8 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Top 2011 Conde Nast Traveler HOT List

Flying the flags of Starwood's luxury, contemporary lifestyle and upper-upscale brands, the hotels that earned spots on the prestigious list include nearly all new St. Regis and W Hotels that opened in 2010, two Luxury Collection hotels in Europe and South America, and a Westin resort in Greece. Additionally, the May 2011 HOT List issue featured The St. Regis Lhasa Resort on its cover.

This year's Condé Nast Traveler HOT List consists of 124 hotels and resorts in both familiar and emerging destinations, selected by the magazine's editorial staff based on style, service, technology and sense of place. The eight Starwood hotels recognized on this year's list include:

St. Regis Lhasa Resort, Lhasa, Tibet (pictured above)
St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
W Hotel, Austin, Texas
W Retreat Koh Samui, Thailand
W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island, Puerto Rico
Tambo del Inka Resort and Spa, a Luxury Collection Resort, Peru
The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort, Costa Navarino, Greece
Westin Resort Costa Navarino, Greece

Additionally, AWAY(R) Spa at the newly opened W Retreat Koh Samui and the Remède Spa at the St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort were included on the magazine's "HOT Spas" list.

Two New St. Regis Resorts Make the Hot List

Two recently opened St. Regis resorts earned a spot on the Condé Nast Traveler 2011 HOT list. TheSt. Regis Lhasa Resort, which is featured on the cover of the issue, opened in December 2010 as the first St. Regis resort in China and the first international luxury hotel in Tibet. Located on the "Roof of the World" at 3,680 meters above sea level, the resort features 150 beautifully adorned oversized rooms as well as a wide range of world-class restaurants, bars, and an exclusive Iridium Spa.

The St. Regis Bahia Beach opened in November 2010 and introduces St. Regis' legacy of bespoke service and luxurious amenities to the Caribbean. Nestled between the Espiritu River and the El Yunque Rainforest, the resort is a certified Gold Audubon Signature Sanctuary and features a two mile stretch of private beach, 139 lavish rooms and suites, and remarkable signature amenities. The resort also presents a Reméde Spa, which is listed as a "HOT Spa" in this year's HOT List issue. The 10,000 square-foot Remède Spa at The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort offers seven private treatment cabanas, an herbal bar and a spa menu featuring techniques and ingredients that pay homage to the region's unique rituals and natural surroundings.

W Retreat Koh Samui pool villa

Industry Innovator W Hotels Earns Three Spots on List

W Hotels had three of its new hotels - including two new W Retreats - named to the Condé Nast Traveler 2011 HOT list. W Austin, which opened in December 2010, is located in the heart of Austin's 2nd Street District and connected to the ACL Live at The Moody Theater music and performance venue that serves as the new home of the iconic Austin City Limits television show. Designed by Andersson-Wise Architects and emerging designer Heather Plimmer of Stratus Properties, the hotel also features TraceSM, offering conscious cuisine sourced by an on-property Forager; AWAY(R) Spa, to detox and refuel in seven stylish treatment rooms; and WET, a rooftop lap pool surrounded by seven exclusive cabanas.

W Retreat Koh Samui, the first W Retreat in Southeast Asia, opened in November 2010. An 'island within an island' and a haven from the everyday resort, W Koh Samui is an all-villa beachfront retreat, designed by MAPS Design Studio and interior design by Thailand-based design firm P49Deesign. Highlights include the W Lounge (W's take on the traditional hotel lobby); WooBar with a 270-degree view of the Gulf of Thailand; and two restaurants: The Kitchen Table and Namu. The Retreat also features AWAY(R) Spa, a 2011 Condé Nast Traveler "HOT Spa" and the first spa in Asia to offer Thaimazcal treatments, which are based on Mexican tribal rituals but use local Thai ingredients.

W Retreat & Spa, Vieques Island, the first W Retreat in the Caribbean, opened in April 2010, eight miles off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico. Designed by Spanish-born Patricia Urquiola of Milan-based Studio Urquiola, W Vieques boasts 157 stylish guestrooms and suites with private patios and balconies offering unparalleled views of soft sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. Other highlights include miX on The Beach by Chef Alain Ducasse; AWAY(R) Spa; Paradise Edge, a lush garden sanctuary; Fire Pit, an outdoor space that merges nature and style; and W Hotels The Store, the W brand's stylish take on the traditional hotel gift shop. Guests of the Retreat are able to relax at the private W Welcome Lounge in Antonio Rivera Rodríguez Airport upon arriving to Vieques Island.

Tambo del Inka Resort and Spa - Kiri Bar

Two Landmark Luxury Collection Resorts are Named to the HOT List

Also featured on the 2011 "HOT List" are Tambo del Inka Resort and Spa, a Luxury Collection Resort, which debuted in Peru, and The Romanos, a Luxury Collection Resort in Costa Navarino, Greece.

The first LEED-certified hotel in Peru, Tambo del Inka Resort and Spa, which opened in June 2010, is situated in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, offering a quiet, luxurious retreat and an array of modern amenities while fully embracing the region's natural surroundings. In addition to its 128 luxuriously appointed guestrooms and suites, each with mesmerizing views of the Andes and the Vilcanota River, the resort's features a full-service spa, two heated swimming pools and a private train station that facilitates trips to the iconic hilltop city of Machu Picchu. Miami-based Arquitectonica led the resort's architectural concept to create an overall design that blends seamlessly with the hotel's location.

Located amidst lush olive groves in the Messinia region on Greece's southwest Peloponnese coast, The Romanos was the first hotel to open in the new luxury destination of Costa Navarino this past June. The sumptuous resort features 321 luxurious rooms and suites, including 121 with individual infinity pools. Almost all rooms offer spacious furnished terraces with beautiful views of the Mediterranean Sea. For the ultimate in luxurious experience, the resort's 660 square meter beachfront Royal Villa Koroni features a private infinity pool, a secluded barbeque area, a spa treatment suite with steam room and private fitness facilities. The Romanos also offers an array of culinary delights, including a destination restaurant featuring ethnic and indigenous cuisine based on local organic ingredients, a Greek restaurant complete with a well-stocked wine cellar, extensive lounge areas and a lobby bar.

Costa Navarino beach

Westin's Mediterranean Seaside Resort Listed as one of Greece's Hot Hotels

The Westin Resort, Costa Navarino debuted on Greece's scenic west coast in Summer 2010. With 445 guest rooms and suites, including 123 with private infinity pools, the resort offers breathtaking views of the Ionian Sea and an atmosphere of tranquility and renewal. The Westin's low-rise villa clusters were inspired by old Messinian mansions and incorporate natural stone and local design elements to create a motif that is in perfect harmony with the virgin sandy beach and pristine hillside landscape. Amenities include four restaurants serving a range of international cuisines; several pools and lounges; the Anazoe Spa at Navarino Dunes offering an exceptional menu of specialty treatments based on ancient health and beauty practices; and the Dunes Golf Course, Greece's first signature, 18-hole championship golf course.