Destinations

When the words “Bora-Bora” and “Tahiti” come up in conversation, they’re usually followed by that often-used adjective, “bucket list.” This adjective is well-deserved; with their lush landscapes, turquoise lagoons, and overwater bungalows, French Polynesia’s Society Islands—an archipelago formed by Bora-Bora, Moorea, Huahine, and Tahiti—are legendary for a reason. However, an unforgettable way to experience French Polynesia and the South Pacific is on the water, where you can sail from one picturesque spot to the next and truly feel the essence of life on the high seas. Clearly, readers of GoTravelDaily agree: for the second consecutive year, Paul Gauguin Cruises—a single-vessel line sailing to the Society Islands, the Marquesas, Fiji, and the Cook Islands—won the title of the World’s Best Midsize-Ship Ocean Cruise Line. One satisfied traveler stated, “ThePaul Gauguinperfectly complements the breathtaking views and calm waters of these island paradises. The intimate feeling, unrivaled crew-to-passenger ratio, and outstanding service make you feel like the entire cruise was put together for YOU alone!”

Ask anyone who has used a tour operator, and they will tell you it’s the only way to travel. Whether embarking on a truffle tasting excursion in Tuscany, sailing through the Cyclades in your own schooner, or cycling in style through Napa Valley, a tour operator takes the hassle out of planning a luxurious getaway. The world’s best focus on the finest details to create unparalleled experiences — and memories that last a lifetime. Each year, GoTravelDaily surveys travelers to weigh in on their experiences around the globe — sharing their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, and airlines. Readers rated tour operators on their staff and guides, itineraries and destinations, activities, accommodations, food, and overall value. Many of the winners focus on active cycling or walking vacations. Debuting for the first time ever is DuVine Cycling & Adventure Company, which arranges bicycle trips in Europe, North and South America, Africa, and the Middle East. Readers raved about the No. 2 company’s attention to detail and the flexibility of their guides, allowing extra time to explore local areas. “We love biking with DuVine,” says a reader. “What a way to see the wine regions of the world, with expert guides that felt like family by the end of the journey, top-notch accommodations, and fabulous food.” Mountain Lodges of Peru, the No. 5 winner, offers a seven-day Salkantay trek along the Inca Trail, with stops at small lodges in remote villages. The end point: Machu Picchu. “Standing at the top of a pass with nothing around us but llamas and the beauty of the land was an experience I will never forget,” shared another reader. Rather than planning your next vacation entirely by yourself, consider these premier tour operators, including the No. 1 winner, recognized as one of the most exclusive in the business.

The frenetic energy of city life demands a careful choice of hotel. A great location is a must—the farther you are from the action, the more time you’ll waste traveling. Conversely, if a hotel is too touristy, you might miss the chance to experience local life. Ideally, you want an in-the-know concierge, a room that feels like an oasis, and most importantly, a real sense of place. Fortunately, discerning travelers have shared their views, leading to this selection of 15 exceptional hotels. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, readers weigh in on travel experiences around the globe, sharing their opinions on the finest hotels, resorts, and more. Hotels are rated based on facilities, location, service, food, and overall value, with properties classified as City or Resort according to their amenities.

Oh, Canada! This year’s World’s Best resorts showcase the True North’s wild coastlines, epic ski slopes, and pristine wilderness. Familiar names — the Wickaninnish Inn and Post Hotel & Spa, among others — ranked among the top five properties, while Canadian operator Fairmont Hotels & Resorts also made its home country proud with four hotels among the 10 winners. Every year, the World’s Best Awards survey asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — sharing their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated based on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties classified as City or Resort based on their locations and amenities were also taken into account. Last year’s gold and silver winners swapped places in 2017, with Fogo Island Inn, a contemporary property featuring just 29 suites — all with floor-to-ceiling windows and locally crafted furnishings — emerging as this year’s big winner. “The beauty of Newfoundland, the remoteness of Fogo Island, and extraordinary design make this inn a very special place,” one voter remarked. Next on the list is Manoir Hovey, a 19th-century mansion set along the shores of Lake Massawippi in North Hatley. Modeled after Mount Vernon and framed by 30 acres of woodland and manicured gardens, the property is an ideal addition to a trip to Quebec City—the No. 1 city in Canada this year—since it’s conveniently located just two and a half hours away. At Le Hatley restaurant, chef Francis Wolf serves dishes such as buttery foie gras and garden-fresh salads drizzled with local birch-tree syrup. After dinner, guests can retreat upstairs to one of the 37 elegant rooms, many featuring fireplaces or private balconies. On the west coast, the picturesque Wickaninnish Inn made its regular appearance on the list. The Vancouver Island property is nestled on a pine-forest-ringed promontory, with cozy rooms equipped with deep soaking tubs, while floor-to-ceiling windows invite the breathtaking outdoors in. You can spend your days strolling along Chesterman Beach or curled up fireside with a fine Pinot from the Pacific. Ski resorts on both sides of Canada also made a strong showing thanks to famous properties such as the Four Seasons Resort Whistler, Fairmont Chateau Whistler, and Fairmont Tremblant.10. Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, AlbertaCourtesy of Fairmont Chateau Lake LouiseScore: 88.939. Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, La Malbaie, QuebecCourtesy of Fairmont Le Manoir RichelieuScore: 90.228. Fairmont Tremblant, Mont Tremblant, QuebecCourtesy of Fairmont TremblantScore: 90.367. Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British ColumbiaCourtesy of Fairmont Chateau WhistlerScore: 90.406. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Whistler, British ColumbiaCourtesy of Four Seasons Resort WhisterScore: 90.685. Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler, British ColumbiaCourtesy of Nita Lake LodgeScore: 91.304. Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, British ColumbiaCourtesy of Wickaninnish InnScore: 91.643. Post Hotel & Spa, Lake Louise, AlbertaCourtesy of Post Hotel & SpaScore: 95.642. Manoir Hovey, North Hatley, QuebecCourtesy of Manoir HoveyScore: 96.961. Fogo Island InnWilliam AbranowiczScore: 97.76As one reader aptly noted, “Fogo Island Inn is beyond comparison. To call it a hotel seems somehow wrong.” This 29-room property, a striking contemporary build on Newfoundland’s Fogo Island, serves as an extension of the destination itself. New and old are integrated into every aspect of the inn’s design: its furnishings and textiles— including the wallpaper and hand-sewn quilts—were specifically created for the inn, with most made locally. All guest activities, ranging from berry picking and guided hikes through Fogo residents to traditional fishing and punt rowing, promote regional culture and history.

When it comes to planning a relaxing resort vacation in Africa, you’re spoiled for choice. Do you crave lush green jungles, white-sand beaches, and turquoise waters? Jet off to the Seychelles, which compete with the South Pacific for jaw-dropping beauty. Can’t decide between the picturesque rolling hills of Napa and the old-world charm of the Loire? Experience the best of both worlds with a trip to the South African Winelands, where centuries-old vineyards are nestled in the sandstone mountains of the Western Cape. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, GoTravelDaily invites readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels are assessed based on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties are categorized as City or Resort based on their locations and amenities. This year, an impressive four out of the five winners hailed from one country: South Africa. While GoTravelDaily readers love visiting Cape Town, which was once again voted the No. 1 city in Africa, they also enjoy pairing their visits with stays at wine-country retreats or seaside resorts just outside the urban center. In the coastal getaway of Hermanus, Birkenhead House—an 11-suite, cliff-top former home—offers guests stunning views of surfers and whales breaching in the Atlantic below. One visitor even remarked that getting up close to the marine life via boat wasn’t necessary, as “we saw more whales from the hotel patio.” The other three South African properties, however, are located in wine country and are just as impressive.

The north is on the rise. This year, the first seven of the top 10 resort hotels in California are all from the upper half of the Golden State. Most can be found in the counties of Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino, the beloved land of wine and redwoods north of San Francisco. This year’s top two winners, however, belong to properties elsewhere in the north. Rosewood CordeValle, a luxury resort with its own championship golf course and vineyard, is tucked away in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, while Château du Sureau, near Yosemite, is an enchanting slice of Provence in the Sierra Nevada. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, GoTravelDaily asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as City or Resort based on their locations and amenities. Readers praised the 45-room Rosewood CordeValle for its seclusion. “A hidden treasure,” said one reader, while another added, “We had wild deer grazing right outside our room.” All of this despite being just half an hour from San Jose on the 101. That’s a common trait among many of California’s top resort hotels: they give you the feeling of getting away from it all while being relatively easy to reach — no small feat in a state of nearly 40 million people. Last year’s winner, Farmhouse Inn, located just up the road from some of Sonoma’s finest wineries, feels like a remote little forest kingdom, but it’s just 90 minutes from San Francisco. This year, the family-run boutique inn with a Michelin-starred restaurant claimed the No. 3 spot. In neighboring Napa Valley, three resorts ranked highly with our readers: Auberge du Soleil, in Rutherford; Calistoga Ranch, an Auberge Resort, in Calistoga; and Meadowood Napa Valley, in St. Helena. In southern California, both the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa and Terranea are an easy drive from Los Angeles, making them great options for travelers wanting to tack a few days of relaxation onto a city trip. Read on to see the full list of top California retreats.

Some of the most luxurious resort hotels on the planet are located in Indonesia, home to everything a well-traveled hotel connoisseur would expect: beautiful beaches, delicious food, postcard-perfect views, and faultless service. Therefore, it’s hardly a surprise that our readers are willing to endure multiple flights (and more than a full day of travel) to reach this archipelago of some 17,500 islands. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, readers weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — sharing their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels are rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Importantly, properties are classified as City or Resort based on their locations and amenities. The love affair with Bali continues this year, as the island is home to four of the five resorts on the list. Of note is the recent renovation of the Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay, where all 147 thatched-roof villas received a fresh look using traditional Balinese ikat fabrics, wooden sculptures, and local artwork. Each villa features its own infinity plunge pool and breathtaking views over Mount Agung, making it a very private and romantic setting for visitors. Amandari is a big hit with couples (and loyal Aman fanatics) due to its secluded setting near Ubud, nestled in Bali’s lush interior. Suites showcase coconut and teak wood accents and have their own private gardens, while the open-air lobby is modeled after awantilan(village meeting place). “The décor was stunning, and very true to the area and culture,” said one satisfied visitor. “Impeccable service,” they added. Moreover, in the beachside area of Nusa Dua, the St. Regis Bali Resort impresses with an almost 40,000-square-foot swimmable lagoon. However, the sole non-Bali resort on the list also happens to be this year’s winner. Nihi Sumba Island, formerly known as Nihiwatu, scored rave reviews across the board for its remote location (it’s an hour by plane from Bali). Owner Chris Burch, who acquired the property in 2012, expanded its facilities while managing to preserve the edge-of-civilization vibe and strong community connection. Read on to discover how each resort ranks.

The cities of Central and South America offer endless adventures. You can explore the arts in Buenos Aires, take in the vibrant beaches of Rio de Janeiro, or discover Incan history in Cuzco, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Indeed, Cuzco is prized as much for its Spanish-colonial architecture as for its rugged, mountainous setting. This gateway city on the road to Machu Picchu proves to be a favorite with travelers — three of the top 10 hotels, including this year’s winner, are located there. Each year, our World’s Best Awards survey invites travelers to weigh in on their experiences around the globe — sharing their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels are rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties are classified as City or Resort based on their locations and amenities. Another standout city is Buenos Aires, where prominent hotels such as the Alvear Palace, the Four Seasons, and the Palacio Duhau Park Hyatt define the hotel scene. At the Alvear Palace, afternoon tea in the soaring lobby becomes a restorative art form, and the spacious rooms, adorned with Louis XVI-style furniture, offer a tranquil escape. One traveler gushed, “By far the best hotel in Argentina,” while another commented, “A grand hotel of the old school.” The Four Seasons, located in a former Belle Époque mansion in B.A.’s upscale Recoleta neighborhood, continues to shine, thanks in part to its light-filled guest rooms and lovely outdoor pool. The Waldorf Astoria Panama also made our list, as did Casa San Agustín, a recently renovated property nestled within the walls of Cartagena, Colombia. This boutique hotel consists of three interconnected buildings; its courtyard features a remarkable ancient aqueduct, and many of the rooms, styled in modern Colombian decor, come equipped with their own plunge pools or Jacuzzis.