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“The Americans are definitely back!” So beams Didier Le Calvez, general manager of Paris’s Four Seasons Hotel George V, which ranks No. 1 in Institutional Investor’s 24th annual hotels survey. His enthusiasm for U.S. visitors may not be shared by all Frenchmen, but then they don’t run a landmark luxury hotel off the Champs-Elysées that depends on Yanks to fill more than 40 percent of its E670 ($850)-a-night rooms.
The French Government Tourist Office confirms that almost 15 percent more Americans visited the City of Lights in this year’s first six months than in the first half of 2003. “If the dollar were stronger,” notes the ebullient Le Calvez, “our U.S. business would be even better.”
The George V is just one of eight Paris establishments that appear on this year’s Best Hotels list -- the most for any city. New York comes in second, with six entries; and Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles and Singapore tie for third, with five apiece.
Los Angeles has the further distinction of hosting one of the top three hotels: the glamorous Bel-Air, ranked No. 3. And the No. 2 hotel? The serene Sukhothai in Bangkok (which is well positioned to benefit from a surge in Asian regional travel: see box).
This year’s panel of senior corporate and financial executives from 27 countries ranked 80 hotels in 37 cities. All are seasoned travelers who spent an average of 52 nights in hotels over the past year. (One road warrior logged 180 nights.) But no matter how far they have come, our panelists appreciate finding practical luxury when they arrive at their hotels.
At the George V, for example, once you admire the spectacular flowers and tapestries in the lobby and head to your room, the bellman will explain how to access the Internet and the television’s 72 channels (from 20 nations). When the renovated 1928 art deco showplace reopened five years ago, reviews were mixed: Some found it too American, others too French.
But now a kind of decor détente seems to have been struck. The bedrooms and spa are done up grandly in
Louis XVI style. The bar, however, is classically clubby. And behind its elegant facade, the George V gets down to business, with wi-fi in the meeting rooms and a 24/7 business center.
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As for the hotel restaurant, well, c’est magnifique. Chef Philippe Legendre’s Le Cinq merits three Michelin Guide stars. Its 35,000 bottles of fine wine repose in a limestone cellar that was hidden from the occupying Germans during World War II. When Saudi prince Al-Walid bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz bought the tired trophy property in 1996 and awarded the Toronto-based Four Seasons Hotels a 99-year management contract, he declared that it was “simply the best hotel in the world.” Institututional Investor’s well-traveled readers appear to agree.
No. 2 Sukhothai is a true traveler’s temple, providing respite for those jet-lagged in body and spirit. The hotel offers 26 Mercedes sedans to shuttle guests around Bangkok (the stock exchange is a ten-minute drive away), and the spa offers traditional Asian treatments derived from local herbs and spices. (The mud, however, is imported from the Dead Sea.) The hotel’s stunning Celadon restaurant, serving spicy royal Thai cuisine, is set in a water garden and “seems to float on a lotus pool,” according to one recent guest. Notes general manager George Benney, “Our guests form an emotional bond with the hotel because it does not feel commercial.”
That could also be said about the Hotel Bel-Air. Managing director Carlos Lopes confides that regular guests at this Los Angeles oasis were given a say when the 91-room hotel refurbished its (only in California!) “CaliforniaFrench Provincial” suites. At the back of the Bel-Air’s lush, 12-acre garden, which boasts hibiscus and palms (and security cameras), is the Presidential Suite, a hideaway popular with chief executive officers. One lure: a private gateway for cars. At chef Douglas Dodd’s renowned Restaurant, wild-mushroom specialities are always in season.
Our panelists have favorite chains. Four Seasons Hotels leads with 16 properties, including the Regent Beverly Wilshire (No. 15) and the newly acquired Des Bergues (No. 62) in Geneva.
Nine of the rapidly expanding Hyatt International Corp.'s 90 properties make the list. The understated Park Hyatt-Vendôme (No. 10) is minutes away from the Paris Stock Exchange. The Grand Hyatt in Shanghai (No. 31) is the world’s tallest hotel: It occupies the upper floors of the 88-story Jin Mao Tower.
The Hyatt International chain now comprises 14 boutiquey, top-of-the line Park Hyatts, 19 larger-scale Grand Hyatts (which cater to the meeting trade) and the basic Hyatt Regencies. (Hyatt Hotels Corp., a separate company, operates all of the Hyatts in North America.
What do II’s panelists look for? When choosing a hotel, they consider not only location, ambiance and service but increasingly sports and fitness facilities, high-technology amenities (such as high-speed Internet connections in their rooms) and a business center. Oh, and throw in a great restaurant and a fabulous spa -- and wrap it all up in a breathtaking building.
To conduct the survey, Institutional Investor asked participating financiers to rate hotels they had visited recently on a scale of 1 to 100. The scores were averaged and ranked according to a formula that assigns greater weight to those panelists who are the most frequent travelers. Any hotel requires a significant number of votes to qualify.
The rankings were compiled under the direction of Director of Research Operations Group Sathya Rajavelu and Senior Editor Jane B. Kenney with assistance from Contributor Barbara Bent and Researchers Michele Bickford and Russell Bradley-Cook. Contributing Editor Lois Madison Reamy wrote the overview.
