Conde Nast Traveler Unveils 121 Hotels in 16th Annual Hot List

Of the thousands of new properties that opened in the last year, Conde Nast editors traveled incognito to 49 countries to visit 172 new hotels, evaluating each on a standard set of criteria including service, food, atmosphere and amenities. Their mission? To discover the best in the world. This year, 121 made the cut.

The 2012 Hot List features 121 new hotels and resorts, 35 of the world's most blissful spas, and 20 hot new restaurants from 21 hot chefs.

The Hot List hotels range in size, price, and style, from the small, subtle tents at the Sanctuary Zebra Plains camp in Zambia, to the $3,878-a-night all-inclusive Abu Camp in Botswana. But you don't need to break the bank to visit these hot and trendy retreats—49 of this year's hotels and resorts offer rooms for less than $300 a night. Best represented on the list is the United States, with 12 entries, followed by United Kingdom, China, and Italy, each with 7 apiece.

Also in the May Hot List Issue, Conde Nast Traveler recognizes industry tastemakers and trend-spotters from within the Hot List Class of 2012. The Predictors are:

• Chef Wolfgang Puck
• Interior designer Rachel Ashwell
• Architects and designers Peter Stamberg and Paul Aferiat
• Spa director Ghislain Waeyaert
• Hotelier Ian Schrager

The Hot List also includes a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the Hot List including:

• The Hotties: 18 little hotel details we loved this year.
• The Best and Worst of Hotel Trends: Innovations that changed our lives forever, and those we'd rather forget.
• The Hot List All-Stars: Our reviewers name their favorite hotel of all time.
• Confessions of a Hot List Reviewer: All-true tales from the road.

U.S. properties on the 2012 Hot List include:

Public, Chicago (pictured above)
The Saguaro, Scottsdale, Arizona
Hotel Lautner, Desert Hot Springs, California
Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, California
Mr. C Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California
Aulani, Oahu, Hawaii
Hotel Modern, New Orleans, Louisiana
The Saint, New Orleans, Louisiana
Four Seasons Hotel, Baltimore, Maryland
Ruschmeyer's, Montauk, New York
Hotel Americano, New York, New York
The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell, Round Top, Texas

U.S. Spas include:

Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie, Los Angeles, California
Elle Spa, Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Florida
Laniwai, Aulani, Oahu, Hawaii
NoMI Spa, Park Hyatt Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Tree Spa at Hidden Pond, Kennebunkport, Maine
Kiehl's Spa 1851, New York, New York

U.S. Restaurants include:

A-Frame, Los Angeles
Picca, Los Angeles
Son of a Gun, Los Angeles
Red Medicine, Los Angeles
The Dutch, New York
Tertulia, New York
Fatty 'Cue, New York
Isa, New York

International properties on the 2012 Hot List include:

Argentina
Hotel Pulitzer, Buenos Aires
Mio Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires

Austria
25hours Hotel, Vienna

Botswana
Abu Camp, Okavango Delta

Brazil
Fasano Boa Vista, Porto Feliz

Cambodia
The Plantation, Phnom Penh

Canada
The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, Toronto
Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver

Caribbean
Hotel Chocolat, St. Lucia
Petit St. Vincent, St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Chile
Singular Patagonia, Puerto Bories
Puma Lodge, near Reserva Nacional Río de Los Cipreses
Lastarria Boutique Hotel, Santiago
Noi Vitacura, Santiago
Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa, Torres del Paine

China
The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Naked Stables Private Reserve, Paitou Town
St. Regis Sanya Yalong Bay Resort, Sanya
Andaz Shanghai, Shanghai
Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel, Shanghai
Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai
Songtsam Tacheng Hotel, Tacheng

Colombia
Karmairi, Cartagena
The Charlee, Medellín

Croatia
Hotel Lone, Istria

Czech Republic
Miura, Moravian Silesia

Ecuador
Casa Gangotena, Quito

Egypt
Sofitel Legend Old Cataract, Aswan

England
The Pig, Hampshire
Corinthia Hotel, London
Eccleston Square Hotel, London
45 Park Lane, London
St. Ermin's Hotel, London
St. Pancras Renaissance, London
Zetter Townhouse, London

France
Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes
Les Avisés, Avize
Château Les Carrasses, Capestang
La Belle Juliette, Paris
La Maison Champs-Élysées, Paris
Mandarin Oriental Paris, Paris
Saint James Paris, Paris
Altapura, Val Thorens

Greece
New Hotel, Athens
Old Markets, Symi

India
Alila Hotel and Residence, Whitefield, Bangalore
Grand Hyatt Goa, Goa
The Oberoi, Gurgaon, Gurgaon
Leela Place, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi

Indonesia
W Retreat & Spa, Seminyak, Bali

Ireland
Ballyfin, County Laois

Israel
Beresheet Hotel, Negev Desert

Italy
Villa della Pergola, Alassio
Nun Assisi Relais & Spa, Assisi
St. Regis Florence, Florence
Armani Hotel Milano, Milan
Castello di Velona, Montalcino
First Hotel, Rome
Villa Mosca, Alghero, Sardinia

Kenya
Kicheche Valley Camp, Naboisho Conservancy
Hogmead, Nairobi

Kuwait
Hotel Missoni Kuwait, Salmiya

Luxembourg
Le Place d'Armes, Luxembourg City

Maldives
Anantara Kihavah Villas, Baa Atoll
Jumeirah Dhevanafushi, Gaafu Alifu Atoll
Six Senses Laamu, Laamu Atoll

Mauritius
Long Beach, Belle Mare

Montenegro
Aman Sveti Stefan, Sveti Stefan

Morocco
Four Seasons Resort, Marrakech, Marrakech
Riad Joya, Marrakech

The Netherlands
Hotel de l'Europe, Amsterdam

New Zealand
Bishop's Suites, Nelson
Hilton Queenstown, Kawarau Village, Queenstown

Panama
Manrey, Panama City

Peru
The Westin, Lima
Hacienda Concepcion, Puerto Maldonado

Portugal
L'And Vineyards Resort, Montemor-o-Novo, Alentejo
Imani Country House, Quinta de Montemuro, Alentejo
Hotel Bela Vista, Portimão
InterContinental Porto-Palacio das Cardosas, Porto

Russia
InterContinental Moscow Tverskaya, Moscow

Serbia
Square Nine, Belgrade

Seychelles
Raffles Praslin, Seychelles

Slovenia
Antiq Palace, Ljubljana
Hotel Cubo, Ljubljana

South Africa
Alphen Boutique Hotel, Cape Town
Queen Victoria Hotel, Cape Town

Spain
Mirror Barcelona, Barcelona
Ohla Hotel, Barcelona
Balcón de Cordóba, Córdoba
Sant Pere del Bosc Hotel, Lloret de Mar
Hotel Can Cera, Palma de Mallorca
Le Domaine, Sardón de Duero

Switzerland
Hotel Schweizerhof, Bern
Nira Alpina, Surlej
Backstage Hotel Vernissage, Zermatt

Tanzania
Lamai Serengeti, Serengeti Nat'l. Park
Residence Zanzibar, Kizimkazi, Zanzibar
Emerson Spice, Stone Town, Zanzibar

Thailand
Hansar, Bangkok
St. Regis, Bangkok
Casa de la Flora, Khao Lak

Turkey
Amanruya, Bodrum
House Hotel Bosphorus, Istanbul

Uganda
Kyambura Gorge Lodge, Queen Elizabeth Nat'l. Park

United Arab Emirates
Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi
Park Hyatt, Abu Dhabi
Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, Dubai

Zambia
Sanctuary Zebra Plains, South Luangwa Nat'l. Park

To view the complete Hot List including restaurants and spas, visit https://www.cntraveler.com/hot-list/2012.