Courtesy of Oberoi Rajvilas
#2
Oberoi Rajvilas (95.71)
Jaipur, India
Rajasthani-style fortress with luxury tents and villas on the edge of Jaipur; it combines the romance of a past era with exacting modern standards.
Stats: 71 rooms; 2 restaurants; 1 bar.
Rooms to Book: Luxury Tents with classic colonial interiors and private terraces.
Insider Tip: Go on an Indian spice-market tour with the hotel’s head chef.
Cost: Doubles from $650.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Top 25 Hotels | T+L 500 2009
Courtesy of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
#3
Fairmont Mara Safari Club (95.6)
Masai Mara, Kenya
Series of permanent tents (now a Fairmont resort) on the oxbow of the Mara River in the Masai Mara—a prime location for hippo viewing, thanks to pools created by a fork in the river.
Stats: 51 tents; 2 restaurants; 2 bars.
Rooms to Book: Deluxe tents have wide decks for private dining.
Insider Tip: Get a massage with a view of the hippo-filled river.
Cost: Doubles from $560, all-inclusive.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Top 25 Hotels | T+L 500 2009
Courtesy of Oberoi Udaivilas
#4
Oberoi Udaivilas (95)
Udaipur, India
The full package: an impeccable replica palace in marble, sandstone, and gold leaf, set in an idyllic setting (it’s on 30 lakeside acres of former royal hunting grounds), with cosseting service.
Stats: 86 rooms; 2 restaurants; 1 bar.
Rooms to Book: Premier Lake View rooms with semiprivate pools overlooking Lake Pichola.
Insider Tip: Arrange a dinner for two on a floating pontoon in the lake.
Cost: Doubles from $650.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Top 25 Hotels | T+L 500 2009
Courtesy of Triple Creek Ranch
#5
Triple Creek Ranch (95)
Darby, Montana
The gold standard for upscale guest ranches: an ultra-luxe collection of log cabins, in Big Sky country, that offers excellent service, innovative cuisine, and a comprehensive range of activities.
Stats: 23 cabins; 1 restaurant; 1 bar.
Rooms to Book: The Baker and Boulder cabins offer the best value.
Insider Tip: The hotel can arrange a scenic helicopter tour of the Bitterroot Range.
Cost: Doubles from $650, all-inclusive.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Courtesy of Oberoi Amarvilas
#6
Oberoi Amarvilas (94.27)
Agra, India
Contemporary Moorish and Mughal fantasy of marble pools and fountains, designed so that all rooms look out on the Taj Mahal.
Stats: 105 rooms; 2 restaurants; 2 bars.
Rooms to Book: Premier rooms with balconies.
Insider Tip: Take a ride on elephant or golf cart to the Taj Mahal, which is five minutes from the hotel.
Cost: Doubles from $650.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Courtesy of Kirawira Camp
#7
Kirawira Camp (93.89)
Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
Edwardian-style tented camp in the Western Serengeti with authentic décor (vintage cameras, gramophones) from a bygone era.
Stats: 25 tents; 2 restaurants; 1 bar.
Rooms to Book: Tents 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 11 have spectacular views of the plains.
Insider Tip: Go for the wildebeest migration in May and June.
Cost: Doubles from $1,780, all-inclusive.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Courtesy of Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve
#8
Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve (93.48)
Kruger National Park Area, South Africa
Four diverse lodges—ranging from colonial (Selati Camp) to eco-futuristic (Earth Lodge)—in a classic bush setting next to Kruger National Park.
Stats: 52 suites; 4 restaurants; 4 bars.
Rooms to Book: Selati Camp is the most romantic, while Little Bush Camp has the most secluded rooms.
Insider Tip: Get a treatment at the ultra-modern spa in the Earth Lodge.
Cost: Doubles from $846, all-inclusive.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Courtesy of Tortilis Camp
#9
Tortilis Camp (93.06)
Amboseli National Park, Kenya
A cluster of eco-friendly tents—the only luxury tented camp in Amboseli—facing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Stats: 17 tents; 1 house.
Rooms to Book: The Family House has a private lounge area—perfect for relaxing after a day in the bush.
Insider Tip: Learn survival secrets on a bush walk with your Masai guide.
Cost: Doubles from $970, all-inclusive.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Courtesy of Domaine des Hauts de Loire
#10
Domaine des Hauts de Loire (92.56)
Loire Valley, France
Elegant property housed in a 19th-century hunting manor in a wooded park, between Blois and Amboise (the perfect base for exploring the wine country), and with one of the region’s top restaurants.
Stats: 33 rooms; 1 restaurant.
Rooms to Book: No. 35, for its floor-to-ceiling windows; Nos. 17-20 for their small terraces.
Insider Tip: Book a hot-air-balloon tour—arranged by the hotel—of the region’s châteaux.
Cost: Doubles from $180.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
Courtesy of Alvear Palace Hotel
#11
Alvear Palace Hotel (92.44)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
The grande dame of South American luxury hotels: a 1932 palace in the heart of the Recoleta, with an old-world feel and up-to-the-minute extras, like La Prairie spa treatments.
Stats: 200 rooms; 2 restaurants; 1 bar.
Rooms to Book: Palace Premier rooms 801, 802, 816, 817, 820, and 920, for the best views and hydromassage bathtubs.
Insider Tip: Avant-garde chocolates in such flavors as curry and cardamom at the new Art Deco Cigar Bar.
Cost: Doubles from $443.
For more details on this hotel, please visit T+L’s hotel guide
