Cond� Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards Favor Killer Views, Weird Bathrooms

October 19, 2009 at 9:43 AM | by Heidi Atwal | Comments (3)

The stunning coastal views from Hotel Du Palais

They say the customer is always right, and we generally agree. PR pushes and clever marketing can often make a hotel sound better than it is, but leave it to a consumer to give you the inside track with merciless honesty. This is precisely why Readers Choice lists are more trusted than other carefully cultivated round-ups.

Last week, Cond� Nast Traveler's unveiled its 22nd Annual Readers Choice Awards, a respectable overview of the best cities, islands, resorts, airlines, and other travel-related miscellany. It's the location-specific hotel and resort "Top Three" lists that caught our eye first, of course, but there were some questionable standouts as well.

Some of the top picks were self-evident, like Biarritz' Hotel Du Palais, honored by readers as the Top European Resort and called out by our discerning HotelChatter family for its stellar beach and pool views. Here on the mainland, meanwhile, Pebble Beach's Inn at Spanish Bay was named one of the Best U.S. Resorts. Having taken in the coastal surroundings along Monterey Peninsula's famed 17-Mile Drive last year, we can vouch for the Inn's luxury credentials.

On our personal list of "Things That Make [Us] Go 'Hmm'" are the Hawaii rankings, in which Four Seasons resorts trounced competitors to sweep the category. You'd think that no other hotels existed on its islands, and we're especially puzzled as to how the Maui location snagged the Number One spot, seeing as how it is often overrun by families and lacks a private beach.

Meanwhile, our polite neighbors to the North�along with frequent travelers to Canada�ranked the Fairmont Vancouver Airport as the second-best hotel in maple leaf nation. That's right, an airport hotel. Even we wouldn't joke about such a seemingly unusual choice. But, lo and behold, its TripAdvisor ratings are rock steady in the "Excellent" range, earning raves for its convenient location (obviously) in addition to mountain views and good service.

And, with its two-way mirrors and "exhibitionist fetish features" in its restrooms, the quirky and slightly creepy 21C earned the coveted title of Top U.S. Hotel. When you consider 21C's haute ambiance and contemporary art slant, the choice doesn't seem any crazier than the urinals-with-a-view (shudder). However, we're still surprised that the bizarre accommodations�in Louisville, rather than a larger metropole like New York or Chicago�finished first. Strange, but true.

For the full list of Readers Choice Awards winners, voted on by 25,008 people, pick up the November issue of Cond� Nast Traveler on newsstands tomorrow, or view them online.

Comments (3)

Return to » Cond� Nast Traveler Readers Choice Awards Favor Killer Views, Weird Bathrooms

I was very suprised by your comment on Four Seasons Maui? I have stayed there and thought it was amazing... however I liked Kona better.. but it is still light years better than any other hotels on Maui!
It seems that hotel chatter always dogs the Four Seasons? Makes me wonder if your disgruntled former employee?

After all, it is the hometown of both Muhammad Ali and Hunter S. Thompson.

HotelChatter has no former FS staffers writing for us. The Four Seasons Maui is a nice hotel but it's not private at all. The Four Seasons Lanai'i, however, is way better. Much more secluded and quiet.

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