Appearing in Conde Nast Traveler's January 1999 issue, the Gold List is determined via the magazine's Reader's Choice Poll. 37,000 readers voted in this year's poll.

"Conde Nast Traveler's readers are among the world's most sophisticated travelers," said Barry S. Sternlicht, Chairman and CEO of Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. "Starwood is proud that such a discerning group chose so many of our hotels as the best of the best. It is a wonderful endorsement that has, and should continue to influence travel decisions.

"Starwood Preferred Guest, our new frequency program which launches on February 4 and will replace Sheraton Club International and Westin Premier, will allow customers of all our brands -- Westin, Sheraton, Four Points, St. Regis/Luxury Collection, W and Caesars -- to redeem their travel awards at these luxury hotels, representing some of the most spectacular properties around the globe. This is an enormous competitive advantage -- one that no other hotel company in existence can match," Mr. Sternlicht said. 

Four Starwood brands earned Gold List honors. 23 of The Luxury Collection's 56 hotels were named to the Gold List, followed by 20 Westin Hotels Resorts; six Sheraton Hotels Resorts; and Caesars Palace, the flagship of the Caesars gaming brand.

Starwood's Gold List winners are as follows:

•     47 Park Street, London
•     Trianon Palace, Versailles
•     The Westin Casuarina Resort, Grand Cayman
•     The Westin Nova Scotian
•     Las Brisas, Acapulco
•     The Westin Regina Resort, Los Cabos
•     The Westin Brisas Resort, Ixtapa
•     Caesar Park Cancun Beach  Golf Resort
•     The Westin Regina Resort, Puerto Vallarta
•     The Westin Alyeska Prince
•     The Westin Fairfax, Wash. DC
•     The Westin Innisbrook Resort
•     Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
•     Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel
•     Maui Prince Hotel, Makena Resort
•     The Westin Maui
•     The Westin Copley Place, Boston
•     The Westin Central Park South
•     The Westin Resort Hilton Head Island
•     Turnberry Hotel, Golf Courses  Spa

•     Sheraton Salzburg Hotel
•     Hotel Villa Cipriani
•     Sheraton Ixtapa Resort
•     Sheraton Towers, Singapore
•     Royal Orchid Sheraton, Bangkok
•     Sheraton Royal Denarau Resort

•     Hotel Goldener Hirsch, Salzburg
•     Hotel Bristol, Vienna
•     Hotel Imperial, Vienna
•     Prince de Galles, Paris
•     Grand Hotel, Florence
•     Hotel Excelsior, Rome
•     Hotel Gritti Palace, Venice
•     Hotel Danieli, Venice
•     Sheraton Algarve
•     Hotel Alfonso XIII, Seville
•     The Phoenician, Scottsdale
•     St. Regis, Aspen
•     Orchid at Mauna Lani
•     Princeville Resort, Kauai
•     The Royal Hawaiian, Waikiki
•     The Lodge at Koele, Lana'i
•     Manele Bay Hotel, Lana'i
•     St. Regis, New York
•     Luxury Collection Hotel, Houston
•     Sheraton Laguna Nusa Dua, Bali
•     Sheraton Mirage Gold Coast
•     Sheraton Mirage, Port Douglas
•     The Carlton, Wash. DC

•     Caesars Palace