Conde Nast Traveler's 15th annual May Hot List issue is the ultimate insider's guide to this year's hottest hotels, spas, and restaurants.

After scrutinizing nearly a thousand new properties opened world wide in the last year, the editors selected 200 of the most promising candidates, rigorously evaluating each one on a standard set of criteria. The result is a definitive guide to the world's most exciting new establishments that are destined to become instant classics.

For the first time, Conde Nast Traveler names individuals who have made an important impact on the hospitality industry in the past year: Hot Hotelier: Nick Jones, Soho House Group; Hot Interior Designers: George Yabu and Glenn Pushelberg, Yabu Pushelberg; Hot Restaurateur: Jose Andres; and Hot Bartender: Erik Lorincz, American Bar, The Savoy, London. The list also introduces The Hotties – the little details that elevate these hot hotels from likable to loveable, including the Best Bedtime Snack: Fresh sugar-coated doughnut holes at Ocean House (Rhode Island); Best City Wheels: Vintage scooters at the Waterhouse at South Bund (Shanghai); and The Sweetest Parting Gift: The brownie, lollipop, and more you're offered at checkout from the Andaz 5th Avenue (New York City).

The 2011 Hot List features 124 new hotels and resorts, 21 of the hottest restaurants, and 40 of the world's most relaxing spas, all of which transcend industry standards in design, service, and amenities. But you don't have to break the bank to experience one of these hot and trendy retreats – 40 of this year's hotels and resorts offer rooms for less than $300 a night.

The Hot List hotels range in size from a three-suite safari camp in South Africa to a 2,995-room tower on the Vegas Strip, and in price from a $75 per night room above a white-hot gastro-pub in Chicago to $2,040 for a private three-story riad, complete with a plunge pool and butler, in the heart of Marrakech. Additionally, the 124 hotels and resorts on this year's Hot List span 43 countries including destinations as far away as Goa and New Zealand.

NORTH AMERICA

UNITED STATES
The Redbury, Los Angeles, California
Hotel Yountville, Yountville, California
Four Seasons Hotel, Denver, Colorado
Four Seasons Resort, Vail, Colorado
Hotel Beaux Arts, Miami, Florida
Soho Beach House, Miami Beach, Florida
The Waikiki Edition, Honolulu, Hawaii
JW Marriott Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Longman & Eagle, Chicago, Illinois
Ranch at Rock Creek, Philipsburg, Montana
The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada
Andaz 5th Avenue, New York, New York
The Chatwal, New York City
The James, New York, New York
Setai Fifth Avenue, New York City
Ocean House, Watch Hill, Rhode Island
W Hotel, Austin, Texas
Montage Deer Valley, Deer Valley, Utah

CANADA
Thompson Toronto, Toronto, Ontario

MEXICO
Banyan Tree Cabo Marqués, Acapulco, Mexico
Boca Chica, Acapulco, Mexico
Hotel at Imanta Resort, Punta de Mita
Las Alcobas, Mexico City, Mexico
Rosewood San Miguel de Allende

CARIBBEAN

DOMINICA
Rosalie Bay Resort, Roseau

JAMAICA
Goldeneye, Oracabessa

PUERTO RICO
St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Río Grande
W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island, Vieques

ST.KITT'S & NEVIS
Turtle Beach Bungalows, Turtle Beach, St. Kitts

EUROPE

AUSTRIA
Sofitel Vienna Stephansdom, Vienna

BELGIUM
Tenbosch House, Brussels

ENGLAND
The Arch London, London
Coworth Park, Ascot
Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, London
Savoy, London

FRANCE
Hôtel Thoumieux, Paris
Le Burgundy, Paris
Le Pavillon des Lettres, Paris
Le Royal Monceau Raffles Paris, Paris
Les Jardins de la Villa, Paris
Le Strato, Courchevel 1850
Shangri-La Hotel Paris, Paris
U Palazzu Serenu, Oletta, Corsica

GERMANY
Soho House, Berlin

GREECE
Kinsterna Hotel and Spa, Monemvasia
The Romanos, Costa Navarino, Messinia
Westin Resort, Costa Navarino

ITALY
Borgo Egnazia, Savelletri di Fasano
CastaDiva Resort, Blevio, Lake Como
Grand Hotel Villa Cora, Florence
Metropole Taormina Maison D'Hotes, Taormina
Principe Forte dei Marmi, Forte dei Marmi
Town@House Street, Milan
Val di Luce Spa Resort, Val di Luce Abetone

LATVIA
Hotel Neiburgs, Riga

PORTUGAL
Hotel Areias do Seixo, A-dos-Cunhados
Hotel da Estrela, Lisbon
Hotel Inspira Santa Marta, Lisbon
Hotel Martinhal, Sagres
LX Boutique Hotel, Lisbon
The Oitavos, Cascais
Vidago Palace, Vidago
The Yeatman

RUSSIA
Radisson Royal Hotel Moscow, Moscow
Taleon Imperial Hotel, St. Petersburg

SLOVAKIA
Kempinski Hotel River Park Bratislava, Bratislava

SPAIN
Cap Rocat, Cala Blava
Giri Residence Hotel & Spa, San Juan
Hotel Atrio, Caceres
Hotel Viura, Villabuena de Alava

SWEDEN
Nobis Hotel, Stockholm
The Treehotel, Harads

ASIA

CAMBODIA
Villa Romonea, Kep

CHINA
Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay, Sanya, Hainan Island
Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai
Four Seasons Hotel, Hangzhou at West Lake, Hangzhou
Hullett House, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
St. Regis Lhasa Resort, Lhasa, Tibet
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, Shanghai
The Waterhouse at South Bund, Shanghai
Yi House Art Hotel 798, Beijing

INDIA
Ranvas, Nagaur, Rajasthan
Samode Safari Lodge, Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh
The Sarai at Toria, Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh
The Sol, Nerul, Goa
Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

JAPAN
Hotel Kanra, Kyoto

LAOS
Alila Luang Prabang, Luang Prabang

MALDIVES
Constance Moofushi, South Ari Atoll

SINGAPORE
Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore
Wanderlust, Singapore

THAILAND
Banyan Tree Samui, Maret, Koh Samui
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, Bangkok
W Retreat Koh Samui, Maenam, Koh Samui

VIETNAM
Ana Mandara Hue, Thuan An, Phu Vang District
Fusion Maia Da Nang, Da Nang
Six Senses Con Dao, Con Dao

AUSTRALIA +NEW ZEALAND

Crown Metropol, Melbourne
The Olsen Hotel, South Yarra
Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania
Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown, South Island

AFRICA + THE MIDDLE EAST

ISRAEL
The Brown TLV, Tel Aviv

KENYA
Solio Lodge, Solio Game Reserve, Kenya

LEBANON
Four Seasons Hotel, Beirut

MOROCCO
Le Royal Mansour, Marrakesh
Palais Amani, Fez

SOUTH AFRICA
Babylonstoren, Franschhoek
Delaire Graff Lodges and Spa, Stellenbosch
The Last Word Sea Five, Cape Town, South Africa
Pioneer Camp, Londolozi Private Game Reserve, Sabi Sand Game Reserve
Winston Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa

TUNISIA
Dar Hi, Nefta, Tunisia

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Armani Hotel Dubai
One&Only The Palm, Dubai

LATIN AMERICA

ARGENTINA
Algodon Mansion, Buenos Aires
Fierro Hotel, Buenos Aires
Luma-Casa de Montaña, Villa La Angostura, Neuquén

BRAZIL
Villa Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro

CHILE
Le Rêve Boutique Hotel, Santiago
Palafito 1326, Castro, Chiloé Island

PERU
Mancora Marina Hotel, Máncora Chico
Tambo del Inka Resort & Spa, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Sacred Valley, Peru

URUGUAY
Hotel Fasano Las Piedras, Punta del Este
Playa Vik José Ignacio, Faro José Ignacio

Related article: Luxury Travel Magazine "World's Best New Hotels 2011"