Christina Jelski
Relating to resorts, one individual’s must-stay can simply be one other’s must-avoid. In any case, resorts and resorts are extremely subjective by their nature, and even concepts round what constitutes luxurious hospitality is a shifting goal today.
That does not forestall loads of publications from releasing annual lists of top-rated properties. Among the many newest of those rosters is an inventory from U.S. Information & World Report, which, although higher identified for its high-profile listing of faculty rankings, has been publishing a lineup of greatest resorts since 2011.
Launched in early February, U.S. Information’ greatest resorts of 2023 ranks luxurious properties throughout quite a few international locations, areas and locations, together with the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe.
However for journey advisors, the usefulness of such lists may be questionable.
“I have a look at all these lists and rankings, however I do take it with a grain of salt,” stated Cindy Salik, a luxurious journey advisor with New York-based Embark Collective.
I requested Salik what she considered the U.S. Information listing. Did a superb portion of the lineup overlap together with her personal prime picks? Have been there any selections that she discovered puzzling? Any evident omissions?
When it got here to the No. 1 U.S. lodge, Salik agreed that the top-ranked Acqualina Resort & Residences in Miami’s Sunny Isles Seaside was a stable choose. Likewise, within the Caribbean, two of Salik’s favorites — Anguilla’s Cap Juluca, a Belmond Lodge and Jumby Bay Island on Antigua, which is a part of the Oetker Assortment — additionally topped the class for U.S. Information.
Salik stated that U.S. Information’ frontrunners for greatest all-inclusive resorts in Mexico — the Grand Velas Los Cabos and Grand Velas Riviera Nayarit — had been consistent with Grand Velas’ standing as her purchasers’ most well-liked model inside the luxurious all-inclusive area.
However Salik did take situation with a number of of the listing’s picks, with properties like Hawaii’s Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Assortment, Jade Mountain Resort on St. Lucia and the Tortuga Bay Puntacana Resort & Membership within the Dominican Republic putting far greater on the U.S. Information roster than they might on her personal private listing.
That the British Virgin Islands’ Rosewood Little Dix Bay did not crack the highest 50 among the many greatest Caribbean resorts was additionally a miss, in line with Salik.
In locations, Salik largely agreed with a lodge’s rating however felt there was an vital caveat that ought to be disclosed to purchasers previous to reserving. Within the case of the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina, which ranked because the fourth-best lodge within the U.S., Salik stated she thought it vital to say that some might take into account the resort’s lodging overdue for a refresh.
“However each different facet of the lodge is excellent,” Salik stated. “The seashore is gorgeous. The pool is gorgeous. The golf programs are superb. And the service is admittedly good. However I’d wish to be forthcoming [that the] lodge wants some renovation.”
One other aspect that probably undermines the listing’s utility is that U.S. Information says as a part of its methodology it considers “general buyer satisfaction expressed in on-line visitor evaluations of luxurious resorts and resorts supplied by Tripadvisor.”
“Tripadvisor is a mass-market [platform], so it is most likely the improper place to be pulling luxurious lodge buyer satisfaction from,” stated Salik. “These lists is likely to be useful to youthful folks simply beginning to journey or to those that wish to do it themselves, however for the posh journey advisor, I do not really feel these lists are too worthwhile to me. I love to do my very own analysis, go to the properties myself and actually do my very own due diligence in rating resorts for my purchasers.”
