Victoria Named World’s Best City: Big Wins for Calgary, California, Toronto and Hawaii

Victoria, British Columbia has been named the world’s best city in this year’s Conde Nast Travellers’ Readers Choice Awards, while Canada owned the top three picks for world’s friendliest cities.

Victoria was third in the friendly category, while Edmonton came second and Calgary was first. Dublin, Ireland was fourth and Quebec City fifth, giving Canada four of the top five spots.

I might push for St. John’s or Saskatoon or Regina as the friendliest city in the country if I had a vote, but I suspect Conde Nast readers aren’t as familiar with them as they are with the winning cities. Still, I’m disappointed that there’s no mock outrage emanating from Edmonton. I mean, losing to Victoria is fine. But losing to Calgary? Mon dieu!!

The Colony Palms Hotel in Palm Springs, California was named world’s best hotel, while The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto came fifth in the world. L’Horizon in Palm Springs was named world’s best resort, giving both the top hotel and top resort honours to Palm Springs.

The Ritz-Carlton San Francisco, which I reviewed a couple years ago, finished 50th in the world.

Among other fave destinations of mine, Sydney was ranked the eighth best city in the world.

Florida placed two destinations in the top ten U.S. small cities category. Pensacola was eighth and St. Augustine seventh.

The Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. JIM BYERS PHOTO

Hawaii had five islands rated among the top 15 islands in the U.S. Maui was fourth, Oahu seventh, Kauai ninth. Hawaii Island (Big Island) 10th and Lanai 13th. Sensei Lanai, a Four Seasons Resort, was named the world’s fifth best resort. It’s a true stunner that I’ve dined at but not stayed at.

Hilton Head Island in South Carolina came out as the top U.S. island, followed by Kiawah Island, also in South Carolina. Florida had four islands in the top 15: Amelia Island (3), Sanibel Island (7), Marco Island (12) and Key West (15).

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts cleaned up in the lists of top places to stay in Canada, with two properties in the top ten hotels list and five in the list of top ten resorts. Germain Hotels also did very well, with five properties on the list of top 20 hotels in Eastern Canada.

TOP TEN WORLD COUNTRIES

1. Japan 
2. Italy 
3. Greece 
4. Ireland 
5. New Zealand 
6. Spain 
7. Portugal 
8. Israel 
9. Norway 
10. Switzerland 

TOP TEN WORLD CITIES

1. Victoria
2. San Sebastian, Spain
3. Singapore
4. Tokyo
5. Seoul
6. San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
7. Cape Town
8. Sydney
9. Copenhagen
10. Oslo

The Milwaukee Museum of Art in Wisconsin. JIM BYERS PHOTO

TOP TEN U.S. CITIES

1. Chicago
2. San Diego
3. Milwaukee
4. New Orleans
5. San Francisco
6. Boston
7. New York City
8. Nashville
9. Washington D.C.
10. Miami

TOP TEN CANADA HOTELS

1. Hazelton Hotel, Toronto
2. Hotel Place d’Armes, Montreal
3. Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland and Labrador
4. JW Marriott Parq, Vancouver
5. Four Seasons, Montreal
6. Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver
7. Wedgewood Hotel and Spa, Vancouver
8. Loden Hotel, Vancouver
9. Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver
10. Auberge Saint-Antoine, Quebec City

The Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland. JIM BYERS PHOTO

TOP TEN CANADA RESORTS

1. Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler, B.C.
2. Fairmont Tremblant, Quebec
3. Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, B.C.
4. Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta
5. Fairmont Chateau Whistler, B.C.
6. Four Seasons Resort and Residences, Whistler, B.C.
7. Cabot Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
8. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta
9. Brentwood Bay Resort, B.C.
10. Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Alberta

TOP 20 EASTERN CANADA HOTELS

A round-bed room at Le Germain Hotel, Montreal. JIM BYERS PHOTO

1. Hazelton Hotel, Toronto
2. Hotel Place d’Armes, Montreal
3. Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland and Labrador
4. Four Seasons Hotel, Montreal
5. Auberge Saint-Antoine, Quebec City
6. Park Hyatt, Toronto
7. The Royal Hotel, Picton, Ontario
8. Le Germain Charlevoix Hotel and Spa, Baie-St.Paul, Quebec
9. Le Germain Hotel, Montreal
10. Le Germain Hotel, Quebec
11. The Drake Hotel, Toronto
12. Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer
13. Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City
14. Le Germain Hotel Toronto Maple Leaf Square
15. Manoir Hovey, North Hatley, Quebec
16. Hotel Nelligan, Montreal
17. Hotel 71, Quebec City
18. Drake Devonshire, Wellington, Ontario
19. Hotel William Gray, Montreal
20. 1 Hotel Toronto

TOP 15 HOTELS WESTERN CANADA

1. JW Marriott Parq, Vancouver
2. Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver
3. Wedgewood Hotel and Spa, Vancouver
4. Loden Hotel, Vancouver
5. Fairmont Pacific Rim, Vancouver
6. Opus Vancouver
7. Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Victoria, B.C.
8. Shangri-La Vancouver
9. Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver
10. Fairmont Empress Hotel, Victoria
11. Hotel Magnolia, Victoria
12. Le Germain Hotel, Calgary
13. Naramata Inn, Naramata (Kelowna) B.C.
14. Hastings House Country House Hotel, Salt Spring Island, B.C.
15. Fairmont Hotel Vancouver