Over the past few years, hotel restaurants around the globe have become destinations all their own, with star chefs and buzzing scenes. Here, T+L's top six notable newcomers:

New York
Country, at the Carlton on Madison Avenue
90 Madison Ave.; 212/889-7100; dinner for two $170; doubles from $499.
THE LOWDOWN Chef-owner Geoffrey Zakarian has thought of every detail at his new Madison Avenue outpost. The plush seats are arranged to face the open, sea-foam- green-tiled kitchen; a streamlined prix fixe menu simplifies the selection process; the steady andante tempo is set by young servers with French accents thicker than the shellfish velouté; even the wine list is well edited. It all pays off: a perfectly poached hen egg arrives on a bed of tiny morels, capsized in frothy fava-bean purée. HIGHLIGHT The chef's table-built from a single piece of Costa Rican guanacaste driftwood-with front-row views of the kitchen. There's no better seat in the house.

Paris
Le Relais du Parc, at Sofitel le Parc
55-59 Ave. Raymond-Poincaré, 16th Arr.; 33-1/44-05-66-10; www.sofitel.com; dinner for two $170; doubles from $272.
THE LOWDOWN It's a rare treat to savor top dishes by two of the world's greatest chefs in a single sitting. Joël Robuchon and Alain Ducasse each put Le Relais du Parc on the gastronomic map, so it is fitting that the newly reopened restaurant pays homage to both men. The intimate dining room in neutral hues is a backdrop for a selection of their greatest hits. Wild pear is tucked under a medley of bright baby vegetables en cocotte, seared scallops are served Tatin-like with roasted broccoli florets, and guava sorbet tops a Technicolor roasted-mango crumble. HIGHLIGHT Dinner alfresco among white magnolia trees in the inner courtyard of this classic Norman manor.

Las Vegas
Alex, at Wynn Las Vegas
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702/770-7000; www.wynnlasvegas.com; dinner for two $240; doubles from $369.
THE LOWDOWN The first time he hired chef Alessandro Stratta, Las Vegas impresario Steve Wynn paneled the dining room with Renoirs. Eight years later, the focus at Alex is on the food-and the Wisconsin-born 44-year-old has emerged as one of the Strip's best chefs. Stratta's haute Mediterranean cuisine has all the robust earnestness you'd expect, given his Midwestern roots: roast squab, rabbit fricassée, foie gras ravioli in truffle bouillon. And the space, as majestic as a vintage ocean liner, is the perfect setting for his culinary heft. HIGHLIGHT The Sommelier Menu's reverse pairings; courses are planned around wines such as Grand Cru Burgundies.

Cayman Islands
Blue, at Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman; 345/ 943-9000; www.ritzcarlton.com; dinner for two $162; doubles from $299.
THE LOWDOWN Although many Caribbean resorts don't locally source their produce, Blue relies on some 20 area fishermen for its red snapper and lobster. And chef Eric Ripert's handpicked staff transforms that bounty into a French-Caribbean feast (it's New York's Le Bernardin with steel drums and island spices). Bouillabaisse becomes rich lobster-0 swordfish is dusted with herbes de Provence and served with a passion-fruit béarnaise. HIGHLIGHT Having your catch prepared by the chef after a day of deep-sea fishing.

Tokyo
Gordon Ramsay, at Conrad Tokyo
1-9-1, Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku; 81-3/6388-8000; dinner for two $202; doubles from $498.
THE LOWDOWN With the newest addition to Gordon Ramsay's growing empire, the sun never sets on this British chef, who's as known for his fiery temper as for his Michelin-worthy creations. From its 28th-floor perch, the restaurant has bird's-eye views of the Tokyo cityscape; the cavernous interior is swathed in pale purples and greens. The kitchen, with its deliciously defiant Western leanings (steamed sea bass with a confit of new potatoes and caviar), gives an occasional nod to its host country (sea-urchin risotto). HIGHLIGHT Hokkaido sea scallops, thinly sliced and fanned out carpaccio-style beneath vanilla-infused cherry tomatoes.