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The 2025 Readers' Choice Awards Survey is now live. Vote, share, and tell us all about your top destinations, hotels and more for the chance to win an ocean voyage with Viking.
Welcome to The Readers’ Choice Awards 2024. This is the 27th edition of our globetrotting annual event, and for this iteration we have done things a little differently. After five years of co-curating the awards with our sister title in the US, we have consciously uncoupled, meaning that the responses here are based purely on votes from the UK. So, in this Olympics year, how does the travel medal table look? Well, Japan – voted your favourite country – is on everyone’s lips, as are other long-haul destinations such as New Zealand, Australia and Thailand. The Greek islands, particularly their villas, continue to shine, and the healthy interest in wellness escapes, authentic experiences and transformational travel continues to grow. But beyond all the trends (coolcationing and astro-tourism, anyone?) is the simple desire to explore, relax and escape – to that palm-fringed island beach or wilderness safari camp; that urban hotel with a rooftop bar that does a mean dirty martini. Together, the names here form a special gazetteer of the places pinned to your travel dreams – the hotels, spas and resorts, the countries, cities and islands you return to again and again, and the tour operators, villa experts and airlines that take you there.
These are all the winners in the 2024 Readers' Choice Awards.
The best hotels in the world
Our readers' favourite UK hotels
Winner: The Fife Arms, Aberdeenshire.
Our readers' favourite hotels in Europe
Winner, Paris: Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel.
Winner, rest of France and Monaco: Les Roches Rouges, A Beaumier Hotel.
Winner, Ireland: The Merrion.
Winner, Rome: Hotel Eden.
Winner, Florence: Villa Cora.
Winner, Venice: The St Regis Venice.
Winner, rest of Italy: Como Castello del Nero.
Winner, Greece: The Dolli at Acropolis.
Winner, Spain: Finca Cortesin.
Winner, Portugal: Palácio Príncipe Real.
Winner, Turkey: The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul.
Winner, rest of Europe: Badrutt's Palace.
The best hotels in Australasia
Winner: The Fullerton Hotel.
The best hotels in Africa
Winner, Northern Africa: La Mamounia.
Winner, Eastern and Southern Africa: Ellerman House.
The best hotels in South America
Winner: Fasano Rio de Janeiro.
Our readers' favourite hotels in the USA
Winner, New York City: The Whitby Hotel.
Winner, rest of USA: LondonHouse Chicago, Curio Collection by Hilton.
The best hotels in Canada
Winner: 1 Hotel Toronto.
The best hotels in Asia
Winner, China: The Sukhothai Shanghai.
Winner, Hong Kong: The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.
Winner, Japan: Park Hyatt Kyoto.
Winner, Singapore: Shangri-La Singapore.
Winner, Southeast Asia: The Sukhothai Bangkok.
Winner, rest of Asia: Galle Face Hotel, Sri Lanka.
The best hotels in India
Winner: The Oberoi Rajvilas.
The best resorts in the world
Winner, Mexico: Maroma, a Belmond Hotel, Riviera Maya.
Winner, USA & Canada: Wickaninnish Inn, British Columbia.
Winner, Central & South America: Tierra Atacama, Chile.
Winner, Greece: Sani Resort.
Winner, rest of Europe: Six Senses Ibiza.
Winner, Indonesia: The Oberoi Beach Resort, Bali.
Winner, Thailand: Banyan Tree Phuket.
Winner, rest of Asia: Ceylon Tea Trails, Sri Lanka.
Winner, Indian Ocean: Soneva Fushi, Maldives.
Winner, Australasia and South Pacific: Bedarra Island Resort, Queensland.
Winner, South Africa: Makanyi Private Game Lodge.
Winner, rest of Africa: Eagle Island Lodge, a Belmond Safari, Botswana.
Winner, the Middle East: One&Only The Palm, Dubai.
The best cities in the UK
Winner: London, England.
The best cities in Europe
Winner: Valencia, Spain.
The friendliest cities in the UK
Winner: Glasgow, Scotland.
The friendliest cities in Europe
Winner: Stockholm, Sweden.
The friendliest cities in the world
Winner: Singapore.
The friendliest countries in Europe
Winner: Austria.
The friendliest countries in the world
Winner: Costa Rica.
The best islands in the world
Winner, Caribbean and the Atlantic: Bahamas.
Winner, Asia: Bali, Indonesia.
Winner, Central and South America: Fernando de Noronha, Brazil.
Winner, Australasia and the South Pacific: Fiji.
Winner, North America: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, USA.
Winner, UK: Jersey.
Winner, Europe: Madeira, Portugal.
Winner, Africa and the Indian Ocean: Maldives.
The best destination spas in the world
Winner, UK: Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire.
Winner, Europe: Park Igls Medical Spa Resort, Austria.
Winner, rest of world: Ananda in the Himalayas, India.
The best ski resorts in the world
Winner, Europe: Lech, Austria.
Winner, North America: Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia, Canada.
The best airlines in the world
Winner: Air New Zealand.
The best airlines for food
Winner: Air New Zealand.
The best airports in the world
Winner, world: Singapore Changi.
Winner, UK: London Heathrow.
The best train journeys in the world
Winner: British Pullman, a Belmond Train.
The best cruise lines in the world
Winner, mega ships (more than 4,000 passengers): MSC Cruises.
Winner, large ships (2,500 to 4,000 passengers): Virgin Voyages.
Winner, medium ships (500 to 2,500 passengers): Crystal Cruises.
Winner, small ships (fewer than 500 passengers): Seabourn.
Winner, river ships: Uniworld Boutique River Cruises.
Winner, expedition ships: Seabourn.
The best villa rental companies in the world
Winner: Oliver's Travels.
The best tour operators in the world
Winner, general tour operators: The Turquoise Holiday Company.
Winner, travel specialists: Scott Dunn.
The best luggage brands in the world
Winner: Samsonite.
The best travel insurance in the world
Winner: Admiral.