Lexus recommends the best in premium, unforgettable travel.
It's that time again: Every year, Lexus magazine recommends premium resorts that'll knock your business-appropriate socks right off. For 2010, we again scoured the planet, from Utah's mesas to Thailand's jungles, and found some of the most authentic, luxurious retreats out there. This year's winners come in a variety of price ranges—and all of them promise unforgettable experiences.
AMANGIRI CANYON POINT, Utah
As only the second of the renowned Amanresorts properties to open in the U.S., this boutique hotel is one of the most intriguing getaways in North America. Perched in south Utah's stark canyonlands, Amangiri's 34 suites come with enormous windows and glass doors for a reason: Their sweeping views of the surrounding desert will absolutely blow you away. Rates from $850
KONA VILLAGE, Hawaii
Kona Village—82 acres of perhaps the most authentically Hawaiian high-end resort experiences in the state. Accommodations at the Big Island property consist of 125 freestanding Polynesian-style houses, or hale, which are scattered on the beach, on oceanfront lava formations, and around picturesque ancient fishponds. Rates from $410
THE AHWAHNEE, Yosemite, Calif.
Tucked into a lovely corner of Yosemite National Park, and within easy reach of legendary sights like Half Dome, the historic, 123-room Ahwahnee is a top example of rustic-luxurious "parkitecture." The hotel's Chefs' Holidays and Vintners' Holidays are big draws: Guests flock to tastings, cooking classes, and gala dinners hosted by leading chefs from around the country. Rates from $525
LITTLE PALM ISLAND, Little Torch Key, Fla.
Guests must take a boat from Florida's Overseas Highway to get to this private island in the Keys, and the short trip would be worth it just for Chef Louis Pous' cashew-crusted Key Lime pie. But guests tend to linger here, given the supreme seclusion of the 30 freestanding bungalows. The quintessential experience: kayaking the island's perimeter. Rates from $890
HOTEL CARUSO RAVELLO, Italy
The history of this Amalfi Coast gem reaches back to the 11th century; its guests have included Virginia Woolf and Greta Garbo. Today, five years after an expansion and meticulous reconstruction, the 48-room Caruso features a jaw-dropping infinity pool that seems to hang over the sea, and rooms that meet the North American super-lux standard, no small thing in Europe. Rates from $525
LA VILLA GALLICI, Aix-En-Provence, France
You'll have to forgive the staff at this 22-room Relais & Châteaux charmer if they repeatedly ply you with house-made almond cookies. "You're home, now," they like to say. And one can feel that way in this Provençal hotel. The rooms are decorated in country-French style, the walls are covered in colorful prints and stripes, and the beds are cosseted by demi-canopies. Rates from $395
RAYAVADEE, Krabi, Thailand
Located at the tip of the remote Phranang Peninsula, this upscale jungle resort surely boasts one of the world's great settings. The property's three white-sand beaches are thrillingly exotic (with limestone karst formations just offshore), and macaque monkeys swing above the footpaths. Bonus: You won't find better pad Thai anywhere. Rates from $680
CANOE BAY, Chetak, Wis.
Set on 280 wooded acres, this little-known hideaway defines privacy. Breakfast and lunch are delivered to guest rooms (there are 23), and solitude is easy to find by strolling along the property's three lakes, endless trails, and organic garden. Canoe Bay's green initiatives are many, starting with its natural construction materials-only wood, glass, and stone—and its all-organic menus. Rates from $350
ZOËTRY PARAISO DE LA BONITA, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Just south of Cancún, this beachfront resort's style-mix is definitely unusual—but in a good way. The eclectically designed suites feature local tilework, with Roman-like soaking tubs in the giant bathrooms. Paraiso's lavish swimming pools are perched alongside the beach, and the spa, with its Thalasso Center for in-water "Janzu" massage, is one of the region's best. Rates from $773
Worth a Mention
Affordability is a main draw for these amazing getaways:
Reprinted Courtesy of Lexus Magazine.