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March 31, 2017

The World’s Top Hotels, Resorts and Spas

By Lauren Jade Hill

To celebrate the extraordinary properties chosen for our Hotels, Resorts and Spas Luxury Escapes Edition in 2016, we’ve brought together a selection of featured hotels from across the globe.

Cheval Blanc St Barth Isle de France, Caribbean

Cheval Blanc St Barth

Combining West Indian character with southern French style, this resort is considered one of the most sought after in the Caribbean, even earning the first ever Palace Distinction to have been awarded to a hotel outside of mainland France.  The resort lies along Flamands Beach, where 40 spacious rooms, suites and villas sit within lush gardens. Villas here include their own fitness rooms, private cinemas and outdoor terraces with infinity plunge pools.

Cheval Blanc St Barth Isle de France

Banyan Tree Phuket Spa Sanctuary, Thailand

Benefiting from a complete refit in 2015, Banyan Tree Spa Sanctuary provides guests with a journey of rejuvenation and wellness, combining award-winning spa treatments and facilities with healthy cuisine and a tranquil setting on a pristine stretch of beach. The Spa Sanctuary Pool Villa stands out for its floating bedroom pavilion, outdoor sunken bath and private pool with water bubble beds. Together, the Thai eatery Saffron, Mediterranean and Asian fusion restaurant Tamarind, and Latin-inspired dining space Water Court provide a diversity of dining experiences.

Banyan Tree Phuket Spa Sanctuary

Corinthia Hotel London, UK

Corinthia London

This grand hotel combines traditional grandeur with modern design throughout its luxurious interiors, from the British restaurant The Northall and Italian eatery Massimo Restaurant & Bar, up to the award-winning spa ESPA Life and each of the sumptuous rooms and suites. The music-inspired bar Bassoon specializes in theatrical cocktails, while The Garden Lounge provides a space for al fresco dining and late night drinks.

Corinthia Hotel London

Four Seasons Casa Medina, Bogotá, Colombia

Originally built in 1946 by artist and architect Santiago Medina Mejia, this hotel has been declared a monument of cultural interest by the Colombian Ministry of Culture. Behind the brick and stone column façade, the interiors exhibit  classic elegance with hand-carved wooden décor and leather furnishings. The spa here reflects the nation’s heritage through treatments that incorporate indigenous ingredients, while the restaurant Castanyoles is reminiscent of a traditional Spanish tapas bar.

Four Seasons Casa Medina

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Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

Four Seasons Resort Maldives

Owing to its setting within Unesco World Biosphere Reserve, the Baa Atoll, this Four Seasons resort places a focus on the importance of the surrounding marine environment, with a Marine Discovery Center and turtle rehabilitation. This remarkable setting comes with the luxury of vast villas – the three-bedroom Landaa Estate features two pools and a star-gazing lounge – as well as The Spa and Ayurvedic Retreat, and Italian and Arabian dining venues.

Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru

Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli, Lake Garda, Italy

The historic Villa Feltrinelli is located in the village of Gargnano on the shores of Lake Garda in the northern Italian region Lombardy. Inside, each of the 20 guestrooms and suites are individually designed, with original features such as a frescoed ceiling and outdoor terrace in the Al Lago suite. Guests can dine on the restaurant’s two Michelin starred cuisine by the lakeside Pergola or in the cost dining room. And the villa’s Acqua di Parma Regeneration Lounge, outdoor pool and lakeside setting make it the ideal escape for complete relaxation; The Cheval Blanc Spa offers massages and treatments by Guerlain, while the restaurant La Case de L’Isle and White Bar provide guests with stylish venues to spend each evening in.

Grand Hotel a Villa Feltrinelli

Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, USA

Hotel Bel-Air

Owing to the 12 lush gardens this hotel is tucked amidst, in one of the world’s most exclusive neighborhoods, Hotel Bel-Air is one of LA’s most coveted settings to stay in. Behind the façade of Spanish Colonial architecture, the luxurious interiors combine elegance with state-of-the-art facilities. The Spa by La Prairie, legendary oval-shaped pool, and restaurant overseen by Wolfgang Puck elevate the experience further.

Hotel Bel-Air

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba, Peru

Situated in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, this contemporary hacienda-style hotel affords guests the luxury of staying in a truly extraordinary location, which is part-way between Cusco and Machu Picchu. The entire property spans 100 acres of land amidst the mountains, with each room commanding views over the valley. The architecture and interiors here take inspiration from the region’s culture, with an earth-to-table culinary concept in the dining room.

Inkaterra Hacienda Urubamba

La Residence Franschhoek, South Africa

La Residence Franschhoek

This opulent Franschhoek hotel sits amid the vineyards and orchards of South Africa’s Winelands, with a backdrop of the mountains. The hotel exudes grandeur with its Indian chandeliers hanging from the vaulted ceiling, original artwork and plush furnishings. The Spa at La Residence offers an array of indulgent treatments and massages, while La Residence Dining Room showcases the cuisine of executive chef Lennard Marais.

La Residence Hotel and Vineyard Suites

Le Bristol Paris, France

Considered one of Europe’s finest hotels, Le Bristol is among the most luxurious places to stay in Paris, encompassing sprawling suites, the exceptional Spa le Bristol by La Prairie, and the three-Michelin starred restaurant Epicure, as well as the one Michelin starred  brasserie Le 114 Faubourg. The hotel has been a part of the prestigious Oetker Collection since 1978, and in recent years has benefited from a multi-million dollar refurbishment.

Le Bristol Paris

Lime Wood, Hampshire, UK

Lime Wood

This boutique five-star country house hotel lies at the heart of New Forest National Park, just an hour and a half drive from London. Here, the traditional country house has been restored to show the property at its best with contemporary accents featured throughout, combining the architectural design of Charles Morris and Ben Pentreath with the interiors of David Collins. The restaurant was then designed by Martin Brudnizki where the cuisine of Luke Holder and Angela Hartnett is served.

Lime Wood

Mandarin Oriental Marrakech, Morocco

Situated amidst 20 hectares of olive groves and landscaped gardens, with a scenic backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, Mandarin Oriental Marrakech boasts a particularly captivating setting. And despite having a sense of seclusion, it is conveniently located just 10 minutes from the city’s Medina. The elegant resort encompasses 54 villas and nine suites, with a spa that’s sprawled across 1,800 square meters, and the two renowned restaurants, Ling Ling by Hakkasan and  Mes’Lalla.

Mandarin Oriental Marrakech

The Peninsula Paris, France

Peninsula Paris

Ideally situated in one of Paris’ most prestigious neighborhoods, The Peninsula Paris is within walking distance of the city’s great monuments, museums and high-end shopping districts. Here, the 19th-century Haussmanian building has been restored to combine original architectural features with modern design, incorporating Parisian style and luxurious facilities, including The Peninsula Spa and 20-meter pool. As many as six dining areas lie within the hotel, including L’Oiseau Blanc where French fine dining plates can be savored with a view over the city.

The Peninsula Paris

Singita Ebony Lodge, Sabi Sands, South Africa

Redesigned in 2015, Singita Ebony Lodge is considered one of South Africa’s most stylish lodges, as well as one of the most iconic. In its setting by the Sabi Sands River, the lodge exhibits contemporary design within each of its 12 suites, which all encompass a plunge pool, as well as a carefully curated selection of antiques, photography, and leopard and zebra print upholstery. Both Singita Ebony Spa and the lodge’s dining space make the most of the extraordinary surroundings and tranquility afforded by the wilderness.

Singita Ebony Lodge

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