The reader’s choice Awards from Conde Nast Traveller magazine are out, and there is all sorts of good information here. Here, a selection of the top categories: 25 best cities, top 100 hotels, top 25 Islands and the highlights of Central and South America. For all the details check out the magazine, as they have top cities, hotels, resorts and Islands for each region: Europe, Asia, Africa & Middle East, Central & South America, Mexico, Australia & The Pacific, Caribbean & the Atlantic, Canada and United States.
25 best cities:
1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
2.Budapest, Hungary
2. Florence, Italy
4. Salzburg, Austria
5.Charleston, South Carolina, United States
5.San Sebastián, Spain
7. Vienna, Austria
8. Rome
9. Siena, Italy
10. Québec City
11.Cape Town, South Africa
11.Bruges, Belgium
13. Vancouver, Canada
14. Kyoto, Japan
15. Prague, Czech Republic
15. Kraków, Poland
17. Victoria, Canada
17. Sydney
17. Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
20. Seville, Spain
20. Beirut, Lebanon
22. Paris
22. Melbourne, Australia
24. Venice, Italy
24. Barcelona, Spain
how many have I been to: 11 out of 25. I think this is a pretty solid list of great places to visit. But San Miguel de Allende as No. 1? That i really don’t get. I think its a beautiful city, and a must when travelling to Mexico, but the best? Don’t think so
Top 25 Islands:
- Maui
- Kauai
- Maldives
- Kiawah island
- Bora bora
- Sea island
- Moorea
- Oahu
- Great barrier reef islands
- Big island
- Bermuda
- Santorini
- Tasmania
- St. John
- Whitsunday islands
- Vancouver island
- Nevis
- Lanai
- Nantucket
- Seychelles
- Hilton head
- British virgin islands
- Elba & tuscan archipelago
- Prince edward island
- Amelia island
I’m really doing badly on these ones – but I have to say, even though I haven’t been to many of these, isn’t there a clear US focus? I think there are a couple of Thai islands and Greek Islands that could have made it!
Top 100 Hotels & Resorts in the World
Im not going to list the full 100, as you can definitely check the link for that, but here are the top 20!
- La residence, franschhoek, south africa
- Lodge at kauri cliffs, matauri bay, n.z.
- Singita sabi sand, south africa
- Bushmans kloof wilderness reserve, south africa
- Grand hotel timeo, sicily
- Perivolas, santorini
- One&only the palm, dubai
- Four seasons gresham palace budapest
- Ritz–carlton shanghai, pudong
- Peninsula house, samaná
- Lion sands, sabi sand
- Inn at palmetto bluff, bluffton
- 21c museum hotel, cincinnati
- Waldorf astoria chicago
- Villa san michele, fiesole
- St. Regis lhasa resort
- Rosewood mayakoba, yucatán
- The chedi, chiang mai
- Amankila, bali
- Lodge at doonbeg, county clare
- Jumby bay (rosewood), antigua
- Phinda private game reserve, south africa
- One&only palmilla, san josé del cabo
- Four seasons resort bora bora
- Le meurice, paris
- Sabi sabi private game reserve, south africa
- Parador santiago de ompostela, spain
In general this list is very USA focused .Of the 100 hotels, 22 are in the US quite a big percentage. OF the top 100 Hotels I’ve been to: Hotel Splendido & Splendido Mare, Portofino, Hotel Villa Magna, Madrid, The Connaught, London, Rosewood Mayakoba, Yucatán, Las Alcobas, Mexico City, Blue Palace Resort (Luxury Collection), Crete, Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena, Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul, Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris – all of which are very worthy members of this list.
Top 5 Cities in Central & South America
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Cusco, Peru
- CArtagena, Colombia
- Paraty, Brazil
- Antigua de Guatemala
Top 25 Hotels in Suuth America
- Sofitel legend Santa Clara Cartagena
- Las Casitas del Colca, Cayllamo Province
- Fasano hotel, São Paulo
- Park Hyatt Palacio Duhau, Buenos Aires
- Four seasons hotel, Buenos Aires
- Copacabana palace, Rio de Janeiro
- Alvear palace hotel, Buenos Aires
- Fasano hotel, Rio de Janeiro
- Hotel Monasterio, Buzco
- Jw marriott hotel Bogotá
- Sofitel Buenos Aires
- Hotel paracas (luxury collection)
- Country club hotel, Lima
- Aranwa sacred valley, urubamba
- Loi suites recoleta, Buenos Aires
- Inkaterra machu picchu pueblo hotel
- Aranwa Cusco Boutique Hotel
- Park tower, Buenos Aires
- Jw Marriott hotel lima
- Grand Hyatt Santiago
- Swissôtel Lima
- Hotel das cataratas, Iguaçu national park
- Ritz-carlton, Santiago
- Casa Andina Valle Sagrado
- Palacio del inka (luxury collection)
Top 10 cities in Europe
- Florence
- Budapest
- Salzburg
- San sebastian
- Vienna
- Rome
- Siena
- Bruges
- Krakow
- Prague