2013 Best Hotels

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Mombo Camp and Little Mombo Camp,
Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Mombo Camp’s nine tents blend flawlessly into the open plain of the Okavango Delta while retaining a luxurious feel. Private balconies make for prime bird watching, and each tent features mosquito netting on four-poster beds and both indoor and outdoor showers. Tent No. 1, the farthest from the dining area, is the most tranquil.

Offering even more privacy are Little Mombo Camp’s three guest rooms, which are set apart and feature a private plunge pool. Raised walkways connect tents and allow rhinos, elephants, and other animals to wander freely through the camp. Relax with a postgame cocktail in Little Mombo’s treehouse-luxe library.






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Castello di Casole—A Timbers Resort,
Casole d’Elsa, Italy
A cypress-lined road leads to the rolling 4,200-acre Tuscan estate, whose castle dates back to the 10th century. The 41 rustic suites incorporate oil paintings and reclaimed terra cotta, while Essere Spa, originally the estate’s wine cellar, features seven treatment rooms and massages incorporating orange and basil essential oils.





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Singita Kruger National Park
South Africa
Two lavish lodges with treetop suites and riverside rooms make up this Singita property. The glass-walled Lebombo Lodge overlooks the plains and the Lebombo Mountain Range, while the Sweni Lodge is nestled among trees along the Sweni River. Join the twice-daily game drives and request a guided walk along the Mozambique border for a good chance of sighting of zebras, giraffes, and impalas.





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Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens
La Fortuna, Costa Rica
Travelers flock to this lush region for wildlife spotting, white-water rafting, and kayaking on Lake Arenal. Among the dozens of area properties, T+L readers are partial to the Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens. Dynamic owner Leo Ghitis has outfitted the 50 villas with spacious decks (some have hot tubs), plantation furniture, and avocado-colored walls. Nostalgia wine bar serves some of Latin America’s best vintages by the glass.





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Four Seasons Resort Bora-Bora,
French Polynesia
Overwater bungalows are the most enticing lodging option at this Four Seasons, yet it counts 107 different rooms scattered along the beachside and lagoon of its private motu (small islet). Walls are made of volcanic stone, and thatched-roofed spaces are decorated with teak and merbau-timber furnishings. All have extraordinary views over the turquoise-blue, coral-filled South Pacific—and some offer glimpses of the majestic black-rock peaks of Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia.






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The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs,
Matauri Bay, New Zealand
The 22-suite Lodge at Kauri Cliffs rests on 6,000 acres of picture-perfect rolling North Island countryside. While golf is the main draw, there are also two tennis courts, an infinity pool, and three secluded swimming beaches. The spa, regarded as one of the best in New Zealand, is in a native totara rainforest with indoor and outdoor fireplaces for chilly Kiwi days. Book the Owner’s Cottage for 4,200 square feet of space, two bedrooms and golf course views.





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Ritz-Carlton, Berlin
The Ritz-Carlton occupies a soaring Art Deco-inspired skyscraper near the Potsdamer Platz. Designed by Peter Silling, the 303 guest rooms—including 40 suites—are decorated with original Markus Luepertz watercolor paintings and plush fabrics in rich tones of gold, blue, and red. Dine on French cuisine at Brasserie Desbrosses, then head to the Curtain Club for premium cocktails.






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Oberoi Udaivilas
Udaipur, India
Designed in Mewari style, the Oberoi Udaivilas sits gracefully on its own 50-acre island near Udaipur. Check-in starts with a private boat ride past palaces on Lake Pichola, and a personal butler escorts guests to one of the 87 rooms and suites. While all 19 Premiere Rooms have private pools and terraces, the nine that face the hotel’s 40-acre-plus nature preserve offer wildlife spotting (peacocks; deer; wild boar) as well as views of the marble palaces of mainland Udaipur.





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Sabi Sabi Private Game Reserve
Kruger National Park Area, South Africa
At Bush Lodge, the flagship of Sabi Sabi's collection, courtyards surround sculptures created from uprooted trees and salvaged wood. The 25 thatched suites are decorated in earthy color schemes of cinnamon, cream, and sienna. Twice-daily game drives, firelight boma dinners, and spa treatments using marula tree, African potato, and aloe vera extracts keep parents occupied, while kids can enroll in the EleFun Centre, offering conservation activities and outdoor fun.





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Singita Sabi Sand
Kruger National Park Area, South Africa
Boulders Lodge is high-style rustic built into the landscape, while Ebony Lodge has a vintage safari feel. Private outdoor showers and well-stocked wine cellars come standard, while photography-focused safaris and cultural outings to a nearby village let you appreciate Kruger’s landscape and the local community. Book Ebony Lodge's Suite 1 for the best views of elephants bathing in the Sand River.


From: http://travel.yahoo.com/ideas/world-s-best-hotels--2013-210436390.html?page=2