How Many Have You Visited?

[omegaet]

Have any of you had an opportunity to review the Conde Nast Traveler Best In The World List for this year:

http://www.cntraveler.com/readers-choice-awards

We're impressed with the number of high ranking hotels that Luxury Link has already made available for auctions at deeply discounted prices.

Anyone notice any of their favorites on the lists?

[[email protected]]

I have been to some of the ones in Central & South America and Mexico, however, I do not always agree with what they list as these lists are usually so subjective - most of these lists are based on votes by regular travelers. I like lists that are done by experts since their criteria tends to be a bit different than a regular travelers criteria.
To each their own!

[kapper]

[email protected], you raise some interesting points. Regular travelers vs. experts? How do you differentiate between those two categories? I know the TSA has different security lines designated for Expert Travelers, Frequent Travelers and Families.

I read this same article in Conde Nast Traveler and noticed the selections were based on input from 46,476 readers. I would have to believe many or at least some of their respondents were experienced well traveled individuals.

I sometimes question the opinions of self anointed travel experts. Is it someone who is paid or otherwise compensated to express their opinions. Let's take someone like Peter Greenberg, who willingly writes about travel, does travel spots for TV and even has a travel special now and then. He claims to be a Travel Expert. Maybe. Let's just say he is a frequent traveler who is compensated to express his opinions.

Or maybe take someone like Wendy Perrin, who is a prolific travel writer. I feel that all opinions, travel, film, food, books, whatever, are subjective. You like this and I like that, maybe they are the same or maybe they are different, I get it.

Reviews and or opinions generally come from an individual perspective of the subject being reviewed. So I guess, in my mind, even someone who claims to be an expert, is just expressing an opinion and in doing so, they may be no more valid that the opinion of someone who may be a regular traveler.

Anyway, getting back to the original point.

Share, if you don't mind, your definition of a regular traveler vs. an expert.

Thanks.

[omegaet]

Looking at the Conde Nast Traveler list for hotels in South America, it's interesting to note Luxury Link is currently offering auction packages at 3 of the Top 20:

Caesar Park Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires, Argentina - Hotel Travel Deals | Luxury Link

Alvear Palace Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina - Hotel Travel Deals | Luxury Link

http://www.luxurylink.com/fivestar/hotels/cusco-peru/hotel-monasterio?pkid=263456&ppid=20178&len=3&pdpcontrol test=1

We've only stayed at one of the properties, but we did enjoy having tea in one of the others. However, we stay at the number one ranked property, thanks to a credit card promotion:

Palacio Duhau-Park Hyatt Buenos Aires: Argentina Resorts : Condé Nast Traveler

We hope Luxury Link continues to seek out offer destinations and properties valued by other travelers and we'll continue to try and bid for them at the minimum offered prices.

[[email protected]]

Usually an expert (in this case I would say it is someone working for a magazine, etc. who is paid to do reivews of different hotels, etc.) in my opinion, this person would be looking at things that a regular traveler (like you and me) does not necessarily look at, however, there could be crossover between the two types in general areas like cleanliness, customer service, quality of the food. I find that when I read reviews by regular travelers on, for example, Trip Advisor, most of the reviewers who complain (I usually look at the bad reviews on TA to see what exactly the complaint is or why they gave a bad review) are giving the negatives to things like - no air conditioning, they thought the restaurant was expensive I would ask expensive compared to what?, there was no TV in the room, no internet access in the room - stuff like this which to me (maybe not to others) are things that do not warrant a bad review - of course, these types of things depend on the location of the property - if you go to an eco resort or someplace in the jungle do you reallly expect to have air conditioning or a TV - I know I don't!
Although I am not in need of as much "luxury" as others ;-)

[LL_Travelfan]

Thanks to LL we have stayed in a number of top-ranked luxury properties in Europe and the United States at excellent rates that included quite a few extras. I echo Omegaet, "We hope Luxury Link continues to seek out offer destinations and properties valued by other travelers and we'll continue to try and bid for them at the minimum offered prices."
Keep up the good work LL!

[jsattapr2]

I tend to seek out opinions from regular travelers although I do read article from self proclaimed experts. The web is filled with travel bloggers and I find about 50% or maybe more of what is written is recycled basic travel information.

For me, I am interested in what experienced regular day to day travelers have to say. As for TA, I find a lot of first time or inexperienced travelers, mixed in with more experienced travelers, providing reviews. Sometimes, reading these inexperienced reviews provide no help to me.

I am always interested to see what appears in the annual Conde Nast Traveler Best In The World List.

I am equally impressed that we have available here at Luxury Link a number of the top properties ranked in the 2012 list.

Sales team, please keep up the excellent job so I can selfishly sample the good life from time to time.

[lorrainec]

I have stayed at the Langdon Hall Country House & Spa in Cambridge, ON and see that it is ranked at number 15 on the Conde Nast Top 100 Hotels & Resorts list. I loved this hotel and really wish that LL would offer it again.

Langdon Hall Country House Hotel & Spa in Cambridge, Canada - Hotel Travel Deals | Luxury Link

[ngallag]

I love scouring these lists-I've found that they're generally reliable and I've found some great new hotels from them as well as the classics.

The only one I've stayed at is The Cloister--one of the classics. I'm planning this year for Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole as well as Rosewood San Miguel.

[LL_Travelfan]

Sounds like a couple of nice trips you are planning. Jackson Hole and the Grand Tetons are breathtaking. San Miguel is wonderful too.