Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul. Photo: Huy Phan, Pexels
Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards 2026: Every Winner in the US and UK Editions, and What the Votes Measure
By Richard Jasinski·Updated 15 October 2026
The 2026 Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards name Japan the best country for US readers and Greece for UK readers, Seoul the best big city for US readers and Bangkok the best city for UK readers, and Viking the best river cruise line in both. The US edition, the 39th, drew 798,867 survey responses between 1 April and 30 June 2026; the UK edition, the 29th, about 300,000 readers. Results went online on 6 October 2026. Below are the confirmed winners in each category, with scores where they were published; lists that are not yet complete in any public report are marked as such.
Who won the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards?
Condé Nast runs two separate votes: one among readers of the US edition, Condé Nast Traveler, and one among readers of the UK edition, Condé Nast Traveller. They agree on Viking for river cruising and La Mamounia in Morocco, and on little else. The No. 1 in each headline category:
| Category | US edition No. 1 | UK edition No. 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Japan (95.52), fourth year running | Greece (98.14) |
| City | Seoul (big cities); Victoria, BC (small cities), fourth year running | Bangkok (97.68), one list for all cities |
| Island | By region, for example the Maldives (95.68) and Hilton Head (96.82) | By region: Hydra in Europe (98.12), Palawan in Asia (98.99), Barbados in the Caribbean (98.16) |
| River cruise line | Viking, sixth year running | Viking (97.31) |
| Expedition cruise line | andBeyond | Viking (98.34) |
| Ski resort | Big Sky, Montana (94.29), US resorts | Deer Valley (97.78), North America; Zermatt (98.33), Europe |
| Destination spa | Six Senses Douro Valley (99.93) | Chiva-Som Hua Hin |
| International airline | Qatar Airways (one report) | Not found in any report |
| Airport | Savannah/Hilton Head, US airports, seventh year running | Heathrow and Istanbul, joint first in the world |
| Tour operator | No such category found | The Turquoise Holiday Company, ninth win |
| Hotel in Morocco | La Mamounia (99.65) | La Mamounia (99.31), Northern Africa |
Sources: Japan National Tourism Organization, Greek Reporter, Nation Thailand, Korea JoongAng Daily, Tourism Victoria, Condé Nast Traveler, full results.
How the Readers' Choice Awards work
Readers rate places, hotels and companies they have used on a five-point scale from excellent to poor; Condé Nast converts the ratings to a percentage and averages them, so a score of 98 means nearly every rating was "excellent". The US edition is in its 39th year and drew 798,867 survey responses between 1 April and 30 June 2026; the results went online on 6 October 2026 and appear in the November issue. The UK edition is in its 29th year; about 300,000 UK readers voted between April and June. Rankings run separately in each edition and in each category.
Sources: Japan National Tourism Organization, WTOC, Daily Hive, Irish Central.
What is the best country in the world in 2026?
Japan for US readers (95.52), ahead of Italy (94.80), Ireland (94.15), Cambodia and Spain; Greece for UK readers (98.14), ahead of Japan (97.01), Italy (96.48), Turkey (94.90) and Portugal (94.64). Both top 20s, with when to go and what each country is best for, are on the best countries to visit in 2026.
What is the best city in the world in 2026?
Seoul is the best big city in the world for US readers, for the first time (it was fifth in 2025); Bangkok is the best city for UK readers, at 97.68, having been outside the top 20 in 2025. The US edition splits cities by size, with small cities defined as under 350,000 people; the UK edition runs one list.
| Rank | US: big cities | US: small cities |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seoul | Victoria, BC |
| 2 | Tokyo | Puerto Vallarta |
| 3 | Phnom Penh | Florence |
| 4 | Shanghai | San Miguel de Allende |
| 5 | Sydney | Lucerne |
| 6 | Montreal | Dubrovnik |
| 7 | Paris | Porto |
| 8 | Cape Town | Amalfi |
| 9 | Singapore | Venice |
| 10 | Kyoto | San Sebastián |
| Rank | UK: best cities | Score | Rank | UK: best cities | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bangkok | 97.68 | 11 | Stockholm | 91.17 |
| 2 | Paris | 97.14 | 12 | Vienna | 90.97 |
| 3 | Istanbul | 96.67 | 13 | Lisbon | 89.70 |
| 4 | Rome | 95.96 | 14 | Hong Kong | 89.47 |
| 5 | Valletta | 95.76 | 15 | Cape Town | 88.33 |
| 6 | Shanghai | 95.19 | 16 | Porto | 87.78 |
| 7 | Tokyo | 94.76 | 17 | Madrid | 87.70 |
| 8 | Seoul | 93.76 | 18 | New York | 86.47 |
| 9 | Sydney | 92.72 | 19 | Jaipur | 86.22 |
| 10 | Amsterdam | 92.44 | 20 | Singapore | 85.85 |
For a short break rather than a vote, see the best city break destinations of 2026, scored on published facts.
Sources: Montreal Blog (US big cities), Korea JoongAng Daily, Uno TV (US small cities), Tourism Victoria, Nation Thailand (UK cities).
What are the best islands in the world in 2026?
Both editions rank islands by region rather than in one world list. UK readers' highest island score is Palawan in the Philippines (98.99), first in Asia; in Europe, UK readers put Hydra first (98.12), just ahead of Sardinia. US readers' highest regional winner is Hilton Head Island, first among US islands for the tenth year (96.82).
| Region | US edition No. 1 (score) | Also ranked (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Asia | Phú Quốc, Vietnam (95.26) | Not published |
| Africa and the Indian Ocean | Maldives (95.68) | 2 Seychelles (94.62), 3 Zanzibar (92.51) |
| Australia and the South Pacific | Fiji (94.86) | 2 Bora Bora (93.68), 3 Tasmania (93.10) |
| Europe | Crete (92.19) | 2 Corfu (91.91) |
| Caribbean and the Atlantic | Bermuda (95.24) | Not published |
| Central and South America | Islas Secas, Panama (93.54) | 2 Galápagos (93.26), 3 Roatán (92.53) |
| North America, outside the US | Isla Mujeres, Mexico (93.76) | Not published |
| United States | Hilton Head Island (96.82) | Not published |
UK readers' best islands in Europe, 2026: 1. Hydra, 2. Sardinia, 3. Naxos, 4. Corsica, 5. Sicily, 6. Sifnos, 7. Menorca, 8. Ibiza, 9. Paros, 10. Mallorca, 11. Faroe Islands, 12. Ischia, 13. Hvar, 14. Madeira, 15. Malta, 16. Santorini, 17. Hyères Islands, 18. Mykonos, 19. Canary Islands, 20. Crete. Hydra scores 98.12 and Crete 87.81; the scores in between were not in the report we read. In the Caribbean and Atlantic, UK readers put Barbados first (98.16), then St Barts (97.57) and Bermuda (97.10), with St Lucia fifth (96.14), Turks and Caicos sixth (95.97) and Grenada seventh (95.21).
Sources: Bao Van Hoa (US regional lists), Viet Nam News, Ynet News (UK Europe), WIC News (UK Caribbean), WTOC (Hilton Head).
What are the best beaches in the world in 2026?
Veligandu Island Beach in the Maldives is the top beach in the 2026 world list (97.55), ahead of Maundays Bay in Anguilla (94.71) and Ao Nang Beach in Thailand (94). The reports carrying this list do not say which edition it belongs to; the Maldives resort describes it as the best beach outside the United States, which points to the US edition. UK readers' best beach in Europe is Sperlonga in Italy (96.67).
| Rank | Beach | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Veligandu Island Beach, Maldives | 97.55 |
| 2 | Maundays Bay, Anguilla | 94.71 |
| 3 | Ao Nang Beach, Thailand | 94 |
| 4 | Coron, Philippines | 93.32 |
| 5 | Grace Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos | 93.04 |
| 6 | Mambo Beach, Curaçao | 92 |
| 7 | Pink Sands Beach, Bahamas | 91.71 |
| 8 | Boracay, Philippines | 91.49 |
| 9 | Holbox Beach, Mexico | 91.38 |
| 10 | El Nido, Philippines | 91.27 |
| 11 | Bora Bora, French Polynesia | 91.21 |
| 12 | Cas Abao Beach, Curaçao | 91.14 |
| 13 | Iztuzu Beach, Turkey | 90.82 |
| 14 | Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica | 90.46 |
| 15 | Puerto Vallarta, Mexico | 89.79 |
For a list chosen on what you find when you arrive, see the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Sources: The Star, Lux* Atolls, Greek Reporter (Europe).
Which cruise lines won in 2026?
Viking is the best river cruise line in both editions, first in the US for the sixth year running and first in the UK at 97.31. UK readers put Seabourn first for small (98.73) and mid-size ships (98.12), Viking first for expedition (98.34), Cunard for large ships (93.69) and Royal Caribbean for megaships (91.79). US readers chose Regent Seven Seas (small), Viking (mid-size), Virgin Voyages (large), Princess (megaship) and andBeyond (expedition). Every list, set against published fares and guest numbers, is on the best cruise lines of 2026.
What are the best ski resorts in 2026?
Zermatt is UK readers' best ski resort in Europe (98.33) and Deer Valley their best in North America (97.78); US readers' best US resort is Big Sky, Montana (94.29), ahead of Deer Valley (94.23). Several reports present the UK North America list as the US one; the lists below are labelled by edition.
UK readers: the best ski resorts in Europe
| Rank | Resort | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zermatt, Switzerland | 98.33 |
| 2 | Verbier, Switzerland | 95.00 |
| 3 | Méribel, France | 94.17 |
| 4 | Val Gardena, Italy | 91.68 |
| 5 | Obergurgl, Austria | 91.67 |
| 6 | Corvara Alta Badia, Italy | 91.11 |
| 7 | Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy | 90.00 |
| 8 | Les Arcs La Plagne, France | 89.00 |
| 9 | St Anton, Austria | 88.89 |
| 10 | Val d'Isère, France | 88.54 |
| 11 | Les Deux Alpes, France | 88.33 |
| 12 | Val Thorens, France | 85.56 |
| 13 | St Moritz, Switzerland | 85.00 |
| 14 | Tignes, France | 84.29 |
| 15 | Courchevel, France | 83.33 |
| 16 | Zell am See-Kaprun, Austria | 83.22 |
| 17 | Kitzbühel, Austria | 82.67 |
| 18 | Courmayeur Mont Blanc, Italy | 82.52 |
| 19 | Andermatt, Switzerland | 82.47 |
| 20 | Avoriaz, France | 82.14 |
UK readers: the best ski resorts in North America
| Rank | Resort | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deer Valley, Utah | 97.78 |
| 2 | Sun Valley, Idaho | 96.67 |
| 3 | Vail, Colorado | 95.00 |
| 4 | Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia | 93.48 |
| 5 | Silver Star Mountain, British Columbia | 93.26 |
| 6 | Solitude, Utah | 93.12 |
| 7 | Telluride, Colorado | 92.94 |
| 8 | Whiteface Lake Placid, New York | 92.57 |
| 9 | Mount Washington, British Columbia | 92.43 |
| 10 | Jackson Hole, Wyoming | 91.67 |
| 11 | Crested Butte, Colorado | 90.67 |
| 12 | Palisades Tahoe, California | 88.67 |
| 13 | Killington Resort, Vermont | 85.33 |
| 14 | Alyeska Resort, Alaska | 85.14 |
| 15 | Lake Louise, Alberta | 84.68 |
US readers: the best ski resorts in the US
1. Big Sky, Montana (94.29); 2. Deer Valley, Utah (94.23); 3. Aspen Mountain, Colorado (94.13); 4. Snowmass, Colorado (93.72); 5. Breckenridge, Colorado (93.71). Sun Valley, Telluride, Park City Mountain, Bretton Woods and Killington complete the top ten, reported in that order without numbered places; Jackson Hole is twelfth.
Lift-pass prices, season dates and airport transfer times for the leading resorts are in the ski resort scorecards.
Sources: Unofficial Networks (UK lists), Unofficial Networks (US list), Daily Hive.
What is the best destination spa in the world in 2026?
US readers rank Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal the best destination spa in the world (99.93); UK readers rank Chiva-Som in Hua Hin, Thailand, first. The UK list was reported by Thailand's tourism authority as the world's top 20; Six Senses describes the UK categories as Europe and Rest of World, so it may be the Rest of World list.
| Rank | US: destination spas in the world |
|---|---|
| 1 | Six Senses Douro Valley, Portugal (99.93) |
| 2 | Ikbal Thermal Hotel and Spa, Turkey |
| 3 | Andronis Concept Wellness Resort, Greece |
| 4 | Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, Switzerland |
| 5 | BodyHoliday, St Lucia |
| 6 | Banyan Tree Veya Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico |
| 7 | The Retreat Costa Rica |
| 8 | JOALI Being, Maldives |
| 9 | Palmaïa, The House of AïA, Mexico |
| 10 | Hotel Nesslerhof, Austria |
UK readers' places that were published: 1. Chiva-Som, 3. Kamalaya, 8. RAKxa, 13. Absolute Sanctuary, 15. RXV Wellness Village, all in Thailand. Six Senses Kaplankaya is fifth among UK destination spas in Europe, and The Gleneagles Hotel is the best spa in the UK.
Sources: Journal du Luxe (US list), IHG, Tourism Authority of Thailand, The Leading Hotels of the World.
Which airlines and airports won in 2026?
One trade report gives US readers' best international airlines as Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air, Emirates and Cathay Pacific; only Korean Air's third place is confirmed by the airline itself. Savannah/Hilton Head is the best US airport for the seventh year. Among international airports, Vancouver is ninth for US readers; UK readers rank Heathrow and Istanbul joint best in the world, and Heathrow first in the UK (82.22). In the US lounge list, Korean Air's First Class Lounge at Incheon is third and Fiji Airways' Premier Lounge at Nadi thirteenth (88.71). The US domestic airline list and every UK airline list were not in any report we could read.
For cabins scored on published facts, see the best business class airlines, the best first class airlines and the airport lounge programme index.
Sources: Journal du Luxe, Korean Air, via Asia Economy, Savannah/Hilton Head airport, Daily Hive (Vancouver), Time Out London, Fiji Airways, via Travel PR News.
Which tour operators won in 2026?
UK readers voted The Turquoise Holiday Company the best tour operator in the world for 2026, its ninth win. Original Travel says it placed in the top ten; Healing Holidays says it is on the list with a score of 98.76; Scott Dunn and Jacada Travel say they are on it. Their places were not published in the sources we read. The Thinking Traveller is the UK readers' best villa rental company, its eleventh win. No tour operator category was found in the US edition.
The Readers' Choice list is a vote; Condé Nast's Top Travel Specialists is an editors' list, explained in Condé Nast's top safari specialists. This site's records for operators on the list: Scott Dunn, Jacada Travel, Original Travel. Every award by safari company is in award-winning safari companies.
Sources: The Turquoise Holiday Company, Original Travel, Healing Holidays, Scott Dunn, Jacada Travel, The Thinking Traveller.
Which hotels won in 2026?
Hotel lists run by city, country and region in each edition; the No. 1s below are those confirmed by the hotels or their groups. The two editions often disagree: in Greece, US readers chose Katikies Santorini and UK readers Canaves Collection, Santorini (99.07).
| List | No. 1 | Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels in London | Corinthia London | US |
| Hotels in Paris | Ritz Paris | US |
| Hotels in New York City | The Carlyle | US |
| Hotels in Greece | Katikies Santorini | US |
| Hotels in Greece | Canaves Collection, Santorini (99.07) | UK |
| Hotels in Morocco | La Mamounia, Marrakech (99.65) | US |
| Hotels in South Africa | Babylonstoren, fifth year running | US |
| Resorts in the Rest of Africa | The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara | US |
| Hotels in Switzerland | The Dolder Grand | US |
| Hotels in Portugal | São Lourenço do Barrocal | UK |
| Hotels in Singapore | Capella Singapore | UK |
| Hotels in India | The Imperial, New Delhi | UK |
Safari lodges and camps sit in the regional resort lists for Africa; their top places were not yet in any report on 15 October 2026. For lodge groups scored on published facts, see the luxury safari operator index; for hotel brands, the luxury hotel brand hierarchy.
Sources: Leading Hoteliers (hotel releases), Greek Reporter, Cape Town Etc, Morocco World News, Minor Hotels, JQ Louise (New York).
How to read the Readers' Choice Awards
- It is a satisfaction score from people who went. It does not test prices, cancellation terms or what is included.
- Check the edition. Many reports mix them: Deer Valley is the UK readers' best North American resort, while US readers put Big Sky first.
- Read the gaps, not the order. In several lists the first six places sit within four points.
- Bigger names are rated by more voters. A place or company needs enough readers to have used it before it can be ranked, which favours large fleets and famous cities.
Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards 2026: the questions people ask
When were the 2026 Condé Nast Readers' Choice Awards announced?
The US results went online on 6 October 2026, and the UK results were published the same week. The US results also run in the November 2026 issue.
How many people voted in the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards?
The US edition drew 798,867 survey responses between 1 April and 30 June 2026. About 300,000 readers voted in the UK edition between April and June.
What is the best country in the world in 2026, according to Condé Nast?
Japan for US readers, at 95.52, for the fourth year running. Greece for UK readers, at 98.14.
What is the best city in the world in 2026?
Seoul is the best big city for US readers, for the first time; Victoria, British Columbia, is their best small city for the fourth year. Bangkok is the best city for UK readers, at 97.68.
Which cruise line won the 2026 Readers' Choice Awards?
Viking: first for river cruising in both editions, first for mid-size ships in the US edition and first for expedition cruising in the UK edition.
What is the best ski resort in the world in 2026?
For UK readers, Zermatt in Europe (98.33) and Deer Valley in North America (97.78). For US readers, the best US resort is Big Sky, Montana (94.29).
What is the best destination spa in the world in 2026?
Six Senses Douro Valley in Portugal, at 99.93, for US readers. Chiva-Som Hua Hin in Thailand for UK readers.
What is the difference between the US and UK Readers' Choice Awards?
They are separate votes. US readers vote in Condé Nast Traveler's awards, now in their 39th year; UK readers in Condé Nast Traveller's, in their 29th. The categories differ too: the US edition splits cities into big and small, and the UK edition has a tour operator list.
Read next
The rankings on this page are Condé Nast's readers' votes, reported as published; this site adds no score of its own to them. Condé Nast Traveler's site could not be read directly, so every place and score comes from the reports, tourism boards, hotels, airlines and companies cited under each section, read 15 October 2026. Where a list or a place was not published in those sources, the page says so rather than guess, and it will be updated as more results are released. There are no affiliate links and no paid placements. How this site earns · How we work.