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California hotel tops the best U.S. hotel list

Four of the top 10 U.S. hotels are new to the list

CNN  — 

Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa took the top U.S. spot in U.S. News & World Report’s fifth annual “Best Hotels of 2015” list.

The first-place Rancho Santa Fe, California, resort was followed by the Lodge at Sea Island in Georgia in second place; the Inn at Palmetto Bluff in South Carolina (third place); The Allison Inn & Spa in Oregon (fourth place); and Four Seasons Hotel Seattle in Washington (fifth place).

The magazine’s annual rankings list more than 2,500 hotels across the United States, Caribbean, Mexico and Canada.

“We’re taking the guesswork out of finding a great hotel,” said Erin Shields, travel editor for U.S. News, in a press statement. “The Best Hotels of 2015 represent the top properties recognized by experts.”

California also took the top spot with the most ranked hotels in the United States, while New York City had the highest concentration of ranked hotels among U.S. cities.

The rest of the top hotels in the United States are The Langham, Chicago; The Grand Del Mar in California, The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician in Arizona; Four Seasons Hotel Chicago; and The Jefferson in Washington, D.C. Of the bottom half of the top 10, all of the hotels except the Grand Del Mar are new to the list.

The best hotel in the Caribbean is Eden Roc at Cap Cana in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Mexico’s top hotel is Las Ventanas al Paraiso; and the Ritz-Carlton, Montreal, is the top Canadian hotel.

The U.S. News Best Hotels rankings are developed using the company’s methodology, which combines expert and guest reviews, industry awards and other ratings.

1. Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, California

2. The Lodge at Sea Island, Georgia

3. The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, a Montage Resort, South Carolina

4. The Allison Inn & Spa, Oregon

5. Four Seasons Hotel Seattle

6. The Langham, Chicago

7. The Grand Del Mar, California

8. The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician, Arizona

9. Four Seasons Hotel Chicago

10. The Jefferson, Washington, D.C.