GOLD LIST - Le Taha`a Island Resort and Spa

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THE WORLD'S BEST
PLACES TO STAY
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504
HOTELS,
RESORTS,
AND
CRUISE
LINES
JANUARY 20 II
"NOTHING ENDURESBUT
change." No, Heraclitus
wasn't thinking about hotels, but the axiom
applies. CondeNast Traveler's
compendium of the best
hotels, resorts, and cruise
lines in the world, drawn
from our annual Readers'
Choice Survey (see November 2010), is ever-evolving.
Updated annually, it is a
truly global tally of peerless
travel experiences (and
proves the mobility and
discriminating tastes of our
readers). Case in point: This
year's Gold List has 48 properties appearing for the
first time, and we have duly
accorded each a detailed
review, with readers' quotes
(for complete reviews of all
2011 Gold List properties, go
to cntraveler.comlgoldlist,
or download our soon-tobe-released iPhone or iPad
app, Conde Nast Traveler's
2011 Gold List). Here's to the
newcomers, and to the other hotels, resorts, and cruise
lines on these pages, which
have withstood the toughest
testofall-time.
53
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Life Heritage Resort, HoiAn 89.7
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~95.0
t)92.5
084.2
097.5
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~91.2
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Mandara, Nha Trang 90.2
088.2
085.3
094.,]
(991.2 e91.2
AUSTRALIA
AND
PACIFIC
NATIONS
AFRICA & THE
MIDDLE EAST
AUSTRALIA
Voyages Longitude 131°,Ayers
Rock 90.3
~83.3 t:'I82.8 086.2
.
0100
(996.6 e93.1
Henry Jones Art Hotel, Hobart 88.1
~85.2 085.2 0M.6 (')92.6 (992.6
~88.9
t)85.2
088.9
for travelers to these regions
(')96.3 (992.6
Located within a former wharf building
next to the Royal Botanic Gardens. Blue has
"funky and fun rooms" with views of Sydney Harbour or Woolloomooloo Bay Village.
They're decorated in blues with chocolate
brown suedette furnishings. Blue Cafe, in
the heart of the wharf, offers breakfast and
bistro fare; unwind with a cocktail on the
banquettes at Water Bar.
Park Hyatt,
~90.7
tJ88.l
Sydney
085.6
89.7
(')93.8
Sydney Harbour
Marriott
Quay, Sydney 89.5
~90.6 t)91.8 077.0 096.2
FRENCH
(990.1
at Circular
(991.1
POLYNESIA
Le Meridien,
Bora Bora 88.6
~9).4- tJ88.6 085.7 091.1 (988.6 e8o.7
Sofitel
Bora Bora Marara
.
Beach and
Private Island, Bora Bora 88.6
~!OO
085.7
050.0
(')100
(9100 elOO
Te Tiare Beach Resort,
Huahine 88.2
~86.2 093.1 085.7 (')96.6 (989.'7 e76.9
Wooden walkways connect the mainland to
thatched-roof bungalows that sit "above
the clearest water you'll ever see." Casual
accommodations are mostly on land. with
high ceilings and open -air designs; in overwater suites, jump off the sundeck inlo Ihe
lagoon. French, Polynesian, and international fare at Ari'i includes mahimahi infused with lemongrass and ginger. "Staff
always wear a smile."
Taha'a
91.1
~97.8
088.9
.
..
080.0
095.6
NEW.ZEALAND
82
cubs brawling are
the irresistible pulls of the safari experience,
and these mementos are what keep travelers returning year after year to the Gold List
camps. Whatis changing is where they are
going. SouthMrica, the traditional leader in
the safari vacation, can no longer claim to be
the undisputed king of the jungle: It faces
stiff competition from neighboring Botswana, whose nine camps on this year's list all
score above go. For urbanites visiting these
regions, the multiculti city of Cape Townoutlandishly set between Table Mountain
and the South Atlantic Ocean-remains the
go-to destination for hotels nonpareil.
BOTSWANA
J
/,
A flare for drama in the lobby of Dubai's 28-story Surj Al
Arab: More than 17,000 square feet of 24-karat gold leaf
helped earn the resort a 96.6 for design.
2011
Savute Elephant Camp, ChobeNational
Park 91.2
~95.0 090.0 087.5 090.0 (995.0 e89.5
-
~80.0
e86.7
.
--
Huka Lodge, Taupo 95.5
0100
lapping from a water
hole, hippos rolling
in the mud, and lion
GOLD
LIST
(')90.9 9JOO e8U.>
C!lOO
0100
(99,..3
~96.7 093.5 083.9 (')93.5 (990.3 e9O.3
Mombo
and Little Mombo
MoremiGame Reseroe98.4
()79.2 083.3
(')100
9100
e87.5
EGYPT
t)9!.6
082.6
093.8
(991.0
t
e97.1
Khwai River Lodge, Moremi Game
Reserve91.4
~98.!
~91.7
~;n.7
088.6
f
I
J
Vumbura Plains, Okavango Delta 90.3
Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza,
Cairo 90.5
Reseroe93.3
(997.8
Lodge at Kauri Cliffs,
Matauri Bay 98.4
~JOO'OIOO
096.9 (')93.8 (9100 e100
This oceanfront newcomer with a raft of
perfect scores is "stunning, as if you were
airlifted to heaven." Plantation-style
buildings have perfect-scoring suites
where ceiling fans, light colors, and subtle
patterns create a country feel. The restaurant changes its menu daily-"you'll want
to stay all day and just order another bottle of wine" on the outdoor terrace. Perfect-scoring staff include caddies with
"knowledge of many topics, not just golf."
On the challenging course (one of the
perfect-scoring activities), "we played
four times and only once came close to another group."
~1O0 0100
W
ATCHING GIRAFFES
DumaTau Camp, Linyanti Wildlife
Le Taha'a Island Resort & Spa,
.
in stunning natural settings are the top draw
Safari camps
Blue Sydney (Taj), Sydney 90.4
Camps,
098.1 096.3 (')100 (998:! elOO
KEY TO
SYMBOLS
CIRooms
(,'IService
0 Food
C,')Location
Four Seasons
Cairo at the First
Residence, Cairo 91.1
~95.5 091.9 086.2 091.9 e90.0
Four Seasons,
~97.8
lEIDesign
~
Sharm E1Sheikh 96.3
()95.6 093.3
(')95.6 e97.8
e97.6
KENYA
:!
e Activities
Sanctuary
Chief's
Reserve 90.5
~90.2 ()'H.!
(~9(i.3
~89.3
.
SCORES IN RED
OVERALL
0
092.2 (')90.2 (988.2 e88.2
Camp Okavango,
Delta 91.0
'~85.7
Camp, Moremi Game
Okavango
092.9
(985.7
Jao Camp, Okavango
Delta 94.3
~9'!':; 091"-> 085.7 (')100 e97.1
e96A
e97.!
Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge,
Okavungo Delta 93.6
~88.5 t~92.3 092.3 096.2
996.2
e96.2
Newto
Gold List
~84.8
090.3
080.2' 092.9
e88.5
Bateleur and Kichwa Tembo
Masai Mara GameReseroe87.7
Forfull reviewsof
everyhotelandresort
on the2011GoldList.
with readerquotes,
go 10cntroveler.coml
goldUst.(Ordownloadoursoon-to-bereleasediPhoneor
iPadapp: Conde
NastTraveler's2011
GoldList.)
Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge,
Amboseli National Park 87.3
~
.
~83.3
092.9
083.3
092.9
e86.8
Camps,
983.3
e90';
Fairmont Mara Safari Club,
Masai Mara GameReseroe 88.5
~92.3
088.5
076.9
(')88.5 (992.3 e92.\
Set along a curve of the Mara River, this
tented property offers guests the chance to
spy gazelles and lions. The Masai colors are
CONDE NAST TRAVELER
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