Ritz-Carlton, Naples

2006-10-24 16:52:04
280 Vanderbilt Beach RoadNaples, Florida Score: 85.28 The flagship Ritz-Carlton resort, a Mediterranean-inspired complex on a 3-mile beach; facilities at its sister property, the Golf Resort (see below), are available via shuttle. Competitive Edge: An updated classic beach resort with superb service and access to some of the state'

Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort

2006-10-24 16:52:04
2600 Tiburón DriveNaples, Florida Score: 80.80 Inland property with a British colonial feel, on 2 Greg Norman-designed courses. More relaxed and sporty than the beachfront Ritz. Competitive Edge: Superlative golf, plus access to the beach and spa at its sister property 3 miles away... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 

Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes

2006-10-24 16:52:04
4012 Central Florida ParkwayOrlando, Florida Score: 82.43 14-story hotel on a 500-acre complex with a Greg Norman-designed golf course and tropical grounds. Competitive Edge: Orlando's most exclusive and luxurious property, just 15 minutes from the parks... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

4401 Grand Floridian WayOrlando, Florida Score: 81.85 Victorian-style hotel with vaulted atrium lobby, on the monorail loop. Competitive Edge: The most elegant and adult-oriented hotel within Walt Disney World... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Westin Grand Bohemian

2006-10-24 16:52:04
325 S Orange AvenueOrlando, Florida Score: 81.89 Czech-themed downtown hotel decorated with gold-leaf marble columns and artwork ranging from Egon Schiele to Dale Chihuly. Competitive Edge: A refreshingly urban feel and atmosphere for Orlando... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

The Breakers

2006-10-24 16:52:04
1 S County RoadPalm Beach, Florida Score: 83.27 Oceanfront palazzo modeled after Rome's Villa Medici, on 140 acres, 5 minutes from Worth Avenue. Competitive Edge: The grande dame of Palm Beach resorts has loosened up, but its aristocratic pedigree still shows... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisur

Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach

2006-10-24 16:52:04
2800 South Ocean BoulevardPalm Beach, Florida Score: 83.46 Contemporary low-rise with a tailored South Florida look, right on the ocean. Competitive Edge: The most peaceful of Palm Beach's conveniently located resorts... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach

2006-10-24 16:52:04
100 South Ocean BoulevardPalm Beach, Florida Score: 81.81 Mediterranean villa-style, oceanfront resort in the tony enclave of Manalapan; just completed a $15 million room upgrade. Competitive Edge: Exceptional service (2:1 staff-to-guest ratio), combined with the most up-to-date rooms in the area... More details from the 2006

Ponte Vedra Inn & Club

2006-10-24 16:52:04
200 Ponte Vedra BoulevardPonte Vedra, Florida Score: 84.55 Sprawling 300-acre resort with 2 golf courses on the Atlantic coastline. A new spa will open in the fall. Competitive Edge: An expansive yet intimate-feeling family-friendly resort... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Lodge & Club at Ponte Vedra Beach

2006-10-24 16:52:04
200 Ponte Vedra BoulevardPonte Vedra, Florida Score: 82.41 Hotel and private club on 10 acres of a north Florida barrier island, with a private beach and access to its sister property's facilities (see below). Competitive Edge: An intimate, clubby atmosphere, with all the amenities of a full-scale resort... More details from

Casa Ybel Resort

2006-10-24 16:52:04
2255 West Gulf DriveSanibel Island, Florida Score: 80.66 Secluded retreat on the Gulf of Mexico; an extensive room renovation has just been completed. Competitive Edge: Relaxed, old-fashioned charm and family-friendly activities on a protected island... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota

2006-10-24 16:52:04
1111 Ritz-Carlton DriveSarasota, Florida Score: 84.26 Family-friendly golf and beach resort at a downtown marina on Sarasota Bay. Competitive Edge: Free shuttles to the new Tom Fazio-designed golf course and Lido Key beach club... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead

2006-10-24 16:52:04
3434 Peachtree Road NEAtlanta, Georgia Score: 81.87 22-story uptown hotel, across from Lenox Square. Competitive Edge: Set in the city's most fashionable neighborhood, steps from great shopping and Buckhead businesses... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Four Seasons, Atlanta

2006-10-24 16:52:04
75 14th StreetAtlanta, Georgia Score: 81.57 Contemporary tower in midtown, across from the Woodruff Arts Center and near Piedmont Park. Competitive Edge: The best location for art lovers and those doing business downtown... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Jekyll Island Club Hotel

2006-10-24 16:52:04
371 Riverview DriveJekyll Island, Georgia Score: 82.83 5 stately Gilded Age buildings in the landmarked section of a protected island state park. Competitive Edge: One of America's most historic (and beloved) seaside resorts... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

The Cloister

2006-10-24 16:52:04
100 First StreetSea Island, Georgia Score: 82.98 Traditional, family-friendly resort- composed of a main building (reopening in March) and oceanfront houses, on a private barrier island. Competitive Edge: A refreshed classic following a $350 million expansion, with a redone Addison Mizner-designed inn, and new tennis courts and a

Lodge at Sea Island

2006-10-24 16:52:04
100 Retreat AvenueSea Island , Georgia Score: 82.38 Gabled mansion surrounded by a golf course, on St. Simons island, 10 minutes by boat from its sister property, the Cloister. Competitive Edge: The upscale intimacy of a private retreat, with access to the Cloister's resort facilities... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 &

Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai

2006-10-24 16:52:04
100 Ka`upulehu DriveBig Island, Hawaii Score: 90.53 Four clusters of low-rise, crescent-shaped buildings carved into lava fields, steps from the rocky Kona coast. Competitive Edge: The only hotel on the Big Island where every guest room has an ocean view... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Fairmont Orchid

2006-10-24 16:52:04
1 N Kaniku DriveBig Island, Hawaii Score: 81.64 Pair of 6-floor oceanfront towers decorated with local touches on 32 landscaped acres. Competitive Edge: The fantastic outdoor Spa Without Walls, plus the island's only concierge floor for those who want extra pampering... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel

Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

2006-10-24 16:52:04
62-100 Mauna Kea Beach DriveBig Island, Hawaii Score: 86.38 Open-air hideaway, built in the 1960's by Laurance S. Rockefeller. Competitive Edge: The island's most authentic old-Hawaii ambience... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows

2006-10-24 16:52:04
68-1400 Mauna Lani DriveBig Island, Hawaii Score: 84.99 Low-rise hotel and high-style bungalows between 2 beaches on the Kohala coast. Competitive Edge: A high glamour quotient throughout, especially in the 40,000-square- foot spa... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel

2006-10-24 16:52:04
62-100 Kauna'oa DriveBig Island, Hawaii Score: 82.94 Series of contemporary low-rises on a terraced bluff overlooking Hapuna Beach. Competitive Edge: Set above one of the island's best beaches... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Princeville Resort

2006-10-24 16:52:05
5520 Kahaku RoadKauai, Hawaii Score: 81.46 3 multiterraced buildings (with great views) that stretch down Puu Paoa Ridge to a stunning north-shore beach. Competitive Edge: Kauai's premier golf course, the Prince, designed by Robert Trent Jones II... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Kauai Marriott Resort

2006-10-24 16:52:05
Kalapaki Beach, 3610 Rice StreetKauai, Hawaii Score: 81.55 Contemporary resort, surrounded by mountains on Kalapaki Bay. Competitive Edge: A convenient beachfront location near Lihue Airport?the perfect starting point for a Hawaiian vacation... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa

2006-10-24 16:52:05
1571 Poipu RoadKauai, Hawaii Score: 84.38 Plantation-style resort (formerly the Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa) with a vintage Hawaiian feel set above Shipwreck Beach (best for surfers, not swimmers). Competitive Edge: The island's best spa (soon to be 45,000 square feet) with more than 25 treatment rooms... More details fro

Lodge at Koele

2006-10-24 16:52:05
One Keomoku HighwayLanai, Hawaii Score: 88.96 Intimate 2-story lodge in a tranquil upcountry location 8 miles above the ocean. Recently acquired by the Four Seasons, the hotel will be closed from January through June for extensive renovations... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

One Manele Bay RoadLanai, Hawaii Location approximated Score: 84.78 Mediterranean-style resort (formerly the Manele Bay Hotel) with themed gardens, overlooking Hulopoe Bay. Competitive Edge: It's the only beachfront hotel on this quiet island... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

3900 Wailea Alanui DriveMaui, Hawaii Score: 89.05 8-story, U-shaped resort with reflecting pools, fountains, and gardens, on a bluff overlooking one of Maui's best beaches. Competitive Edge: Lots of included perks?parking, poolside cabanas, fitness classes, tennis?on an island where most resorts charge... More details from the

Grand Wailea Resort Hotel & Spa

2006-10-24 16:52:05
3850 Wailea AlanuiMaui, Hawaii Score: 81.67 Family-friendly property with a multimillion-dollar art collection, on 40 acres fronting Wailea Beach. Competitive Edge: A supersized resort with the biggest spa in the state (50,000 square feet) and its own 9-pool waterpark... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Trave

Fairmont Kea Lani

2006-10-24 16:52:05
4100 Wailea DriveMaui, Hawaii Score: 84.21 White 7-story landmark hotel on 22 acres fronting the secluded Polo Beach. Competitive Edge: The island's only all-suite (and villa) hotel, which means extra-large rooms... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua

2006-10-24 16:52:05
One Ritz-Carlton DriveMaui, Hawaii Score: 81.87 Terraced plantation-style building surrounded by 3 golf courses and a pineapple plantation, a short walk from the beach. Competitive Edge: A more secluded and serene feel than most island properties... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Hotel Hana-Maui

2006-10-24 16:52:05
5031 Hana HighwayMaui, Hawaii Location approximated Score: 84.60 Small, peaceful plantation-style resort and cottages surrounded by nature with not another hotel in sight, 3 miles from Hamoa Beach on the island's eastern coast. Competitive Edge: Pure escapism: the resort prides itself on its lack of televisions, radios, or even cloc

Renaissance Wailea Beach Resort

2006-10-24 16:52:05
3550 Wailea Alanui DriveMaui, Hawaii Score: 81.86 7-story contemporary resort on 15 palm-fringed acres along Mokapu Beach. Competitive Edge: The smallest, most intimate hotel on the Wailea strip... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa

2006-10-24 16:52:05
200 Nohea Kai DriveMaui, Hawaii Score: 82.74 Massive resort of 3 connected towers on 40 acres along the white sands of Kaanapali Beach. Competitive Edge: Activities a-go-go: catamaran cruises, luaus, golf, tennis?and even a Macy's for shoppers... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Kahala Mandarin Oriental

2006-10-24 16:52:05
5000 Kahala AvenueOahu, Hawaii Score: 85.18 12-story resort with plantation-style rooms, set on a quiet beach. Competitive Edge: Peace and proximity: just 10 to 15 minutes from all of Honolulu's main attractions, yet it has the feel of being away from it all... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure

Halekulani

2006-10-24 16:52:05
2199 Kalia Rd.Oahu, Hawaii Score: 90.02 5 interlocking buildings with unfettered views of Diamond Head on the western side of Waikiki Beach. Competitive Edge: The most luxurious hotel in Waikiki combines style, seclusion, and a central location... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa

2006-10-24 16:52:05
92-1001 Olani StreetOahu, Hawaii Score: 81.08 17-story complex with a 35,000-square-foot spa on 15 waterfront acres at the southwest corner of the island. Competitive Edge: A real tropical getaway: it's the island's only T+L 500-listed property located miles away from the tourist district... More details from the 2006 T+L 500

Coeur d'Alene Resort

2006-10-24 16:52:05
115 S 2nd StreetCoeur D'Alene, Idaho Score: 81.85 Imposing lakeside golf resort in the heart of town. Room renovations and a 15,000-square-foot spa will be complete this spring. Competitive Edge: Outstanding golf meets great water sports... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Park Hyatt, Chicago

2006-10-24 16:52:05
800 North Michigan AvenueChicago, Illinois Score: 81.40 Stylish hotel with a significant art collection housed in the first 18 floors of a soaring limestone tower, steps from the Magnificent Mile. Competitive Edge: Urban chic (Eames chairs in guest rooms) on a scale more intimate than the city's other top hotels... More detai

Four Seasons Hotel, Chicago

2006-10-24 16:52:05
120 East Delaware PlaceChicago , Illinois Score: 85.86 Floors 30-46 of a Michigan Avenue tower, above a high-end mall. Competitive Edge: The tallest hotel in Chicago; dramatic city views are guaranteed from every room... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

160 E Pearson StreetChicago, Illinois Score: 87.39 Opulent, light-filled hotel occupying 21 floors of a high-rise next to the historic water tower. Managed by Four Seasons at press time, but expected to change in early 2006. Competitive Edge: Traditional style and exceptional service... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 &#

Sofitel Chicago Water Tower

2006-10-24 16:52:05
20 East Chestnut StreetChicago, Illinois Score: 82.85 Contemporary prism-shaped, 32-story glass tower, 1 block west of the Magnificent Mile. Competitive Edge: A distinctive architectural landmark with vibrantly hued interiors to match... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Peninsula Chicago

2006-10-24 16:52:05
108 East Superior StreetChicago, Illinois Score: 87.84 Sleek 20-story tower with stylish interiors, close to Michigan Avenue shopping. Competitive Edge: A local favorite, with 2 of the city's hottest restaurants: Avenues and the newly renovated Shanghai Terrace... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Lei

Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans

2006-10-24 16:52:05
921 Canal StreetNew Orleans, Louisiana Score: 81.31 Ornate former department store with a 3rd-floor courtyard, at the edge of the French Quarter. Closed due to significant damage from Hurricane Katrina last August. At press time, Ritz-Carlton was planning to reopen the hotel in 2006, retaining its former style and character...

Ritz-Carlton, Maison Orleans

2006-10-24 16:52:05
904 Rue IbervilleNew Orleans, Louisiana Score: 82.33 Hotel within a hotel (separate entrance and elevators) on 6 floors of the Ritz-Carlton at the edge of the French Quarter. Closed due to damage from Hurricane Katrina. Ritz-Carlton has plans to reopen the hotel in its former style in 2006... More details from the 2006 T+L

Windsor Court

2006-10-24 16:52:05
300 Gravier StreetNew Orleans, Louisiana Score: 87.97 23-story building in the business district, close to the French Quarter. Emerged mostly unscathed from Hurricane Katrina. Competitive Edge: An Anglophile's dream come true, filled with paintings of horses, jockeys, and gray-wigged gentlemen... More details from the 2006 T+

White Barn Inn

2006-10-24 16:52:05
37 Beach AvenueKennebunkport , Maine Score: 83.03 1860's clapboard inn and outlying cottages along the Kennebunkport River, a 5-minute stroll from the village. Competitive Edge: Chef Jonathan Cartwright's inventive New England cuisine served in a gorgeous repurposed barn... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Tr

Ritz-Carlton, Boston

2006-10-24 16:52:05
15 Arlington StreetBoston, Massachusetts Score: 83.48 Landmark 1927 Beaux-Arts building (the flagship Ritz) on the corner of Newbury Street, across from the Public Garden. Competitive Edge: Boston's most old-world hotel (the choice of visiting royalty)... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

XV Beacon Hotel

2006-10-24 16:52:05
15 Beacon StreetBoston, Massachusetts Score: 87.63 Beaux-Arts building with comfortable, modern interiors on a quiet Beacon Hill street. Competitive Edge: One of the most stylish hotels in the city, combined with a peaceful location... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Leisure]]>

Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common

2006-10-24 16:52:05
10 Avery St.Boston, Massachusetts Score: 82.81 Contemporary tower (more modern than its sister property across the Common and Public Garden), in the theater district. Competitive Edge: The standard rooms, averaging 425 square feet, are some of the city's biggest... More details from the 2006 T+L 500 © 2006 Travel + Lei