond Blanc Cookery School.
X-factor The two-acre vegetable-and-herb garden produces organic ingredients for the kitchen, where Blanc and long-time executive head chef Gary Jones produce modern French cuisine of the highest order - including the nine-course Menu Découverte and a full vegetarian menu.
Church Road, Great Milton, Oxfordshire (01844 278881; www.manoir.com). Doubles from £480
Auberge du Soleil, California
Auberge du Soleil, California: Best for food
Set in 33 acres in Napa Valley, this much-loved hillside resort has a Mediterranean ambience, with shuttered windows and a neutral colour scheme. There are wonderful views from the 50 rooms in the main building and surrounding cottages, and from the 7,000sq ft spa and a yoga pavilion. The staff are friendly, helpful and ultra-efficient; service in the renowned restaurant is attentive without being intrusive.
X-factor The recently renovated, Michelin-starred restaurant specialises in 'Wine Country cuisine'. Executive chef Robert Curry's menu features roast lamb served with fava beans, gnocchi and goat's-cheese-stuffed squash blossom and other equally enticing dishes; the view from the terrace, over surrounding vineyards and olive groves, is an added pleasure.
180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford, California, USA (00 1 707 963 1211; www.aubergedusoleil.com). Doubles from $750
Hôtel Saint-Barth Isle de France, St Barts
Hôtel Saint-Barth Isle de France: Best for food
This privately owned hotel overlooking Flamands Bay has 39 rooms, suites, villas and bungalows set on the beach, on a hillside or in the gardens. Three beachside, three-bedroom Flamands Villas have recently been added. The whitewashed walls, French fabrics and dark-wood furniture combine to create a chic, beach-house look, and the four one-bedroom beach suites all have plunge pools. The Isle de France Spa offers a staggering range of treatments; there are two freshwater pools, one overlooking the beach, the other set in tropical gardens.
X-factor 'All the food at La Case de l'Isle restaurant is just wonderful, and there's always a terrific variety of fish on the menu,' says Gold List contributor Jonathan Bastable. 'Try the mahi mahi, a Caribbean favourite. It goes very nicely with a pineappley Chardonnay, served in a pleasing glass that is itself the size and shape of a small pineapple.'
Baie des Flamands, St Barts, French West Indies (00 590 590 275 666; www.isle-de-france.com). Doubles from €472
The Mark, New York
The Mark: Best for food
Occupying an enviable position in New York's Upper East Side - close to Central Park and the shops of Madison Avenue - The Mark, which first opened in 1927, underwent a major revamp in 2009. Its 150 rooms and suites all exemplify designer Jacques Grange's bold touch, with grass-cloth walls, black-and-white marble bathrooms and Thirties flourishes; his vision extends to the public areas, with orange-velvet chairs, Ron Arad chandeliers and a zebra-striped marble floor in the lobby. There is a 24-hour fitness centre and a Frédéric Fekkai hair salon.
X-factor In the stylish Mark Restaurant by Jean-Georges, award-winning chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten creates innovative dishes such as raw-tuna-and-wasabi pizza, and cod in a sweet garlic-and-lemon broth.
Madison Avenue at 77th Street, New York City, USA (00 1 212 744 4300; www.themarkhotel.com). Doubles from $675
Alila Villas Uluwatu, Bali
Alila Villas Uluwatu: Best for ambience & design
With 84 spacious, open-plan villas, all with private saltwater pools, sun terraces and ocean-view cabanas, this Alila hotel is a stunning, five-star take on alfresco living. Singapore-based design partnership WOHA has instilled a green ethic into the stylish resort: rooms have ceilings of local bamboo; hardwood is recycled from old railway carriages; flat roofs are insulated with local volcanic rock; and water from washing machines and baths is filtered for garden use. The resort also has a spa, two restaurants, a bar and a spectacular infinity pool on a cliff edge hundreds of feet above the beach.
X-factor 'For me, Alila Villas Uluwatu is the most successful integration of contemporary resort design in tropical Asia,' says Gold List contributor Jamie James. 'It's only been open two years, but I think it's an instant classic - an architectural masterpiece.'
Jl Belimbing Sari, Banjar Tambiyak, Desa Pecatu, Bali, Indonesia (00 62 361 848 2166; www.alilahotels.com). Villas from US$650
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Hôtel de la Paix, Cambodia
Hôtel de la Paix: Best for ambience & design
This hotel is in the heart of Siem Reap, just a short tuk-tuk ride from the UNESCO-protected temple complex that includes Angkor Wat. It has 107 rooms and suites designed using a monochrome palette and lots of leather and dark wood, alongside some striking South-East Asian flourishes. Facilities include a palm-fringed pool and a three-storey spa, as well as an in-house gallery and exhibition space. Food options include global and Khmer cuisine at Meric and light dishes at Café de la Paix.
X-factor The blend of ultra-modern design and Khmer palace-style architecture. 'Once you've seen Angkor Wat, you can appreciate how landscape designer Bill Bensley has incorporated early Khmer elements for this, his first hotel,' says Gold List contributor Tricia Welsh.
Sivutha Boulevard, Siem Reap, Cambodia (00 855 63 966000; www.hoteldelapaixangkor.com). Doubles from US$330
Taj Falaknuma Palace, India
Taj Falaknuma Palace: Best for ambience & design
Situated on a 32-acre estate on a hillside above the city of Hyderabad, this glorious palace, formerly home to the Nizams of Hyderabad, is nevertheless within earshot of the mosque. It opened as a hotel in 2010, following a multi-million-pound, 10-year refurbishment during which its 60 bedrooms and lavish communal areas were restored to their original, 19th-century splendour. Guests can while away the hours in the billiards room, library, hookah lounge, outdoor pool or Jiva Spa, or by taking afternoon tea in the Jade Room. Adaa, one of the hotel's two restaurants, serves slow-cooked Hyderabadi specialities.
X-factor 'What is truly exciting about the restoration of this Italianate Victorian fantasy is that almost everyone involved - architect, engineer, fresco-painter, cabinet-maker and carpet-weaver - was Indian,' says Gold List contributor Sunil Sethi. 'What greater tribute could there be to the skill and sophistication acquired over the centuries of the vibrant Indo-European encounter?'
Engine Bowli, Falaknuma, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India (00 91 40 6629 8585; www.tajhotels.com). Doubles from Rs25,885 (about £330)Gold List 2012 Hotel Offer - this hotel is discounted for one week only at Jetsetter.co.uk - book now!
(deals valid until 9pm, 30 January, 2012)
Blanket Bay, New Zealand
Blanket Bay: Best for ambience & design
Known for its Pacific Rim cuisine and its awe-inspiring setting, this lodge lies on the shores of South Island's Lake Wakatipu, backed by snow-capped mountains, prehistoric rainforest and small, trout-filled lakes. Owned by Tom Tusher, the former CEO of Levi Strauss & Co, the hotel has just 12 bedrooms and suites in the main building and several chalets, so the atmosphere is always intimate and relaxed. Facilities include a spa, steam rooms and pool; activities include fly-fishing, riding and heli-skiing.
X-factor The hardwood beams used in the hotel are more than 100 years old, and have been recycled from old constructions - including a wharf on the Brisbane River. The use of local schist stone and timber from New Zealand wool sheds adds to the historic ambience.
Glenorchy, Otago, New Zealand (00 800 5254 8000; www.slh.com/blanketbay). Doubles from NZ$834 (about £420)
The Henry Jones Art Hotel, Tasmania
The Henry Jones Art Hotel: Best for ambience & design
What was once a jam factory and a row of 1820s warehouses overlooking Hobart's busy harbour is now a stylish, 56-room hotel. Named after a late-19th-century jam magnate, it is Australia's only dedicated 'art hotel', with strong connections to the nearby Tasmanian School of Art. The public areas serve as an exhibition space for around 300 paintings, sculptures and installations by Tasmanian artists, many of them for sale, and there are works of art in all the bedrooms. The natural timber furnishings, steel-and-glass bathrooms and hi-tech touches create a contemporary but comfortable ambience. There's an excellent restaurant, and a bar that's said to have the longest counter-top in Australia.
X-factor 'The interior walls, taken back to the stone and industrial brickwork, are scarred and mottled in a way that is historically honest and also rather beautiful,' says Gold List contributor Jonathan Bastable.
25 Hunter Street, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia (00 61 3 6210 7700; www.thehenryjones.com). Doubles from A$310 (about £200)
Wharekauhau Lodge & Country Estate, New Zealand
Wharekauhau Lodge & Country Estate: Best for ambience & design
This exclusive luxury lodge, set on a 5,500-acre working sheep station overlooking Palliser Bay on New Zealand's North Island, has recently been refurbished. The Main Lodge resembles an Edwardian country mansion, with grand rooms and cosy nooks, and is complemented by 15 guest cottages with fireplaces and underfloor heating. The three-bedroom Château Wellington and two-bedroom Wharepapa Cottage are also available to rent. The 24-hour recreation centre has an indoor pool, a fully equipped gym and a spa-treatment room, as well as a croquet lawn and boules pitch. A new spa opened in 2011.
X-factor The numerous windows in the main lodge provide sweeping views of Palliser Bay from every vantage point. The new library, completed in June last year, is a treasure trove of vintage photos and memorabilia dating back to 1842, when the farm was established.
Palliser Bay, Featherston, Wairarapa, New Zealand (00 64 6 307 7581; www.wharekauhau.co.nz). Doubles from NZ$630 (about £315)
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Augustine Hotel: Best for ambience & design
Olga Polizzi teamed up with the London-based interior-design practice RDD to create this sleekly stylish hotel. Formed from seven buildings, including a 13th-century monastery in which friars still live, the hotel has 101 rooms (including 16 suites), some with city views. All rooms are generously sized and individually decorated with furnishings by Czech artisans and designers. There's a small spa with four treatment rooms, a gym, a hammam, a sauna and a steam room. The elegant restaurant is set in a glass-covered courtyard.
X-factor 'The buildings have been wonderfully restored without stripping away a single layer of the past,' says Gold List contributor Jonathan Bastable. 'The chic hotel bar occupies the same subterranean space as an old Communist-era beer-cellar, and is a great place to sit and imbibe the liquid essence of Prague.'
12/33 Letenská, Malá Strana, Prague, Czech Republic (00 420 266 112233; www.theaugustine.com). Doubles from €246
Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona
Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona: Best for ambience & design
The Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona opened on Passeig de Gràcia in 2009, a 21st-century design statement conjured from a 20th-century former bank. In the public areas, Spanish designer Patricia Urquiola has used striking statement furniture against a neutral backdrop, and there are subtle references to the Mandarin Oriental group's Asian origins (chinoiserie-print walls, for example). The 98 bedrooms and suites stick to a stylish, all-white template. Facilities include a spa, a rooftop pool with stunning city views and several restaurants, including the Michelin-starred Moments, which serves Catalan cuisine beneath a theatrical gold-leaf ceiling.
X-factor 'The hotel has a boutique feel, but with all the whistles and bells of a much bigger five star,' says Gold List contributor Tara Stevens. 'Patricia Urquiola's decor is a sensory treat: you want to explore all of the hotel's carefully conceived spaces.'
Passeig de Gràcia 38-40, Barcelona, Spain (00 34 93 151 8888; www.mandarinoriental.com/barcelona). Doubles from €355
Le Royal Monceau Raffles, Paris
Le Royal Monceau Raffles: Best for ambience & design
The latest hotel to benefit from a Philippe Starck makeover is this 149-room, Art Deco gem close to the Arc de Triomphe. A grand hotel since the 1920s, Le Royal Monceau Raffles has rediscovered its former élan with enormous island beds, red lanterns, mirrored walls and lots of contemporary art. The glamorous facilities include the city's largest hotel pool, the new Spa My Blend by Clarins and Le Bar Long. Dining is at gourmet Italian Il Carpaccio or Gallic La Cuisine, where desserts are created by the 'Picasso of pastry' Pierre Hermé.
X-factor 'Philippe Starck's quirky take on Art Deco involves leather and linen, steel and chrome on curvaceous furniture,' says Gold List contributor Nonie Niesewand. 'He can't resist a joke, so there is a herd of carved wooden moose under the first-floor landing; and his extra-outsize chandeliers, capped with little shades, fall from the ceilings like a high-wire act.'
37 avenue Hoche, Paris, France (00 33 1 42 99 88 00; www.raffles.com). Doubles from €780
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Babington House, Somerset
Babington House, Somerset: Best for ambience & design
The Somerset outpost of Nick Jones's Soho House group is the UK's original contemporary country-house hotel. Set in 18 acres of grounds, the hotel and private members' club has 32 retro-hip bedrooms in the main house, coach house, lodge and former stable block, and three more in the spa. Facilities include five tennis courts, a cricket pitch and croquet lawn, as well as a cinema, restaurant and crèche. Bistro-style food (ham hock with dumplings and tarragon; partridge, peas and bacon) is served in the House Kitchen. The Cowshed spa has two pools in the Active wing, and treatment rooms in the Relax section.
X-factor 'This is still the boho-luxe country bolthole of choice for Londoners at play,' says Gold List contributor Sally Shalam. 'After nearly 13 years, that's some kind of cool.'
Babington, Frome, Somerset (01373 812266; www.babingtonhouse.co.uk). Doubles from £190
Corinthia Hotel London
Corinthia Hotel London: Best for ambience & design
The Corinthia Hotel London opened last April in Whitehall Place, a few minutes' walk from the Houses of Parliament. The huge public spaces have soaring ceilings, and the 294 rooms and suites are decorated in a contemporary style with lots of earth tones. The enormous ESPA Life spa is laid out over four floors. Constructed from black Tunisian marble, it has a pool, a sauna, a steam room, a gym, 17 treatment pods, and a nail and hair studio. For meals, guests can choose between The Northall and Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar, or take afternoon tea in The Lobby Lounge. Cocktails are shaken in Bassoon.
X-factor 'The Corinthia Hotel London's public spaces are a rather fabulous blend of high ceilings, glossy leather and sparkling glass,' says Gold List contributor Christy Ward. 'Just walking into them feels like an occasion.'
Whitehall Place, London SW1 (020 7930 8181; www.corinthia.com). Doubles from £419
Cowley Manor, Gloucestershire
Cowley Manor, Gloucestershire: Best for ambience & design
Set in 55 acres of Cotswolds countryside, this design-conscious hotel in an Italianate country house has 30 bedrooms split between the main house and stable block, some with contemporary four-poster beds, some with private terraces, all with fabulous bathrooms. The C.Side spa has wonderful indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a gym and sauna. New head chef Matthew Cuthbert, who previously worked with Marco Pierre White and Heston Blumenthal, has introduced an all-day menu which allows guests to enjoy his locally inspired dishes at any time, wherever they like in the hotel.
X-factor All the textiles, bespoke furniture and artwork in the hotel were produced by British artists, designers and artisans.
Cowley, near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (01242 870900; www.cowleymanor.com). Doubles from £175
One&Only Ocean Club, Bahamas
One&Only Ocean Club: Best for ambience & design
This 105-bedroom resort is on Paradise Island, a former private estate turned glamorous hotspot, well-known for its lovely beaches. It has a three-to-one staff-guest ratio, and its personal butler service extends to all guests. There are two separate villas with either three or four bedrooms, private pools and a dedicated staff. The gardens are modelled on those at Versailles and include an imported French cloister. There's also a golf course, a spa, tennis courts and two restaurants, including Dune, created by Jean-Georges Vongerichten in a setting designed by Christian Liaigre.
X-factor Style endorsements don't come much better than those from James Bond. Several scenes in the film Casino Royale were shot here.
Paradise Island, Bahamas (00 954 809 2150; www.oneandonlyresorts.com). Doubles from US$500
Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos
Parrot Cay: Best for ambience & design
A private-island resort with white-sand beaches, Parrot Cay is 35 minutes by speedboat from the main Turks & Caicos island of Providenciales. It has 72 suites and villas (23 with private pools and butler service). All have been refurbished in the past two years and now have four-poster beds, simple white furnishings and huge bathrooms. Executive chef Daniel Moran creates delicious Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, dominated by fresh seafood, at Lotus; European dishes are served in Terrace restaurant. The fantastic COMO Shambhala Spa offers everything from one-off holistic treatments to serious retreat weeks.
X-factor The suites and villas are the ultimate in pared-down glamour, with whitewashed walls, beamed, cathedral-high ceilings, and huge, dream-like beds swathed in white netting. No wonder so many A-listers come here.
00 1 649 946 7788; www.parrotcay.como.bz. Doubles from US$450
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithThompson Toronto, Canada
Thompson Toronto: Best for ambience & design
Toronto's hippest hangout since it opened in 2010, this stylish hotel has 102 all-white bedrooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows; the public spaces are filled with striking statement furniture and original artwork. The lobby bar is always buzzing and the rooftop infinity pool (only open to guests) is one of the city's most coveted spaces. Dining is at the Canadian outpost of US chef Scott Conant's Scarpetta, and there is a sushi bar and a 24-hour diner. Other facilities include the 889 Yoga + Wellness Spa and a state-of-the-art screening room.
X-factor 'The super-cool rooftop infinity pool seems to spill right onto Toronto's skyline,' says Gold List contributor Karen Burshtein. 'The Thompson Toronto has great drinks and amazing city views, and draws a cool but influential crowd. It feels more like a club then a hotel.'
550 Wellington Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (00 1 416 640 7778; www.thompsonhotels.com). Doubles from C$277 (about £170)
Ellerman House, Cape Town
Ellerman House: Best for ambience & design
With glorious views over Bantry Bay, this beautiful boutique hotel is the former home of shipping magnate Sir John Ellerman. Famed for its extensive South African art collection and 9,000-bottle wine cellar, it has just nine elegant rooms and two suites. There is a heated pool in the terraced grounds, a spa and a contemporary-art gallery that doubles as a private cinema. The separate, three-bedroom Ellerman Villa has a private chef and butler service; a second villa, which will house a state-of-the-art wine cellar and wine library, is currently being constructed. The concierge team will arrange anything, including tables at the city's best restaurants. All rooms are equipped with iPads for guests' use.
X-factor 'This is one of my favourite places in the world,' says Gold List contributor Peter Browne. 'It is exceptionally beautiful and undeniably sumptuous, with valuable paintings by the most respected South African artists, but it somehow never feels remotely intimidating or grand.'
180 Kloof Road, Bantry Bay, Cape Town, South Africa (00 27 21 430 3200; www.ellerman.co.za). Doubles from R4,500 (about £350)
Singita Grumeti Reserves, Tanzania
Singita Grumeti Reserves: Best for ambience & design
With a choice of four places to stay, Singita Grumeti Reserves is on a 340,000 acre private concession created by US billionaire Paul Tudor Jones II on the edge of the Serengeti National Park. The nine-cottage Sasakwa Lodge provides the most luxurious accommodation, with beautiful, colonial-style decor, private infinity pools, four-poster beds and claw-footed bathtubs. Sabora Tented Camp comprises nine sumptuous Bedouin-style tents on an open plain; the more cutting-edge Faru Faru Lodge has nine stone, canvas and thatched suites in shady woodland on the Grumeti River. An exclusive new mobile camp, Singita Explore, was launched in June 2011.
X-factor 'The South African design group Cecile & Boyd's has created four wonderfully evocative worlds at Singita Grumeti,' says Gold List contributor Peter Browne. 'Each is distinctive, multi-layered and lavishly attended to. The detailing is just sensational.'
00 27 21 683 3424; www.singita.com. Doubles from US$850
Soneva Gili by Six Senses, Maldives
Soneva Gili by Six Senses: Best for ambience & design
Built using sustainable materials and furnished with natural fabrics, Soneva Gili is eco-conscious but also very chic. There are 45 contemporary over-water villas, two restaurants, a bar, a subterranean wine cellar, a swimming pool, a tennis court and a dive centre. The Six Senses spa is in its own tranquil, over-water domain. While all the rooms are gorgeous (each with a sun deck and open-air bathroom), the Private Reserve is spectacular. Reached by boat, it has three bedrooms, its own spa, a waterslide and resident staff.
X-factor Each luxury water villa has been designed to provide 360-degree ocean views; the open-air bathrooms ensure guests don't have to miss a single moment of sea-scanning.
Lankanfushi Island, North Malé Atoll, Maldives (00 960 664 0304; www.sixsenses.com/soneva-gili). Villas from £668
Capella Lodge, New South Wales
Capella Lodge, New South Wales: Best for leisure facilities
At the southern end of Lord Howe Island, 600km off the Australian mainland, the nine-suite Capella Lodge provides luxury in a remote setting. It has an upmarket beach-house feel, with rattan lamps and polished wooden floors; big windows provide views of the mountains, beach and sea. There's an infinity pool, a spa, and guided walks around this UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the Capella Restaurant, Ben Thompson creates Modern Pacific dishes from freshly caught seafood.
X-factor 'Australia's answer to the https://www.cntraveller.com/recommended/tropical/wilderness-safari-lodges/galapagos-safari-campGalápagos, this is an idyllic island where you can swim with turtles before breakfast,' says Gold List contributor Mike Dolan.
Lagoon Road, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, Australia (00 61 2 9918 4355; www.capellalodge.com.au). Doubles from A$1,300 (about £845)
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithKauri Cliffs, New Zealand
Kauri Cliffs: Best for leisure facilities
Overlooking the Pacific Ocean on a 6,000-acre working sheep and cattle farm, Kauri Cliffs has 22 elegant suites in 11 cottages; there's also a two-bedroom Owner's Cottage with a private infinity pool. The main lodge houses the living rooms, a meeting room, and a spa and fitness centre, and is where guests can enjoy the fruits of British-born executive chef Barry Frith's labours as he fuses French, Asian and English cuisine using local produce. Diversions include a championship golf course and three private beaches, scuba diving and clay-pigeon shooting.
X-factor 'Outdoor activities abound, but it's the par-72 championship golf course that brings the likes of Bill Gates and Justin Timberlake to this celebrity resort,' says Gold List contributor Mike Dolan.
Matauri Bay Road, Matauri Bay, Northland, New Zealand (00 64 9 407 0010; www.kauricliffs.com). Doubles from NZ$1,748 (about £875)
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithQualia, Great Barrier Reef
Qualia, Great Barrier Reef: Best for leisure facilities
This 60-pavilion resort on the northern tip of Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef, is set in 12 acres of grounds. There's a spa with a range of LI'TYA and Sodashi treatments and a large infinity pool; each of the Windward Pavilions has a private plunge pool. Guests head to the Long Pavilion for sophisticated Modern Australian cuisine by Jane-Therese Mulry. There is a comprehensive range of activities, including diving and sailing, and a spectacular golf course on neighbouring Dent Island.
X-factor 'Qualia is your front-row seat to the Whitsunday Islands, the jewel of the Great Barrier Reef,' says Gold List contributor Mark Chipperfield.
Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia (00 61 2 9433 3349; www.qualia.com.au). Doubles from A$950 (about £620)
InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort Hotel, Cyprus
InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort Hotel: Best for leisure facilities
This 290-room resort is on the 578-acre Aphrodite Hills Resort estate, 20 minutes' drive from Paphos. The hotel is decorated in a contemporary style, although rooms feature traditional orange, red and gold fabrics, as well as Lefkaritika linen and lace bedspreads, hand-carved cabinets and ceramics by local artisans. All have private terraces; some have private pools. There are five restaurants, including Leander for Asian fusion cuisine, Mesogios for Mediterranean dishes, Las Ramblas for tapas and Ithaki for seafood.
X-factor The sprawling estate has an 18-hole championship golf course, the Retreat Spa with 27 treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools, and nine tennis courts. There are special facilities for professional athletes.
1 Aphrodite Avenue, Kouklia, Cyprus (00 357 2682 9000; www.aphroditehills.com). Doubles from €234Gold List 2012 Hotel Offer - this hotel is discounted for one week only at Jetsetter.co.uk - book now!
(deals valid until 9pm, 30 January, 2012)
The Romanos, Greece
The Romanos: Best for leisure facilities
The 2010 opening of the Costa Navarino resort - owned by the Constantakopoulos shipping family - has turned this south-western corner of the Peloponnese into a seriously glamorous destination. Its finest hotel is The Romanos, which has 321 rooms and suites, all with luxurious touches such as marble bathrooms. There's a health club, two children's clubs, a 4,000sq metre spa and a selection of boutiques in a lovingly recreated Greek village, as well as a choice of five restaurants, including Eleon for Greek dishes, Da Luigi for Italian, and Imbi for pan-Asian cuisine.
X-factor The Costa Navarino resort has its own racquet academy with facilities for tennis, squash, badminton and ping-pong; its second golf course (designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr) opened in October.
Navarino Dunes, Costa Navarino, Messinia, Greece (00 30 272 309 6000; www.romanoscostanavarino.com). Doubles from €250
Schloss Fuschl, Austria
Schloss Fuschl: Best for leisure facilities
This recently renovated, 15th-century castle on the shores of Lake Fuschl combines old-world ambience (chandeliers, hunting trophies) with contemporary touches such as a 1,100-square-metre spa with pools, saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs. The 110 rooms and suites are decorated in a fresh, contemporary colour scheme, but the opulent furniture evokes the late 18th century, when Wolfgang Amadeus was rocking Salzburg. There are six wooden, chalet-style lakeside cottages with private saunas. Dining is at the formal Schloss Restaurant or the Restaurant on the Jetty, which overlooks the lake and mountains.
X-factor 'The recent, historically sensitive restoration of this picturesque castle resulted in a new spa for the hotel,' says Gold List contributor Guy Dittrich. 'And there's fishing, skiing, golf, cycling and walking nearby.'
Schloss Strasse 19, Hof bei Salzburg, Austria (00 43 622 922530; www.schlossfuschlsalzburg.com). Doubles from €448
Coworth Park, Berkshire
Coworth Park, Berkshire: Best for leisure facilities
Set in 240 acres of Berkshire countryside, Coworth Park is the Dorchester Collection's first rural hotel. The 18th-century main building has 30 bedrooms with original Georgian features and striking, contemporary furnishings; there are another 40 rooms and suites in cottages and the former stables. The hotel's signature suite is The Dower House (pictured), a three-bedroom private villa in a Grade-II listed building with its own kitchen, dining room and garden. Hotel facilities include an architecturally stunning spa, a dedicated children's concierge and three fabulous restaurants - including the innovative John Campbell at Coworth Park.
X-factor 'You don't have to be horse-mad to stay at Coworth Park, but it helps,' says Gold List contributor Christy Ward. 'Ascot is a short canter away, and the hotel has its own equestrian centre, stables and polo ground.'
Blacknest Road, Ascot, Berkshire (01344 876600; www.coworthpark.com). Doubles from £235
Gleneagles, Perthshire
Gleneagles, Perthshire: Best for leisure facilities
Set in an 850-acre Perthshire estate an hour's drive from either Glasgow or Edinburgh, Gleneagles has everything an aspiring country gent could want. There's an equestrian school, a falconry and gun-dog school, and off-road driving, as well as a leisure club with two pools, tennis courts and a gym. There's also an ESPA spa and crèche facilities. The huge, chateau-style building has 232 rooms decorated in a muted-modern style with stylish furnishings covered in rich fabrics. The two-Michelin-starred Andrew Fairlie@Gleneagles is one of four restaurants at the hotel.
X-factor This is a golfer's paradise. As well as three world-famous courses - including the PGA Centenary Course, which will host the Ryder Cup in 2014 - there's a nine-hole 'wee course'. The Dormy Clubhouse recently reopened after an extensive refurbishment, and is now home to the Blue Bar, which stocks a fine selection of cigars and whiskies.
Auchterarder, Perthshire, Scotland (0800 704705; www.gleneagles.com). Doubles from £265
Lime Wood, Hampshire
Lime Wood, Hampshire: Best for leisure facilities
This 29-room, contemporary country-house hotel is in the heart of the New Forest. Interior designer David Collins has created a sexy, relaxed atmosphere combining modern touches with historic detailing from the original 18th-century manor. Chef Luke Holder produces hearty British dishes, using many ingredients foraged from the surrounding forests and beaches. The spa has 10 treatment rooms, a 16-metre indoor lap pool and a gym.
X factor 'The three-storey Herb House spa is a stunner,' says Gold List contributor Lisa Johnson. 'It has sophisticated interiors and spectacular facilities that include an outdoor hot tub, an outsize sauna overlooking the forest, and a rooftop herb garden, scented with mint and thyme, for yoga and meditation.'
Beaulieu Road, Lyndhurst, Hampshire (023 8028 7177; www.limewoodhotel.co.uk). Doubles from £245
Bellagio Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
Bellagio Resort & Casino: Best for leisure facilities
An impressive resort at the heart of the Strip, Bellagio is famed for having more than 1,200 fountains that blast water 460ft into the air. The 3,933-room property has everything you could want from a Vegas hotel, including 16 restaurants, one of which - Picasso - has a fine-art collection worth $30 million. The majority of bedrooms were renovated last year, and the new Hyde Lounge Bellagio, a 12,000sq ft indoor and outdoor nightclub, is set to become the latest hotspot in Sin City.
X-factor The range of entertainment options is huge, from the 'O' show by Cirque de Soleil (fives times a week) to the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art and, of course, the casino.
3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA (00 1 888 987 6667; www.bellagio.com). Doubles from $159
Four Seasons Resort Vail, Colorado
Four Seasons Resort Vail, Colorado: Best for leisure facilities
This glamorous ski hotel, which opened in December 2010, has 121 generous rooms and suites. The interiors are cosy yet stylish, using lots of warm wood and limestone, and the standard of service is as exceptional as the skiing opportunities above Vail Village. Guests are allocated a ski concierge on arrival and are served hot chocolate and muffins at the bottom of the slopes; hotel facilities include a fitness centre, a 75ft outdoor pool with views of Vail Mountain, and a spa. Flame, the hotel's formal restaurant, specialises in hearty dishes designed to power guests through long days of swishing and slaloming.
X-factor 'Swimming at night in a blizzard, a warmed robe waiting: the Four Seasons at Vail is heavenly,' says Gold List contributor Stephen Wood.
One Vail Road, Vail, Colorado, USA (00 1 970 477 8600; www.fourseasons.com/vail). Doubles from $249
Wickaninnish Inn, Canada
Wickaninnish Inn: Best for leisure facilities
The 75-room Wickaninnish Inn, on the remote western edge of British Columbia, is forged from local cedar, stone and glass. The individually decorated rooms, all with fireplaces, have ocean and beach views through floor-to-ceiling picture windows; the hotel also houses an enviable collection of Canadian art and sculpture. There's a spa, an excellent restaurant, a beachfront coffee lounge and a library. The hotel reopens in mid-February after a full revamp of all the bedrooms in The Pointe Building, The Pointe Restaurant and Ancient Cedars Spa.
X-factor The McDiarmid family chose the location of the inn because of their love of storm-watching, and it's still the best place to be when the winds start whipping up.
500 Osprey Lane, Tofino, British Columbia, Canada (00 1 250 725 3100; www.wickinn.com). Doubles from C$300 (about £185)
Get a great deal on a room at this Hot List hotel with our booking service powered by Mr & Mrs SmithBanyan Tree Seychelles
Banyan Tree Seychelles: Best for leisure facilities
This 60-villa resort on a white-sand beach on Mahé, the main island in Seychelles, provides the ultimate in relaxation. Half of the stand-alone villas are on the beach, the rest are on the palm-forested slopes overlooking the ocean; all have private plunge pools, indoor sunken baths and verandahs with sun loungers. Facilities include tennis courts, a gym and an infinity pool, and there's a choice of four restaurants or a range of romantic private-dining experiences around the resort. The hotel organises fishing and diving expeditions, island-hopping and cruises on the catamaran Banyan Lagoon I.
X-factor The Banyan Tree Spa Seychelles, which is housed in eight luxurious hillside pavilions, is staffed by expert therapists trained at Banyan Tree academies.
Anse Intendance, Mahé, Seychelles (00 248 383500; www.banyantree.com). Doubles from €956
Le Touessrok, Mauritius
Le Touessrok: Best for leisure facilities
Perhaps the most glamorous family-friendly hotel on Mauritius, Le Touessrok has 98 sea-facing suites on Frangipani Island and a further 101 rooms on the mainland, plus three luxurious three-bedroom villas with private pools and gardens. The facilities are fantastic and there are no fewer than seven restaurants - including Barlen's for Asian-fusion cuisine, and the recently opened La Chaumerie Masala which serves exceptional Indian dishes. The resort has a fleet of private butlers and lots of other personalised services, including Matt Roberts Personal Trainers and Peter Burwash tennis coaches.
X-factor Take your pick from the wonderfully indulgent Givenchy Spa, the Bernhard Langer-designed 18-hole championship golf course on Ile Aux Cerfs and any of the four private beaches. The hotel even has its own romantic 'desert island', Ilot Mangénie.
Trou d'Eau Douce, Mauritius (00 230 402 0100; www.letouessrokresort.com). Doubles from £250
One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives
One&Only Reethi Rah: Best for leisure facilities
This glamorous, design-conscious resort is one of the biggest in the Maldives' North Malé Atoll. The 124 villas, built from natural materials such as teak, mahogany, rattan, coconut shell and thatch, are dotted all over the island, some on the six kilometres of private beach, others on stilts over the ocean. All are decorated in a chic, contemporary-Asian style. There is a range of dining options, including Asian-fusion cuisine at the Reethi Restaurant and contemporary Japanese dishes at Tapasake. Other facilities include an ESPA spa and a PADI dive centre.
X-factor The Grand Water Villas with Pool, built on stilts over a lagoon, have covered outdoor terraces and split-level verandahs as well as 20-square-metre pools.
North Malé Atoll, Maldives (00 960 664 8800; www.oneandonlyresorts.com). Villas from US$1,400
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Banyan Tree Lijiang, China
Banyan Tree Lijiang: Best for leisure facilities
This luxurious Himalayan retreat in south-west Yunnan Province opened in 2006. It has 55 villas with views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the most easterly peak in the Himalayas; all have private gardens and either a hot tub or a plunge pool. Facilities include a spa, a tennis court, a gym and daily yoga sessions. There are three restaurants - including the Bai Yun, which serves authentic Cantonese dishes - and the stylish Wen Hai Bar for cocktails.
X-factor In such a magical location, it would be a shame not to venture further than the resort's confines. Luckily, Banyan Tree Lijiang organises an extensive range of excursions to everywhere from Lijiang Old Town to Tiger Leaping Gorge and the top of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China (00 86 888 533 1111; www.banyantree.com). Doubles from 1,495 yuan (about £150)
Oberoi Lombok, Indonesia
Oberoi Lombok: Best for leisure facilities
On a quiet bay on Lombok's north-west coast, this stylish tropical-island resort has 200 metres of private sands, with 30 pavilion rooms and 20 thatched villas either on the beach or in the manicured gardens. The villas, furnished with plenty of teak and local artefacts, have private gardens and air-conditioned bathrooms (not to be underestimated in the Indonesian heat), and all have terraces with either sea or garden views. The Lombok Spa has a gym, beauty salon and private pavilions for massages, herbal baths and an impressive range of treatments. Dining is at the open-sided Lumbung Restaurant or candlelit Amphitheatre.
X-factor The Beach Club provides access to every water sport imaginable, from snorkelling and scuba diving to windsurfing and kayaking. The hotel will also organise picnic boat trips out to the coral gardens of the Gili Islands.
Medana Beach, Tanjung, North Lombok, Indonesia (00 62 370 613 8444; www.oberoihotels.com). Doubles from US$360
Six Senses Yao Noi Beyond Phuket
Six Senses Yao Noi Beyond Phuket: Best for leisure facilities
This all-villa resort on the Phang Nga Bay island of Koh Yao Noi combines luxury and attentive service with environmentally friendly, low-impact design. Each of the 56 villas - built with locally sourced materials - has a private sun deck and infinity pool. The Six Senses spa, hidden away in the forested hillside above the resort, is in a traditional-style Asian longhouse with separate treatment salas. The Dining Room, which has a glass-floor with views of the creek below, serves excellent Italian cuisine.
X-factor As well as three restaurants and the spa and gym, facilities include tennis courts, a library, a diving school, Thai cookery classes, water sports and fishing; a range of excursions by boat or helicopter are also available.
56 Moo 5, Tambol Koh Yao Noi, Amphur Koh Yao, Phang Nga, Thailand (00 66 76 418500; www.sixsenses.com). Villas from £275
CONTRIBUTORS TO THE GOLD LIST 2012
Compiled by Rufus Purdy. Edited by Peter Browne. Online editing by Emma Lundin.
Recommendations from: Colin Barraclough, Jonathan Bastable, Rodney Bolt, Gary Bowerman, Karen Burshtein, Chris Caldicott, Fiona Caulfield, Mark Chipperfield, William Cook, E Jane Dickson, Guy Dittrich, Mike Dolan, Natasha Edwards, Laura Fowler, Lanie Goodman, Lisa Grainger, Lucy Hughes-Hallett, Marion Hume, Jamie James, Lisa Johnson, Fiona Lintott, Mary Lussiana, Emily Mathieson, Paula Maynard, Scott Mitchem, Nonie Niesewand, Harriet O'Brien, Ed Peters, Sophy Roberts, Sunil Sathi, Sally Shalam, Sarah Spankie, Tara Stevens, Nicky Swallow, Francesca Syz, Bonnie Tsui, Christy Ward, Tricia Welch, Gisela Williams, Stephen Wood, Claire Wrathall