Renowned travel company Andrew Harper reveals its members’ favorite hotels, cruise lines, restaurants and experiences of the year

Post Ranch Inn, with its breathtaking location above the Pacific Ocean in Big Sur, California, takes first place in Top 10 Hideaways

NEW YORK, Jan. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Andrew Harper unveiled its Members’ Choice Awards for 2024, recognizing an exceptional collection of hotels, resorts, cruises and favorite travel experiences from around the world.

Valued members who make up the Andrew Harper exclusive client community were invited to participate in a special survey to share their favorite properties, unforgettable vacation experiences, favorite travel photos and more over the past year. The results are displayed in the January edition of Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report and are online at Andrew Harper Members’ Choice Awards.

Post Ranch Inn, in Big Sur, California, a perennial Members’ Choice Awards favorite, again takes first place in the category of Top 10 Hideaways (Under 50 Rooms). The “tranquil and inspiring” location draws particular praise from Andrew Harper members. Set along a bluff above the Pacific Ocean, this unique coastal resort offers 40 contemporary guest lodgings suspended over the cliffs with breathtaking ocean views. The spacious interiors feature natural wood and stone trims, woodburning fireplaces and spa tubs. While half of the Top 10 are in the United States, Andrew Harper members also singled out hotels in Europe, Asia and the Caribbean.

Blackberry Farm, in Walland, Tennessee, is the number-one choice in the category of Top 10 Hotels (Over 50 Rooms). Set amid a 4,200-acre estate bordering the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this distinguished country house hotel with 68 rooms has been owned by the Beall family since 1976. Members almost universally praise The Barn restaurant’s celebrated “Foothills Cuisine,” which uses Appalachian ingredients prepared with an eastern Tennessee sensibility. Amenities include a lavish spa, pools, tennis courts and an equestrian facility. Fly-fishing excursions and cooking demonstrations can be arranged.

When it comes to the Top 10 Beach Resorts, Hawaii makes a strong showing with three islands represented: Oahu, Lanai and the “Big Island” of Hawaii. The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection, on the island of Hawaii, is the first-place selection, winning acclaim for its beautifully maintained grounds, extraordinary art collection, distinctive architecture and idyllic setting. Only the Caribbean, specifically Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and St. Barths, give Hawaii serious competition. Members also find more far-flung beaches appealing, including stretches of sand in Tanzania and French Polynesia.

Winners in other Top 10 categories include Miraval Arizona, Tucson (Wellness Resort); Amangiri, Canyon Point, Utah (Hotel Pool); Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Autograph Collection, island of Hawaii (Family-Friendly Hotel); Singita Boulders Lodge, South Africa (Safari Lodge); Aman Venice, Italy (City Hotel); Seabourn (Cruise Company); and The Barn at Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tennessee (Hotel Restaurant).

Andrew Harper also asked its members about their Favorite Travel Experiences of the year. The winner detailed a trip to Colombia that included a stay at the Sofitel Legend Santa Clara, in Cartagena, with a suite upgrade that overlooked the charming home and gardens of Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel García Márquez. The hotel butler arranged a guided tour of Cartagena, including the crypt in the hotel’s bar that was featured in the author’s works. “All in all, very soul satisfying.”

Other memorable experiences planned by Andrew Harper included a stay at Nihi Sumba, a luxury resort in Indonesia, the 2019 Hideaway of the Year winner; a trip exploring northern Europe, with stops in Norway and Denmark; a multigenerational family trip to Mexico to celebrate an 80th birthday; a culturally immersive three-week excursion to Japan; truffle hunting in Piedmont, Italy; snorkeling along coral reefs in the Maldives; and a South African safari.

“Our Members’ Choice Awards hold profound meaning for our valued members, providing them with a platform to articulate their travel stories, spanning hotels, cruises, restaurants and overall experiences,” said Andrew Harper General Manager Don Jones. “Our discerning members truly embrace the many wonders of travel, underscoring the importance for us to spotlight their most memorable travel experiences in print.”

Members’ Choice concludes Andrew Harper’s awards season, which began with the Editors’ Choice Awards, recognizing the editorial team’s favorite hotels, restaurants and experiences of the year. They were showcased in the December edition of Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report.

To book any of these exceptional travel experiences, become a member of Andrew Harper. Members enjoy exclusive privileges, gaining access to extensive trip planning services and travel perks at premium hotels, villas, cruises, safaris, and a myriad of other extraordinary destinations.

Membership starts at $250 per year for digital and $395 for print and digital. To learn more and become a member, contact 1 (800) 375-4685, join here or email membership services at [email protected].

About Andrew Harper
In 1979, our founding editor left corporate life to travel the world. In his desire for authenticity, he sought out small hideaways in unspoiled corners of the globe, sharing his findings through a monthly newsletter under the pen name Andrew Harper. Over the years, the Hideaway Report evolved into a members-only luxury travel site with an expanded menu of curated content, including in-depth articles about a destination’s best hotels, restaurants, sightseeing and activities, as well as articles on villas, cruising, tours and sample itineraries. Andrew Harper members enjoy full-service trip planning and exclusive travel perks at top-tier hotels, villas, cruises, safaris and beyond. Additionally, they gain entry to private auctions and receive year-round exclusive offers from esteemed hotels and travel partners globally. Members receive access to private auctions and ongoing offers throughout the year from favored hotels and travel partners around the world.

About Global Travel Collection
Global Travel Collection (GTC), a division of Internova Travel Group, is the most influential and largest collection of international luxury travel agencies, including the well-established networks of Protravel International, Tzell Travel Group and Colletts Travel, as well as Andrew Harper, In the Know Experiences and All Star Travel Group. GTC advisors and agencies are industry leaders in providing premium travel services to leisure travelers, corporate executives and the entertainment industry.

SOURCE Global Travel Collection