January 4, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO (January 4th, 2008) -- Condé Nast Johansens, the international luxury travel guide from the “most trusted name in travel,” Condé Nast Publications Ltd., today announced their nominations for the 2008 Awards for Excellence. The winners of the prestigious awards will be revealed later this month and will represent some of the finest hotels in the United States, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific Islands.

Awards will be presented in 25 categories, including Most Excellent Hotel, Most Excellent Resort and Most Excellent Spa Hotel. The nominations also feature categories created specifically to celebrate the ever-growing diversity of the Guide’s offerings, such as Most Excellent Lodge, Central & South America; Most Excellent Ranch, USA; and Most Excellent Romantic Hideaway, Atlantic, Caribbean and Pacific Islands. The full list of nominations is included below.

“With 326 extraordinary properties and our expanded coverage of Canada and Central and South America, I am pleased to say it has been quite a task to select the nominations,” said Lesley O’Malley-Keyes, VP & Publishing Director, The Americas. “Condé Nast Johansens recommends only properties that meet our exemplary standards, so the nominees for the Excellence Awards represent the best of the best, the very finest hotels and resorts in the world.”

The nominees have been selected from the Recommended Hotels, Inns, Resorts & Spas – The Americas, Atlantic, Caribbean, Pacific by the Condé Nast Johansens team of inspectors, readers, and hotel guests during 2007. Guests made their suggestions online at www.johansens.com or by completing one of the Award for Excellence cards available at all Condé Nast Johansens Recommended accommodations.

“The awards represent the wonderfully diverse vacation preferences of our readers,” said O’Malley-Keyes. “While each destination has a distinct personality and signature amenities, each must display an exceptional level of accommodation and service, so whether they’re zip-lining above the forest canopy in Costa Rica or enjoying tea at a country house hotel in Massachusetts, our readers are assured of only the very best.”

Condé Nast Johansens is the most comprehensive illustrated luxury guide to hotels, inns, resorts, and spas throughout the Americas, Great Britain and Europe, and the only guide book to carry the prestigious and widely-recognized Condé Nast seal of approval. Recommendations are based on excellence, unique style, cuisine, diverse character, and exceptional location, making the Guides one of the most trusted resources for exemplary accommodations.

The Guides, which are celebrating their 26th year of publication in Europe, have attracted a loyal readership in the United States by guarantying that each Recommended property undergoes a rigorous annual inspection process to ensure exceptional quality is maintained year-after-year.

Every Recommended hotel or spa in the Guide is awarded the “Condé Nast Mark of Excellence” wall plaque. This prestigious sign of approval serves as a visible endorsement for more than 13 million of the world’s most discerning travelers.

The Guide's easy-to-use format simplifies the independent traveler’s task of selecting and booking accommodations. Each Recommendation features rich, full-color exterior and interior hotel photographs, and details about facilities, rates and contact information.

The nominees for the 2008 Condé Nast Johansens Awards of Excellence, the Americas, are:
USA & Canada

Most Excellent Hotel:
Hotel Bel-Air, CA
The Hay-Adams, DC
The Davenport Hotel and Tower, WA
Hotel Commonwealth, MA
The Sutton Place Hotel Vancouver, BC
Wedgewood Hotel & Spa, BC

Most Excellent Inn:
Old Edwards Inn and Spa, NC
Arizona Inn, AZ
The Goodstone Inn & Estate, VA
Villa Marco Polo Inn, BC
The Grape Leaf Inn, CA
Chateau du Sureau & Spa, CA
Post Ranch Inn, CA
The Pitcher Inn, VT

Most Excellent Lodge:
The Big EZ Lodge, MT
The Whiteface Lodge, NY
Brentwood Bay Lodge, BC
Big Cedar Lodge, MO
Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa, CO

Most Excellent Spa Hotel:
Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, AZ
Old Edwards Inn and Spa, NC
The Sanderling Resort & Spa, NC
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, SC
Hotel Hana- Maui and Honua Spa, Hawaii
El Monte Sagrado Living Resort & Spa, NM

Most Excellent Resort:
LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort, FL
Meadowood Napa Valley, CA
Don CeSar Beach Resort, FL
WaterColor Inn and Resort, FL
The Lodge at Turning Stone, NY

Most Excellent Ranch:
Hidden Meadow Ranch, AZ
Tanque Verde Ranch, AZ
Rancho de los Caballeros, AZ
Triple Creek Ranch, MO
Vista Verde Guest Ranch, CO
Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa, UT

Most Excellent Small Hotel:
Hotel Quintessence, Quebec
Tower 23, CA
Windsor Arms, Ontario
L’Auberge Carmel, CA

Most Excellent Golf Resort:
Ballantyne Resort, NC
The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, SC
The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, SC

Most Excellent Romantic Hideaway:
Blantyre,MA
The Kenwood Inn & Spa, CA
Wickaninnish Inn, BC
Rancho de San Juan, NM
Sunset Key Guest Cottages, FL

Most Excellent Country House Hotel:
Blantyre, MA
Monmouth Plantation, MS
Hastings House Country Estate, BC


MEXICO & CENTRAL AMERICA

Most Excellent Resort:
Esperanza, Mexico
Las Alamandas, Mexico
Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort, Mexico

Most Excellent Spa Hotel:
Grand Velas All Suites & Spa Resort, Mexico
Rancho La Puerta, Mexico
Esperanza, Mexico

Most Excellent Hotel:
Hotel Punta Islita, Costa Rica
Hacienda Xcanatun Casa de Piedra, Mexico
Hacienda San Antonio, Mexico

Most Excellent Romantic Hideaway:
Hacienda San Antonio, Mexico
Casa Nalum, Mexico
Gaia Hotel & Reserve, Costa Rica
Villa Montana Hotel & Spa, Mexico


SOUTH AMERICA

Most Excellent Hotel:
Ponta Dos Ganchos, Brazil
Correntoso Lake & River Hotel, Argentina
Txai Resort, Brazil
Perola Buzios Design Hotel, Brazil

Most Excellent Beach Hotel:
Pousada do Toque, Brazil
Estrela D’Agua, Brazil
Txai Resort, Brazil

Most Excellent Romantic Hideaway:
Correntoso Lake & River Hotel, Argentina
Sitio do Lobo, Brazil
Ponta Dos Ganchos, Brazil

Most Excellent Spa Hotel:
Kurotel, Brazil
Casas Brancas Boutique Hotel & Spa, Brazil
Praia do Forte Eco Resort & Thalasso Spa, Brazil

Most Excellent Lodge:
Pousada do Engenho, Brazil
Isla Victoria Lodge, Argentina
Tankamana EcoResort, Brazil

ATLANTIC, CARIBBEAN & PACIFIC ISLANDS

Most Excellent Resort:
Grace Bay Club, Turks and Caicos Islands
La Samanna, St Martin
Palm Island, The Grenadines
Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada
Qamea Resort & Spa, Fiji
Cuisinart Resort & Spa, Anguilla

Most Excellent Hotel:
Biras Creek Resort, BVI
Point Grace, Turks and Caicos Islands
Le Toiny, St Barts
Turks & Caicos Club, Turks and Caicos Islands
The Reefs, Bermuda
Round Hill Hotel and Villas, Jamaica

Most Excellent Spa Hotel:
Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands
CuisinArt Resort & Spa, Anguilla
La Samanna, St Martin
Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa, Bermuda

Most Excellent Romantic Hideaway:
Royal Davui Island Resort, Fiji
Anse Chastanet, St Lucia
Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands
Horned Dorset Primavera, Puerto Rico
Cobblers Cove, Barbados
Curtain Bluff, Antigua

About Condé Nast Johansens
Condé Nast Johansens is owned by Condé Nast Publications, a wholly owned subsidiary of Advance Publications and Condé Nast International, which publishes 72 magazines around the world, including Vogue, Condé Nast Traveler, House & Garden, Architectural Digest, The New Yorker, GQ, Tatler, Vanity Fair, Brides, Glamour and Wired.

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Media contact: Casey Shaughnessy at Glodow Nead Communications, (415) 394-6500 or Casey@GlodowNead.com