After an exhaustive review, Virtuoso has announced the nominees for its "Best of the Best" Hotel Awards. Winners of which will be revealed at Virtuoso's 23rd-annual Travel Mart Conference, August 14-19 at The Bellagio in Las Vegas.
Awards range from "Best Family Program" to "Best Bar Experience" and the coveted "Hotel of the Year." Winners will be selected by Virtuoso's network of travel agents.
Here is a look at the nominees.
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. Nominees: The Hay-Adams, Washington, DC, U.S.; Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, France; Hotel Cipriani & Palazzo Vendramin, an Orient-Express Hotel, Venice, Italy; Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, Thailand; 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. Nominees: The St. Regis Lhasa Resort, Tibet; Il Salviatino, Florence, Italy; Mandarin Oriental, Paris, France; The Oberoi, Gurgaon, New Delhi Capital Region, India; Aman Sveti Stefan, Montenegro.
Best Achievement in Design – Recognizes the significance of outstanding architecture and design of a hotel or component therein, whether in new construction, renovation or historic restoration. Nominees: The Chatwal New York, New York, NY, U.S.; The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, China; Royal Mansour, Marrakech, Morocco; Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania, Australia; Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, England.
Best Culinary Experience – Recognizes the hotel restaurant that offers exemplary food, service, ambience, wine list and even views. Nominees: Dinner by Heston Blumenthal at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London, England; Schilo at Finca Cortesin, Malaga, Spain; Le 114 Fauborg at Hotel Le Bristol, Paris, France; Fasano Restaurante at Hotel Fasano Punta del Este, Uruguay; The Dining Room at Blantyre, Lenox, MA, U.S.
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. Nominees: Lantern at The Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore; Le Bar Long at Le Royal Monceau – Raffles Paris, France; American Bar, The Savoy, London, England; Atmosphere at Shangri-La China World Summit Wing, Beijing, China; Crazybox at The Waikiki EDITION, Honolulu, HI, U.S.
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. Nominees: Coworth Park, Dorchester Collection, London, England; The Grand Del Mar, San Diego, CA, U.S.; Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Charlestown, Nevis, West Indies; Soneva Kiri by Six Senses, Koh Kood, Thailand; Montage Deer Valley, Park City, UT, U.S.
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. Nominees: Four Seasons Resort Vail, CO, U.S.; Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque Resort, Canary Islands, Spain; Chiva-Som International Health Resort, Hua Hin, Thailand; Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa, Miami Beach, FL, U.S.; Tambo del Inka, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Urubamba, Peru.
Most Innovative Guest Experience – Recognizes a hotel that continually raises the bar by featuring clever and meaningful guest experiences that move the industry forward. Nominees: Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, MT, U.S.; Singita Pamushana Lodge, Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, Zimbabwe; The Romanos, A Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino, Greece; Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Krabi, Thailand; Hacienda de San Antonio, Comala, Mexico.
Most Socially Responsible – Recognizes a hotel dedicated to making a difference through innovative local or global environmental programs that make the world a better place, whether a green initiative or a community education program. Nominees: Hotel de la Paix, Siem Reap, Cambodia; Fregate Island Private, Seychelles; Rosewood Mayakoba, Playa del Carmen, Mexico; El Silencio Lodge & Spa, Bajos del Toro, Costa Rica; InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa, Natadola, Fiji.
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. Nominees: Laurence Tafanel, Esprit Saint Germain, Paris, France; Klaus Kabelitz, The Berkeley, London, England; Patrick Elsmie, The Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire, Scotland; Stefano Gegnacorsi, Rocco Forte Hotel de Russie, Rome, Italy; Offer Nissembaum, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, CA, U.S.
For more information, visit www.virtuosolife.com.