Banff, Japan, California and British Columbia Shine in Conde Nast 2025 Traveller Awards

The annual Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards are out for best travel of 2025, and there’s plenty of great North American and world content to check out, as well as fabulous hotels and cruises. Canada made the top 10 for best countries to visit, while New York City won kudos for its food scene and hotels.

Victoria, British Columbia was named best small city in the world, Barbados made the top three for most friendly countries, and Tokyo was named world’s best food city. The top ten hotels list for Canada included 1 Hotel Toronto and, in first place, the wonderful Magnolia Hotel and Spa in Victoria.

The Fairmont Banff Springs made the list of top 10 resorts in Canada and the USA, as did the Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino, B.C. (On a related note, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, and Fairmont Banff Springs have each been awarded again the coveted MICHELIN Key for 2025 – a mark of excellence that celebrates the world’s most exceptional stays. Congrats!)

Australia also performed well on the world cities list.

Here’s a list of some of the categories in this year’s Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Awards.

WORLD’S BEST COUNTRIES

1. Japan (amazing scenery and culture, and perhaps the world’s best food)
2. Greece 
3. Portugal (beautiful, and fairly inexpensive)
4. Italy 
5. Spain 
6. Türkiye (I was in Istanbul a year ago and loved it)
7. Ireland (such lovely people, and stunning scenery)
8. Croatia 
9. France 
10. Canada (they like us, they really like us)

A sunset in Istanbul. Jim Byers Photo

WORLD’S BEST CITIES

1. Valletta, Malta (a surprise choice, but a city I really enjoy)
2. Tokyo, Japan
3. Cape Town, South Africa (one of the most geographically striking cities in the world)
4. Quito, Ecuador
5. Santa Fe, New Mexico
6. Shanghai, China
7. Oslo, Norway
8. Mumbai, India
9. Vienna, Austria (a surprisingly diverse city)
10. Copenhagen, Denmark

Also in the top 20: Sydney, Australia (12), New York City (14) and Melbourne, Australia (15). 

BEST HOTELS IN CANADA

1. Magnolia Hotel and Spa, Victoria, B.C. (peaceful and pretty; with wonderful food)
2. Fairmont Royal York, Toronto (Exquisite lobby, and the Library Bar is one of the best cars in Canada)
3. The Drake Hotel, Toronto
4. Auberge Saint-Antoine, Quebec City (Amazing hotel with so much history)
5. St. Regis Hotel, Toronto (stunning)
6. Honeyrose Hotel, Montreal
7. Pan Pacific, Vancouver
8. Hotel Nelligan, Montreal (one of my faves)
9. 1 Hotel Toronto (gorgeous hotel)
10. Hotel William Gray, Montreal (I haven’t stayed there but I had a fine meal at their rooftop restaurant earlier this year)

The Clockwork Bar at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Jim Byers Photo

BEST HOTELS IN THE USA (EXCLUDING NEW YORK CITY)

1. Parker Palm Springs, California
2. The Verb Hotel, Boston
3. Park Hyatt, Chicago
4. Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California
5. The Global Ambassador, Phoenix, Arizona
6. Faena, Miami Beach, Florida
7. Shutters on the Beach, Santa Monica, California
8. Rosewood, Washington D.C.
9. Hotel Swexan, Dallas, Texas
10. Lancaster Hotel, Houston

The Shore Hotel in Santa Monica, a stylish place I really enjoy, was 11th. New York City had its own category, with the Ritz-Carlton New York, Nomad coming out on top.

BEST RESORTS USA and CANADA

1. Four Seasons,Jackson Hole, Wyoming
2. Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky, Montana
3. Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, British Columbia
4. JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa, Palm Desert, California
5. Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection, Calistoga, California
6. Lodge and Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, Saratoga, Wyoming
7. Amangani, Jackson, Wyoming
8. Casa Palmero at Pebble Beach, California
9. Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta
10. Twin Farms, Barnard, Vermont

The Wickaninnish Inn. PHOTO COURTESY WICKANINNISH INN

BEST USA ISLANDS

1. Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
2. Kiawah Island, South Carolina
3. Maui, Hawaii (another personal fave)
4. Oahu, Hawaii 
5. Lanai, Hawaii 
6. South Padre Island, Texas 
7. Nantucket, Massachusetts
8. Kauai, Hawaii (exquisite, beautiful island)
9. Amelia Island, Florida (one of my Florida faves)
10. Hawaii Big Island, Hawaii

BEST SMALL CITIES USA

1. Charleston, South Carolina
2. Santa Fe, New Mexico
3. Alexandria, Virginia
4. St. Augstine, Florida
5. San Juan, Puerto Rico
6. Savannah, Georgia
7. Oakland, California (my home town has a LOT to offer)
8. Lexington, Kentucky
9. Honolulu, Hawaii
10. Pensacola, Florida

BEST LARGE CITIES USA

1. Chicago, Illinois
2. San Francisco, California
3. Milwaukee, Wisconsin (a very underrated city)
4. Portland, Oregon 
5. New Orleans, Louisiana
6. Washington D.C. (also underrated)
7. San Diego, California
8. Columbus, Ohi0
9. New York City
10. Seattle (visited last year and loved it)

BEST CRUISES

Mega ships (more than 4,000 passengers): MSC Cruises. ( My wife and I had a lovely Mediterranean cruise on the MSC World Europa in 2024.)

Large ships (2,500 to 4,000 passengers): Cunard. (We also had a fine crossing from England to New York City on the Queen Mary 2 a few years ago)

Medium ships (500 to 2,500 passengers): Viking.

Small ships (fewer than 500 passengers): The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.