The Lodge at Sea Island in coastal Georgia slipped from the No. 1 to the No. 5 best hotel in this year's ranking of best hotels by U.S. News & World Report, the global authority in rankings and consumer advice.
The rankings evaluate more than 3,000 luxury hotels across the USA, the Caribbean (now including Havana, Cuba), Canada and Mexico.
In the new Best Hotels in the USA rankings, Chicago's The Langham jumped to No. 1, followed by Hawaii's Four Seasons Resort Hualalai at No. 2 and The Jefferson, Washington, DC at No. 3.
So why the drop for the Lodge at Sea Island?
Erin Shields, travel editor at U.S. News, said the four hotels that ranked higher than The Lodge at Sea Island received more awards in 2016 and 2017 than the Georgia-based property, meaning they had a higher score in the Awards & Recognition category of the methodology and therefore a higher overall score.
"With this Lodge, they have a lot of personalized services — 24-hour butler service for guest rooms," Shields told The AJC last year after the Lodge took the top spot. "A lot of travelers call out staff for being genuinely friendly and helpful. And then there's a bevy of amenities: In the warm months, you have the pool and the beach area and three golf courses and lots of restaurants on site. They have a lot of amenities for travelers that provides a resort experience even if it is in a smaller town in Georgia."
Outside of the U.S., Eden Rock – St. Barths is ranked as the Best Hotel in the Caribbean. The One&Only Palmilla takes the top spot for the Best Hotel in Mexico. For the fourth year in a row, the Ritz-Carlton, Montreal earns recognition as the Best Hotel in Canada.
The list of the "2017 Best Hotels" is based on thousands of independent reviews from individuals and travel industry experts worldwide and evaluates over 2,500 hotels across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. To qualify, a hotel must be a 4-, 4.5- or 5-star property with at least 20 or more rooms.
Credit: ST. REGIS ATLANTA
Credit: ST. REGIS ATLANTA
In Georgia, The Lodge at Sea Island is No. 1, followed by The Cloister at Sea Island, Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta at the No. 3 spot, and The St. Regis Atlanta in fourth spot.
Best hotel in Atlanta? That goes to Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta, according to the ranking.
