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How Are We Not Cooler Than Santa Fe?

By Margaret Lyons in News on Jul 13, 2004 7:18PM

Travel+Leisure CoverWe’re number seven! Wait, crap. Chicago came in seventh in Travel + Leisure’s best cities in the U.S. and Canada list. New York, San Francisco, Quebec City, Charleston, Santa Fe, and Vancouver all edged out our fine city. The Peninsula Chicago was the the best hotel in the U.S. and Canada, and the 14th best hotel in the world. Our Four Seasons was the 18th best in the U.S. and 79th best in the world, and our Ritz-Carlton was 24th/97th. Ouch, Ritz-Carlton. Ouch.

Travelers expecting the mild-mannered meat-and-potatoes Midwest of Frank Capra movies had better hold on to their hats. The new heartland boasts superlative restaurants, museums, designers, and boutique hotels.

Thanks for making us feel like "heartland" is an insult. T+L at least has this cool article about cruises on the Great Lakes, and its archive of other Midwest-geared articles.
Cities were rated on sights, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people, shopping, and value. We’re going to start formulating a plan to beat at least Vancouver and Santa Fe next year, and everyone’s going to need to pitch in. Or maybe we just need to flood the votes next time around.