GOLD LIST 2013

G O L D LIST 2 0 1 3
THE AMERICAS
MEXICO
©
Banyan Tree Cabo Marques,
Acapuko
88.7
©87.5 ©83.3 0 8 7 . 5 ©91.7 © 9 5 . 8 ©85.7
Opened in 2010, this "absolutely b r e a t h t a k i n g " destination is "the place to go w i t h
y o u r significant o t h e r . " The A s i a n - i n s p i r e d
design includes villas on stilts w i t h pitched
roofs, each w i t h its o w n private pool and
w o o d sundeck. " E v e r y t h i n g is like a
d r e a m , " i n c l u d i n g interiors adorned w i t h
Talavera earthenware, black o n y x lamps,
and e t c h e d - t i n m i r r o r frames. Visit cliffperched Saffron for traditional Thai o v e r l o o k i n g the Pacific Ocean. A l t h o u g h it earns
"an A+ for state-of-the-art r e l a x a t i o n , "
some guests groused that "raccoons sometimes roam the g r o u n d s . "
Rancho La Puerta Fitness Resort &
Spa, Tecate, Baja California
98.5
©97.8 ©99.1 0 9 9 . 6 0 9 5 . 6 ©100 ©99.1
Capella Pedregal, Cabo San Lucas 9 6 . 0
©96.7 ©95.1 0 9 5 . 9 ©95.1 © 9 6 . 7 © 9 6 . 6
| 2 | QEsperanza, C a b o S a n Lucas 9 3 . 9
©96.5 ©95.1 0 8 9 . 1 ©93.6 ©96.0 ©92.8
G r a n d Solmar Land's E n d Resort &
Spa, Cabo San Lucas 9 4 . 7
©98.1 ©96.2 ©88.7 ©98.1 © 9 6 . 2 © 9 0 . 6
Pueblo Bonito Pacihca Resort & Spa,
Cabo San Lucas 91.0
©91.2 ©92.9 0 89.0 0 87.4 ©96.1 ©89.7
Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach Resort &
Spa, Cabo San Lucas 91.9
©97.2 ©92.5 0 89.1 ©89.2 ©93.2 ©90.3
Le Blanc Spa Resort, Cancun 95.2
© 9 4 . 4 © 9 4 . 4 0 94,4 ©96.7 © 9 5 . 6
©95.S
This beachfront "upscale a l l - i n c l u s i v e " i n
the core of the hotel zone is "a piece of
heaven in otherwise crazy C a n c u n . " I n t e r i ors are minimalist in decor, w i t h a l l - w h i t e
furnishings and "a pleasant s p a - l i k e scent."
"Staff treat y o u like f a m i l y . " At t u r n d o w n ,
browse an extensive p i l l o w menu while
a butler prepares a w h i r l p o o l bath. " F o o d is
o v e r - t h e - t o p outstanding"—at Lumiere,
sample the c o n t e m p o r a r y French tasting
m e n u . Tire spa caters to couples and
is surrounded by bamboo gardens—"for
p a m p e r i n g , there is no c o m p a r i s o n ! "
#
Ritz C a r l t o n , Cancun 9 2 . 6
©93.8 (193.1 0 9 1 . 0 ©94.4 ©92.4 ©91.1
^ \s Mananitas Hotel, Garden,
Restaurant & Spa, Cuernavaca
©93.9 ©97.1 0 9 1 . 2 ©91.2 ©94.1
93.5
©91.1
© 8 9 . 3 0 82.1 ©91.1 © 8 9 . 3 © 8 7 . 5
G r a n d Velas Riviera Maya. Fiaya del
Carmen 93.9
©97.1 ©94.2 0 8 9 . 9 ©94.2 © 9 4 . 2 ©94.0
iOkk Playacar Palace, Playa del
' • F Carmen 91.6
©94.4 ©97.2 0 86.1 ©91.7 ©91.7 © 8 8 . 2
In "a fantastic l o c a t i o n " right o n the C a r i b bean Sea, this " i n - t o w n resort" is steps
from Playa del Carmen's Fifth Avenue and
the C o z u m e l Ferry Dock. Guest rooms have
double w h i r l p o o l s , and most offer balconies
w i t h ocean v i e w s . The "best poolside games
and entertainment ever" are c o m p l e m e n t ed by a spa and an 18-hole Robert Van
Hagge-designed golf course. F r o m the
buffet-style international cuisine at Cafe del
Mar to the Italian fare at Terrazza, "the
food is d e l i c i o u s . " "We can't wait to go
back" to experience the "true l u x u r y and
world-class service."
®
The Royal, Playa del Carmen 9 0 . 2
©92.S ©92.5 0 8 4 . 9 © 9 0 . 6 © 9 0 . 6
©90.4
This beachfront all-inclusive for adults "lives
up to its name, w i t h a great beach, great
style, and all the t r i m m i n g s . " The resort's
p r o x i m i t y to Playa's Fifth Avenue makes it
"the ideal location i n t o w n . " "Spacious
suites" have ocean v i e w s as w e l l as h a n d crafted furniture and marble baths,
and Beachfront S w i m - u p Master Suites have
private pools. Nine restaurants, i n c l u d i n g
the Spanish-style Tapas & Taxas, mean
a variety of "superb options." Sip an evening
cocktail i n the "beautiful l o b b y " and
enjoy being waited on by staff— " t h e y d e m onstrate impeccable attention to d e t a i l . "
Viceroy, Playa del Carmen 93.3
©98.0 © 1 0 0 0 9 2 . 0 © 8 6 . 0 © 9 8 . 0 ©85.7
Excellence Riviera C a n c u n ,
Puerto Morelos 8 8 . 6
©93.7 ©93.7 0 8 2 . 5 ©82.5 © 9 0 . 5 © 8 8 . 9
™
QFour Seasons, Punta Mita 92.3
©92.6 ©94.2 0 9 2 . 0 ©92.0 ©92.0 ©91.1
Capella Ixtapa Resort & Spa, Ixtapa 9 6 . 8
©97.2 ©97.2 0 9 7 . 2 ©97.2 © 9 4 . 4 ©97.2
Banyan Tree Mayakoba,
Riviera Maya 9 0 . 3
©96.5 ©91.2 0 82.5 ©89.5 ©91.2 © 9 0 . 9
/Js
M a r o m a Resort & Spa,
Riviera Maya 9 4 . 9
©96.6 ©96.6 0 83.1 ©100 © 9 S . 3 ©94.7
Secrets M a r o m a Beach R i v i e r a
C a n c u n , R i u i e r a .Yfaua 93.8
©97.7 ©95.3 0 8 7 . 2 ©95.3 ©96.5 ©90.7
86
CONDE NAST T R A V E L E R J A N U A R Y
2013
CONRAD,
TOKYO
"Rooms
are
befitting
of
five-star
any
property
and
have
spectacular
views
of Tokyo
Bay"
HORNED DORSET
PRIMAVERA,
RINCON,
PUERTO RICO
"Charming
Moroccan-style
suites
have
marble
white
floors,
oversized
tubs,
and
private
plunge
pools"
designed
g | | P O n e & O n l y Palmilla,
^•ar Los Cabos 9 6 . 3
©97.2 ©95.1 ©95.1 ©97.3 © 9 6 , 2 ©97.2
G r a n d Velas Riviera Nayarit,
Nuevo
Vallarta90.8
©95.9 ©93.9 0 8 5 . 7 ©89.8 © 9 3 . 9 ©85.1
WHAT YOU
SAID ABOUT
ROOMS...
Excellence Playa Mujeres, Quintana
Roo 90.5
©98.5 ©93.8 0 8 7 . 7 © 8 0 . 0 © 9 3 . 8 ©88.9
Rosewood Mayakoba, R t u i e r a M a y a 94.7
©97.8 © 95.6 0 91.2 ©94.5 ©94.5 © 9 4 . 4
Pueblo Bonito Emerald Bay Resort &
Spa, iViazarfdn89.7
©96.7 ©94.5 0 8 3 . 6 ©80.9 ©95.1 ©87.5
©
FIFTEEN B E A C O N ,
BOSTON
Las Ventanas al Paraiso
w
(Rosewood), Los Cabas 9 3 . 6
©96.5 ©92.0 0 9 2 . 9 ©91.2 © 9 6 . 5 ©92.7
Secrets Marquis Los Cabos,
Los Cabos 8 8 . 5
9 9 7 . 4 ©92.1 0 8 4 . 2 ©86.8 © 8 9 . 5 © 8 0 . 6
Casa de Sierra Nevada, S a n M i g u e l de
Allende 8 9 . 4
©86.5 ©89.5 0 84.2 0 9 4 . 7 ©92.1
St. Regis, Punta
Mita89.6
© 9 2 . 0 © 90.0 0 8 4 . 0 ©88.0 © 9 4 . 0 ©89.8
QFairmont Mayakoba,
Riviera Maya 9 3 . 8
©97.0 © 9 5 . 0 0 9 0 . 0 © 9 0 . 0 © 9 5 . 0 ©95.8
Q u i n t a Real, G u a d a l a j a r a 91.4
©95.2 0 9 0 . 5 0 9 0 . 5 0 8 5 . 7 ©95.2
San Jose del Cabo, the property has o n e - ,
t w o - , and three-bedroom villas that start at
1,200 square feet—"they are gigantic"—and
are outfitted in " s u p e r - p l u s h finishes" w i t h
natural stone floors. The signature restaurant, Javier's, is "five star" and serves t r a d i tional Mexican cuisine facing the beach.
Poolside d i n i n g is offered at the palapa-style
Flor de Noche, where guests can s w i m up to
the bar or relax under egg-shaped cabanas.
"Staff are consistently attentive."
Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta ( f o r m e r l y
Vallarta Palace), Nuevo Vallarta 8 8 . 4
Zoetry Paraiso d e la B o n i t a .
R i t i i e r a Maya 88.2
© 9 0 . 9 ©88^6 O 9 0 . 9 ©84.1 ©0.5.5 ©79.1
®
Cabo A z u l R e s o r t . Scr.
del
Cabo 88.3
©97.4 0 8 5 . 9 OS] •: >y-~ - 2 • ' ©49.0
This contemporary M e x i c a n resort is
"so beautiful, it was i h e f ; : : : r . ; : ' : r a fashion
shoot w h e n I was there. ~ Near local m a r kets and an easy s:r
:r: ~
writer of
:
"Individually
are
so
and
it's
to leave
rooms
luxurious
relaxing,
hard
them"
Hotel Matilda, San Miguel de
Allende 94.1
©97.1 ©91.2 0 9 4 . 1 ©94.1 ©94.1
This m o d e r n , minimalist hotel w i t h a c o l o nial exterior three blocks from the main
square is "strangely the perfect c o m p l e ment to this gorgeous historic colonial
c i t y . " Mexican a r t w o r k is the m a i n focus
inside, and guest rooms are outfitted w i t h
b l a c k - a n d - w h i t e prints by M e x i c o City
photographer Eduardo Zaylan and custom
lighting and have a w h i t e - a n d - g r a p h i t e
color scheme w i t h pops of turquoise. "Staff
are the best a n y w h e r e . " M o x i Restaurant is
helmed by celebrated chef Enrique Olvera—
"his dishes are superb and i n n o v a t i v e . "
Spa treatments include an aromatherapy
steam and are "perfect ways to u n w i n d
after a day spent w a n d e r i n g the c i t y . "
fHh Rosewood San Miguel de Allende,
'•r San Miguel de Allende 97.1
©100 ©96.4 0 8 9 . 3 0 1 0 0 ©100
Reminiscent of a historic hacienda, this " a u thentic refuge" that opened in 2011 is
d o w n t o w n , just blocks from El J a r d i n . Be
prepared for "the beauty and richness of
colonial Mexico and all the comforts of a
state-of-the-art l u x u r y h o t e l . " Traditional
interior architectural details include handwrought iron, bronze, wood-beamed c e i l ings, sixth-century European antiques, and
sand plaster walls. The rooftop tapas bar has
"the best views in t o w n " of La Parroquia
c h u r c h , the c i t y , and the sunset. "Staff are
interesting and pay attention to al! the de
tails." Kids can learn h o w to make chocolate
and pinatas i n the Rose Buds p r o g r a m .
4S|i La Casa Que Canta,
Zihuatanejo
92.5
©94.1 ©92.2 0 8 8 . 2 ©92.2 ©96.1
C E N T R A L & SOU TH A M ERICA
ARGENTINA
Llao Llao Hotel & Resort, Bariloche
91jl
©88.4 © 8 8 . 6 0 87.1 ©95.7 © 9 4 . 3 ©92.2
| S | Alvear Palace, Buenos Aires 94.2
W
© 9 5 i ! © 9 6 . 0 0 89.9 ©97.0 © 9 3 . 0
/|9| Four Seasons, B u e n o s A i r e s 9 0 . 6
© 9 0 , 6 ©92.7 0 84.0 © 9 2 . 7 ©92.7
©
Loi Suites Recoleta H o t e l ,
Buenos Aires 91.2
©92.3 © 8 4 . 6 0 8 1 . 0 ©100 ©96.2
W i t h i n w a l k i n g distance of museums, galleries, s h o p p i n g , and the famous Recoleta
Cemetery, this hotel enjoys a perfectscoring "great location i n one of the most
popular parts" of Buenos A i r e s . "Welcom
ing rooms vary in size" and have a soft
palette of creams and neutrals. A n indoor
tropical garden features a pool accessed
t h r o u g h La Fuente restaurant, w h i c h serve:
international cuisine and "a superb break
fast each m o r n i n g . " The spa menu include?
Thai massage."It's a really nice h o t e l , and
the price is always r i g h t . "
CONDENASTTRAVELER.C