M.M. Cloutier
Three Palm Beach hotels are among Florida’s best — and one of them, the White Elephant, is among the top hotels around the globe, according to Travel + Leisure’s annual awards announced Tuesday.
The White Elephant, The Colony and the Four Seasons earned honors in the New York-based magazine’s 2022 World’s Best Awards, which are based on the results of an annual readers’ survey covering such topics as hotels, cruise lines, and U.S. and global destinations.
Award-winners reflect “excellence in hospitality” at a time when “travel continues to rebound and people are looking for new trip ideas and inspiration,” Travel + Leisure Editor-in-Chief Jacqui Gifford said.
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The White Elephant, which debuted in November of 2020 with 32 rooms and suites, earned positions in three categories.
It took the No. 1 spot in “The 15 Best Resorts in Florida” and ranked No. 2 in “The 15 Best Resorts in the Continental U.S.” (just behind No. 1 Pickering House Inn in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire). And in “100 Best Hotels in the World,” the White Elephant earned the No. 19 spot.
The trio of wins “is a true testament to our amazing team at the property for providing such memorable guest experiences,” said Khaled Hashem, president of White Elephant Resorts, which also includes five hotel properties in Nantucket, Massachusetts.
Opening a hotel in Palm Beach was a “first step into new markets (outside of Nantucket) and our focus was to ensure we introduced our time-honored traditions and service excellence,” Hashem said.
The Colony