Travel+Leisure’s ‘World’s Best Awards’ spotlights 5 California resorts

Resorts and hotels star on Travel + Leisure’s recently released “World’s Best Awards” list. The awards, which include categories for hotels, resorts, cruise ships, cities and more, are based on the opinions of nearly 165,00 readers.

For the resort category, they were asked to rate not only the beauty of the property, but its location, service and food. So it’s not surprising that the top 15 are situated in some of the nation’s most picturesque places. There are Nantucket and Cape Cod splendors, California wine country inns and skier-loved mountain lodges.

Five California hotels took honors on the list, starting with Napa Valley’s Stanly Ranch at No. 2. The Auberge Resorts Collection property opened last year on a historic 712-acre estate. Also open just a year, Healdsburg’s The Madrona (No. 13) has transformed a 19th century mansion and carriage house into a 21st century boutique hotel. Forestville’s serene Farmhouse Inn came in at No. 14.

And in Southern California, Rancho Valencia (No. 7) in Rancho Santa Fe and San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara round out the list.

Here’s the top 15. Find the full rundown in the August issue of Travel + Leisure and online at www.travelandleisure.com

Travel + Leisure’s 15 favorite U.S. Resorts

1 Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Resorts, Park City, Utah

2 Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts, Napa

3 Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts, Aspen, Colorado

4 Quisisana Resort, Lovell, Maine

5 Hotel Walloon, Walloon Lake, Michigan

6 Madeline Hotel and Residences, Auberge Resorts, Telluride, Colorado

7 Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, Rancho Santa Fe, California

8 Wylder Windham, Windham, New York

9 Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Montana

10 The Wauwinet, Nantucket, Massachusetts

11 Candleberry Inn, Brewster, Massachusetts

12 Pickering House Inn, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

13 The Madrona, Healdsburg, California

14 Farmhouse Inn, Forestville, California

15 San Ysidro Ranch, Santa Barbara, California