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The World's Top Hotel Countries
Bob Harris November 7, 2008
Which ones claim the most Forbes Traveler 400 hotels?
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The United States tops the list with 112 of the 400 selections, and the picks are as diverse as one could imagine—reflecting the multiplicity of environments, lifestyles and activities found in America. Golfers, for example, need no introduction to the Lodge at Pebble Beach in Monterey or the Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California, both of which have hosted the U.S. Open and other major tournaments. Skiers might prefer the Four Seasons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where guests have ski-in/ski-out access to the Teton Mountains, while tennis aficionados will enjoy the Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, where 17 courts set amid lush gardens await.
See our slideshow of The World's Top Hotel Countries.
Kayakers have Canoe Bay, in northern Wisconsin, fly-fishing buffs can choose Twin Farms in rural Vermont ("a perfect retreat," says one Forbes Traveler board member), and for those who yearn for clopping hooves, great riding can be found at the Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Montana.
If a horseshoe is more a symbol of luck for you, the Forbes Traveler 400 list offers the Bellagio ("the suites are terrific!" said one of our experts), the Wynn and the Mandalay Bay in neon-soaked Las Vegas. Those who prefer the bright lights of Broadway will prefer New York's Mandarin Oriental, St. Regis and Peninsula hotels, all within easy reach of the theater district; must-stays for film acolytes include the Beverly Hills Hotel ("better than ever since its recent facelift"), the Regent Beverly Wilshire and the Bel-Air—Hollywood classics, all.
Italy places second among the world's top hotel countries, with 30 entries on the Forbes Traveler 400 list, and once again there's a fairly wide variety of experiences on offer. If your holiday starts in Rome, top options range from the Hotel de Russie, whose terraced gardens could make you forget you're right between the touristy Spanish Steps and the bustling Piazza del Popolo, to the Hotel Eden, overlooking the famous seven hills; to the Portrait Suites, an intimate boutique hotel described by one Forbes Traveler expert as "the most elegant and sophisticated in Europe."
Visitors to Venice have an equal array of options. The Hotel Bauer is just steps from the Piazza San Marco and offers both its own rotating art exhibits and a private water dock to speed your movement around La Serenissima, while the Hotel Danieli is a restored 14th-century doge's palace all but dripping with pink marble and gold leaf. In Florence, the Hotel Savoy offered impeccable service and a perfect location—right on the Piazza Repubblica, steps from the Duomo, the Uffizi, and the Ponte Vecchio—while Milan travelers will enjoy the Bulgari, summarized by one Forbes Traveler board member as "simply the 'in' place in Milan." Then there's the Amalfi Coast, whose Hotel Santa Caterina features a panoramic sea view that is alone worth the trip.
England and France place third and fourth on the Forbes Traveler 400, with 21 and 19 hits respectively. While there are a number of truly singular properties in England—among them Gravetye Manor, where the father of English gardening mastered his craft in a 1598 Elizabethan country home, now converted into one of the most lushly landscaped hotels on the planet—the English entries are dominated by a remarkably dense knot of five-star hotels in and around Mayfair in central London, among them Claridge's, The Connaught and The Dorchester, all within strolling distance of London's incredibly rich historic and cultural offerings.
Similarly, the south of France offers a wide variety of experiences, from the medieval Hotel de la Cité on the ramparts of the walled city of Carcassonne, to the historic Hotel d'Europe in Avignon, where luminaries from Napoleon to Jackie Kennedy have sought refuge, to the Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, a billionaire's playground on the French Riviera. But the French entries are likewise dominated by a cluster of luxurious Paris hotels, virtually all within walking distance of the Champs Élysées and the highlights of the City of Lights.
Lest you worry that Asia and Africa have been neglected by the Forbes Traveler 400, India, China and South Africa make appearances, as does another European country—and a certain nation that calls the United States its neighbor.
