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Conde Nast Traveler’s 20th annual Readers’ Choice Awards

October 12, 2007 | Hospitality Industry

The results are derived from the largest independent poll of consumers' preferences, the Readers' Choice Survey, second in size only to the U.S. Census. A record number of travelers, over 28,000, voted this year.

The November 2007 issue of Conde Nast Traveler celebrates the 20th annual Readers’ Choice Awards. The results are derived from the largest independent poll of consumers’ preferences, the Readers’ Choice Survey, second in size only to the U.S. Census. A record number of travelers, over 28,000, voted this year.

This year, many perennial favorites hold on to their top spots:
—Singapore Airlines is again the #1 International Route Airline, and has
led this category for 19 of the past 20 years (in 1994 Swissair took
the top spot) and remains the only carrier ever to earn an overall
score above 90.0.
—San Francisco, the #1 U.S. City, has also been #1 for 17 of the past 18
years (in 1992 Santa Fe won the honor).

There is some big news this year: for only the second time in Reader’s Choice history, there’s a perfect 100 score. The honor goes to the La Scalinatella Hotel on Capri. The hotel isn’t new and has been recognized by readers in the past, but with a 33% increase in votes cast from last year, the 28-room hotel was propelled into the number one spot with an impressive perfect score!

Also of note are the two new categories that were added to this year’s poll. Foreign Air Route, with SilkAir earning the #1 spot, honors carriers that do not have U.S. destinations on their routes. This addition truly emphasizes the worldliness and sophistication of Conde Nast Traveler readers. The other new category is Hawaiian Resorts. Along with many other destinations in the Pacific Rim, Hawaii’s popularity has increased over the years and now merits it’s own category led by four, count ‘em, four, Four Seasons properties. After studying the list, this is no surprise as this year’s top hotels and resorts include fifty Four Season properties!

Below are results for the top three winners in each category. The complete results of the awards can be found in the November issue, on newsstands October 25th. The Readers Choice Awards gala took place on Wednesday, October 10th in New York City at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.

Top Cities - United States:
1.  San Francisco
2.  New York
3.  Charleston, SC

Top Cities - Europe:
1.  Florence, Italy
2.  Rome, Italy
3.  Venice, Italy

Top Cities - Australia/Pacific:
1.  Sydney, Australia
2.  Melbourne, Australia
3.  Queenstown, New Zealand

Top Cities - Asia:
1.  Bangkok, Thailand
2.  Hong Kong
3.  Chiang Mai, Thailand

Top Cities - Africa/Middle East:
1.  Cape Town, South Africa
2.  Damascus, Syria
3.  Jerusalem, Israel

Top Cities - The Americas:
1.  Buenos Aires, Argentina
2.  Vancouver, British Columbia
3.  Victoria, British Columbia

Top Islands - Europe:
1.  Mykonos & the Cyclades, Greece
2.  Capri, Italy
3.  Sardinia, Italy

Top Islands - Caribbean / Atlantic:
1.  Bermuda
2.  St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
3.  St. Barthelemy, French West Indies

Top Islands - Asia / Indian Ocean:
1.  Maldives
2.  Bali
3.  Phuket

Top International Route Airlines:
1.  Singapore Airlines
2.  Emirates
3.  Virgin Atlantic

Top Car Rental Agencies:
1.  Hertz
2.  Enterprise
3.  Avis

Top Small Ship Cruise Lines:
1.  Regent Seven Seas
2.  Grand Circle Cruise Line
3.  Seabourn

Top Hotels - Australia / Pacific:
1.  Crown Towers, Melbourne
2.  Park Hyatt Sydney
3.  Treetops Lodge, Rotorua

Top Hotels - South America:
1.  Hotel Monasterio, Cuzco
2.  Four Seasons, Buenos Aires
3.  Ritz Carlton, Santiago

Top Hotels - Canada:
1.  Auberge Saint-Antoine, Quebec City
2.  Fairmont Vancouver Airport
3.  The Magnolia Hotel & Spa, Victoria

Top Hotels - Central America/Mexico:
1.  Lapa Rios Ecolodge, Osa Peninsula
2.  Hotel Twin Dolphin, Cabo San Lucas
3.  Casa Santo Domingo, Antigua

Top Hotels - British Isles:
1.  Milestone Hotel, London
2.  Chewton Glen, Hampshire
3.  The Merrion, Dublin

Top Resorts - Africa/Middle East:
1.  Burj Al Arab, Dubai
2.  Mombo and Little Mombo Camps, Moremi
3.  Khwai River Lodge, Moremi Reserve

Top Resorts - Atlantic Ocean:
1.  One & Only Ocean Club, Bahamas
2.  Point Grace, Turks & Caicos
3.  Pink Sands, Bahamas

Top Islands - Pacific:
1.  Maui, Hawaii
2.  Kuai, Hawaii
3.  Great Barrier Reef Islands, Australia

Top Islands, North America:
1.  Vancouver Island, Canada
2.  Kiawah, S.C.
3.  Nantucket, Massachusetts

Top Domestic Route Airlines:
1.  JetBlue
2.  Midwest
3.  Hawaiian

Top Foreign Route Airlines: (no U.S. route)
1.  SilkAir
2.  Virgin Express
3.  Virgin Blue

Top Large Ship Cruise Lines:
1.  Crystal Cruises
2.  Regent Seven Seas
3.  Disney

Top Hotels - Africa:
1.  Table Bay Hotel, Cape Town
2.  Cape Grace, Cape Town
3.  Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza

Top Hotels - Europe:
1.  Hotel La Scalinatella, Capri
2.  Four Seasons George V, Paris
3.  Four Seasons Gresham Place

Top Hotels - Caribbean / Atlantic:
1.  Eden Rock Hotel
2.  Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France
3.  The Caves, Negril

Top Hotels - Mainland U.S.:
1.  Ritz - Carlton Chicago
2.  The Peninsula, Chicago
3.  Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach

Top Hotels - Asia:
1.  Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, Rajasthan
2.  The Peninsula, Hong Kong
3.  Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Top Hotels - Middle East:
1.  Four Seasons, Amman
2.  David Citadel Hotel, Jerusalem
3.  Grand Hyatt Dubai

Top Resorts - Canada:
1.  Pan Pacific Whistler, Village Centre
2.  Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, Vancouver
3.  Four Seasons Resort, Whistler

Top Resorts - Central / South America:
1.  Lodge at Chaa Creek, Macal River
2.  Four Seasons Resort, Carmelo
3.  Explora Patagonia, Torres del Paine Nat’l Park

Top Resorts - Mexico:
1.  One & Only Palmilla, Los Cabos
2.  Secrets Capri Riviera, Cancun
3.  JW Marriott Resort & Spa, Cancun

Top Resorts - Hawaii:
1.  Four Seasons Maui at Wailea
2.  Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, Big Island
3.  Four Seasons Lana’I at Koele Lanai

Top Resorts - Europe:
1.  Hotel du Palais, Biarritz
2.  Gleneagles Hotel, Auchterarder
3.  Sheen Falls Lodge, Co. Kerry

Top Resorts - Mainland U.S.:
1.  Lodge on Little St. Simons Island
2.  Sundance Resort, Sundance
3.  Inn at Thorn Hill, Jackson

Top Resorts - Australia/Pacific Rim:
1.  Huka Lodge, Taupo
2.  Hotel Bora Bora, Polynesian islands
3.  Voyages Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef

Top Resorts - Caribbean:
1.  Curtain Bluff Hotel, Antigua
2.  Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda
3.  Nisbet Plantation Beach Club, Nevis

Top Resorts - Asia:
1.  Oberoi Vanyavilas, Rajasthan
2.  Banyan Tree, Phuket
3.  Four Seasons Resort at Sayan, Bali

The November issue of Conde Nast Traveler is available on newsstands on October 25th.

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