A while back British Airways asked me to pick and write about my favorite hotels on their first class routes so that they could publish it as a guide to put in their seat pockets and distribute in their First Class lounges.

How do I pick my favorites?

While it would be so easy to quote Oscar Wilde who said: "My tastes are very simple, I only like the best." let me explain my highly individualistic, idiosyncratic, and subjective process of selection.

The most important thing is to remember that everything is relative, and the object is to have fun.

First of all I really only consider a place that provides the highest level of quality in its class; pretentiousness is a waste of everyone's time.

Ultimately, I am searching for pure comfort - the kind of comfort that allows me to really relax. But what I may expect in Dallas, I don't want on safari. For example, when I first started The Point, I used to dash out between courses and slip into my guests' rooms to turn down the beds and change the towels, now darn near every hotel in the world does the same thing. So, when I am in a good hotel, I expect modern plumbing, a supply of soft towels, a sufficient number of waste-baskets, proper (steal-able) hangers, good reading lights, and facilities that enable me to keep in touch with the rest of the world - just like home.

When I'm in a top hotel, I expect even more: I'd prefer the towels white, and there should be two linen ones as well (best for cleaning eye glasses). I'd hope for a magnifying shaving mirror but I wouldn't expect the floor (Brenner's Park-Hotel, Baden Baden) or the toilet seat (Tawaraya, Kyoto) or the mirrored bathroom walls (Seiyo, Tokyo) to be heated but there are places where you'll find that and more!

On the other hand, I can be just as comfortable on a tatami mat in Hakone or under canvas in the Masai Mara…as long as I know there are caring professionals near at hand who take pride in helping me to be comfortable.

While personal service is easier to provide in hotels of less than 50 rooms, and most of my favorites around the world are much smaller than this, size does not influence my choice.

I am sensitive to the difference between something that is costly (not a consideration) and something that is expensive (unjustifiably too much). While some of my choices are much more costly than others, all are of reasonable value.

As for restaurants: I like restaurants with subtle lighting, equally subtle and well-mannered service, and food that looks and tastes good.

In the final analysis, it is really the people who matter and, to me, their attitude is more important than their aptitude.