Forbestraveler.com Launches Forbestraveler 400
More Than 80 Renowned Travel Experts Select the Top 400 Hotel and Resort Properties Worldwide
NOVEMBER 28, 2006. ForbesTraveler.com has issued its first-ever ForbesTraveler 400 list - an authoritative compendium of the world's best hotels and resorts. ForbesTraveler 400 properties were selected by a distinguished panel of more than 80 travel experts who are unaffiliated with hotels, including prominent tour operators, editors and writers, travel industry executives, CEOs and travel agents. The list features in-depth reviews of all 400 properties and is available here: www.forbestraveler.com/forbes400.
To create the ForbesTraveler 400, ForbesTraveler.com editors compiled a list of over 600 of the world's top-ranked hotels from a variety of respected sources (brand-new hotels and hotels closed for renovations were excluded); allowed for individual nominations beyond the original pool of properties; and asked the experts to rate each property on seven criteria:
o Service
o Room & Bathroom
o D'ecor
o Food & Beverage
o Public areas & Facilities
o Sports & Recreation
o Location
The survey results determined the world's top 400 properties, and the reviews were written by professional travel writers who personally visited each property without receiving complimentary rates or stays from the hotels they covered.
'Our list is distinct because of the expert panel comprised of curious and passionate explorers who spent considerable time and effort to help define the hotels and resorts that offer the ultimate luxury travel experience,' said Rich Beattie, Deputy Editor of ForbesTraveler.com. 'The list didn't set out to choose the number 1 hotel in the world, but instead offers the discriminating traveler a guide to those properties that will fulfill even the highest expectations.'
All of the 80 panel experts are listed at www.forbestraveler.com/jsp/panel, and include: chef and restaurant owner Mario Batali; George Butterfield, Chairman of Butterfield & Robinson, stylist Frederic Fekkai; Today Show Travel Editor Peter Greenberg; Andrew Harper, Editor of Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report; Geoffrey Kent, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Abercrombie & Kent; Lisa Lindblad, President of Lisa Lindblad Travel Design; Rudy Maxa, Co-Executive Producer of National Public Radio's Savvy Traveler; Gregg Michel, President and COO of Crystal Cruises; Pallavi Shah, Chairperson of Our Personal Guest; and designer Adam Tihany.
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