From Cannes To Cape Town, Virtuoso® Names Nominees For The World's Best Hotels

Hotels and Hoteliers Nominated for 2018's "Best of the Best" Awards will be Honored at Virtuoso Travel Week in August

NEW YORK, May 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global luxury travel network Virtuoso® revealed the hotels and hoteliers nominated for its coveted Best of the Best awards this year. All nominees are part of the industry-defining Virtuoso Hotels & Resorts program, which boasts over 1,300 hand-selected properties worldwide and more five-star hotels than any other program. Guests who book their stay through a Virtuoso advisor enjoy exclusive benefits valued at more than $500 per stay at these properties, which span more than 100 countries. Travelers can now take advantage of booking their stay at more than 1,100 select properties online at www.Virtuoso.com and receive access to Virtuoso's exclusive perks.

This year's contenders across nine categories were chosen by the network and the editors of Virtuoso Life magazine, and represent the height of achievement in their given category. The 10^th category focuses on sustainable travel and recognizes the hotels that most embody the commitment to the three pillars of sustainable tourism: preserving the environment, supporting local economies and celebrating cultures.

"When evaluating hotels and resorts at this level, the stakes are much higher and it goes beyond the beauty of the hotel or its location," said Albert Herrera, Virtuoso senior vice president, Global Product Partnerships. "We seek out the hotels that are taking it to the next level, setting trends in their respective areas and offering the guest something they won't find anywhere else. To us, that's what being the Best of the Best is all about. The hotels and hoteliers who rose to the top this year set a new standard in an extremely competitive landscape, and it's that shared commitment to being the best that helps Virtuoso maintain its position as the leader in luxury travel."

Virtuoso travel advisors will cast their votes over the next few weeks. The winners will be announced at the Hotels & Resorts Dinner on August 15, 2018, during Virtuoso Travel Week at Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Virtuoso Travel Week brings together thousands of Virtuoso travel agency members and the globe's best travel providers for luxury travel's largest and most preeminent event.

Best Achievement in Design

• Palácio Tangará, Oetker Collection, São Paulo, Brazil
• Sagamore Pendry Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
• The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel, New York, New York, U.S.
• The Fontenay Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
• The Silo Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa

Best Dining Experience

• Aman Tokyo ? Arva, Tokyo, Japan
• Capri Palace ? Il Riccio, Capri, Italy
• Hotel Belles Rives ? La Passagere, Antibes, France
• Meadowood Napa Valley ? The Restaurant, St. Helena, California, U.S.
• The London EDITION ? Berners Tavern, London, U.K.

Best Bar

• Brown's Hotel, A Rocco Forte Hotel ? The Donovan Bar, London, U.K.
• Hotel Hassler ? Hassler Bar, Rome, Italy
• Mandarin Oriental, New York ? The Office NYC, New York, New York, U.S.
• Park Hyatt Vienna ? The Bank Brassiere & Bar, Vienna, Austria
• The Shelbourne ? The Horseshoe Bar, Dublin, Ireland

Best Family Program

• Hotel Barrière Le Majestic, Cannes, France
• Kokomo Private Island Fiji, Yaukuve Levu Island, Fiji
• Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, Farmington, Pennsylvania, U.S.
• Soneva Fushi, Baa Atoll, Maldives
• The Ranch at Rock Creek, Philipsburg, Montana

Best Wellness Program

• Ananda in the Himalayas, Tehri-Garhwal, India
• BodyHoliday Saint Lucia, Castries, St. Lucia
• Chablè Resort & Spa, Chocholá, Mexico
• The Ranch Malibu, Malibu, California, U.S.
• Waldhotel Health & Medical Excellence, Büergenstock, Switzerland

Sustainable Tourism Leadership

• Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Wolgan Valley, Australia
• Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru, Landaa Giraavaru, Maldives
• Mashpi Lodge, Quito, Ecuador
• Singita Grumeti ? Sabora Tented Camp, Serengeti, Tanzania
• Six Senses Douro Valley, Lamego, Portugal

Best Virtuoso Newcomer

• Anantara Vilamoura Algarve Resort, Vilamoura, Portugal
• Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, Paris, France
• Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, Grand Cayman, Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman Islands
• The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, Dhaalu Atoll, Maldives
• Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

Best Virtuoso Hotel Ambassador

• Andrea Filippi, Belmond
• James Baker, The Set Hotels
• JoAnn Kurtz-Ahlers, Kurtz-Ahlers & Associates, L.L.C.
• Laurence Tafanel, Esprit Saint Germain
• Ling Riley, The Palms and The Shore Club Turks and Caicos

Hotelier of the Year

• Aaron Kaupp ? Le Royal Monceau ? Raffles Paris, Paris, France
• Patrizio Cipollini, Four Seasons Hotels Firenze, Florence Italy
• Ulrich Krauer, Halekulani, Honolulu, Hawaii
• Hermann Elger ? Baccarat Hotel New York, New York, New York, U.S.
• Markos Chaidemenos ? Canaves Oia Hotel, Santorini, Greece

Hotel of the Year

• Adare Manor, Limerick, Ireland
• Berkeley, London, U.K.
• Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, St. Jean Cap Ferrat, France
• One&Only Le Saint Geran, Post de Flacq, Mauritius
• Royal Mansour Marrakech, Marrakech, Morocco

For more information on these properties, or to book a stay at them through Virtuoso's online booking tool or a professional travel advisor, visit www.virtuoso.com/hotels.

About Virtuoso
Virtuoso® is the leading international travel agency network specializing in luxury and experiential travel. This by-invitation-only organization comprises over 1,000 travel agency partners with 17,500 elite travel advisors in more than 45 countries throughout North America, Latin America, the Caribbean, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Middle East. Drawing upon its preferred relationships with 1,700 of the world's best hotels and resorts, cruise lines, airlines, tour companies and premier destinations, the network provides its upscale clientele with exclusive amenities, rare experiences and privileged access. More than (U.S.) $23.7 billion in annual travel sales makes Virtuoso a powerhouse in the luxury travel industry. For more information, visit www.virtuoso.com.

SOURCE Virtuoso