World's Best Hotels 2012

The results of the annual Travel + Leisure survey are in! Which are the world’s best hotels this year?

Catch a water taxi to the Peninsula Bangkok, and the chaos of the Thai capital slips away as you enter your serene guest room, done in silks and teakwood, overlooking the Chao Phraya River and glittering cityscape. The hotel, a longtime favorite, makes such an impression that it’s now ranked No. 11 in the world.

Everyone wants to know where to stay, and for 17 years running, we’ve asked T+L readers, who are passionate about travel, to vote on the hotels they love the most. The resulting World’s Best Awards are a collection of the properties that go above and beyond. The voting categories stay the same—rooms, location, service, food, and value—but this year’s results showcase the hotels and destinations that are important now.

One noticeable trend: Istanbul is on the rise. The city’s Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul on the Bosphorus ranked No. 24 (it’s also the No. 1 Large City Hotel in Europe); readers love the riverfront location and the 19th-century building’s refined elegance. Elsewhere in Europe, readers are heading to Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where the family-run Hotel Santa Caterina offers antique-filled rooms and the seclusion of a private beach, terraced gardens, and citrus orchards.

Some surprising newcomers also made the ranks of the T+L 2012 World’s Best Awards: the romantic Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens, near Costa Rica’s Arenal volcano, debuts at No. 6 (it’s the first Costa Rican hotel to break into the Top 10); Australia’s Southern Ocean Lodge, the country’s first wilderness luxury retreat, surged to the top of the list at No. 3.

But the top 50 hotels aren’t exclusively found in far-flung destinations. In 2012, almost 20 percent of the winners are right here in the United States. That includes No. 12, Charleston’s genteel Wentworth Mansion, with its romantic restaurant and rooftop cupola’s views, and No. 21, the Osprey at Beaver Creek, CO, a recently renovated ski-in, ski-out hotel near the slopes.

Safari lodges are tough to beat, however, especially Singita Grumeti Reserves, in Tanzania. Two lodges and two camps (including one mobile camp, set up in various locations around the Serengeti) make up this exotic winner, which has ranked No. 1 in the world for two years running. For all the World’s Best Hotel winners, read on—and then hit the road to experience them yourself.

—Sarah Spagnolo

Score: 98.25

Pioneering Singita has done it again with the new Singita Explore, a mobile safari camp that's the latest addition to the company's 340,000-acre concession in Tanzania's majestic Serengeti. Other lodges include tented (and stationary) Sabora, with mahogany chests, worn-leather campaign chairs, and thick Persian rugs. Faru Faru, with six chalets overlooking the Grumeti River, channels a Swahili beach resort; a swimming pool curves in front of an open-air lounge, where guests sip sunset cocktails as elephants gather at the watering hole below. The reserve's flagship is Sasakwa, an East African ranch house on a plateau. There are seven cottage residences, each with a garden and cliff-top plunge pool. Tennis courts, a spa, and a yoga center occupy guests between twice-daily game drives, where sightings include elephants, wildebeest, zebras, and gazelles. Active travelers can take in the scenery via horseback or mountain bike.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 98.22

Triple Creek is a service-driven, adults-only property in Montana’s Bitterroot Mountains. The 40-acre landscape has 23 plush log cabins, each outfitted with wood-burning fireplaces, hot tubs, original oil paintings and sculptures, and fit-for-a-rancher feather beds topped with locally woven woolens. Itineraries are tailored to guests’ interests and can include fly-fishing, dinners at the chef’s table, and helicopter tours. The Baker and Boulder cabins are the least expensive, but still have a sitting area and fireplace and offer access to a hot tub. In winter, don’t miss a snowshoe excursion across the Chief Joseph Pass—explored by Lewis and Clark in 1805—or the chocolate chip cookies served by cowboy-booted staffers on your return.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 97.87

On a sparsely populated island 30 minutes by plane from Adelaide sits this lodge, which is contemporary in design and green in attitude. The 21 spacious suites have limestone floors, locals' artwork, and outdoor terraces. Air-conditioning is unnecessary: the property was constructed to take advantage of natural weather patterns. Owners James and Hayley Baillie developed only one percent of their total acreage on the wildlife-filled isle, leaving the rest of the land in a preservation trust. Guests learn about the resort’s sustainability policy upon check-in, underscoring the Baillies’ appreciation of the area’s natural beauty.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 97.50

This palatial, 30-acre property, located in central Rajasthan, presides over the banks of Lake Pichola, preserving the enchantment of a bygone era through a distinctly Mewari lens. Royal service is ensured from your arrival as a private boat ferries you across Udaipur's domed palaces. You're also provided with a personal butler who guides you to your room, situated in a private courtyard with silken parasols and views over the jagged Aravalli Mountains. It's hard to believe you're less than 3 miles from the city center and its landmarks like the 16th-century City Palace; the resort can arrange for an English-speaking expert to guide you through its countless corridors and gardens.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 96.77

Barefoot elegance is undoubtedly the vibe on this tiny island, where the 2 and a half-mile stretch known as White Beach is often singled out for being the softest in the world. The 88 spacious suites all have large glass walls that look towards a scenic rock garden, but chances are you'll spend more time by the water. Take a dip in the infinity pool, or jet-ski on the crystalline sea. For people-watching, head to The Sandbar, where they stir up delicious mojitos, infused with local flavors like lychee and mango. Once you're sufficiently refueled, karaoke your heart out, with over 1,000 songs (mostly in English) to choose from at the resort's recreation lounge.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 96.36

Tucked away towards the base of the still-active Arenal Volcano, Nayara could very well be considered the definition of oasis. The resort has views of the volcano, surrounded by a rainforest that bursts with Costa Rica’s trademark bright colors, whether it’s tropical flowers or vibrant creatures (like a blood red dragonfly). With a focus on romance and seclusion, the 50 casitas include private outdoor Jacuzzis and sheer curtains surrounding the four-poster beds. Explore the surrounding wilderness by guided hike, zipline, horseback ride, river rafting, or wildlife tour. Then unwind with cocktails at the swim-up bar or a rose petal-adorned massage.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 96.33

Singita has become the gold standard of the safari industry, and it's easy to see why at these two lodges in a 33,000-acre concession in Kruger National Park. Every need is anticipated (hot water bottles and blankets for warm morning game drives), staff remember your preferences, and every day brings a surprise, whether candlelit bush dinners to surprise fireside performances. The treehouse-cum-urban-loft aesthetic affords dramatic views of the N'wanetsi River and Lebombo Mountain foothills. Lebombo's 15 glass-fronted suites have roughly hewn wood ceilings and pillars mimicking the surrounding trees. The all-glass front allows for game-viewing from bed, or you can laze on the elevated deck. Neighboring Sweni's six suites have a similar design. Both have access to a gym, a spa, an art gallery, a boutique and a wine cellar specializing in innovative African vintages.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 96.13

This Park Hyatt feels like two hotels in one. The original 23-room mansion, built in 1934 by French architect Leon Dourge, defines Belle Epoque elegance: elaborate ironwork, glass chandeliers, and Persian rugs. Next door is the 142-room Posadas building, a sleek, minimalist tower that opened in 2006. What unites the two spaces—in addition to an underground art gallery—is impeccable service. And while the rooms' appearances vary according to their era (hardwood floors and silk curtains in the Palacio, a natural palate and contemporary furniture in Posadas), all have the highest-end technology, rain showers, soaking tubs, and bathrooms bedecked in Travertino marble. At the Vinoteca, a sommelier and maitre fromager pair wines from among 3,500 bottles of Argentine vintages with regional cheeses and chutneys.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 95.85

Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge's perch on the eastern rim of the crater offers some of the best access to game viewing on the crater floor. They even have their own access road in, a serious perk allowing you to beat the traffic-jam crowds of jeeps heading out on game drives each morning from other lodges. The location makes up for the uninspiring design of the 96 rooms with dated 80s-ish cream and burgundy bedspreads and souvenir-shop tchotchke-style accents. Still they're cozy, and with the big five spread out like a theatre below you, you'll likely spend more of your time on the quaint rocking chairs in your glass-enclosed balcony.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 95.74

South Africa's most luxe safari experience awaits in the Sabi Sands reserve bordering Kruger National Park. Service could not be more friendly or personalized—butlers remember your coffee preferences, pre-preparing mugs for your morning gamedrives. Equally impressive? The design. Ebony's 12 suites, fresh off a 2011 renovation, have a Ralph-Lauren-goes-bush elegance with weathered leather club chairs, stone fireplaces, and massive four-poster mahogany beds. Each villa overlooking the Sand River has an outdoor shower, private plunge pool and bathroom with a romantic clawfoot tub. Neighboring Boulders embraces a more contemporary aesthetic with burl wood tables and natural accents like cream hide rugs and baskets of ostrich eggs. Both have gyms, spas and access to the lodge's wine program, which includes limited-release vintages not available elsewhere. You can purchase these bottles to ship home as well as African jewelry and homegoods. Families and groups should consider booking the exclusive-use Castleton Camp, which comes with its own pool, staff and chef.

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Score: 95.72

An ingenious W-shaped design gives all 370 rooms in this 37-story tower views of the Chao Phraya River and the city beyond. Though located on the Thonburi side across the water from most of the tourist attractions, the complimentary water taxis offer an atmospheric and convenient way to skip the notorious Bangkok traffic. The patrician elegance of the rooms, all raw silk, teak and marble, never sacrifices function for form. Intuitive bedside panels control temperature, lighting, sound and entertainment systems, and even the phone. The riverside Thipthara has some of the city's most ambient dining in candlelit open-air salas, which the restaurant brought from the ancient capital of Ayutthaya and reassembled on the riverbank. Equally impressive is the 21,000 square-foot ESPA spa's Thai massages and the Peninsula Academy, which offers everything from Thai cooking to dance to floral arrangement classes.

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Score: 95.47

Built as a private residence in 1886, the Wentworth is a Second Empire-style mansion turned hotel with 21 rooms, each with its own marble fireplace and inlaid wood floors. Pride in the area’s history is captured in design details, such as original Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass light fixtures in social parlors and original plaster moldings in guestrooms and lobbies. A historic carriage house is now home to Circa 1886 restaurant, serving farm-fresh Lowcountry fare, and the stables were recently converted into a lovely, intimate three-treatment room spa. The Wentworth certainly knows how to dress up for the holidays: Come November, look for subdued Victorian finery with magnolia wreaths, old-world Santas, and two grand Christmas trees in the foyer.

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Score: 95.40

The flagship of Sabi Sabi's collection of lodges on a more than 160,000-acre reserve bordering Kruger National Park, Bush Lodge's understated elegance highlights its collection of original African artwork. Courtyards surround sculptures created from uprooted trees and wood salvaged from the reserve. In the 25 thatched suites, earthy color schemes of cinnamon, cream and sienna draw inspiration from the original paintings and basketwork hanging on the walls. Twice-daily game drives, firelight boma dinners, and spa treatments using marula tree, African potato and aloe vera extracts keep parents occupied, while kids can enroll in the new-for-2011 EleFun Centre, an innovative kids' program offering a mix of age-appropriate conservation activities and outdoor fun.

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Score: 95.33

The latest property from One&Only features a waterfront resort with 131 large, high-tech rooms. The knockout first impression as you walk in the door is the hotel's 40-foot-tall picture window framing Table Mountain. But then outsize luxury is trumpeted everywhere, from the tri-level "wine loft" at Rueben's, and an outpost of sushi master Nobuyuki Matsuhisa's Nobu, to the spa's French manicure clinic by Bastien Gonzalez. The cream-colored, Adam D. Tihany-designed rooms are slick and vast; baths have a wow factor, too, though with a notable style-over-substance lapse (the freestanding tubs are huge, beautiful—and a bit uncomfortable).

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 95.27

Get a front seat for the annual wildebeest migration at this camp adjacent to the western corridor of Serengeti National Park. Inspired by turn-of-the-century hunting camps, the 25 tents speak to bygone colonial grandeur with antique steamer trunks, wooden writing desks and four-poster beds covered in patchwork quilts, attended to by personal valets. Evenings start with sundowner cocktails around a fire pit and proceed to elegant dining tents where roasts and Yorkshire pudding are served on delicate blue and white china, and staff in flowing Swahili robes pour champagne into cut crystal stemware.

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Score: 95.25

Set in 6,000 acres of rolling North Island countryside and bushland beside the Pacific Ocean, the 22-suite Lodge of Kauri Cliffs is one of three properties owned by the New York-based Robertson family (the other two being Cape Kidnappers at Hawke’s Bay and Matakauri Lodge near Queenstown). Despite its American antecedents, Kauri Cliffs is, lodge-wise, 100 per cent Kiwi. While golf is the main event, you can also take advantage of two Astroturf-surface tennis courts, an infinity pool, and a trio of secluded swimming beaches. In summer, barbeque suppers are held at Pink Beach. In addition to the spacious suites, there's a 4,200-square-foot two-bedroom Owner’s Cottage. The spa, regarded as one of the best in New Zealand, is in a native totara rainforest with indoor and outdoor fireplaces for those chilly Kiwi days.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 95.17

Within the Moremi Game Reserve, these two groups of tents linked by raised walkways feature plunge pools and unshaded decks for prime bird-watching. Scores of rhinoceros, hyena, buffalo, baboons, elephants, and even lions can be seen grazing past guests' tents during the day. Dinner at the boma (traditional fire pit dining area) after a day of game viewing in the property's fleet of Range Rovers is a relaxing experience. The chef can arrange for breakfast or lunch in the bush to be truly at one with nature. The tents are decked out in colonial appointments featuring mosquito netting on four-poster beds and baths with above-counter bowl sinks and private outdoor showers. Little Mombo is more exclusive with fewer guests making it perfect for a family or couples traveling together.

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Score: 95.04

In this legendary 1887 hotel and modern tower, many of the 393 rooms now have floor-to-ceiling windows, with spectacular views of the busy Chao Phraya River. Book one of the split-level Garden Wing Rooms, for traditional sophistication or Authors' Suites, for opulent Thai style. The hotel has rich literary history; Joseph Conrad, Graham Greene, Noel Coward, James Michener all stayed at the Oriental. Take a moment for dim sum in the 1930's-inspired China House, one of the hotel's nine restaurants. The hotel also has a garden pool and a spa located across the water and reachable by ferry. Guests can attend a cooking school or troll the lobby for celebrity sightings. Wander into the Bamboo Bar for perfectly mixed cocktails like the Singapore Sling.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 95.00

Fronting the Rogue River and flanked by old-growth rain forests, the Tu Tu’tun is characterized by a genial service. Lodging options are varied, with 16 traditional rooms, 2 suites, and 3 houses, with unassuming furnishings that don’t detract from the magnificent views. Don’t miss the traditional Oregonian adventures: fishing, golfing, kayaking, and hiking. The property’s playful approach is evident in their categories of difficulty for hikes—level one is “hearts a beatin’”; level two “bods a heatin’”; and level three “two desserts you’ll be eatin.’” Chances are those desserts will be mighty delicious; meals focus on fresh, local ingredients. Once you’re done, head to the lodge’s garden, where you can feed the deer their own meal of crunchy apples.

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Score: 94.84

50 tents on the Mara River (a prime hippo-viewing spot), with a slew of activities, including traditional African dinners served in a boma. Luxurious accommodations include tented suites featuring four-poster beds graced with duvets and plaid accent fabrics. Colonial furnishings in all and outdoor showers in some bring a sense of history and location to this safari outpost. Private verandas survey the active hippo and crocodile scene below as guests sip British tea or wine and nosh on African specialties of barbecued meats and fresh, local produce. Novice outdoorsmen will feel comfortable on "Big Five" game drives accompanied by a pair of Masai warrior guides dressed in full regalia.

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Score: 94.75

The Osprey—a 45-room boutique hotel at the base of ski resort Beaver Creek—was renovated to the tune of $7 million in 2008 and now beckons with a warm mountain aesthetic. Locally sourced birch and onyx mingle throughout the high-ceilinged, firelit guest rooms, while oversize couches in rustic leather semicircle a large limestone fireplace in the property’s namesake lounge, popular for après ski cocktails and craft beers. Ski-sore guests will love plush touches like Simmons Beautyrest pillow-top mattresses, oversize marble showers with rainfall showerheads, and a heated outdoor pool. But it’s the property’s unparalleled proximity to the slopes (the high-speed Strawberry Park Express is a mere pole-push away) that earns The Osprey top marks among hard-core schussers as well as “closest ski-in/ski-out hotel in North America” honors.

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Score: 94.67

Architect Lucien Lagrange created a 60-story skyscraper reminiscent of 1920’s Parisian grand hotels, complete with a brick motor court that makes arrivals seamless and private. The lobby, with dark swirls running through the white marble floor is—there’s no other way to put it—drop-dead gorgeous. The 188 swank rooms start at a spacious 614 square feet and were created by Simeone Deary Design Group with platinum and champagne color schemes, tufted headboards, fireplaces, and Rivolta Carmignani Italian bed linens. From the pin-tucked curtains to the jewelry design-influenced light fixtures, it’s all tres Chanel and Dior. (You’ll find coffee table books on these designers in some rooms.) The Elysian Spa & Health Club is above the hotel’s open-air courtyard and offers gyrotonic pilates as well as Lava Shell massages. For dining, there are two options: the European bistro Balsan and the Michelin two-star RIA.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 94.63

A master of luxe hospitality, Peninsula Hotels chairman Michael Kadoorie spent his childhood in Shanghai. So the March 2010 premiere of his ninth property, the Peninsula Shanghai, was a homecoming of sorts. On a stretch of the historic Bund, the 10-story granite-clad building is a Modernist reflection of its Art Deco–era neighbors, the Shanghai Club and Sassoon House. Kadoorie is also a vintage-car enthusiast, and there’s a 1934 Rolls-Royce Phantom II for guests who want to head to Pudong International Airport in style ($370, with chauffeur). Architect David Beer and interior designer Pierre-Yves Rochon delivered gleaming brass- and-mahogany elevators and 235 guest rooms that combine embossed glass lamps and black-lacquer screens with 21st-century amenities. All come with VoIP phones, portable master control panels, and spa tubs with music and light settings. But your most valuable asset here is savvy chief concierge Simon Huang, who may very well be the best in town.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 94.54

Adjacent to the Çırağan Palace, and nearly as costly, this Four Seasons property is as elegantly restrained as the Çırağan is glamorously over-the-top. Both hotels attract high rollers, but while the Çırağan draws label-loving jet-setters (Victoria Beckham, anyone?), the Four Seasons attracts those who’d rather fly under the radar (in complete comfort, of course). The property, set in a refurbished 19th-century building, has all the luxury bells and whistles—including a heated riverfront pool, a chic terrace restaurant, a 2,100-square-foot spa, and 170 airy, high-ceilinged rooms decorated in a hushed palette of cream, russet, and gold. If you prefer a sleek, understated aesthetic to a wildly ornate one, this property will appeal to you.

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Score: 94.53

With 24 beaches fringing the Great Barrier Reef, and accommodations for just 40 couples, Lizard Island is in a category all its own. Open-plan suites are done up in the blues and whites of the sea, with hammocks and decks discreetly hidden from view. Count on sunset cruises, torchlit beach dinners, and a staff that will do anything to please (including, once, hiding a diamond ring in a seashell to surprise a bride-to-be).

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 94.48

The original grande dame of Amalfi Coast hotels still reigns in Belle Epoque splendor on the coastal road just outside the town of Amalfi. Now in its fourth generation of Gambardella family management, this 1904 looker has rooms spread across the main building, two villas, and a triplet of cozy honeymoon cottages. All are filled with original local antiques and decorated with hand-painted or pure-white ceramic floor tiles and whitewashed walls; some have half-tester or curlicue brass beds. An elevator descends to a private beach, saltwater pool, fitness center, and thatched-roof pizzeria and fish grill. As you stroll through the lovely secluded, terraced gardens and citrus orchards, it’s obvious why Liz Taylor and Richard Burton chose to hide out here.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 94.48

Two tented camps—one vintage-style (Bateleur), the other distinctly modern—in the heart of the Mara. All display rustic, yet substantial furnishings with elegant safari touches like lanterns, canvas fabrics, and flagstone flooring. Dinner around the open hearth or a dip in the freshwater pool are perfect ways to kick back after a day of dual game drives in open-air jeeps spotting giraffes, gazelles, lions, and hippos. For a birdseye view, hop a hot air balloon ride over the park. Individual visits to local Maasai villages let guests get up close and personal with the local culture. The property's conservation efforts include a Green Team of employees focused on recycling and efficiency to collaboration with local authorities to prevent animal poaching.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 94.45

Channel your inner Maharaja at this majestic but modern 32-acre resort, set against the dramatic recreation of a Rajasthani fort. While standard rooms contain four-poster beds and sunken marble baths, the air-conditioned luxury tents, laden with Burmese teak-wood floors and claw-footed tubs, are emblematic of fine, regional craftsmanship. Come evening, head to the Indian specialty restaurant, Rajmahal, and enjoy traditional, tandoori skewers while your eyes feast on gold-leaf frescoes that grace the walls. For royal pampering, there's the on-site spa, highlighting indigenous rituals and specialty baths, utilizing decadent ingredients like rose water, milk and marigolds.

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Score: 94.40

For those who want true adventure, look no further than Explora Patagonia, located in the southernmost corner of South America, on the banks of the Salto Chico waterfall. Nestled among the striking snow-capped peaks of the Andes, the property is designed around the concept of “luxury of the essential,” which entails simple elegance and respect for the grandeur of the natural surroundings. The 49 rooms incorporate native lenga wood and cypress from the Guaitecas Archipelago, along with hydromassage baths. They insist on no televisions, ensuring a true immersion in nature. After a half or full day hiking trek to one of the area’s many wonders, enjoy a locally-sourced dinner of items like Magellanic lamb and southern king crab.

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Score: 94.37

The new Sebastian hotel encompasses 100 rooms, seven suites, and, should you prefer more permanent lodgings, a 36-unit private residence club. Not unexpectedly, interiors are decked out with exposed wood beams, natural-stone countertops and flooring, gas fireplaces, and the now de rigueur iPod and iPad docking stations. But the Sebastian hotel’s trump card is its proximity to the slopes. After powering through the powder, guests can retreat to the property to sip smoky scotch at Frost bar; snack on gourmet cheeses and breads from the Market deli; or dine on seasonally influenced, farm-to-table food at Block 16. The concierge service and staff (including an on-the-mountain valet) can’t be beat.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.

Score: 94.34

Since 1928, this Hong Kong institution has defined the luxury hotel experience, and although certain kinds of travelers (especially lovers of sleek, high-tech minimalism) may find the Peninsula too old-world, there’s no denying it’s a serious class act. The fleet of 14 customized Rolls-Royce limousines is just the first clue to the hotel’s glamour factor; then there’s the lobby, where the bellboys sport immaculate white pillbox hats and uniforms, a string quartet plays classical music, and a queue forms daily to partake of the afternoon high tea. A grand staircase leads to the mezzanine level, and tucked-away elevators whisk guests to the 300 rooms, which are getting a complete overhaul in 2012. On the top floor is the Philippe Starck-designed Felix restaurant, which still packs them in more than a decade after its opening.

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Score: 94.25

Thanks to that special southern hospitality, The Willcox feels more like a home than a hotel. Flanked by grand white pillars and big oak trees, it oozes Southern charm. The rooms look like you’ve just stepped into Scarlett O’Hara’s house—four-poster beds, fireplaces, and stitched floral pillows. The main activity for Willcox guests is typically horse-related; for more than 100 years, Aiken has served as the training-ground for all things equestrian. After steeple chasing or harness racing, dine on applewood smoked bacon creamed corn and locally grown greens at the restaurant. Would we like to stay at the Willcox? Yes ma’am.

See the full results of the 2012 World’s Best Awards.