Zagat guide ranks 3 Chicago hotels in top 10

NEW YORK (AP) -- Chicago's Peninsula, Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton hotels snagged three of the top 10 spots in the Zagat Survey's 2005 guide to "Top U.S. Hotels, Resorts & amp; Spas," released Nov. 1.
The top 10 list included three other Four Seasons hotels, in New York, Philadelphia and Las Vegas. Also on the list were the Beverly Hills Peninsula, Miami's Mandarin Oriental, New Orleans' Windsor Court and the Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas.
Hawaii was a big winner on Zagat's list of best resorts, with the Four Seasons Hualalai on the Big Island, the Four Seasons at Wailea on Maui and the Lodge at Loele in Lanai among the top 10. The Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Fla., the Four Seasons Aviara in Carlsbad, Calif., the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando, the Inn at Spanish Bay in Pebble Beach, Calif., the Stein Eriksen Lodge in Park City, Utah, the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., and the Royal Palms in Phoenix, Ariz., also won top honors.
Disney was a big winner among best places for families to stay, with Animal Kingdom, BoardWalk Inn and Grand Floridian in Orlando and the Grand Californian in Los Angeles snaring the top four spots. Also on the list for families were the Fairmont Kea Lani in Maui, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess in Arizona, the Grand Hyatt in Seattle, the Hershey in Hershey, Pa., the Hilton Waikoloa on Hawaii's Big Island, and Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Like all Zagat guides, the hotel book is based on reviews from the public. More than 16,000 people who spent an average of 36 nights a year in hotels sent in reviews for the guide, which sells for $14.95.
The book also provides recommendations for hotels with fine dining, extraordinary beaches and other amenities along with various top 100 lists and reviews of individual facilities.
To join the corps of Zagat reviewers, visit www.zagat.com.