TRIP ADVISOR CROWNS WORLD'S BEST HOTELS

TripAdvisor has announced the results of its 2012 Travelers Choice awards, recognizing the best hotels around the world as reviewed by its users.

The site crowned The Phoenix Resort in Belize, a 30-condo beachfront property in San Pedro, as the best hotel in the world, knocking last year's winner the Golden Well in Prague, from first place.

In second place for the second year was Anastasis Apartments in Imerovigli, Greece, while another Belize property, the Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, took third place.

Riad Kniza, a luxury property in Marrakech, and Derwent House Boutique Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa, won fourth and fifth places respectively.

Although the Travelers' Choice awards offers gongs for nearly 4,000 properties, it's a fun indicator of the current sensibilities of TripAdvisor users as reviews and ratings are used to compile the listings -- as well as the best hotels, the awards recognize properties with the best relaxation experiences and the world's trendiest.

The best relaxation and spa hotel in the world went to BollAnt's im Park in Bad Sobernheim, Germany, a romantic wellness hotel and spa offering everything from ayurveda to vinotherapy in the middle of the Nahe valley.

The trendiest hotel in the world award went to the Villa Zest Boutique Hotel, which offers individual rooms described as "a seamless fusion of retro style and luxury detail."

The world's best hotels

1. The Phoenix Resort, San Pedro, Belize
2. Anastasis Apartments, Imerovigli, Greece
3. Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort, Hopkins, Belize
4. Riad Kniza, Marrakech, Morocco
5. Derwent House Boutique Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
6. Castlewood House, Dingle, Ireland
7. Palais Amani, Des, Morocco
8. Loch Lein Country House, Killarney, Ireland
9. Tambo del Inka, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Urubamba, Peru
10. Golden Well (U Zlate Studne), Prague, Czech Republic

FROM YAHOO! SINGAPORE-NEWS

*back into the abyss of death*