I would vote for the Mena House Hotel in Cairo. Waking up with the pyramids clearly framed in your bedroom window is very memorable. Also the best bloodymary I've ever had.

for those of you who like Regent, Hong Kong.... have you tried Shangri-la Kowloon? not too far from Regent, but less crowded, IMO the decor is more elegant and their harbour view is also to die for...

they too pick you up in a Bently (advance reservation), and are staffed with all the A B C D E F G H I J.... service personnel...
their restaurant in the basement is one of the best i have tried in HK....

Shangrila Kowloon is one of the best hotels i have stayed in, also including:

- Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo
- Four Seasons, Singapore
- Four Seasons, Bali
- Grand Hyatt, Taipei
- Hotel Kempinski, Istanbul

which i would no doubt stay again....

I just love the "Hempel" in London with its absolutely breathtaking design. So, although the neighborhood isn't the best, my vote goes to the UK.

I agree, the "Pink Palace" is the best hotel I ever stayed in.

I have, by no means, stayed at a large enough number of hotels for my experience to be representative of anything... but in my humble experiences, my personal favorite hotel in the US is the St. Regis in New York City, and my favorite in the world is The Peninsula in Hong Kong. There's nothing like stuffy old luxury when you're in a big city... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I would have to go with the Regent in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The attentiveness and service is second to none. The resort is idyllic especially the rice paddies where employees actually do pick rice partially for the viewing pleasure of the guests as well as to donate to the needy.

The Princeville Resort on Kauai and Mauna Lani on the Big Island are also high on my list.

park hyatt Tokyo!

Trd;

Yes I agree with you; Park Hyatt Tokyo, particularly in terms of their most spectacular gym/pool/spa facilities perhaps in ther world.

You have to experience it to believe it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

oh yes i forgot, Park Hyatt, Tokyo!

The Peninsula Bangkok.

The fact that you can get a suite there for US125 doesn't hurt either...

USA: Ritz Carlton, Naples/Florida

WORLD: Cala di Volpe, Costa Smeralda, Sardegna/Italy

Best in the US: my vote goes to Salish Lodge, Snoqualmie Falls, WA. This place has it all: really special guest rooms (ours had a fireplace and a jacuzzi), first rate restaurant, fantastic views of the falls, a great health club, and top notch service.

Le Meridien Bora Bora gets my vote. Was there in early July. Beautiful landscaping, very good service. Beachside bungalows have a private lagoon to go swimming in (naked at night was like totally way cool!). Only 30 or so couples there at the time. Nudity on the beach was another nice feature http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Hotel Oriental, Bangkok

We went there on our honeymoon and were absolutely delighted by just about everything. (And we're pretty tough graders.)

I give a big "thumbs down" to the Peninsula in Hong Kong. We also stayed there on our honeymoon. Service was haphazard, our thermostat kept resetting itself to about 80, service in the restaurants was ABYSMAL, and all the staff seemed to think that it was all no problem because it was THE PENINSULA!

In the U.S. -- I vote for the Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel.

Just got back from the Grand Hyatt, Shanghai. Just over a year old, this hotel (at 88 stories) is an absolutely stunning site on the Shanghai skyline. Beautiful bar on 87 and supposedly the highest pool in the world. The pool gives one the effect that they will swim off of the edge of the building.

The rooms, food, and SERIVCE are right up there with all of the old favorites--with western style prices to match! Great car service to and from the new Pudong Airport, and a a staff that generally speaks a pretty good deal of English--which is great since my Mandarin is sorely lacking!