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Top 10 Caribbean Hotels
 1. Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas
Celebrated Living’s Caribbean champ, Atlantis enraptures readers with lavish attractions including a new 63-acre water park called Aquaventure, where slides drop 50 feet and an 11-acre dolphin habitat enchants. Adult-friendly improvements include the new Balinese-style Mandara Spa, a restaurant from top toque Bobby Flay (Nobu and Jean-Georges are already here), and a sleek new 600-oversize-room-resort called The Cove where the $15,000-per-night penthouse occupies the top two floors. (800) 285-2684 or (242) 363-3000, www.atlantis.com
2. The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Fresh from a $40 million renovation, St. Thomas’ Ritz is the first in the sea to boast a Prada Spa complete with chic treatment rooms and luxury skin care. All 180 guestrooms were redecorated and the new 55 Club-level suites include rain showers, soaking tubs, and private balconies with unobstructed ocean views. Three new restaurants span every appetite from refined to street-casual. (800) 241-3333 or (340) 775-3333, www.ritzcarlton.com
 3. Four Seasons Resort Nevis, West Indies
Forty Four Seasons villas are now some of the most elegant rentals on Nevis. Game guests can catch lobster and cook it with the chef. Seen: Hugh Jackman, Christopher Meloni. (800) 332-3442 or (869) 469-1111, www.fourseasons.com/nevis
4. The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel, Spa & Casino, Puerto Rico
Two top Manhattan restaurants, BLT Steak and Il Mulino, recently fired up off-shore stoves here. (800) 241-3333 or (787) 253-1700, www.ritzcarlton.com
5. El Conquistador Resort & Golden Door Spa, Puerto Rico
New high-speed luxury catamarans take guests offshore to the beach on Palomino Island. David Rockwell designed the resort’s new meat-centric Strip House, and famed designer Robert Barry planned an ultrachic rooms redo. (866) 317-8932 or (787) 863-1000, www.elconresort.com
6. Caneel Bay, A Rosewood Resort, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
New at this well-loved resort: Qi Gong and Taoist Inner-Chi Yoga for harmony seekers at the spa, and high-tech “geocaching” treasure hunts for the family on the beach. (888) 767-3966 or (340) 776-6111, www.caneelbay.com
7. Little Dix Bay, A Rosewood Resort, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Part of a $25 million refresher, 16 added Rosewood junior suites and three hilltop villas feature indigenous materials with exquisite outdoor showers. (888) 767-3966 or (284) 495-5555, www.littledixbay.com
8. Half Moon, Rose Hall, Jamaica
Innovations here include night golf on illuminated fairways, a children’s play space, and a massive spa (68,000 square feet) with six spa beachfront suites. (866) 648-6951 or (876) 953-2211, www.halfmoon.com
9. Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic
The newly remodeled El Pescador restaurant serves Le Cirque-inspired cuisine prepared by a chef from the Maccioni family’s famous Le Cirque restaurant in New York. Recent guests include Salma Hayek. (800) 877-3643 or (305) 856-5405, www.casadecampo.com.do
10. The Ritz-Carlton Golf & Spa Resort, Rose Hall, Jamaica
With a $15 million redo underway, Jamaica’s Ritz sports new paintings, updated meeting rooms, and a lounge. To come later this summer: remodeled rooms, including plasma TVs with DVD players. (800) 241-3333 or (876) 953-2800, www.ritzcarlton.com
Mainland U.S. | Hawaii | Canada | Mexico/Central America/South America | Caribbean | Europe | Asia | Africa | Australia/New Zeland/South Pacific | U.S. Business | International | Business | Family Resorts | Editor's Picks
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The Platinum List
Isn’t
it great to hear firsthand from a friend about a wonderful travel
experience, complete with tips on where to stay and where to play?
Welcome to the ever-popular Celebrated Living
Readers’ Choice Platinum List, which is like having more than 38,000
friends share their travel preferences in one superb best-of-the-best
list. And what a list it is: 130 luxury hotels, 48 legendary golf
courses, 26 sumptuous spas, and 10 top cruise lines.
Two
highlights of the survey, for me, actually take the form of statistics
— we received 10 percent more entries than last year, and a whopping 79
percent more of you reported you read Celebrated Living regularly. As editor, that’s music to my ears.
For your eyes, our Platinum List has a handsome new design, courtesy of CL’s
talented art director Marilyn Calley. The pages are fresh, engaging,
and filled with images that will make you say “I want to go there,” or,
also fun, “We’ve been there and loved it!” As one reader commented,
“These picks are a mix of places already visited and those I dream of
visiting.” See for yourself, beginning with a handy pullout compilation
list on page 49.
 Of
course, we wanted to entice and reward you for taking the time to weigh
in with your outstanding travel knowledge. Grand Prize winner Henry de
Lagarde is glad he participated. He was randomly chosen to win a
two-year lease on a 2007 Lincoln MKX, MKZ, or Navigator (he chose the
MKZ and is pictured with it here), and 500,000 American Airlines
AAdvantage miles. Ten Second Prize winners received 50,000 miles each.
Quite an incentive, I’d say.
We hope you’ll agree that the rest
of this summer issue is as entertaining and enlightening as the
Platinum List. There’s a feature story on Heidi Klum, a look at
chartering fabulous yachts, five great summer motorcycle rides and
several bikes to enjoy them with, a tour of several cool European
castles, and more. Or, for those weekends when you want to just sit
back and enjoy your own backyard, check out our cocktail story, with
recipes perfect for poolside sipping — and for contemplating where
you’d like to go next.
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