Best Places to Visit in the World!

In our last post we introduced the Condé Nast Traveler Best in the World! Reader's Choice Awards. This next post in the series represents the Best of the Best - this is the list for the Top 100 Places to Visit in the World. Represented here is a mix of the best Hotels, Resorts and Cruise Lines as voted by the magazines readership. Because each was ranked based on averages and a scale of 1 to 100 this list is in order with 1 being the very top - the pinnacle of success according to the seasoned Condé Nast travelers. Beside each place we have noted their final score (out of 100) and whether it is - Hotel, Resort or Cruise Line. Here are your -

Top 100 Best in the World

1. FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP GOLDEN TRIANGLE - RESORT - Chiang Rai, Thailand - Score: 100
2. PENINSULA HOUSE - HOTEL - Las Terranas, Dominican Republic - Score: 98.6
3. LODGE AT KAURI CLIFFS - RESORT - New Zealand - Score: 98.4
4. MOMBO AND LITTLE MOMBO CAMPS - RESORT - Botswana - Score: 98.4
5. SAFARI LODGES AT PHINDA PRIVATE GAME RESERVE - RESORT - South Africa - Score: 98.1
6. 21C MUSEUM HOTEL - HOTEL - Louisville, KY USA - Score: 97.7

7. THE PENINSULA TOKYO - HOTEL - Tokyo - Score: 97.5

8. SINGITA SABI SAND - RESORT - South Africa - Score: 97.3
9. IL SAN PIETRO DI POSITANO - HOTEL - Positano, Italy - Score: 97.2
10. PUDONG SHANGRI-LA - HOTEL - Shanghai - Score: 97.2
11. KING PACIFIC LODGE - RESORT - British Columbia, Canada - Score: 97
12. WESTIN RIVERFRONT RESORT & SPA - RESORT - Avon, CO USA - Score: 96.9
13. MANDARIN ORIENTAL BANGKOK - HOTEL - Bangkok - Score: 96.8
14. HOTEL FASANO - HOTEL - São Paulo, Brazil - Score: 96.7
15. OBEROI VANYAVILAS - RESORT - Rajasthan, Sawai Madhopur, India - Score: 96.5
16. THE PENINSULA CHICAGO - HOTEL - Chicago, IL USA - Score: 96.4
17. FOUR SEASONS RESORT - RESORT - SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt - Score: 96.3
18. KIRAWIRA LUXURY TENTED CAMP - RESORT - Tanzania - Score 96.2
19. MANDARIN ORIENTAL DHARA DEVI - HOTEL - Chiang Mai, Thailand - Score: 96.2
20. MANDARIN ORIENTAL - HOTEL - Boston, MA USA - Score: 96.1
21. OBEROI UDAIVILAS - HOTEL - Rajasthan, India - Score: 96.1
22. AMANDARI - HOTEL - Bali, Ubud, Indonesia - Score: 96
23. LE FRANSCHHOEK HOTEL & SPA - HOTEL - Franschhoek, South Africa - Score: 96
24. RESORT AT PELICAN HILL - RESORT - Newport Beach, CA USA - Score: 96
25. FOUR SEASONS ISTANBUL AT SULTANAHMET - HOTEL - Istanbul, Turkey - Score: 95.9
26. OBEROI AMARVILAS - HOTEL - Agra, India - Score: 95.9
27. MILESTONE HOTEL - HOTEL - London, England - Score: 95.8
28. OBEROI RAJVILAS - HOTEL - Jaipur, Rajasthan, India - Score: 95.8
29. KESWICK HALL AT MONTICELLO - RESORT - Charlottesville, VA USA - Score: 95.6
30. SANCTUARY AT KIAWAH ISLAND - GOLF RESORT - Johns Island,SC USA - Score: 95.6
31. HUKA LODGE - RESORT - North Island, New Zealand - Score: 95.5
32. THE PENINSULA HONG KONG - HOTEL - Hong Kong - Score: 95.5
33. HÔTEL DE PARIS - HOTEL - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Score: 95.4
34. THE PENINSULA BANGKOK - HOTEL - Bangkok, Thailand - Score: 95.4
35. FOUR SEASONS BALI AT SAYAN - RESORT - Bali, Indonesia - Score: 95.3
36. FOUR SEASONS CHIANG MAI - RESORT - Chiang Mai, Thailand - Score: 95.3
37. PERIVOLAS - HOTEL - Santorini, Greece - Score: 95.3
38. PARK HYATT PALACIO DUHAU - HOTEL - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Score: 95.2
39. RAFFLES BEIJING - HOTEL - Beijing, CHINA - SCORE: 95.2
40. FOUR SEASONS HOTEL - HOTEL - GEORGE V PARIS, Paris, France - Score: 95.1
41. LE SIRENUSE - HOTEL - Positano, Italy - Score: 95.1
42. AMANPURI, RESORT- Phuket, Thailand - Score: 95
43. FOUR SEASONS GRESHAM PALACE - HOTEL - Budapest, Hungary - Score: 95
44. FOUR SEASONS RESORT LANGKAWI - RESORT - Langkawi Island, Malaysia - Score: 95
45. FOUR SEASONS RESORT MAUI AT WAILEA - RESORT - Maui, Hawaii - Score: 95
46. THE PENINSULA BEVERLY HILLS - HOTEL - Beverly Hills, CA USA - Score: 95

47. VILLA SAN MICHELE - HOTEL - Fiesole, Tuscany, Italy - Score: 94.9
48. EMERALD LAKE LODGE - RESORT - Alberta, Canada - Score: 94.7
49. KENWOOD INN & SPA - RESORT - Sonoma, CA USA - Score: 94.7
50. THE SAXON - HOTEL - Johannesburg, South Africa - Score: 94.7
51. BEAU-RIVAGE PALACE - HOTEL - Lausanne, Switzerland - Score: 94.6
52. INN AT SPANISH BAY - RESORT - Pebble Beach, CA USA - Score: 94.6
53. PORTMAN RITZ-CARLTON - HOTEL - Shanghai, China - Score: 94.6
54. RITZ-CARLTON BEIJING, FINANCIAL STREET - HOTEL - Beijing, China - Score: 94.6
55. AUBERGE DU SOLEIL - HOTEL - Napa Valley, CA USA - Score: 94.5
56. BURJ AL ARAB - RESORT - Dubai, UAE - Score: 94.5

57. THE CHANLER AT CLIFF WALK - HOTEL - Newport, RI USA - Score: 94.5
58. ONE & ONLY PALMILLA - RESORT - Los Cabos, Mexico - Score: 94.5
59. BOBO HOTEL - HOTEL - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Score: 94.4
60. CHEWTON GLEN - HOTEL - Hampshire, England - Score: 94.4
61. FEARRINGTON HOUSE COUNTRY INN - HOTEL - Pittsboro, NC USA - Score: 94.4
62. FOUR SEASONS HOTEL FIRENZE - HOTEL - Florence, Italy - Score: 94.4
63. HOTEL HANA-MAUI AND HONUA SPA - RESORT - Maui, HA USA - Score: 94.4
64. SABI SABI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE - RESORT - South Africa - Score: 94.4
65. SINGITA LEBOMBO AND SWENI - RESORT - South Africa - Score: 94.4
66. STEPHANIE INN - HOTEL - Cannon Beach, OR USA - Score: 94.4
67. TAJ LAKE PALACE - HOTEL - Rajasthan, India - Score: 94.4
68. JAO CAMP - RESORT - Botswana, Africa - Score: 94.3
69. ROSEWOOD CRESCENT HOTEL - HOTEL - Dallas, TX USA - Score: 94.2
70. FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI - RESORT - Big Island, HA - Score: 94.1

71. RITZ-CARLTON GRAND CAYMAN - RESORT - Cayman Islands - Score: 94.1
72. HÔTEL LE GERMAIN-DOMINION - HOTEL - Québec City, Canada
    
    - Score: 94
73. PARK HYATT TOKYO - HOTEL - Tokyo, Japan - Score: 94
74. BAUR AU LAC - HOTEL - Zürich, Switzerland - Score: 93.9
75. FOUR SEASONS PRAGUE - HOTEL - Prague, Czech Republic - Score: 93.9
76. HOTEL MURANO - HOTEL - Tacoma, WA USA - Score: 93.8
77. JADE MOUNTAIN - RESORT - Soufrière , St. Lucia - Score: 93.8
78. MADIKWE SAFARI LODGES - RESORT - South Africa - Score: 93.8
79. THE REEFS - RESORT - Southampton, Bermuda - Score: 93.8
80. THE REGENT BERLIN - HOTEL - Berlin, Germany - Score: 93.8
81. RITZ-CARLTON - HOTEL - Tokyo, 93.8
82. NISBET PLANTATION BEACH CLUB - RESORT - St. James, Nevis & St. Kitts - Score: 93.7
83. AMANGANI - RESORT - Jackson Hole, WY USA - Score: 93.6
84. ROSEWOOD MANSION ON TURTLE CREEK - HOTEL - Dallas, TX USA - Score: 93.6
85. SANDIBE OKAVANGO SAFARI LODGE - RESORT - Botswana, Africa - Score: 93.6
86. THE WAUWINET - HOTEL - Nantucket, MA USA - Score: 93.6
87. LA RÉSERVE DE BEAULIEU - HOTEL - Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Côte d'Azur, France - Score: 93.5

88. MANDARIN ORIENTAL HONG KONG - HOTEL - Hong Kong - Score: 93.5
89. MANDARIN ORIENTAL PRAGUE - HOTEL - Prague, Czech Republic - Score: 93.5
90. FOUR SEASONS RESORT LANA'I AT MANELE BAY - RESORT - Lana'i, HA USA - Score: 93.4
91. SHANGRI-LA HOTEL BANGKOK - HOTEL - Bangkok, Thailand - Score: 93.4
92. THE SETAI - HOTEL - Miami Beach, FL USA - Score: 93.4
93. STOWE MOUNTAIN LODGE - RESORT - Stowe, VT USA - Score: 93.4
94. YACHTS OF SEABOURN - CRUISE - Score:93.4
95. CASA PALMERO - RESORT - Pebble Beach, CA USA - Score: 93.3
96. DUMATAU CAMP - RESORT - Botswana, Africa - Score: 93.3
97. FAIRMONT LE MONTREUX PALACE - HOTEL - Montreux, Switzerland - Score: 93.3
98. LAPA RIOS ECOLODGE - HOTEL - Puntarenas, Costa Rica - Score: 93.3
99. CASA SANTO DOMINGO - HOTEL - Guatemala - Score: 93.2
100. HOTEL MONASTERIO - HOTEL - Cuzco, Peru - Score: 93.2
101. 
     

Best in the World! Condé Nast

The votes are in and Condé Nast Traveler has released it's Best in the World! Reader's Choice Awards.

I love reading this issue!  It's fantastic because it comes from the readers of Condé Nast Traveler - not some biased PR firm whose job it is to make Best Of list's. In fact Condé Nast got feedback from almost 26,000 people for this years Best in the World. That's a lot of seasoned travelers opinions and that's what I believe makes this one very credible list. While we're on the topic lets talk a little about the 'methodology' they use to create the ranked Best Of lists which cover pretty much every topic a seasoned traveler would want (see below for categories). Each year the magazine requests feedback from a selected sample of their readers through a secure online survey. This year the final tabulation of the 25,916 responses were done by Global Market Institute, Inc. of Boston, MA. Each candidate - hotel, city, airline etc. - was rated on a five point scale  in different categories. The scores are then averaged and summarized to come up with the rank order form highest to lowest. If any particular candidate did not get a minimum number of complete responses they were re,moved form the competition.

So, what did it all add up too?

Best in the World

There are over 1,000 winners in this years Best in the World lists as selected and voted upon by people who are passionate about travel. Over 500 hotels, almost 400 resorts, cities, islands, transportation and more. This truly is the Best of the Best. The first list puts it all together and gives you the Top 100 Hotels, Resorts and Cruises in the World. Things then get broken down into categories beginning with -

The Worlds Best Hotels

There are 530 hotels in this years list from A to Z, literally! The Best Hotels in the World are known for their uncompromising stand on quality and consistency. It's also interesting to note that 80 of the best also made the list for the World's Best new properties.

Top Cities

The best cities in the world don't have to present a sky line of modern high rises or a collection of historic sites to make the list. No the Top 50 Best Hotels in the World include it all. From Medieval Bruges to Carmel by the Sea. These are also presented by location and broken down into sub sets by six continents - Asia, Africa/Middle East, the United States, Europe, The Americas and Oceania.

The Top Resorts in the World

380 of them! are also broken down by continent so you can find the Best of the Best from Africa to Mainland U.S.A. Whether your looking for the Best Beach Resorts or a Desert Spa this list doesn't fail to please or offer an abundance of options.

Top Island Vacations

Did you know there are actually over 3,000 islands you can visit form the South Pacific to the North Atlantic  But which ones are the best? Well Condé Nast readers will enlighten you as to which are the Top 50 Island in the world. This list may present some surprises but one island you won't be surprised to find at the top of the Oceania category is Maui, Hawaii.

Top Cruises - Airlines - and Car Rentals

No list of the Best of the Best for travelers would be complete without covering the Top Transportation. If it's true that 'getting there can be half the fun' than want to be sure to explore the list of the Top 20 Airlines; Top 20 Cruise Lines and the Top 10 Car Rental Companies. The alternative can leave you stewing for days and when days are all you've got on vacation wouldn't It be a crime to waste the first few getting over a lousy trip!

So, what's missing from the lists? How about the Best Spas for one. Now I know that's not by accident as the magazine devotes an entire issue to the Best Spas in the World. I'll be sure to review that one as soon as it arrives!

For now click forward as we jump into each of the Best in the World Lists one at a time. Be sure to have your notepad and travel agents number handy as I'm sure by the end of your read you're going to be ready for the trip of a lifetime!


The the way if your looking for the Cheapest Place to find Condé Nast Traveler check out the source link below - I've uncovered one whopper of a deal for you!

Source: Condé Nast Traveler