Jen

I see that Conde Nast magazine has voted Maui the best island for the eight year in a row. What do you like best about Maui?

A

I don't put a lot of stock in what Conde Nasty says. I think most places featured in that magazine advertise with them or do some other "greased palm" tricks. Plus they are $300+ a night or more in most cases so they DAMN WELL BETTER be nice.

Jack

Actually "A", I've stayed at a lot of the hotels listed in the various Top 100 and Gold Lists in CN Traveler. I can verify that the rankings are loosely reliable. That is, there aren't any ranked places which obtained their ranking simply by 'greasing palms' and not being legitimate.
That said, I know from experience that some of the rankings are either from readers who are going by memories from years past, or who haven't done a lot of comparing. The Ritz Chicago is again in the top 5 hotels in the world this year. It was in the top 5 in the world IMO 10 years ago. It's most definitely not now. Same with the Four Seasons Nevis. Nice place, but not the second best hotel in the world.
But overall, the CN lists are useful references.

Linda

Never been there, so can't answer your question, but.....have been a Conde Nast subscriber for 10+ years. Love the mag (gets my travel juices flowing) but it's definitely geared to very upscale travelers. My overall impression is that their idea of a budget property to stay at is a room at $160.00/night w/only limited concierge service. Definitely outa my league, so I can't take any of their rankings seriously as relevant to my travel life.

Now if A. Frommers were to do a "10 best list".....

Al

I agree 100% with Linda. Let Frommers do a best 100 list. I used to have a subscription to Conde Nast, but I believe it's written for a select bunch of people who like to spend $500.00 a night for lodging---or maybe I'm wrong. If I wanted to spend that much for lodging, I wouldn't need Condy Nasty to tell me where to spend my dough.

John

Conde Nast is indeed for upscale travelers and I rarely take advantage of their suggestions. It's a beautiful magazine, however, and I still enjoy reading it.

xxx

I wonder if the conde Nast vote is the kiss of death. I stayed at a beach this past summer repeatedly voted as the best beach in the U.S and world. Well guess what that distinction has caused many people to move in the area. Just 3 years later and it is built up beyond belief. I frequented this beach before it was top listed by conde naste. No I don't want to hurt the economy of that area so I won't be more specific about location. Glad Maui earned this distinction this gives the rest of us some more enjoyment years on Kauai and the Big Island.

wendy

I love Maui! It's my favorite Island in Hawaii. I love the restaurants, the shopping, swimming with turtles, snorkeling at Molikini, watching whales, etc, etc. I have stayed both ont he Lahaina side and the KieHae (spelling?) and love them both!

Ed

Al:
Just for the sake of discussion, if you DID have the desire and means to spend $500 a night for lodging, where would you look for advice about where to spend your $$ ?
If you know of other good sources in addition to Conde Nast and this forum (in addition to the basic guides at the local bookstore), I'd be interested in knowing what they are.

wendy

I stayed at the Four Season's Wailea in Feb. and it was a DREAM!! We got to stay for free but if I was going to shell out cash I would give it to them!!

mark

Maui is a wonderful place to travel whether you have $300+ a night to spend or not. The upscale resorts are awesome, but all of the beaches and sights are open to anyone and most of Maui's best features happen to be free - the ocean the sunsets, the people. So don't knock Maui just because you do not like the magazine. It really is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Even for a cheapskate like myself.

Linda

Ed, you're right: if I had the money to spend $500.00 a night on a hotel, Conde Naste would definitely be where I'd go for advice on where to spend it.

But no - I'm wrong - we don't look right or dress right or talk right or eat/drink right to stay in those kind of places (too middle class, so sorry). Even with the money, I still wouldn't fit in. Guess I'll have to stick w/A. Frommers and this forum for my travel recommendations.....

Al

To Ed
Do you think Bill Gates would read Conde Nast if he wanted to go somewhere?

mauigirl

Maui no ka oi!

Everything is great here. Beautiful weather, beaches, great food & fun! That's why I moved here 10 years ago and have never left!

Jack

Al:
I agree with your original comment about CNT. It's not for the average traveller. They never feature a Marriott hotel or report on the best cuisine in Des Moines.
But my point is that there are lots of travellers (business and leisure) who spend the kinds of dollars you mentioned on lodging, but hardly employ personal travel consultants.
The best hotels in the US run very high occupancies. There are plenty of people out there with the $$ to spend who plan their travel pretty much like everyone else.
So where do those people look for info? Places like CNT are a good start.
Just because someone chooses to save money for nice vacations doesn't mean they have to be a Vanderbilt or Rockefeller.
And by coincidence, since you mentioned Gates, we stayed at a resort in Australia last year while he was there with his family...one I read about in CNT...and my income didn't even reach nine figures last year.
But for many people, sources like CNT may help them plan a once in a lifetime trip, or simply provide their imaginations a brief vacation to someplace exotic. But, no, it's not really a mainstream magazine.

Allen

Agree with you Jack! And, many people that I know are NOT that wealthy either, but absolutely insist on staying at a high end hotel/resort for their vacation after scrimping and saving all year!

Fly boy

As someone who has traveled all over the world, from Gettysburg to Mount Everest, I think Conde Nast Traveler is one to the worst travel magazine in print. It is editorially sparse, profuse on advertisements. It is a poseur, not something the true travel cognoscenti read.