Top 5 star Hotels

Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California

2012-11-09T20:00:00.000-08:00

The hotel opened in 1992 and is made up entirely of small buildings set on a ridge high above the Pacific. In 2008 Post Ranch added 10 new sculptural structures, spiraling Pacific Suites, cantilevered Peak Houses, and Richard Serra-esque Cliff houses clad in torques of rusted steel. Staying in a Pacific Suite, wherever you stand you are exposed to the ocean and the sky but unseen by other guests. Even the tiled bath, big enough for two, has a commanding vista, and a floor-to-ceiling window that opens to let in Pacific breezes. The walls are paneled in redwood salvaged from old wine barrels and sheet metal art adorns the bathroom. Sierra Mar, the hotel restaurant will pack you a lunch to take down the Pacific Coast Highway in a Lexus convertible that guests can borrow for free. The mini-bar is complimentary, so take advantage on your balcony overlooking the ocean.
No guests under 18.

Room to Book:

Mountain House rooms have views of the Santa Lucia mountain peaks from the bed, couch, tub, and terrace.

Insider Tip:

Weather permitting, join the resident amateur astronomer in a star-gazing session.

Site : http://www.postranchinn.com/

47900 Hwy. 1
Big Sur, CA, 93920, United States

TEL: (831) 667-2200
TEL: (888) 524-4787

Hotel Bristol, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Vienna

2012-11-07T19:57:00.000-08:00

Grand 19th-century hotel with lavish fin de siècle interiors and Restaurant Bristol, serving some of the city’s best Wiener schnitzel, in a prime location—just opposite the State Opera.

Room to Book:

A room facing the Opera House—all of which are named after former and contemporary general directors of the Vienna State Opera.

Insider Tip:

The wood-panneled Bristol Bar is one of the oldest American bars in Vienna, a favorite of both Leonard Bernstein and Rose Kennedy. Don’t miss 5 o’clock high tea and crumpets, in honor of the hotel’s namesake town.

Site : http://www.bristolvienna.com/

1 Kärntner Ring
Vienna, 1015, Austria

TEL: 43 1 515-160
TEL: (800) 228-3000

Ko'a Kea Hotel & Resort, Kauai

2012-11-05T19:55:00.000-08:00

Twenty years after Hurricane Iniki struck Kauai’s southern coast, the new 121-room Ko’a Kea Resort is making a splash on the area’s beloved Poipu Beach. The tranquil property offers a more intimate escape than nearby mega-resorts and is less than two miles from Lawai and Prince Kuhio beaches, two of the island’s best snorkeling areas. Arranged in a U-shape around the deep blue outdoor pool, the property reflects the natural hues of the island, including sandy tones with pops of turquoise and coral in the comfortably contemporary guest rooms. Despite its intimate scale and sensibility, the Ko’a Kea boasts all the luxuries of a larger resort: private lanais, dual showerheads in the marble-accented bathrooms, and a full-service fitness center and luxury spa. Don’t miss one of Kauai’s best photo opps: on many warm afternoons, endangered Hawaiian monk seals climb up on the sand to sunbathe on Poipu Beach.

Room to Book:

Garden View rooms are the most private, but rooms above the lobby in the main building have the largest lanais.

Insider Tip:

In keeping with a time-honored Hawaiian belief in the healing powers of saltwater, enjoy a dip in the Pacific after your 50-minute lomilomi massage ($105 per person), which can be administered oceanside on request.

Site : http://www.koakea.com/

2251 Poipu Rd.
Poipu Beach
Koloa, HI, 96756, United States

TEL: (808) 828-8888
TEL: (888) 898-8958

Tortilis Camp, Amboseli National Park, Kenya

2012-11-03T19:13:00.000-07:00

17 eco-friendly tents facing Mount Kilimanjaro where food is a focus: the chef prepares Italian dishes with herbs grown in the property’s garden.

Room to Book:

Of the 17 eco-friendly tents, No. 1 has the most privacy and the best vantage onto the watering hole.

Insider Tip:

Visit the field-research headquarters of the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, Africa’s longest-running pachyderm study.

Site : http://www.tortilis.com/

Amboseli National Park, Kenya

TEL: 254 45 622-1956

Trump International Hotel & Tower, New York City

2012-11-01T19:10:00.000-07:00

This soaring black monolith on Columbus Circle, with its gold awning that seems to jut out into traffic, isn't the subtlest hotel in town—but then The Donald has never been known for his modesty. In fact, when the Mandarin Oriental opened nearby in 2003, Trump boasted (in block letters, on the side of the Trump) that his hotel had the better Central Park views. The thing is, though—he's right. The Trump's 35 Park View Suites, each 900 or 950 square feet with nine-foot windows overlooking the park's south end, really do feel as though they're directly on top of Manhattan's greenest patch. Even the rest of the hotel's 167 units, though, feel like tricked-out condos; all are modern, with cream-colored fabrics, large closets, and jetted tubs; all suites have full kitchens. You're not treated like royalty here as much as like a bigwig executive; the staff includes personal "attachés" who can arrange your meeting schedules and stock your fridge before you arrive, and a cadre of personal trainers who can tailor your workout or set the pace as you jog in the park.

Room to Book:

Room to Book: The 00-line Park View Suites have the most windowpane acreage, and thus the best views.

Insider Tip:

Take a meal at Jean Georges, still one of the city's best restaurants.

Site : http://www.trumphotelcollection.com/central-park/

1 Central Pk. W.
New York, NY, 10023, United States

TEL: (212) 299-1000
TEL: (888) 448-7867

Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai, Thailand

2012-10-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

A miniature Thai kingdom with 123 Lanna-inspired suites and villas on 60 acres that's the setting for a Buddhist prayer site, a 33,000-square-foot spa, and an arts-and-crafts village.

Room to Book:

The amazing two-story villas are reclaimed authentic Northern Thai rice barns.

Insider Tip:

Opt for a classic dance lesson or a class in northern Thai cuisine.

Site : http://www.mandarinoriental.com/chiangmai/

51/4 Sankampaeng Rd.
Moo 1
Chiang Mai, 50000, Thailand

TEL: 66 53 888-888
TEL: (800) 526-6566

Domaine Les Crayères, Reims, France

2012-10-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

Impeccable turn-of-the-20th-century château in the heart of the Champagne region.

Room to Book:

Grand Luxury rooms have larger baths with separate showers.

Insider Tip:

The hotel can organize a visit to the nearby champagne cellars.

Site : http://www.lescrayeres.com/

64 Boulevard Henry Vasnier
BP 1019
Reims, 51100, France

TEL: 33-32-624-9000
TEL: (800) 735-2478

XV Beacon, Boston

2012-10-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

One of Boston’s first modern design hotels when it opened in Beacon Hill in 1999, the surprisingly homey 60-room XV (call it “Fifteen”) has stylish, bold interiors that contrast nicely with the 1903 Beaux-Arts building. A svelte scheme of dark wood, brushed steel, and cream-colored fabrics prevails, but it’s punctuated by bold abstract paintings and vintage touches like a cage elevator, marble busts, and canopy beds in every guest room. The rooms are spacious—some as large as 900 square feet—and all have gas fireplaces and mini-bars that might tempt you to snuggle in on a cold night. Venturing out? Take the complimentary car service around town.

Room to Book:

Any of the Corner Studios on floors 8 through 10, for Boston Common views and plenty of natural light.

Insider Tip:

The hotel provides two complimentary Lexus Sedans to take guests to downtown Boston destinations.

Site : http://www.xvbeacon.com/

15 Beacon St.
Boston, MA, 02108, United States

TEL: (617) 670-1500
TEL: (877) 982-3226

Four Seasons Resort Lanai, The Lodge at Koele

2012-10-24T18:51:00.000-07:00

An English country manor sensibility pervades this 20-acre central-highland property on sparsely populated Lanai. The 102 rooms and suites have verandas, many fronting the perfectly manicured lawns where croquet and lawn bowling are played. The backdrop is green hills and tall pines interspersed with occasional glimpses of ocean. After a day of jeep tours, hiking, horseback riding, or skeet shooting, relax by the enormous stone fireplaces in the hunting-lodge-like Great Hall, sumptuous with dark rich wood, skylights, and libraries and sitting rooms in the wings.

Room to Book:

Room 110, one of two second-floor Great Hall Fireplace Suites, has a 118-foot balcony, marble bathroom, and the better view overlooking the reflecting pond.

Insider Tip:

Shoot sporting clays at the Highlands center.

Site : http://www.fourseasons.com/koele/

1 Keomoku Hwy.
Lanai, HI, 96763, United States

TEL: (808) 565-4000
TEL: (800) 332-3442

Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, Golf-Spa, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

2012-10-22T18:46:00.000-07:00

This vast 1940 Patagonian lodge is a historic monument—and an ideal base for an Andean adventure. When guests arrive at the airport (Bariloche is two hours from Buenos Aires by plane), they are ushered into a special arrivals lounge to wait for their transportation to the property, which is set on a hilltop between crystalline Lake Nahuel Huapi and smaller Lake Moreno. The 185 standard rooms and suites in the original Bustillo wing are compact and comfortably furnished in B&B style; the 43 best suites are set in the five-year-old Moreno Wing, with private Jacuzzis, modern design, large balconies, and breathtaking vistas of Lake Moreno and snowcapped Mount Tronador. The area is a paradise for hikers and bikers in the cool summers (November to February), a snowy wonderland for skiers during winter, and a gastronomes’ paradise year round.

Room to Book:

While the original structure has more character, rooms in the newer Moreno Wing have modern amenities such as large windows designed never to fog up and towel-warming racks—plus spacious terraces.

Insider Tip:

You can arrange for a three-hour guided horseback tour around Lake Moreno.

Site : http://www.llaollao.com.ar/ing/

Km 25, Avda. Ezequiel Bustillo
Bariloche, Argentina

TEL: 54-2944-448-530
TEL: (800) 223-6800

Four Seasons, New York

2012-10-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

Raising the opulence bar—even for a Four Seasons property—this soaring, sleek, I. M. Pei-designed tower epitomizes the cool high life in this coolest of American cities. The spare stone façade leads to a cavernous marble lobby, where the voices of arriving guests echo among angular stone columns and vaulted skylit ceilings. Fifty-two stories high, the hotel has 364 rooms with views overlooking the midtown skyline (if you're facing north) and Central Park (to the south); the higher you go, the better and more expensive the vantage point. The average 600-square-foot size is massive by NYC standards, and all rooms are kitted out with clean-lined wood furniture; velvety fabrics in shades of champagne and cream; and spacious marble baths, many with soaking tubs that fill in 60 seconds. The amenities include a spa offering rose-petal foot soaks and the sublime L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon restaurant.
Room to Book: Corner rooms on the 28th and 29th floors have great views at lower-floor rates. If price is truly no object, the Ty Warner Penthouse Suite is a 4,300-square-foot palace with 25-foot cathedral ceilings, a private elevator, a grand piano, and an indoor Zen garden (approximately $30,000 per night).

Site : http://www.fourseasons.com/newyork/

57 E. 57th St.
New York, NY, 10022, United States

TEL: (212) 758-5700
TEL: (800) 487-3769

Peninsula Beverly Hills

2012-10-18T18:36:00.000-07:00

The Peninsula Beverly Hills opens a 6,000-square-foot rooftop garden, complete with palm trees, wisteria, and jasmine, where guests can dine alfresco and sip cocktails under the stars. Designed by James Northcutt, the property prides itself on extraordinary service just the same. Like the monogrammed pillowcases, like the customized room scents, like most things at the luxe Los Angeles hotel, check-in is a flawless affair. From the moment you arrive you are in the hands of your own guest relations manager, who will know your name, have your registration materials and keys, and escort you to your room, suite, or private villa in the garden—bypassing the front desk along the way. These days, check-in can start at the airport. Your Peninsula concierge will retrieve your luggage, lead you to your car idling at the curb, and present you with a menu so that you can order room service on your way to the hotel.
Site : http://www.peninsula.com/Peninsula_Hotels/en/default.aspx#/Beverly_Hills/en

9882 S. Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA, 90212, United States

TEL: (310) 551-2888
TEL: (800) 462-7899

Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea

2012-10-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

A favored hideout for Hollywood types in search of a Polynesian interlude, the 380-room resort caters to every pleasurable whim. Stroll in a traditional Hawaiian healing garden to the recently expanded spa, where you can soothe sunned skin with an avocado mask in a treatment room for two. The resort also customizes spa packages—think coconut, pineapple, and kukui nut–based therapies—for its guests.The suites are decorated with tropical accents, facing the Pacific or the dramatic Haleakala volcano. Dine in one of three restaurants or grab a fruity drink in the hotel's four bars before touring the resort's contemporary Hawaiian art collection.

Room to Book:

The Standard rooms—at 600 square feet—are some of the largest in the state.

Insider Tip:

Those who are looking for a little more activity can snorkel, scuba, or take yoga classes for free, in a place where most resorts charge extra.

Site : http://www.fourseasons.com/maui/

3900 Wailea Alanui Dr.
Maui, HI, 96753, United States

TEL: (808) 874-8000
TEL: (800) 332-3442

Triple Creek Ranch

2012-10-14T20:35:00.003-07:00

Triple Creek is a service-driven, adults-only property located in Montana’s Bitterroot Mountains. The 600-acre landscape has 23 plush log cabins, each outfitted with cozy touches like wood-burning fireplaces, hot tubs, and locally woven woolens. Itineraries are tailored to guests’ interests and can include dinners at the chef’s table, wine tastings, and helicopter tours.

Room to Book:

The Baker and Boulder cabins are the least expensive, but still have a sitting area and fireplace and offer access to a hot tub.

Insider Tip:

Don't miss a snowshoe excursion across the Chief Joseph Pass—explored by Lewis and Clark in 1805—or the chocolate chip cookies served by cowboy-booted staffers on your return.

Site : http://www.triplecreekranch.com/

5551 W. Fork Rd.
Darby, MT, 59829, United States

TEL: (406) 821-4600
TEL: (800) 654-2943

Singita Grumeti Reserves

2012-10-14T18:49:00.001-07:00

South Africa’s pioneering Singita tourism group revamped a pair of lavish lodges and a tented camp in the Grumeti Reserves of Serengeti National Park. You almost expect to see Teddy Roosevelt behind the wheel of one of the two vintage Chevrolets parked at the entrance to Sabora, a safari camp accessorized with antique mahogany chests, worn-leather folding chairs, and thick Persian rugs. Faru Faru, with six chalets overlooking the Grumeti River, channels a Swahili beach resort; a swimming pool curves in front of an open-air lounge, where guests sip sunset cocktails as elephants gather at the watering hole below. The reserve’s flagship is Sasakwa, an East African ranch house set on a plateau with panoramic views of the plains. The lodge’s wood-paneled libraries have an English country club feel, and there are seven cottage residences, each with a garden and plunge pool. Tennis courts, a spa, and a yoga center occupy guests between twice-daily game drives, where sightings include wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles.

Site : http://www.singita.com/

Sasakwa
Serengeti Plains
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania

TEL: 27 21 683-3424
TEL: +1 770 947 7049/98