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Top 10 Hotels: International Business
 1. Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris
CL readers love the blend of old-world style and modern-age technology that lifts the Four Seasons George V above the pack. Amid the antiques and marble, meeting rooms are equipped with WiFi and fax on request, and services such as photocopying and delivery are available through the business center. The hotel will supply cellphones, computers, pagers, and printers on request. Guestrooms provide ample work space and the hotel’s Michelin-starred Le Cinq restaurant is an invitation that impresses. (800) 332-3442 or 011-33-1-49-52-7000, www.fourseasons.com/paris
2. The Peninsula Hong Kong
The Peninsula takes the chaos out of a visit to bustling Hong Kong, arranging helicopter transfers from the airport to the hotel or one of its 14 new Rolls-Royce Phantoms to ferry guests around town. In addition to state-of-the-art meeting rooms, unique party venues include a garden terrace with views of Victoria Harbor. A staff nutritionist consulting with the chefs has created light and healthy dishes that keep business travelers in peak shape on the road. 011-852-2920-2888, www.peninsula.com
3. The Dorchester, London
Two offices are fully equipped to fulfill business needs, but guests laud the harder to quantify: a warm reception from a staff that notes likes and dislikes, preparing rooms accordingly. 011-44-20-7629-8888, www.thedorchester.com
4. St. Regis Grand Hotel, Rome
Rome’s grand St. Regis blends old-fashioned service and modern technology by equipping butlers with wireless handhelds for instantaneous requests. (888) 625-5144 or 011-39-06-47091, www.stregis.com/grandrome
5. Grand Hyatt Shanghai
The highest hotel in the world, on the 53rd to 87th floors, provides panoramic views over the financial district as well as generous work space. 011-86-21-5049-1234, www.shanghai.grand.hyatt.com
6. The Stafford, London
The new 26-suite expansion Stafford Mews contains plasma TVs, iPod docking stations, American outlets, as well as English antiques. 011-44-207-493-0111, www.thestaffordhotel.co.uk
7. Four Seasons Hotel Milano
This hotel issues portable phones and a dedicated phone number throughout guest stays. To come: a new spa, pool, and guestroom WiFi. (800) 819-5053 or 011-39-02-77088, www.fourseasons.com/milan
8. Hotel Ritz Madrid
The ornate lobby of the Hotel Ritz Madrid was recently restored, and tech upgrades include WiFi throughout the property. 011- 34-91-701-6767, www.ritzmadrid.com
9. Four Seasons Hotel Toronto
Newly renovated and spacious Yorkville Suites provide space for working that includes conference-call-ready phone and fax, as well as ample room for entertaining. (800) 819-5053 or (416) 964-0411, www.fourseasons.com/toronto
10. Sofitel Rio de Janeiro
By year end this well-located, contemporary hotel with views of Copacabana beach will contain new luxury bedding, plasma TVs, and WiFi. 011-55-21-2525-1232, www.sofitel.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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