Atlanta's Four Seasons and Sea Island's Cloister and Lodge have retained their status as the best hotels in the state, according to the Forbes Travel Guide.
The guide on Tuesday released its annual ranking of the best lodging in the nation, awarding the trio its top rating of five stars.
"We are very excited," Four Seasons General Manager Dan Normandin said. "You don't take these things for granted, ever."
Receiving four stars: the InterContinental Buckhead, the Rosewood Hotel at the Mansion on Peachtree, the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, the St. Regis Atlanta and the Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro.
The Georgian Room at Sea Island is the state's only five-star restaurant, according to the rankings. Restaurants receiving four stars are Bacchanalia, Park 75 at the Four Seasons Atlanta and Quinones at Bacchanalia.
The Cloister Spa received five stars, while four stars went to 29 Spa at the Rosewood, Remede Spa at the St. Regis and the Reynolds Plantation Spa at the Ritz-Carlton Lodge.
Forbes' rankings are coveted by operators of hotels, restaurants and spas because they distinguish their properties from their peers. The rankings can boost sales among travelers who make decisions based on Forbes' assessments.
The five-star rankings stand out in particular for the Lodge and the Cloister after the builder of the properties, Sea Island Co., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Aug. 10.
Sea Island Co., in an effort to further its upscale ascension, sunk millions into renovations at the hotels and other holdings. But just as the company finished its work, the nation's real estate bubble burst and travelers pulled back.
Luxury hotels were further hurt in 2008 by the so-called "AIG effect," a phrase coined when executives from the insurance giant held a posh meeting at an upscale resort while being bailed out by taxpayers. The ensuing backlash made luxury properties kryptonite for business travelers, the bread and butter of that hotel segment.
Most of Sea Island Co.'s assets, including the two hotels, were bought in a bankruptcy auction by an investment group, which includes out-of-state investors Oaktree Capital Management, Avenue Capital Group, Starwood Capital and Anschutz Corp.
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