National Geographic Traveler is the most popular travel magazine in the world. It focuses on travelers and not tourists with a focus on adventure, eco-tourism, sustainable and traditional destinations. The magazine frequently rates accommodations in destinations all over the globe to create lists of the best choices available in a given area.
The Top 10 Hideaways & Inns is derived from the book titled: "The 10 Best of Everything," and is arranged as a list of the most isolated, unique and romantic accommodation escapes in the world. The list includes the Pangkor Laut Resort in Malaysia, a set of luxury villas on a private island just off the western shores of the mainland. There are a maximum of 250 guests on the island at any one time. Upstate New York is also represented on the list by The Point estate on Saranac Lake. The former Rockefeller residence is now a luxury lodge with only 11 rooms and a vast expanse of wilderness. The Orient-Express Hotel Splendido in Portofino is perhaps the least secluded member of the list but was added for its location and service in one of the most beautiful locations in Italy if not Europe.
Wellness destinations are those which promote spiritual, mental and physical health. The Top 50 Wellness Destinations are selected from locations around the world and are based on spa treatments, location and cultural authenticity. Some standouts include The Rosendal Winery & Wellness Retreat, which is a Winelands, South Africa farmhouse where treatments incorporate the local vintage; The Shivapuri Village in Nepal features Himalayan treatments and meditative exercises at 6,500 feet; The Brenner Park Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden has been welcoming relaxation-seekers to its idealized alpine luxury for over 135 years; The Hacienda Chichen, Yaxkin Spa in Chichen Itza, Mexico bases its treatments on the local ancient Mayan culture and the surrounding jungle; La Taha'a Island Resort & Spa in French Polynesia combines pristine Pacific paradise with Relais & Chateau service and amenities and Arasha Resort & Spa is set within the dense Ecuadoran rain forest and features treatments and design to match its exotic location.
National Geographic Traveler's Top Ski Runs & Lodges lists the best of the best around the world as ranked in the National Geographic book titled "The Ten Best of Everything." The Riffelalp Resort in Zermatt, Switzerland is a traditional alpine hotel and the highest ski lodge in Europe at almost 7,000 feet elevation where breathtaking scenes of sheer mountain mass stand in every direction. The Miramonti Majestic Grand Hotel is an old-world Alpine palace set in the mountains of Cortina in northern Italy where many guests still dress in formal attire during the evenings. The St. Regis Resort in Aspen is a celebrity staple with top shelf luxury accommodations and some of the best skiing in the United States.
The National Geographic Traveler Stay List provides a rundown of the best hotels in the Americas by destination as chosen by the magazine's travel experts and editors. The list was last published in 2009 and it consists of perennial favorites as well as a good mix of newcomers and alternative-style accommodations. The all-around best hotels in Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and the United States are listed.
