Travel

When we travel to an urban center, we’re often looking for the whole package — history, culture, exciting cuisine, modernity, antiquity, and everything in between. It sounds like a tall order, but the world’s best cities offer these attributes and more.

The Philippines are enjoying a remarkable reputation. This year, three of the top 10 islands in the world, as determined by readers ofGoTravelDaily, are located in this stunning Asian archipelago.

When it comes to high-end safari planners, insider knowledge and impeccable organizing skills are standard. What separates the great outfitters from the very best is the ability to listen to clients and then create a trip that aligns with their personal desires and exceeds their expectations. That’s what lifted Deeper Africa, a small company that specializes in eastern and southern Africa, to the top of this year’s World’s Best list. Wil Smith and Karen Zulauf, the couple behind Deeper Africa, make a point of accommodating each client as they would a personal guest. “Deeper Africa’s expert understanding of African safaris, and their willingness to listen and customize our itinerary, allowed us to put together the trip of a lifetime,” wrote one reader. “We could not imagine a more perfect experience.”

There’s something timeless and romantic about a transatlantic crossing. With the seemingly endless open ocean and the leisurely pace of travel, these journeys remind us of the glamorous ocean liners of the early 20th century. Perhaps the most iconic of these ships today is theQueen Mary 2, which regularly carries passengers between New York and Southampton, England, in high style. Its polished wood paneling, black-tie dinners, and classic deck chairs exude elegance, earning the 176-year-old Cunard cruise line top honors in the Mega-Ship Ocean Cruise Line category of GoTravelDaily’s World’s Best Awards. One satisfied reader noted, “It’s like stepping back in time. Love the formality.”

Rivers are all the rage. Travelers are increasingly interested in seeing the world on cruises through smaller waterways. A significant selling point is how river cruises allow guests to experience destinations in a deeper way. For instance, sailing Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River lets you explore a destination at a significant turning point in its history, while itineraries on the Rhine River showcase the charming villages and towns that line the waterway. In addition, these trips are heavy on cultural offerings and insider access, with excursions to museums, villages, wineries, and restaurants. The ships—intimate and often luxurious—are also appealing. While you might not encounter jaw-dropping waterslides on most lines, many river ships offer cabins with balconies, premium dining experiences, and spas. For example, Viking Cruises features an innovative Explorer Suite, complete with a wraparound terrace and heated bathroom floors. Every year, for the GoTravelDaily survey, readers weigh in on travel experiences around the globe to share their opinions on hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, and more. Readers rate individual cruise ships on their cabins/facilities, food, service, itineraries/destinations, excursions/activities, and value. These assessments generate results for the cruise lines in various categories, including river cruising. This year, top honors went to Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection—a line recognized for its style and elegance. Staterooms are plush and border on opulent. Even its new ships, such as theMaria Theresa, launched last year, take design cues from the past. Uniworld isn’t the only cruise company expanding its fleet; at least 11 new river ships debuted in recent years. Lines like Tauck, Viking Cruises, and AmaWaterways have all recently added new ships while expanding their itineraries. For instance, AmaWaterways has introduced wine-themed cruises—led by experts—along popular rivers like the Douro, Danube, Rhine, and Rhone, allowing guests to indulge in tastings with someone else at the helm.

Some of the very best cities on the planet can be found in the continental United States — so is it any wonder that some of the most exciting hotels are in the lower 48? For instance, the Old 77 Hotel & Chandlery, located in Louisiana, has quickly become one of the coolest new hotels in the country. Debuting at the No. 7 spot this year in New Orleans, it features two galleries promoting local artists and a French-Caribbean restaurant, where conch croquettes share the menu with black drum fish with beurre blanc and caviar. Inside the 167 rooms, guests will find custom vintage-inspired writing desks and exposed-brick walls.

Whether you are seeking a vacation by the rocky coastline, in rolling farmland, or nestled in a verdant valley surrounded by mountains, the Northeastern U.S. offers ideal spots. The finest resorts from Maine down to Maryland provide a combination of outdoor adventures and pampering experiences, perfect for rejuvenation.

If you’re planning on heading to the Great American West, we know where you should stay. Consider the lodge in Washington State’s wine country, where each guest room features a stone fireplace and a tub for two. Alternatively, you can choose a modern resort on the craggy Teton Mountains of Wyoming, or opt for a Mission-inflected, cedar-beamed lodge on an Oregon river that offers “do nothing” as an official activity — alongside hiking, golfing, fishing, and visiting the spa. These accommodations include Willows Lodge, Amangani, and Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge, among the 10 best resorts in the western U.S. this year.Every year, for the GoTravelDaily World’s Best Awards survey, readers are asked to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe to share their opinions on top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. In the hotels category, properties are rated on their rooms and facilities, location, service, food and drink, and overall value. Hotels are categorized based on their locations, which in the West includes Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.The properties that made this list share some common features. Several are located in ski areas, including Montage Deer Valley, Utah (No. 10) and Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail, Colorado (No. 4). However, readers also demonstrated a fondness for retreats far from ski towns. For example, Montana’s Triple Creek Ranch, formerly voted best hotel in the world and ranked second in the region this year, offers luxurious log cabins with wood-burning fireplaces and large soaking tubs, making it a favorite for romantic getaways thanks to its adults-only policy.At Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge, located along the banks of the Rogue River in Gold Beach, Oregon, exceptional service and serene surroundings are the main attractions. “This is the gold standard for how a lodge should be run,” praised one GoTravelDaily reader. Meanwhile, in Colorado, Gateway Canyons Resort — this year’s top resort in the West — provides thrill seekers with river rafting, rock climbing, and off-roading adventures. Owner John Hendricks, the founder of the Discovery Channel, aims for every visitor to leave having tried something new.No. 10: Montage Deer Valley, Park City, UtahCourtesy of MontageScore: 93.50No. 9: Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole, Teton Village, WyomingCourtesy of Four Seasons ResortScore: 93.62No. 8: Willows Lodge, Woodinville, WashingtonCourtesy of Willows LodgeScore: 93.80No. 7: Red Mountain Resort, Ivins, UtahJessica SampleScore: 93.91No. 6: Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley, Park City, UtahCourtesy of Stein Eriksen LodgeScore: 94.18No. 5: Amangani, Jackson, WyomingCourtesy of AmanganiScore: 94.43No. 4: Sonnenalp Hotel, Vail, ColoradoCourtesy of SonnenalpScore: 95.04No. 3: Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge, Gold Beach, OregonCourtesy of Tu Tu’tun LodgeScore: 95.06No. 2: Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, MontanaCourtesy of Triple Creek RanchScore: 96.76No. 1: Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa, Gateway, ColoradoScore: 97Situated within a canyon on 6,000 acres, Gateway Canyons Resort & Spa is a paradise for outdoor adventure enthusiasts. John Hendricks, founder of the Discovery Channel, has developed an extensive range of activities for guests — from hiking through the surrounding red rocks to white-water rafting in the Dolores River and helicopter tours. Car lovers will appreciate the on-site museum showcasing historic automotive beauties, such as a rare 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 concept car and a 1906 Cadillac Model H Coupe, highlighting a century of American automotive history.

Travelers have long looked to Hawaii as the perfect island getaway — and top-notch accommodations are not in short supply. There are oceanfront resorts where private villas spill right onto the sand, hotels that offer sunset views through floor-to-ceiling windows, and fine restaurants perched on cliffs. 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 lines, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated hotels on their rooms and facilities, location, service, food and drink, and overall value. Properties were categorized as city or resort based on their locations, not on the features of any individual hotel. There were a number of repeat winners among Hawaii’s top resort hotels this year. The Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, which came in at No. 3 spot, has appeared on the list for more than a decade, topping it several times. “All I can say is WOW,” one reader said. “We arrived and I felt like the red carpet was rolled out and we were VIPs.” The resort offers more than impressive service — like seven swimming pools, each with a distinctly different feel. King’s Pond is essentially an aquarium carved out of natural lava rock — you can swim among the more than 4,000 tropical fish that call it home. But one newcomer to the category had a very impressive showing: Montage Kapalua Bay, the No. 1 resort in Hawaii this year. All of the guest rooms have full gourmet kitchens, and several readers who took our survey remarked on the resort’s combination of mellowness and polish. The Spa Montage got high marks, too. For a romantic escape you can have a couples’ treatment, then head for the Cliff House, the property’s private dining venue. Read on for the full list.

One GoTravelDaily voter had the unfortunate experience of coming down with pneumonia during their stay at Manoir Hovey in North Hatley, Quebec. The guest was rushed to the nearest hospital by staff at 1:30 in the morning when symptoms became severe. “I was amazed later to receive calls [in the hospital] from the hotel wanting to know if there was anything I needed or what could they do to make me more comfortable,” remembered the guest. With above-and-beyond service such as this, it should come as no surprise that Manoir Hovey took first place for Canada’s Best Resorts and Inns.