The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, February 2018 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has announced that 20 of its luxury properties within the company’s Benchmark Resorts & Hotels and Gemstone Collection brands have been named to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report “Best Hotels” list for 2018. Villas of Grand Cypress, located in Orlando, Florida, and a Gemstone Collection property, also placed in the Silver Badge Winner category as a Best Hotel in Orlando-Walt Disney World, and in Florida. Silver winners are in the Top 30 percent of all ranked luxury hotels within a destination. Alex Cabañas, CEO, made the announcement.

“The entire Benchmark family could not be more excited that so many of our hotels and resorts are included on the prestigious U.S. News ‘Best Hotels’ list for 2018,” said Mr. Cabañas. “It is an honor and a treasured endorsement of the service our teams deliver every day as they seek to Be The Difference in the life of each guest while on property and within our magical destinations. This is well-deserved recognition for each hotel and resort, and for their team of hospitality professionals!"

BENCHMARK® hotels and resorts that are included in the U.S. News Best Hotels Listing for 2018 are:

Benchmark Resorts & Hotels Beachwalk Resort – Hallandale Beach, FL Chaminade Resort & Spa – Santa Cruz, CA Doral Arrowwood – Rye Brook, NY Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa™ – Pigeon Forge, TN Eaglewood Resort & Spa – Chicago, IL Hotel Contessa – San Antonio, TX Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center – Roanoke, VA The Grove Resort & Spa Orlando – Orlando, FL The Heldrich – New Brunswick, NJ The Essex – Essex, VT Turtle Bay Resort – North Shore, Oahu, HI

Gemstone Collection Ames Boston Hotel – Boston, MA Copley Square Hotel – Boston, MA Costa d'Este Beach Resort & Spa – Vero Beach, FL Garden of the Gods Collection – Colorado Springs, CO Marenas Beach Resort – Sunny Isles Beach, FL THE TENNESSEAN Hotel – Knoxville, TN Topnotch Resort – Stowe, VT Villas of Grand Cypress – Orlando, FL, Silver Badge Winner Willows Lodge – Woodinville, WA

The eighth annual U.S. News Best Hotels rankings evaluate more than 24,000 luxury properties across the United States, Europe, Bermuda, Canada and Mexico. The methodology accounts for both expert and guest sentiment, in addition to industry accolades a hotel receives, the combination of which helps determine each hotel's rank. For more information, please see the methodology.

Due to the extensive damage across many Caribbean islands and their luxury hotels during the 2017 hurricane season, U.S. News & World Report has decided not to update rankings for the Best Hotels in the Caribbean or Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean for 2018. The Caribbean hotels will retain their 2017 score and ranking. The hotels will be re-evaluated for the Best Hotels release in 2019.

U.S. News & World Report established the Best Hotels list to identify the top properties across North America, Europe and the Caribbean. The U.S. News hotel ranking is updated annually. For the complete list of top hotels and resorts in the United States, visit https://travel.usnews.com/hotels/