Yes, that is an excellent and exhaustive description you have provided, bhrubin^

As you note, it can get very subjective and there are outliers. In some cities like SF, by all accounts the St. Regis is vastly superior to the Ritz-Carlton, but in other locations it's the other way around for example.

In New York, the choice between the flagship StR and R-C Central Park is entirely subjective, as both properties are very good, just different.