Europe
1. Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris
Score: 86.67
Lavish, with a Rolls-Royce Phantom and a recreation manager just for the kids.
2. Astir Palace Resort, Athens
Score: 83.48
Private Mediterranean peninsula, home to the Westin Athens and Arion, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa.
3. Luna Hotel Baglioni, Venice
Score: 83.15
On Piazza San Marco; with painting courses for kids at the Peggy Guggenheim museum nearby.
4. J.K. Place, Florence, Italy
Score: 82.98
Town house with a glass-roofed breakfast courtyard.
5. Hotel Villa Magna, Madrid
Score: 82.90
Centrally located and fresh from a chic re-do.
Asia
1. Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai
Score: 91.54
Site of the family-friendly Yi Café—kids love the waterfall and the dough figurines.
2. The Peninsula, Bangkok
Score: 91.20
Cushy digs overlooking the Chao Phraya River (ask for a terrace with a hot tub).
3. Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, India
Score: 90.42
Mughal era-inspired rooms with unobstructed views of the Taj Mahal.
4. Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
Score: 89.90
Sign up for Thai cooking and culture classes.
5. Westin Bund Center, Shanghai
Score: 88.07
Two sleek towers above the waterfront, with an unmissable brunch (think dancers and acrobats).
Africa
1. Kichwa Tembo, Masai Mara, Kenya
Score: 95.10
Glamorous safari tents (that are more like luxury hotel rooms) and hot-air balloon rides over the Mara plains.
2. Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club, Nanyuki, Kenya
Score: 92.78
It’s oh-so-civilized: Take tea by the fire just as Winston Churchill once did after horseback riding or croquet.
3. Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Tanzania
Score: 91.38
Sumptuously furnished Masai-inspired cabins and a top-notch children’s program.
4. Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, Kenya
Score: 91.15
Game drives and views of Mount Kilimanjaro from your window.
5. Cape Grace, Cape Town, South Africa
Score: 91.05
Service-focused mainstay, with a chartered yacht and complimentary BMW rides to Table Mountain.
