NEW YORK -- Hotels in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Chicago, New York, Oregon, South Carolina and Texas earned the highest overall scores for U.S. hotels on Conde Nast Traveler magazine's annual "Gold List" of the world's 700 best places to stay.

The complete list, which is published in the magazine's January issue, was based on data collected for the annual Conde Nast Traveler's Readers' Choice Survey, which is conducted among the magazine's subscribers.

Only a dozen U.S. properties earned 95 out of 100 or better in the rankings. They were Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Paradise Valley, Ariz.; Auberge du Soleil, Napa Valley, Calif.; Inn at Spanish Bay, Pebble Beach, Calif.; Four Seasons Hualalai, Big Island, Hawaii; Four Seasons Lodge Lana'i at Koele, Lanai, Hawaii; Four Seasons, Chicago; The Peninsula, Chicago; St. Regis, New York City; Hotel Lucia, Portland, Ore.; Inn at Palmetto Bluff, Bluffton, S.C.; Wentworth Mansion, Charleston, S.C.; and Watermark Hotel & Spa, San Antonio, Texas.

Hotels were also rated for food, activities, design, rooms and service. Although no hotel was awarded a perfect 100 in all categories, several properties did get the top score in various categories. For food, perfect 100s went to Balsams Grand Resort, Dixville Notch, N.H.; the Four Seasons in Lana'i; and Tu Tu' Tun Lodge, Gold Beach, Ore. The Four Seasons at Lana'i also earned scores of 100 for activities, service, and design. Other hotels that won perfect scores for service were the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea in Maui, Hawaii; the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain; and the Wentworth Mansion. In the category of rooms, hotels earning 100 were the Four Seasons Hualalai; the Inn at Palmetto Bluff; the Rancho Valencia Resort in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; the Sunset Key Guest Cottages, Key West, Fla.; the Watermark; and the Wentworth.