Virtuoso: Short List Nominees on Hospitality

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Wanna know where to go and when you get there, where to stay? Virtuoso has you covered when it comes to best picks for best properties, best spas, best dishes and best bets for various “it” destinations around the world.

Leading up to its “Best of the Best” awards, the luxury travel agency network came up with a very telling shortlist of nominees. It parsed through some 1,025 hotels, resorts, villas and private island retreats in 100 countries to find the 50 properties that are under consideration for these top shelf awards.

While actual winners will be revealed in August, here is an a-ta-glance look at the top contenders in hospitality.

Hotel of the Year – Recognizes a hotel that continually epitomizes excellence in the categories of design, ambience, service, food and beverage, spa, family programs, innovation and social responsibility.

• The Dolder Grand – Zurich, Switzerland
• The Kahala Hotel & Resort – Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
• Rosewood London – London, England
• Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris – Paris, France
• Taj Falaknuma Palace – Hyderabad, India

One to Watch – Recognizes an exciting new property that elevates the hospitality experience, either in an emerging destination or an established tourism market.

1. Baccarat New York – New York, New York, United States
2. Belmond Governor’s Residence – Yangon, Myanmar
3. The Lanesborough, A St. Regis Hotel – London, England
4. Park Hyatt New York – New York, New York, United States
5. Peninsula Hotel Paris – Paris, France

Most Innovative Guest Experience – Recognizes a hotel that continually raises the bar by featuring clever and meaningful guest experiences that move the industry forward.

1. Royal Yachting Association Courses, Carlisle Bay – St. Mary’s, Antigua
2. Underwater Sculpture Garden and Coral Reef Snorkeling, Emirates Palace – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
3. Island Culture, Heritage and History Experiences, Fogo Island Inn – Newfoundland, Canada
4. Four Season Extraordinary Experiences, Four Seasons Hotel Georges V – Paris, France
5. Desert Experiences, Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort – Liwa Desert, United Arab Emirates

Best Achievement in Design – Recognizes the significance of outstanding architecture and design for a hotel or component therein, whether in new construction, renovation or historic restoration.

1. Aman Canal Grande – Venice, Italy
2. Andaz Maui at Wailea – Maui, Hawaii, United States
3. Hotel d’Angleterre – Copenhagen, Denmark
4. Four Seasons Hotel Lion Palace – St. Petersburg, Russia
5. Portrait Firenze – Florence, Italy

Best Culinary Experience – Recognizes the hotel restaurant that offers exemplary food, service, ambience, wine list and even views.

• Fasano, Fasano Hotel Sao Paulo – Sao Paulo, Brazil
• L’Abeille, Shangri-La Paris – Paris, France
• Le Marocain, La Mamounia – Marrakech, Morocco
• Restaurant Marques de Riscal, Hotel Marques de Riscal, A Luxury Collection Hotel – Elciego, Spain
• Moment, Mandarin Oriental Barcelona – Barcelona, Spain

Best Bar – Recognizes the hotel bar that offers a lively, convivial and entertaining social meeting spot where innovative drinks and an enticing atmosphere create a “must see and be seen” buzz.

• Lobby Lounge, Shangri-La Hotel Toronto – Toronto, Canada
• King Cole Bar, The St. Regis New York – New York, New York, United States
• Lantern Bar, The Fullerton Bay Hotel – Singapore
• New York Bar, Park Hyatt Tokyo – Tokyo, Japan
• Water Bar, BLUE Sydney, A Taj Hotel – Sydney, Australia

Best Family Program – Recognizing the family friendly environment, this award acknowledges special programs and activities for children of all ages, from creative activities to educational endeavors and active adventures.

• “The Kid’s Club,” Marbella Club Hotel – Golf, Resort & Spa – Marbella, Spain
• The Peninsula Academy’s “Princess-for-a-Day,” Peninsula Hotel Chicago – Chicago, Illinois, United States
• “The Pinocchio Experience,” Rocco Forte Hotel Savoy – Florence, Italy
• “Princesses and Princes” Trianon Mini Club, Trianon Palace – A Waldorf Astoria Hotel – Versailles, France
• “Young Entrepreneurs SoHo,” Trump SoHo – New York, New York, United States

Best Spa – Recognizes the hotel spa that offers the most alluring environment for rest and rejuvenation, creative and therapeutic treatments, and highly skilled and knowledgeable therapists.

• The Bulgari Spa, Bulgari Hotel & Residences – London, England
• The Datai Spa, The Datai Langkawi – Langkawi, Malaysia
• The Mayflower Spa, The Mayflower Grace – Washington, Connecticut, United States
• Vair Spa, Borgo Egnazia – Savalletri di Fasano, Italy
• The Wellhouse, Blackberry Farm – Walland, Tennessee, United States

Hotelier of the Year – Honors an experienced hotel manager with an unrelenting passion for the industry, an astute appreciation for detail and a keen sense of how to lead and manage a dynamic team of professionals.

• Rainy Chan, Peninsula Hong Kong – Hong Kong, China
• Jean Claude Messant, Hotel Metropole Monte Carlo – Monte Carlo, Monaco
• Philippe Leboeuf, Mandarin Oriental Paris – Paris, France
• Tom Roelens, Four Seasons Resort Lana’i at Manele Bay – Lanai City, Hawaii, United States
• Valentina de Santis, Grand Hotel Tremezzo – Lake Como, Italy

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