Membership in Preferred is restricted to independently owned and managed, full-service luxury hotels, resorts and spas. Preferred considers top-caliber properties for membership that meet and exceed the high operational levels required by Preferred�s Standards of Excellence�, an award-winning, proprietary quality assurance audit that annually measures and monitors 1,600 aspects of a property�s service delivery and faculties. 

Prospective Preferred member hotels are evaluated on such elements as geographic location, building architecture and design, grounds and landscaping, interior design, guest rooms and common areas, bathroom features, staffing levels, food and beverage facilities, room service, engineering and safety, health and fitness facilities, business services, and conference/meeting facilities. 

�The addition of these three distinctive hotels furthers Preferred�s mission to stand apart from the large hotel chains while promoting and preserving the world�s unique independently owned and operated luxury hotels and resorts,� said Rob Cornell, Managing Director of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. �Now travelers in these key destinations can be guaranteed the experience of superior quality and service that they deserve.�

The newest Preferred member hotels are: 

Mosaic Hotel in Beverly Hills, California 
Reopened in January 2003 after extensive renovation, Mosaic Hotel the first full-service hotel to open in Beverly Hills in years. Located in the heart of the most upscale and exclusive section of Los Angeles, Mosaic Hotel is just steps away from the world famous shops and restaurants of Rodeo Drive. Reminiscent of a French Inn, the Hotel features 49 rooms and suites each appointed with the finest luxury furnishings including: Plush Frette� linens, goose down comforters, full-length body pillows, windows opening onto the gardens or quiet residential street, mini bar stocked with Wolfgang Puck signature items, BVLGARI� luxury bath products, an indulgent rain forest shower head, in-room stereo/CD player, high-speed Internet access, and an oversized work space with complimentary office supplies. Mosaic Hotel also offers a pool and fitness center open 24-hours a day. The beautiful pool and terrace can accommodate receptions, weddings or cocktail parties for up to 120 people. The restaurant at The Mosaic provides both indoor and outdoor seating while also creating a casual or formal ambiance to fit the guest�s needs. Drawing from influence from around the world, the restaurant serves cuisine in the Spanish tapas style, but with far more international diversity. 

Green Valley Ranch Resort & Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada
Only minutes from the glamour and action of the Las Vegas Strip, this 5-story resort situated on 40 acres of manicured lawns and trees is a sprawling oasis that is worlds apart. The hotel hosts 201 rooms, including 46 suites, in a Mediterranean style villa, many of which offer a panoramic view of the Las Vegas Valley and the Strip. Each room offers down comforters, in-room stereo/CD player, high-speed Internet access, plush terry robes, multi-line speaker phone with dataports, and doorbells with illuminated privacy signs. The Ranch includes a pool surrounded by a full-service bar, private divans, and a dozen cabanas with personal dipping pools. The European influenced 10,000 square foot spa with floor to ceiling glass windows and a spectacular waterfall, complete with over 20 different massage therapy options is a relaxing getaway from the desert sun. Guests can also enjoy the state-of-the-art fitness center, two tennis courts, amphitheater, and a 55,000 square foot casino that offers more than 2,000 slot and poker machines, and 53 gaming tables.  Additionally, groups can convene within 20,000 square feet of convention space equipped with seasoned meeting professionals to handle all details. Nine restaurants and bars offer guests a wide range of International cuisine designed to fit any palate.

Hotel Icon in Houston, Texas 
With its historic façade and classic-contemporary designed interiors, this newly restored 1911 bank building will provide an experience in opulence. Scheduled to open in December 2003, the hotel will offer individually tailored services and accommodations for both the corporate and leisure traveler. Located in the Downtown Houston Market Square District, the hotel enjoys pedestrian access to the Theater District and Market Square and is just minutes from the Minute Maid Ball Park, and the Houston Sports Arena. 135 custom designed guest retreats offer a variety of premium suite options including the signature Three-Story Presidential Suite with a private terrace over-looking the Downtown Houston Skyline. Room amenities also include: distinctive goose down comforters and custom handmade bed covers, large in-room Whirlpool garden tubs, illuminated make-up mirrors, imported bathroom products, high-speed Internet access, and 27-inch flat screen televisions. The state-of-the-art Executive Fitness center and exclusive Spa offering five different treatments is available only to hotel guests.
The hotel boasts over 3,000 square feet of fully wired event space with large picture panel windows and eye-catching design. The restaurant at Hotel Icon will offer the choicest meats and seafoods with the famed Chef Jean Georges Vongerichten�s twist. Guests can also dine at The Wine Vault or enjoy cocktails at �Whiskey Sky� located on the mezzanine level over-looking the lobby. 

Founded in 1968, Preferred Hotels® & Resorts Worldwide is a global brand of 120 of the world's finest individually owned and managed luxury hotels and resorts.