Who’s in the running to win this year’s Virtuoso’s Best of the Best awards?

The nominees for Virtuoso’s Best of the Best awards recognising the global industry’s top hotels and hoteliers are out, but how did Australian properties fare?

Boasting more than 1,000 hotels, resorts, villas, and private-island retreats in 100 countries within the group’s Hotels & Resorts programme, including more five-star properties than any other travel organisation, Virtuoso have named the top 50 which are in the running to win a coveted gong at year’s awards.

Winners will be revealed during the 27th annual Virtuoso Travel Week event to be held in August in Las Vegas.

“Although it is never easy selecting this year’s Best of the Best nominees from among our valued portfolio, just garnering a nomination is an achievement in itself. We’re pleased to announce the 50 partners that specifically excel in a number of categories from design and culinary to innovative guest experience and spa,” Virtuoso, senior vice president, global products partnerships, Albert Herrera said.

Here’s the full list of nominees:

Best Achievement in Design

1. Mandarin Oriental,Taipei, Taiwan
2. The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto,Japan
3. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort,Vietnam
4. Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam,Netherlands
5. Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills,Japan

Best Culinary Experience

1. View, Flames & Cellar Door,Four Seasons Hotel The Westcliff, Johannesburg, South Africa
2. Ducasse, Hotel Plaza Athenee,Dorchester Collection, Paris, France
3. The Krug Room,Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, China
4. Epicure,Le Bristol Paris, France
5. The Dining Room,Wheatleigh, Lennox, Massachusetts, USA

Best Bar

1. The Jazz Bar,Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai, China
2. Tower Bar,Sunset Tower Hotel, Los Angeles, California, USA
3. Connaught Bar,Connaught, London, UK
4. The Long Bar,Raffles Hotel Singapore, Singapore
5. The Bar,Baccarat New York, New York, USA

Best Family Program

1. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort,Florida, USA
2. “Ritz Kids,” The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage,California, USA
3. “Kijana Kids Club,”Four Seasons Safari Lodge, Serengeti, Tanzania
4. “The Kite Flyers Club,” The St. Regis Bali Resort, Bali, Indonesia
5. Claridge’s,London, UK

Best Spa

1. Dolder Grand Spa, The Dolder Grand,Zürich, Switzerland
2. Sense, A Rosewood Spa,Rosewood Mayakoba, Rivera Maya, Mexico
3. Vinotherapie Spa, Les Sources de Caudalie,Martillac, France
4. Gaia Retreat & Spa,New South Wales, Australia
5. Jiva Spa Boat, Taj Lake Palace,Udaipur, India

Most Innovative Guest Experience

1. Corcovado Experience,Belmond Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2. Cloud Biking,Mashpi Lodge, Mashpi Reserve, Ecuador
3. Curiosity Retreats, Gateway Canyons Resort,Colorado, USA
4. Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa,Dubai, UAE
5. The Peninsula Beverly Hills,California, USA

Sustainable Tourism Leadership

1. Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel,Peru
2. Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California, USA
3. The Brando,French Polynesia
4. The Peninsula Tokyo,Japan
5. UXUA Casa Hotel and Spa,Trancosco, Brazil

One to Watch

1. The Chedi Andermatt,Switzerland
2. Lizard Island,Cairns, Australia
3. Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard,London, UK
4. La Reserve Paris,France
5. Rosewood Beijing,China

Hotel of the Year

1. Ashford Castle,County Mayo, Galway, Ireland
2. The Oberoi Udaivilas,Udaipur, India
3. Finca Cortesin Hotel, Golf & Spa, Andalucia, Spain
4. Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin,Germany
5. One&Only Palmilla, San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico

Hotelier of the Year

1. Antonio Sersale,Le Sirenuse, Positano, Italy
2. George Cohen,Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa, Johannesburg, South Africa
3. Martein van Wagenberg,Le Guanahani, Saint Barthelemy
4. Samuel Leizorek,Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Mexico City, Mexico
5. Giuseppe Lama,The Resort at Pelican Hill, Newport Coast, California, USA

Image: Telegraph.co.uk