News Releases

Sep 8, 2021
Charleston Is Top-Ranked U.S. City And San Miguel de Allende Named Best City Overall In 26th Annual Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards
Results of New Survey Reveal the Top Cities, Hotels, Islands, Airlines, Airports, Cruise Lines, Destination Spas, Tour Operators and More
JetBlue Is Best Domestic Airline; Viceroy Chicago Is No. 1 City Hotel in Continental U.S.; Yellowstone Wins for Best National Park
Curated Itineraries to Select World's Best Awards Destinations Now Bookable

NEW YORK, Sept. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Meredith Corporation's (NYSE: MDP) Travel + Leisure announces the results of the World's Best Awards 2021 readers' survey, revealing the top travel destinations and companies in the U.S. and around the globe, from cities, islands and hotels to cruise lines, airlines, airports and more. The complete survey results are featured now on TravelandLeisure.com/worlds-best and in the October issue of Travel + Leisure, on newsstands September 17.

Among the rankings are Top Cities in the World, with San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; Udaipur, India; and Istanbul, Turkey placing first through third and Top Islands in the World, with Milos, which is featured on the October issue cover, and Folegandros, both in Greece, taking the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines at No. 3. On the regional lists, such as Top City Hotels in the Continental U.S., Viceroy Chicago, takes the No. 1 spot, followed by Inn of the Five Graces in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and The Lowell in New York City. For the first time, Top U.S. National Parks is a survey category and Yellowstone National Park ranks No. 1.

The Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards is a leading barometer of the places and companies that satisfy some of the most passionate and discerning travelers. In the 26 years that the World's Best Awards readers' survey has been published, Singapore Airlines has been the only honoree to be named a No. 1 winner in its category – World's Best International Airline — every year. 

Travel + Leisure Editor in Chief, Jacqui Gifford, says, "The 2021 standouts are as far-flung as ever, and suggest a renewed appreciation for places that offer unparalleled natural beauty and, in many places, fewer crowds. Forced to think on their feet, the properties that made the cut in 2021 all found innovative ways to deliver exceptional hospitality to their guests. Our readers delighted in taking trips closer to home, a fact we've recognized with several new domestic resort lists to provide even more trip inspiration. With a continued interest in the great outdoors, we also asked readers to vote on their favorite U.S. national park. This year's results are a testament to the travel industry's resilience under enormous strain. Nearly two years into the pandemic, there is still much we don't know about COVID-19. But we do know that some parts of the world have struggled more than others. I'm hopeful that the World's Best Awards will continue to serve as inspiration to explore the world, and in doing so, support those places and companies that rely on tourism to thrive."

To make it easy for consumers to experience destinations and hotels recognized in this year's World's Best Awards, Travel + Leisure is debuting a new subscription travel club and travel booking platform today that offers curated itineraries to select locations at travelandleisure.com/go. The new retail travel site, Travel + Leisure GO, will launch with ten exclusive World's Best Awards customizable travel itineraries that feature top destinations, hotels and activities from this year's winners together in fully bookable travel experiences, as well as insider tips to help travelers make the most of their getaways.

TRAVEL + LEISURE TOP 10 WORLD'S BEST CITIES 2021

  1. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
  2. Udaipur, India
  3. Istanbul, Turkey
  4. Ubud, Indonesia
  5. Kyoto, Japan
  6. Florence, Italy
  7. Mexico City, Mexico
  8. Oaxaca, Mexico
  9. Chiang Mai, Thailand
  10. Bangkok, Thailand

To view the full list of the Top 25 World's Best Cities, visit here.

TRAVEL + LEISURE TOP 10 U.S. CITIES 2021

  1. Charleston, South Carolina
  2. Santa Fe, New Mexico
  3. Savannah, Georgia
  4. New Orleans, Louisiana
  5. New York City
  6. San Antonio, Texas
  7. Chicago, Illinois
  8. Bend, Oregon
  9. Williamsburg, Virginia
  10. Honolulu, Hawaii

To view the full list of the Top 15 U.S. Cities, visit here.

The 2021 results, including the Top 100 Hotels, Best Domestic Airlines, Best Islands in the World, Best Resort Hotels in the Continental U.S., Best Resort Hotels in Hawaii, Top Caribbean Resort Hotels, Best Hotels in Paris, Best U.S. National Parks, Best Domestic Airports, Best Mega-Ship Cruise Lines, and Best Safari Outfitters, among many other lists, are now posted on TravelandLeisure.com/worlds-best

Travel + Leisure Editor in Chief Jacqui Gifford will host Toast & Post, a virtual celebration that kicks off this evening at 5 pm ET on Instagram Live @TravelandLeisure to honor the World's Best Awards 2021 winners. Raise a toast to this year's honorees and post a picture using the hashtags #TLWorldsBest and #TLToast, and tag @TravelandLeisure today and in the weeks ahead.

TRAVEL + LEISURE WORLD'S BEST AWARDS 2020 WINNERS OVERALL



WORLD'S BEST CITY

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

WORLD'S BEST HOTEL

Mahali Mzuri, Masai Mara, Kenya

WORLD'S BEST HOTEL BRAND

The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts

WORLD'S BEST ISLAND

Milos, Greece

WORLD'S BEST MEGA-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE

Disney Cruise Line

WORLD'S BEST LARGE-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE

Seabourn 

WORLD'S BEST MIDSIZE-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE

Windstar Cruises

WORLD'S BEST SMALL-SHIP OCEAN CRUISE LINE

Quasar Expeditions

WORLD'S BEST RIVER CRUISE LINE

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises

WORLD'S BEST INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE

Singapore Airlines

WORLD'S BEST DOMESTIC AIRLINE

JetBlue Airways

WORLD'S BEST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Singapore Changi Airport

WORLD'S BEST DOMESTIC AIRPORT

Portland International Airport, Oregon

WORLD'S BEST SAFARI OUTFITTER

Micato Safaris

WORLD'S BEST TOUR OPERATOR

Quasar Expeditions

WORLD'S BEST CAR-RENTAL COMPANY

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

WORLD'S BEST INTERNATIONAL SPA

Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, Mexico 

WORLD'S BEST DOMESTIC SPA

Shou Sugi Ban House, Water Mill, New York 



 

TRAVEL + LEISURE WORLD'S BEST HOTEL 2021 WINNERS, BY REGION

CONTINENTAL U.S. OVERALL


BEST CITY HOTEL

Viceroy, Chicago

BEST RESORT HOTEL

Nobu Ryokan, Malibu, California



 

U.S. (BY REGION)


BEST RESORT HOTEL IN THE SOUTH

Inn at Willow Grove, Orange, Virginia 

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN THE MIDWEST

Deer Path Inn, Lake Forest, Illinois

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN MID-ATLANTIC

Reeds at Shelter Haven, Stone Harbor, New Jersey

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN THE WEST

Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, Saratoga, Wyoming

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN CALIFORNIA

Nobu Ryokan, Malibu

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN FLORIDA

Sunset Key Cottages, Key West

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN TEXAS

Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection, Austin

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN UTAH

Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection, Park City

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN COLORADO

Viceroy Snowmass

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN GREATER MIAMI BEACH

The Setai, Miami Beach

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN ARIZONA

Castle Hot Springs, Morristown

BEST CITY HOTEL IN NEW YORK CITY

The Lowell

BEST CITY HOTEL IN GREATER LOS ANGELES

The Peninsula, Beverly Hills

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN PUERTO RICO

St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Rio Grande

BEST CITY HOTEL IN CHICAGO

Viceroy

BEST CITY HOTEL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

The Hay-Adams

BEST CITY HOTEL IN CHARLESTON

John Rutledge House Inn

BEST CITY HOTEL IN LAS VEGAS

Wynn

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN HAWAII

Halekulani, Oahu



BEST RESORT HOTEL IN NEW YORK STATE RESORT

Lake House on Canandaigua, Canandaigua

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN SOUTH CAROLINA

Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN NEW ENGLAND

Pickering House Inn, Wolfeboro, New Hampshire

 

CANADA 


BEST CITY HOTEL

The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal, Quebec

BEST RESORT HOTEL

Manoir Hovey, North Hatley, Quebec



 

THE CARIBBEAN, BERMUDA & THE BAHAMAS


BEST RESORT HOTEL 

Kamalame Cay, Bahamas 



MEXICO


BEST CITY HOTEL 

St. Regis, Mexico City

BEST RESORT HOTEL 

Viceroy Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen 



 

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA


BEST CITY HOTEL

Hotel Fasano, São Paulo, Brazil



 

CENTRAL AMERICA


BEST RESORT HOTEL 

Nayara Tented Camp, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica 



 

SOUTH AMERICA


BEST RESORT HOTEL 

Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Collection Resort, Paracas, Peru



 

EUROPE (OVERALL)


BEST CITY HOTEL 

Mandarin Oriental, Milan, Italy 

BEST RESORT HOTEL 

Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection, Santorini, Greece



 

EUROPE (BY REGION)


BEST RESORT HOTEL IN ITALY

Il Sereno Lago di Como, Torno

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN FRANCE

Hôtel Crillon le Brave, Crillon-Le-Brave

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN THE U.K. & IRELAND

Ballyfin, County Laois, Ireland

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

Penha Longa Resort, Sintra, Portugal 

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN GREECE

Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection, Santorini

BEST CITY HOTEL IN BARCELONA

Cotton House Hotel, Autograph Collection

BEST CITY HOTEL IN PARIS 

La Réserve Paris – Hôtel & Spa

BEST CITY HOTEL IN LONDON 

Shangri-La the Shard 

BEST CITY HOTEL IN ROME

Hotel de Russie, a Rocco Forte Hotel

BEST CITY HOTEL IN FLORENCE

St. Regis

BEST CITY HOTEL IN VENICE

JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa



 

ASIA OVERALL


BEST CITY HOTEL 

Opposite House, Beijing

BEST RESORT HOTEL

Capella Ubud, Bali, Indonesia



 

ASIA (BY REGION)


BEST CITY HOTEL IN CHINA

Opposite House, Beijing

BEST HOTEL IN BANGKOK 

Capella

BEST HOTEL IN SINGAPORE 

Fullerton Hotel

BEST CITY HOTEL IN TOKYO

Park Hyatt 

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN INDIA

Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur 

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN INDONESIA

Capella Ubud, Bali

BEST RESORT HOTEL IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Six Senses, Con Dao, Vietnam 



 

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND


BEST CITY HOTEL 

The Langham, Melbourne, Australia 

BEST RESORT HOTEL

Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown, New Zealand 



 

THE SOUTH PACIFIC 


BEST RESORT HOTEL

InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa, French Polynesia 



 

AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST


BEST NORTH AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST CITY HOTEL 

Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai

BEST NORTH AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST RESORT HOTEL  

Kasbah Tamadot, Atlas Mountains, Morocco 

BEST AFRICA CITY HOTEL

Cape Grace, Cape Town

BEST AFRICA RESORT HOTEL

Matetsi Victoria Falls, Matetsi Private Game Reserve, Zimbabwe

BEST SAFARI LODGE 

Mahali Mzuri, Masai Mara, Kenya

 

TRAVEL + LEISURE WORLD'S BEST CITY AND ISLAND 2021 WINNERS, BY REGION



CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES 


BEST CITY

Charleston, South Carolina

BEST ISLAND

Hilton Head Island, South Carolina



CANADA


BEST CITY

Quebec City

BEST ISLAND

Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia 



 

CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA


BEST CITY

Antigua Guatemala



 

MEXICO


BEST CITY

San Miguel de Allende



 

MEXICO & CENTRAL & SOUTH 

AMERICA 


BEST ISLAND

Galápagos Islands, Ecuador



 

EUROPE


BEST CITY

Istanbul

BEST ISLAND

Milos, Greece 



 

ASIA


BEST CITY

Udaipur, India

BEST ISLAND

Andaman Islands, India



 

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND & THE SOUTH PACIFIC


BEST CITY 

Sydney

BEST ISLAND

Fiji Islands



 

AFRICA & THE MIDDLE EAST


BEST CITY

Cape Town

BEST ISLAND

Seychelles



 

HAWAII


BEST ISLAND

Island of Hawaii



 

THE CARIBBEAN, BERMUDA & THE BAHAMAS


BEST ISLAND

St. Vincent and the Grenadines

 

TRAVEL + LEISURE WORLD'S BEST NATIONAL PARKS, UNITED STATES

UNITED STATES

BEST NATIONAL PARK

 

Yellowstone, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana



This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting from January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on travel experiences over a three-year period. For the full Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2021 readers' survey methodology, visit Travelandleisure.com/worlds-best/survey-methodology.

Follow and join the conversation with #TLWorldsBest.
Twitter: @TravelLeisure 
Instagram: @TravelandLeisure
Pinterest: @TravelLeisure
Facebook: @travelandleisure

ABOUT TRAVEL + LEISURE 
Travel + Leisure is the preeminent voice for the sophisticated traveler, serving up expert intelligence and the most immersive travel lifestyle content anywhere. Travel + Leisure captures the joy of discovering the cultural pleasures the world has to offer—from art and design to shopping and style to food and drink—and provides compelling reasons to get up and go. Reaching an audience of more than 30 million, the Travel + Leisure media portfolio includes the U.S. flagship magazine, travelandleisure.com, newsletters, the Let's Go Together podcast, the World's Best Awards franchise, an extensive social media presence, and international editions in China, India, Mexico, and Southeast Asia. Launched in 1971, Travel + Leisure is part of Meredith Corp.'s (NYSE: MDP) Luxury Group of best-in-class brands and is owned by Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE: TNL).

SOURCE Meredith Corporation

For further information: Alexis Leshner, Alexis.Leshner@meredith.com