Conde Nast Traveller UK

STYLE FILE

FASHION-FORWARD NOTES FOR ALL SEASONS. EDITED BY CHARLOTTE DAVEY

SWIMSUIT, MODEL’S OWN. PHOTOGRAPH: WILL DAVIDSON. STYLING: MARTHA WARD. MODEL: KRISTIN AT ESKIMO. TAKE IT AWAY
SHOT ON LOCATION AT MYVATN NATURE BATHS, ICELAND (MYVATNNATUREBATHS.IS)
The Y2K style revival was inevitable; the
perfect storm of the 30-year fashion cycle

looping us back into Nineties acid-pop
dressing, alongside a renewed eye for all
things digital courtesy of a global lockdown.
Fashion’s morph into virtual reality started
last year when Marc Jacobs and Valentino
previewed looks through Animal Crossing,
Nintendo’s life-simulation game. Since then,

labels have been pushing the avatar
possibilities: you can now try on Chanel
styles virtually and even buy designer gear for
your Sim from Tribute’s cyber clothing line.
The trend has come full circle. After a year of
dressing for Zoom, life imitates TikTok with
Dolce & Gabbana’s tech-themed AW21
collection. Synthetic colours, faux neons and
screen-shimmer fabrics put online culture

IRL. One highlight: the eyewear. VR
headsets, wraparound visors and, of course,

its signature logo sunglasses revamped in
rainbow crystal for today’s e-crowd. This is
the new digital world through rose- (and
every other colour) tinted lenses. Sunglasses,
POA, Dolce & Gabbana (dolcegabbana.com)

November 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 49

Clockwise from this picture: embroidered cushion
at La Troupe; Nômade’s Macondo restaurant;

ZacBe peacock-feather earrings; Nômade;
ceramics and candles at World by Hand; Nü

cocktail; Auras owner Veronica Genovali

PHOTOGRAPHS: JON ATTENBOROUGH SHOPPING IN

TULUM

THE ONCE PARTY-HARD MEXICAN HOTSPOT HAS BEEN
SLOWING DOWN OF LATE, WITH A WAVE OF WELLNESS
RETREATS POPPING UP. NOW ITS REGIONAL ARTISANS
ARE PULLING FOCUS TOO. ALISON BECKNER ZONES IN
ON THE INDIE BRANDS PROMOTING THE HOMESPUN

November 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 51

STYLE FILE

COOL CONCEPT BOHO BEACHWEAR containers made in Tulum and face-planters
– clay plant pots carved with facial features –
Downtown apothecary-meets-curiosity- Rosana Lavergne Schnitman was born in from Cuernavaca, just south of the Mexican
shop Auras is the go-to for all things Argentina to a family of textile manufacturers capital. There are also large, hand-painted
eco-conscious. It stocks sustainably made and embroiderers. In 2015, she landed in salad bowls, leaf-shaped serving platters,
pieces by Mexican designers and artisans Tulum and was inspired to start her own trinket boxes, candle holders and wooden
– woven palm-leaf bags, crystal and rope- fashion label Spiritum. The shop, set in sculptures. worldbyhand.com
tied jewellery, hand-carved wooden utensils a reimagined palapa in the jungle, sells
– as well as its own clothing line created throws, rugs and pillow covers, plus clothing BEAUTY AND WELLNESS
by founder Veronica Genovali. Highlights such as ruanas (poncho-style shawls). Look
include belted skirts, beach dresses and out too for braided indigo halter dresses, La Tiendita, founded four years ago by
smocks with frayed trims, stitched from olive-green cowl-neck tops and rope-belted Noelia Pretini and Francesca Durante,
natural and responsibly sourced fabrics such trousers.Also noteworthy are nearby In The specialises in homeware, clothing and
as cotton, hemp, linen and bamboo.Among Middle for clean, minimal menswear – loose clean-beauty products produced in Tulum.
the cactus sculptures and geodes dotted linen shirts with button-up mandarin collars, Browse lines such as Casa Selva for all-
around the interior, there are pharmacy-style chic swim shorts – and Wanderlust, which natural, eco-friendly face oils and mists, sold
cabinets filled with clean-beauty serums, has floaty, hand-dyed silk maxis and ruffled individually and in sets with rose-quartz
soaps and scrubs, petal-infused candles and wrap dresses. spiritumtulum.com, inthemiddle rollers or gua sha tools, and Alximia, whose
home fragrances. aurastulum.com tulum.com, wanderlustulum.com skincare is inspired by astrology (customers
can pick moisturisers, tinctures, masks
LEFTFIELD JEWELLERY TRADITIONAL HOMEWARE and exfoliators based on lunar phases and
zodiac signs). For more alternative therapies,
Set inside an airy Tulum Beach boutique, One of the most extensive stores in town is check out Carmen Ruiz’s Healing Tulum, a
ZacBe uses recycled silver and natural World by Hand, an emporium for pottery concierge service offering aromatherapy,
materials (raw stones, feathers) for its one-off and crafts from around the world. Francia Ayurvedic massage, reiki and ancestral
designs, which are influenced by the region’s Rabago, originally from San Luis Potosí Mayan healing techniques. latienditatulum.
ancient cultures and myths. Jewellery is in central Mexico, travels to India, Haiti, com, healingtulum.com
displayed on driftwood-like stands and in Nepal, Indonesia and beyond to source
bell jars alongside a small edit of straw hats makers and provide a global platform for CLEVER DISHES
and bags. Pieces such as the Mayan Warrior their creations. Standouts include green-
bracelet and Aphrodite earrings are made glazed Moroccan vases; ceramic spice To the north of nearby fishing village of Boca
by artisans in Taxco and Mexico City using Paila, Nü is led by emerging talent Cesar
gems sourced locally, while the majority LOCAL KNOW-HOW Castañeda, named one of the country’s
of the colourful feathers are collected 10 best chefs under 30. He blends modern
from Maya communities on the Yucatán KAREN YOUNG and traditional cooking for uncomplicated
peninsula. instagram.com/zacbetulum Mexican plates such as wood-oven-baked
FOUNDER OF WILD RESTAURANT rice and grilled fish wrapped in hoja santa
ART AND CRAFT leaves. For pudding, try the pastel des tres
‘For me, there’s nothing leches, a three-milk pie with spices, nuts and
Lifestyle and accessories store La Troupe better than starting the strawberry sauce. Over in town, Verdánt is
was launched by Ana Thenor, Lorena Surra day with yoga. My go-to one of the few truly farm-to-table restaurants
and Berenice Apostolo on the principles of spot is Sanará, where the on the Yucatán peninsula. Helmed by
fair trade, and fuses regional textile art with shala is right on the beach Maya Scales and Benjamin Coe, who both
a contemporary aesthetic in collaboration overlooking the water.’ previously worked at Tulum hit Arca, the
with local craftspeople. The beach-shack- indoor/outdoor space centres around a menu
esque set-up – rustic, turquoise-washed ‘The Sian Ka’an Biosphere cooked over fire. nutulum.com, verdant.mx
benches, trees growing through the deck – Reserve is a UNESCO
has everything from embellished cushions World Heritage Site and one of the most WHERE TO STAY
and blankets to tasselled totes, kaftans,
burlap washbags and wall hangings. The spectacular and ecologically diverse places on Nomâde is an elevated take on barefoot
brand employs more than 150 female earth – take a tour to see dolphins, manatees style, with boutique bedrooms plus tents and
makers in Quintana Roo, Yucatán and and turtles, then snorkel along the barrier reef.’ villas hidden in the jungle. The spot to book
Chiapas, with outposts in Playa del Carmen is one of the recently added treehouses, set
and Valladolid.To the north of Tulum Beach ‘Tulum is full of directional design and about 20ft above the forest and built using
is the architectural wood-and-concrete unique hotels. Casa Malca is one of the sustainable practices and locally sourced
structure housing interdisciplinary gallery materials as part of the hotel’s carbon-neutral
SFER IK Museion. The experimental best, with an incredible collection ethos.Along with the Middle Eastern-themed
exhibition space showcases international of original artwork by Keith Haring, Kaws restaurant and beachfront seafood hangout,
works as well as holding artist residencies there is a weekly roster of cacao ceremonies,
and educational programmes. latroupe and Jean-Michel Basquiat.’ yoga classes and sound-healing sessions.
tulum.com, sferik.art Doubles from about £230; nomadetulum.com
‘For brunch, head to the plant-focused
Real Coconut on the seafront. It has

a daily selection of pastries as well as fruit,
pancakes and shakshuka eggs.’

Opposite, clockwise from top left: interior of SFER IK Museion exhibition space; clothing at La Troupe; Nü; Ghanaian straw fans, and a Moroccan carpet, both
at World by Hand; La Tiendita owners Francesca Durante, left, and Noelia Pretini; handmade blanket, and display, both at Spiritum; green ceviche at Nü

November 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 53

STYLE FILE

Gold-plate and bead
bracelet, about £180,
Tohum (tohumdesign.com).
Left, organic-cotton shopper,
£280, JW Anderson
(jwanderson.com). Below, silk
and cotton skirt, about
£160, Agua by Agua Bendita
(modaoperandi.com)

Cotton dress, £1,770, Oscar de la
Renta (oscardelarenta.com). Earrings
in gold, sterling silver and tsavorites,
POA, Bibi van der Velden (bibivander

velden.com). Cat-eye sunglasses,
£177, Black Eyewear (blackeyewear.
com). Free 00 Eau de Parfum, £135

for 50ml, Vyrao (vyrao.com)

CLUB TROPICANA MINI TREND: LEOPARD PRINT

A MALDIVES HOLIDAY CALLS FOR TUTTI-FRUTTI PRINTS,

CRAYOLA COLOURS AND SPLASHES OF WILD FLORA AND FAUNA

Cotton midi dress, Recycled-polyester bikini Pony-hair PHOTOGRAPH: LOUIS A W SHERIDAN
£552, Cara Cara (moda top, about £115; bottoms, espadrilles,
about £100, both Agua by £650, Dolce &
operandi.com). Toile Agua Bendita (matches Gabbana (dolce
technical-fabric trainers, fashion.com). Left, leather gabbana.com).
£850, Dior (dior.com) bag, £1,770, Louis Vuitton Organic-cotton
swimsuit, £49,
(louisvuitton.com) Guess (guess.eu)

Sunleÿa GE Age Silk pocket
Minimising Global Sun square, £110,
Care SPF 50+, £192, Etro (etro.com)
Sisley (sisley-paris.com).

Resin and strass
brooch, £405, Chanel

(chanel.com)

WHERE TO STAY Joali on Raa Atoll takes cues from its setting with overwater
villas that don’t disturb the coral reef, an organic kitchen garden and buildings
using local materials, such as the Manta Tree House, pictured above (joali.com)

54 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

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STYLE FILE

ST GALLENP O S TC A R D F R O M

ALBERT KRIEMLER, THE CREATIVE FORCE BEHIND SWISS EMBROIDERY HOUSE TURNED LAIDBACK-LUXE

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CITY? WHERE DO YOU HEAD mixture that counts. Every butcher has its
FOR FOOD? own version. And do not eat it with
‘It is Switzerland’s best-kept secret. St Gallen
was once known as the embroidery capital of ‘My favourite casual spot is Facincani, an mustard, an absolute no-no; the taste of
the world: textile firms such as Forster Rohner, Italian restaurant just outside the centre. the Bratwurst is rich enough.’
Bischoff and Jakob Schlaepfer have been based
I always have the fagottini, a stuffed, ANY OTHER ESSENTIAL PIT STOPS?
here since the 1700s, and it is where the lantern-shaped pasta – I’ve ordered it for the
embroidery machine was invented in the early past 30 years, it is delicious. When we work ‘Pietro Cappelli’s La Panetteria, for the
1900s. My family has been living in the town tastiest gipfel (Swiss croissant) in town.
for generations and our ateliers are here. One late in the office we’ll often stop by for And Praliné Scherrer, in the heart of the city –
of my earliest memories is of my grandmother a bite. Then there is Baratella in the north,
Alice, the founder of Akris, teaching me how to where the menu is a piece of art in itself, the pralines are amazing and every
illustrated with works by Giuseppe Santomaso, season they customise a selection for
ski before I was three years old. After that Silvie Defraoui, Günther Uecker and most
I would long for winter because it meant skiing us to serve guests at our runway
instead of walking – far more exciting for a child.’ recently Canadian-born Zin Taylor. show in Paris.’
And Einstein Gourmet if I’m in the mood
WHICH ARE THE TOP PLACES TO STAY? WHERE IS BEST FOR SHOPPING?
for a really refined dinner.’
‘Einstein Hotel in the old town is the ideal ‘The outdoor market on Marktplatz, held
starting point for exploring and often hosts A MUST-TRY DISH? on Wednesday and Saturday, is a
jazz sessions. Also the Militärkantine, a former
officers’ mess hall built around 1900 – half- ‘The St Galler Bratwurst. It dates back to historic site where you can pick up rare
timbered, with turrets and surrounded by old the Middle Ages, and its unique bite is finds from antiques to vintage clothing,
attributed to a secret recipe: veal cooked
chestnut trees, it’s a truly idyllic place.’ plus there’s a farmers’ market. For
with bacon, spices and fresh milk – lovely Swiss cheese, look out for Kündig
the ingredients are well known, but it is the
Feinkost on Webergasse.’

56 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

LABEL AKRIS, SHARES HIS TIPS FOR THE TEXTILE HUB’S ARTY BISTROS AND LAKESIDE HANGOUTS

PHOTOGRAPHS: MANUEL DIETRICH; AND FOR A CULTURE HIT? Claude Paillard’s Theatre, a monumental Chäserrugg summit, with its incredible
JONATHAN FRANTINI; ALEXANDRA KOCH DEVOS concrete hexagon from the 1960s, and Sou restaurant constructed around a cable-car
‘Kinok, a fabulous arthouse cinema at the Fujimoto’s modular HSG Learning Centre,
Lokremise roundhouse, is special to me. There station by world-renowned architects
are three or four films on every day, referring which is clearly set to become the Herzog and de Meuron.’
next extraordinary landmark of the city.’
to monthly themes and relating to the HOW DOES ST GALLEN INSPIRE
most interesting cultural topics. It is the best A GREAT OUTDOOR SPOT? YOUR WORK FOR AKRIS?
programme in Switzerland. I am also a regular
at the Kunstmuseum St Gallen. The director ‘Drei Weieren park overlooking St Gallen ‘This is where Akris was founded in 1922 as an
always manages to host names who are then is unbeatable for panoramic views, atelier for embroidered aprons, and we have
discovered shortly afterwards by the art world.’ maintained this craft heritage – the brand
especially at sunset. The Drei Weieren are still works with local artisans on innovative,
YOUR FAVOURITE LANDMARKS? stunning natural swimming ponds and the bespoke fabrics. For the AW21 collection,
I wanted to give back to the community.
‘I often visit the Abbey library, part of wooden Art Nouveau bath houses are The line is a homage to our regional roots, so
St Gallen’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. With a tribute to the rich local design history.’ each look includes an embroidery item.
The St Gallen Map print on the statement
its magnificent rococo hall, it is regarded as WHERE DO YOU LIKE bomber jacket reveals the location of our
one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. TO HIKE? studio, the house my grandmother bought in
1944, which is where Akris fashion is still
The Greek inscription above the entrance ‘The Alpstein, which is among the most created today.’ CHARLOTTE DAVEY
reads ‘healing house for the soul’ and it always impressive natural areas in Europe – from the

reminds me that a book can be an escape. Seealpsee lake you have a fantastic view
Modern architecture is my passion – I love of Säntis mountain. Or take a tour up to the

Above from far left: Alt St Johann mountains near St Gallen; Albert Kriemler; the Abbey library; pumpkin dish at Einstein Gourmet

STYLE FILE

BEST SUPPLEMENT

Who hasn’t dreamed of escaping to a spa since the word
‘pandemic’ took over our vocabulary? Oh, to be looked

after in a tranquil environment. In lieu of a physical
retreat, first-rate Swiss medi-spa Clinique La Prairie has

launched the Holistic Health range of supplements.
My favourite is Balance, made up of two blends: vitamin-

packed Essential Wellbeing and Rest & Reset, with
Bluenesse, a lemon-balm extract, to boost mental clarity

and your ability to deal with stress. About £470 for two
bottles of 120 capsules (cliniquelaprairie-hh.com)

BEST FOR JE T LAG

The circadian rhythm regulates
our sleep/wake cycle. In the

daytime we are programmed to be
alert, at night to repair, so when
a change in my time zone disrupts
this equilibrium I like to use
products with calming ingredients

to encourage a reset. Omorovicza’s
ultra-fine Queen of Hungary
Evening Mist contains CBD,

melatonin, magnesium salts and
lavender extract to induce sleep.
Spray it liberally over the face – it

has the power to revive yet
quiet the busiest mind. My tip?
Use it on a flight to comfort and
refresh. £55 (cultbeauty.com)

WIN-WIN

HERO BEAUTY PRODUCTS FOR A SOOTHING REBOOT,
TRIED AND TESTED BY CATHERINE ROBINSON

BEST NEWCOMER BEST SKIN SAV IOUR BEST TRAV EL SE T PHOTOGRAPH: PAUL SCALA/TRUNK ARCHIVE

You learn the merit of a moisturiser Many retinol products claim to Aerin Lauder – granddaughter of Estée
when you go away. Skin is in need fade dark spots but Medik8’s – has access to the ultimate beauty vaults.
of TLC and its recovery depends on R-Retinoate Intense actually
a product that you apply religiously. does. It contains retinyl retinoate When she makes a travel bag of her
and retinaldehyde to stimulate essentials, not only do I take note, I want
On the surface, Spectacle’s collagen and restore aged and them all, and the Aerin x Colefax Eloise
Performance Crème soothes the sun-damaged skin, soften fine Beauty Set is no exception. She is never
complexion. On a cellular level, it’s lines and improve skin texture. without her Rose Lip Conditioner for its
Mixed with squalane and vitamin glossy finish – a dab on cheekbones works
loaded with active ingredients: E, the cream is highly moisturising well as a highlighter. Her Rose Hand &
niacinamide reduces inflammation; and non-irritating. Apply it twice Body Cream, deeply hydrating with a peony
hyaluronic acid aids hydration and a week for the first two weeks, and magnolia scent, is what dry limbs crave.
then every other night until your Best of all? The botanical case by British
ergothioneine, an antioxidant skin has acclimatised. There are fabric house Colefax and Fowler doubles as
found in mushrooms, eases UV hundreds of retinol products a clutch. About £110 (net-a-porter.com)
damage. Co-created by former Tatler on the market, but for me, only
beauty director Olivia Falcon, this
one-size-fits-all wonder caters to a one. £210 (medik8.com)
traveller’s ever-changing skincare
needs. £76 (spectacleskincare.com)

58 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

Need to be inspired?

Venice, Veneto

LIGHT TOUCH

WATCHMAKERS GIVE MORE WEIGHT TO COMFORT. BY JESSICA DIAMOND

As a seasoned watch editor, I’ve thought long and hard about what I personally want from a timepiece:
reliability, of course; a stylish, considered design; and wearability – in other words, when it’s strapped on I

don’t want to notice it’s there. The latter point becomes even more important when you go on holiday.
Aerodynamics are key; the case should hug the contours of the wrist – curved lugs that attach it to the bracelet

help with this – and the best material for a strap is tough fabric, rubber or ceramic, never leather (add heat,
sun cream, seawater and sweat and you’ve got the quickest recipe for destruction). But it’s the watch’s weight

that’s the current competitive battleground between brands that are turning to strong yet, crucially, light
mediums. Take the Bulgari Aluminium GMT with its nautical livery, rubber bezel and strap and 24-hour scale;
an aluminium case makes it a very wrist-friendly 69g. Or Vacheron Constantin’s new Overseas Chronograph

Everest Edition: the inclusion of titanium keeps the heaviness down. Tag Heuer’s green-dial Aquaracer also
uses titanium, while Chanel has shrunk its J12 model – at just 33mm on virtually scratch-proof ceramic, it’s the
perfect travel companion. But Richard Mille wins hands down with pieces so light that ambassador and tennis
star Rafael Nadal plays tournaments wearing them. The RM27-04 is an astonishing 30g, with the movement

suspended on steel mesh and a case that uses carbon fibre. Though we’ve been conditioned to believe
that heft in a watch equals quality and endurance, sometimes the featherweight packs the biggest punch.

From top left: J12 Pink Blush in ceramic and steel, £4,325, Chanel Watches (chanel.com). Royal Oak Self
Winding in ceramic, £41,200, Audemars Piguet (audemarspiguet.com). Submersible Chrono Flyback Jimmy
Chin Edition PAM1207 in brushed titanium, £17,000, Panerai (panerai.com). Big Bang Integral Tourbillon Full
Sapphire in sapphire crystal, £349,000, Hublot (hublot.com). From top right: Aquaracer Professional 300 in
titanium and ceramic, £3,500, Tag Heuer (tagheuer.com). RM 27-04 Tourbillon Rafael Nadal in TitaCarb, POA,
Richard Mille (richardmille.com). Aluminium GMT in aluminium, £2,890, Bulgari (bulgari.com). Overseas
Chronograph Everest Edition in titanium and steel, £31,400, Vacheron Constantin (vacheron-constantin.com)

60 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

TIP THE SCALES Left, The Ethical
Rainbow Serpent
SLITHERING FROM ANCIENT TALES, GLOSSY OPHIDIAN pendant in Fairtrade
FORMS ARE SET WITH GEMS IN THE LATEST PIECES gold, diamonds and
sapphires, £9,298,
Pendant in gold, The snake has wound its way through the history of jewellery; it’s one of the most Shakti Ellenwood
diamonds and potent motifs to have been used as adornment, with wide-ranging symbolism: (shaktiellenwood.com).
rebirth, healing, strength, protection, eternity. No wonder it resonated so strongly Serpenti Metamorphosis
tsavorites, with the ancient Greeks and Romans, whose serpent cuffs coiled around wrists necklace in white gold,
£2,805, Ileana and arms and can now be seen in the Met, Louvre and British Museum. But Egypt onyx, rubellite and
Makri (ileana is arguably most notably associated with the reptile – as queen, Cleopatra presented diamonds, POA, Bulgari
makri.com). Zig herself as the reincarnated goddess Isis, whose attributes included a serpent, and she
Zag earrings in wore a cobra-topped gold diadem. How fitting that Elizabeth Taylor, the greatest jewellery (bulgari.com)
gold, diamonds lover of the 20th century, played the ruler in 1963’s Cleopatra. When she was photographed
and emeralds, Ring in gold, enamel and
wearing a Bulgari snake bracelet on set, a Serpenti piece became the most covetable diamonds, £5,000,
£11,893, accessory of the moment and remains a legendary part of the house’s offering. This year,
Jenna Blake a necklace and detachable scaly brooch with a drop of rubellite is a standout of its Magnifica Jessica McCormack and
(jennablake.com) high-jewellery collection. Others have looked to the creature too – see Jessica McCormack’s Haas Brothers (jessica
pastel-enamel collaboration with artists the Haas Brothers, and the pair of engraved rings
by Foundrae. Devon-based Shakti Ellenwood’s talismanic pendant is studded with ethically mccormack.com)

sourced sapphires while David Webb’s textured bracelet is a display of goldsmithing
mastery. A singular earring by Ole Lynggaard has an elegant loop of gold swooping from

the lobe. With contemporary jewellers as entranced by this centuries-old
emblem as their predecessors, the snake’s endurance is sure to last. JD

PHOTOGRAPHS: MORGAN MAASSEN; GUIDO MOCAFICO, 2002 Snake Charmer bracelet Snakes earring
in gold, platinum, in gold and
emerald, rubies and
diamonds, about diamonds, £3,910,
Ole Lynggaard
£55,950, David Webb
(davidwebb.com) (net-a-porter.com)

Wholeness Bookend
Bands in gold and

diamonds, £2,230 for
two, Foundrae
(foundrae.com)

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PHOTOGRAPH: DEWANDRA DJELANTIK CAPELLA UBUD IN BALI, YOUR No. 1 RESORT IN INDONESIA

November 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 63

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

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PHOTOGRAPH: ASH JAMES EUROPE ROME
running that we’ve teamed up with our
SPAIN & PORTUGAL 1 HASSLER ROMA 99.15
sister title in the USA – travel was more 2 Portrait Roma 98.32
1 SAO LOURENCO DO 3 Hotel de la Ville,
wishful thinking than a reality. So we didn’t BARROCAL, ALENTEJO,
PORTUGAL 99.33 A Rocco Forte Hotel 97.33
expect your answers to be based on recent 4 The Westin Excelsior, Rome
2 Sant Francesc Hotel Singular,
experiences so much as a browse through Mallorca, Spain 99.09 96.57
5 Generator Rome 94.70
the virtual holiday album – you’re clearly 3 Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, 6 Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf
Spain 99.05
raring to go. Which were the hotels, spas, Astoria Hotel 94.61
4 Cotton House, Autograph 7 Hotel de Russie,
cities and islands you’d return to in a shot, Collection, Barcelona, Spain
98.93 A Rocco Forte Hotel 92.74
and who are the fixers and high-flyers 8 NH Collection Roma Fori
5 Generator Madrid, Spain 98.51
that would get you there? The boom in 6 The Yeatman Hotel, Porto, Imperiali 89.61
9 Vilòn Luxury Hotel 88.80
staycations clearly had an impact on some Portugal 98.36 10 Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese
7 El Palace Hotel, Barcelona,
British and American choices, but in the 87.33
Spain 98.29
questionnaire that accompanied the survey, 8 Savoy Palace, Madeira, Portugal FLORENCE

a majority said they wanted to take more 98.27 1 PORTRAIT FIRENZE 99.25
9 Can Bordoy Grand House & 2 Villa La Massa 98.29
trips than ever before, and to seek out new 3 Il Salviatino 98.11
Garden, Mallorca, Spain 97.80 4 Michelangelo Florence 94.28
destinations. So with the travel industry 10 Hotel Arts Barcelona, Spain 5 Hotel Savoy,

only just beginning to recover, we hope 97.23 A Rocco Forte Hotel 94.16
11 Hotel Infante Sagres, Porto, 6 Four Seasons Hotel Firenze
these lists will act as a way of unlocking the
Portugal 97.19 94.00
world again, and help inspire a whole year of 12 Belmond Reid’s Palace, 7 Villa Cora 93.76
8 Belmond Villa San Michele 92.49
adventures, close by and far from home. Madeira, Portugal 96.90 9 Antica Torre di Via Tornabuoni 1
13 Tivoli Palácio de Seteais Sintra
A SNAPSHOT OF THE RANKINGS 91.59
In Europe, for obvious reasons, perennial favourites such as Italy’s Hotel, Portugal 96.80 10 Helvetia & Bristol Firenze –
ll Pellicano, Belmond’s Splendido and Il San Pietro di Positano 14 Urso Hotel & Spa Madrid, Spain
Starhotels Collezione 90.85
underperformed this year, while green-lit destinations such as 96.33
Madeira did rather well. Sao Lourenço do Barrocal, a first-time 15 AlmaLusa Baixa/Chiado, VENICE

winner in Portugal’s wine-making Alentejo region, has been Lisbon, Portugal 95.92 1 PALAZZO VENART LUXURY
consistently brilliant since it opened in 2016 on a 200-year-old 16 Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon, HOTEL 99.19

estate. Age isn’t everything: The Generator brand’s popular Portugal 95.38 2 The Gritti Palace, a Luxury
boutique-hostel model saw it beating many five-star 17 El Llorenç Parc de la Mar, Collection Hotel, Venice 99.00

establishment names, while in Venice, Il Palazzo Experimental’s Mallorca, Spain 95.12 3 Il Palazzo Experimental 98.55
fresh, good-times approach secured it third place ahead of more 18 Belmond La Residencia, 4 Splendid Venice – Starhotels
rococo rivals. Other recent openings that made a mark include
Le Coucou in Méribel – despite the absence of skiers – La Maison Mallorca, Spain 95.00 Collezione 96.67
d’Estournel in Bordeaux and the shipshape Amerikalinjen in Oslo. 19 Generator Barcelona, Spain

But old-timers made it to the top of several lists, including the 94.86
19th-century Hassler Roma, venerable Swiss mountain hideout 20 Finca Cortesin, Andalucía, Spain
Badrutt’s Palace and Paris’s Art Nouveau-era Hôtel Lutetia, which
was treated to a lavish makeover in 2018. And the desire to keep 94.72
evolving has seen the one-of-a-kind Relais Borgo Santo Pietro

– your number one hotel in the whole of Italy, set in lavender-
scented Tuscan countryside – open a fermentation lab to preserve

the vegetables grown in its farm-to-table gardens.

November 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 65

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

5 Generator Venice 94.48 BADRUTT’S PALACE IN ST MORITZ, ONE 10 Katikies Mykonos, Greece 97.68
6 Belmond Hotel Cipriani 89.50 OF YOUR No. 1 HOTELS IN EUROPE 11 Mystique, a Luxury Collection
7 Hotel Londra Palace 89.08
8 Aman Venice 83.33 Hotel, Santorini, Greece 97.30
9 Hotel Danieli, a Luxury 12 Andronis Luxury Suites,

Collection Hotel, Venice 81.65 Santorini, Greece 97.20
10 Sina Palazzo Sant’Angelo 79.83 13 Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at

REST OF ITALY the Bosphorus, Turkey 96.33
14 Archipelagos Hotel, Mykonos,
1 RELAIS BORGO SANTO
PIETRO, TUSCANY 99.82 Greece 95.70
15 Canaves Oia, Santorini, Greece
2 Villa d’Este, Lake Como 99.50
3 Hotel Villa Cimbrone, Ravello 95.50
16 Hotel Grande Bretagne, a
99.44
4 Santa Caterina, Amalfi 99.35 Luxury Collection Hotel,
5 Mandarin Oriental, Milan 99.23 Athens, Greece 94.00
6 COMO Castello del Nero, 17 Bill & Coo Suites and Lounge,
Mykonos, Greece 91.31
Tuscany 99.16 18 Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at
7 Park Hyatt Milan 98.19 Sultanahmet, Turkey 90.78
8 Masseria Torre Maizza, A 19 Çırağan Palace Kempinski
Istanbul, Turkey 89.51
Rocco Forte Hotel, Puglia 98.16 20 Summer Senses, Paros, Greece
9 Casa Angelina, Amalfi Coast 88.61

98.03 12 Ritz Paris 93.90 11 Domaine Les Crayères, Reims REST OF EUROPE
10 Grand Hotel Quisisana, Capri 13 Hôtel Montalembert 93.87 97.57
14 Le Royal Monceau, 1 BADRUTT’S PALACE,
97.94 12 Hôtel Lou Pinet, St Tropez 97.31 ST MORITZ, SWITZERLAND
11 Hotel Eden Roc Positano 96.66 Raffles Paris 93.81 13 Le Coucou, Méribel 97.06 99.82
12 Hotel Villa Michelangelo 15 Hôtel Vernet 93.78 14 Hôtel Crillon le Brave, Provence
16 Hôtel Bel Ami 92.12 2 Hotel SP34, Copenhagen,
Vicenza – Starhotels 17 Mandarin Oriental, Paris 92.11 97.04 Denmark 99.81
Collezione, Veneto 96.12 18 Four Seasons Hotel George V, 15 Cheval Blanc St-Tropez 95.75
13 Il Sereno, Lake Como 95.83 16 Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo 3 Baur au Lac, Zürich, Switzerland
14 Grand Hotel Miramare, Liguria Paris 91.33 99.81
95.67 19 Hotel de Sers 91.31 94.64
15 Grand Hotel Tremezzo, 20 Park Hyatt Paris – Vendôme 89.71 17 Le Negresco, Nice 92.00 4 The Dolder Grand, Zürich,
Lake Como 95.33 18 Domaine de la Bretesche, Pays Switzerland 99.72
16 Monastero Santa Rosa Hotel & REST OF FRANCE
Spa, Campania 95.23 & MONACO de la Loire 90.80 5 Hotel d’Angleterre,
17 Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni, 19 Domaine des Etangs, Charente Copenhagen, Denmark 99.58
Lake Como 94.66 1 VILLA GALLICI, AIX-EN-
18 Il San Pietro di Positano 94.14 PROVENCE 99.58 84.71 6 Park Hyatt Vienna, Austria
19 Le Sirenuse, Positano 94.08 20 Hôtel Martinez Cannes 80.13 99.57
20 Grand Hotel Continental Siena 2 Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc,
– Starhotels Collezione 93.74 Antibes 99.58 GREECE & TURKEY 7 Hotel Goldener Hirsch, a
Luxury Collection Hotel,
PARIS 3 Relais Bernard Loiseau, 1 RAFFLES ISTANBUL, Salzburg, Austria 99.37
Burgundy 99.49 TURKEY 99.92
1 THE PENINSULA PARIS 8 Amerikalinjen, Oslo, Norway
99.16 4 Hôtel Barrière Le Gray d’Albion, 2 Soho House Istanbul, Turkey 99.25
Cannes 99.16 99.16
2 Hôtel Lutetia 98.44 9 Kimpton De Witt Hotel,
3 Hôtel de Crillon, 5 Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château 3 Aqua Blu, Kos, Greece 98.94 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
de la Messardière 99.16 4 Perivolas Lifestyle Houses, 99.25
A Rosewood Hotel 98.15
4 Le Bristol Paris 97.97 6 Experimental Chalet Verbier Santorini, Greece 98.59 10 Gstaad Palace, Switzerland
5 Nolinski Paris 97.66 98.96 5 Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts 99.04
6 Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal
7 Waldorf Astoria Versailles – Collection, Santorini, Greece 11 Hotel Amigo, A Rocco Forte
97.55 Trianon Palace 98.93 98.48 Hotel, Brussels, Belgium 98.88
7 Shangri-La Hotel, Paris 96.22 6 Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel
8 Brach 96.09 8 Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo Athens, Greece 98.41 12 Raffles Europejski Warsaw,
9 La Réserve Paris – Hotel and 98.31 7 Argos in Cappadocia, Turkey Poland 98.78
98.00
Spa 94.81 9 Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic 8 Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul, 13 Mandarin Oriental, Prague,
10 Prince de Galles, a Luxury Cannes 97.97 Turkey 97.94 Czech Republic 98.72
9 Katikies Santorini, Greece 97.83
Collection Hotel, Paris 94.34 10 La Maison d’Estournel, 14 Grand Hotel Kronenhof, Upper
11 Le Meurice 94.00 Bordeaux 97.57 Engadine, Switzerland 98.55

15 De L’Europe Amsterdam,
The Netherlands 98.35

16 Hotel Sacher Vienna, Austria
98.33

METHODOLOGY
Our Readers’ Choice Awards survey was made available through a secure website at cntraveler.com/vote. This year’s tabulation of results from thousands of respondents who
submitted ratings during the period of 1 April to 31 May 2021 was done by Condé Nast. The questionnaire contained lists of candidates in various categories (Cities, Hotels, etc.).
Candidates must receive a required minimum number of responses and a minimum overall rating to be eligible for an award. They are judged on a set of criteria relevant to their
category, based on a standard five-point scale converted to a percentage: excellent, very good, good, fair and poor. The average of these determines the final score based on
five decimal points, with two decimal points being published. For example, the score of 99.92 at Raffles Istanbul (the number one hotel in Greece and Turkey this year) represents
the average of ratings the property received for rooms, service, food, design, location, activities/facilities and value. Where an identical score is shown for two properties, as with
Hotel SP34 and Baur au Lac in the Europe hotel list, the higher-ranked one will have a fractionally bigger score if taken to four decimal points. EDITED IN UK BY RICK JORDAN

66 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

17 Deplar Farm, Troll Peninsula, In the UK, London’s mix of 10 The Beaumont 97.50 REST OF THE UK
Iceland 98.32 international big-hitters (hello 11 The Savoy 97.04
Four Seasons), old-school classics 12 Belmond Cadogan Hotel 97.00 1 LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL & SPA,
18 Villa Copenhagen, Denmark (such as Claridge’s, currently 13 Brown’s Hotel, A Rocco Forte WILTSHIRE 99.49
97.55 digging deep for a basement
extension) and bright young things Hotel 96.85 2 The Pig, Hampshire 99.32
19 Hotel Bristol, a Luxury (including Treehouse London) 14 The Langham, London 96.78 3 The Newt in Somerset 99.11
Collection Hotel, Warsaw, were well represented, though 15 Hyatt Regency 4 Heckfield Place, Hampshire 99.10
Poland 97.44 some favourites clearly suffered 5 Summer Lodge Country House
from the loss of overseas guests. London – The Churchill 96.72
20 Grand Hôtel, Stockholm, Your surprise number one is 16 One Aldwych 96.67 Hotel & Restaurant, Dorset 99.06
Sweden 97.44 Chiltern Firehouse – perhaps its 17 The Dorchester 96.36 6 Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh –
A-list retro-glamour is what we all 18 Generator London 96.25
21 Hotel Diplomat, Stockholm, desire right now. Outside the 19 Sea Containers London 96.10 The Caledonian 98.90
Sweden 97.21 capital, two reimaginings of 20 Claridge’s 96.00 7 The Fife Arms, Scottish Highlands
the country-house concept did 21 The Connaught 95.67
22 Andaz Vienna Am Belvedere, very well: The Newt in Somerset, 22 Hotel Café Royal 95.46 98.37
Austria 97.03 now with a new Farmyard, and 23 Ham Yard Hotel 94.76 8 Glencoe House, Scottish Highlands
the food-forward Pig, of which a 24 Treehouse London 94.63
23 The Dylan, Amsterdam, The whole litter made it on the list. 25 The Hoxton Shoreditch 94.39 98.33
Netherlands 96.60 26 The Standard London 94.16 9 The Balmoral, A Rocco Forte
LONDON 27 Sofitel London St James 93.59
24 The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, 28 The Montague on the Gardens Hotel, Edinburgh 97.50
Grindavik, Iceland 96.13 1 CHILTERN FIREHOUSE 99.65 10 University Arms Hotel, Autograph
2 COMO The Halkin 99.60 93.11
25 Pulitzer Amsterdam, 3 Four Seasons Hotel London at 29 Egerton House Hotel 93.08 Collection, Cambridge 97.15
The Netherlands 95.72 30 Rosewood London 92.88 11 Hotel Tresanton, Cornwall 97.00
Ten Trinity Square 99.10 31 Hotel 41 92.22 12 Kimpton Blythswood Square
26 Mandarin Oriental, Munich, 4 The London Edition 98.91 32 The Lanesborough 91.01
Germany 95.66 5 The Milestone Hotel 98.63 33 The Athenaeum Hotel & Hotel, Glasgow 96.90
6 The Bloomsbury 98.19 13 The Pig at Combe, Devon 96.33
27 Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, 7 Shangri-La Hotel, At the Shard, Residences 90.96 14 The Fish Hotel & Retreat,
Germany 95.53 34 Kimpton Fitzroy London 90.88
London 97.79 35 Corinthia London 89.33 Worcestershire 95.91
28 Augustine, a Luxury Collection 8 Four Seasons Hotel London at 36 JW Marriott Grosvenor House 15 InterContinental Edinburgh
Hotel, Prague, Czech Republic
94.91 Park Lane 97.71 London 88.91 The George 95.55
9 Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, 37 The Ritz London 87.60 16 Cliveden House, Berkshire 95.11
29 Sofitel Legend The Grand 38 Dukes London 86.08 17 Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel,
Amsterdam, The Netherlands London 97.57 39 The Stafford London 83.26
94.59 40 The Rubens at the Palace 80.86 Edinburgh 94.52
18 Culloden Estate and Spa, Belfast
30 Britannia Hotel, Trondheim,
Norway 94.37 94.51
19 Ballygally Castle, Co. Antrim 94.39
31 Conservatorium Hotel, 20 Stormont Hotel, Belfast 94.36
Amsterdam, The Netherlands 21 Hotel Brooklyn, Manchester 94.14
94.20 22 Grantley Hall, North Yorkshire

32 Hotel d’Angleterre Geneva, 94.11
Switzerland 94.16 23 Dormy House Hotel & Spa,

33 Hotel Rangá, Hella, Iceland Worcestershire 94.03
93.50 24 The Pig on the Beach, Dorset

34 NH Collection Amsterdam 92.50
Barbizon Palace, The 25 Kimpton Clocktower Hotel,
Netherlands 93.11
Manchester 92.02
35 The Thief, Oslo, Norway 93.06 26 Soho Farmhouse, Oxfordshire
36 Hotel Astoria, A Rocco
89.91
Forte Hotel, St Petersburg, 27 Cromlix, Perthshire 86.10
Russia 92.75 28 Foxhill Manor Private House Hotel,
37 NH Collection Amsterdam
Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, Worcestershire 84.25
The Netherlands 92.05 29 The Edinburgh Grand 82.00
38 Beau-Rivage Palace, Lausanne, 30 The Gainsborough Bath Spa,
Switzerland 91.80
39 The Hoxton, Amsterdam, Somerset 81.75
The Netherlands 91.57
PHOTOGRAPH: FABIAN GATTLEN 40 Four Seasons Hotel Gresham YOUR No. 1 LONDON HOTEL: CHILTERN FIREHOUSE IRELAND
Palace Budapest, Hungary
90.38 1 THE MARKER HOTEL, DUBLIN
41 The Charles Hotel, A Rocco 99.38
Forte Hotel, Munich, Germany
90.00 2 Lough Eske Castle, Co. Donegal
42 Hotel Okura Amsterdam, 98.24
The Netherlands 90.00
43 Four Seasons Hotel Prague, 3 Ballyfin, Co. Laois 98.03
Czech Republic 89.89 4 Conrad Dublin 97.99
44 Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten 5 Park Hotel Kenmare, Co. Kerry
Kempinski, Munich, Germany
88.28 96.85
45 SO/Berlin Das Stue, Germany 6 The Morrison Hotel, Dublin 96.82
86.66 7 Kilkea Castle, Co. Kildare 94.94
8 The Merrion, Dublin 94.88
9 The Westbury, Dublin 93.62
10 Ballynahinch Castle Hotel,

Co. Galway 92.79

LA MAMOUNIA IN MARRAKECH, YOUR No. 1 NORTHERN AFRICA HOTEL 12 Angsana Riads Collection
Marrakech, Morocco 90.01
With Australia and New Zealand AUSTRALIA & AFRICA PHOTOGRAPHS: WONHO LEE; ANA LUI
both no-go destinations, there NEW ZEALAND 13 Amanjena, Marrakech, Morocco
were zero surprises there this year, NORTHERN 85.58
with Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, 1 FOUR SEASONS HOTEL
fresh from a major revamp, coming SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA 99.52 1 LAMAMOUNIA,MARRAKECH, 14 El Fenn, Marrakech, Morocco
top. Its Doha sibling, similarly MOROCCO 99.99 80.74
redesigned, also made the grade, 2 COMO The Treasury, Perth,
and while Dubai’s recently opened Australia 99.43 2 Royal Mansour Marrakech, 15 Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca,
Mandarin Oriental scored well, Morocco 97.91 Morocco 80.60
none of the hotels that launched in 3 QT Wellington, New Zealand
time for Dubai Expo 2020 joined 99.27 3 The Oberoi, Marrakech, SOUTHERN
it. In Africa, divided into two lists Morocco 95.99
4 QT Queenstown, New Zealand 1 BABYLONSTOREN,
this year, the wine-glugging 99.22 4 L’Hôtel Marrakech, FRANSCHHOEK,
ambition of the effortlessly stylish Morocco 95.60 SOUTH AFRICA 99.49
Babylonstoren was recognised, 5 The Langham, Melbourne,
Australia 96.35 5 Selman Marrakech, Morocco 2 Ellerman House, Cape Town,
while the new Oberoi in 95.30 South Africa 99.38
Marrakech, 10 years in the making 6 The Langham, Sydney, Australia
and a vision of marble and gold, 93.90 6 The Residence Tunis, Tunisia 3 Cape Cadogan Boutique Hotel,
94.19 Cape Town, South Africa 99.34
came in at number three. 7 The Fullerton Hotel Sydney,
La Mamounia, the Northern Africa Australia 93.50 7 Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech, 4 The Marine, Hermanus,
Morocco 93.99 South Africa 99.28
winner, needs no introduction. 8 Paramount House Hotel,
Sydney, Australia 92.99 8 Es Saadi, Marrakech, Morocco 5 Lanzerac Wine Estate,
93.16 Stellenbosch, South Africa 99.10
9 Lancemore Lindenderry
Red Hill, Australia 91.09 9 Hotel Sahrai, Fez, Morocco 93.10 6 Giraffe Manor, Nairobi, Kenya
10 La Maison Arabe, Marrakech, 99.04
10 Halcyon House, New South
Wales, Australia 90.84 Morocco 91.30 7 La Residence, Franschhoek,
11 Kasbah Tamadot, Morocco 90.53 South Africa 99.04

8 Birkenhead House, Hermanus,
South Africa 98.88

9 The Oyster Box, KwaZulu-Natal,
South Africa 98.79

10 One&Only Cape Town,
South Africa 98.78

11 Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa,
Johannesburg, South Africa 98.75

12 Delaire Graff Estate, Stellenbosch,
South Africa 98.65

13 More Quarters Hotel, Cape Town,
South Africa 98.63

14 Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel,
Cape Town, South Africa 98.61

15 The Cellars-Hohenort, Cape
Town, South Africa 98.54

THE MIDDLE EAST

1 W DOHA, QATAR 99.77
2 The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi,

Grand Canal, UAE 99.73
3 Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels by

Tivoli, Doha, Qatar 99.72
4 Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai

99.14
5 Park Hyatt Dubai 98.62
6 Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, Israel

98.33
7 Mamilla Hotel, Jerusalem, Israel

98.30
8 The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah, UAE

97.67
9 Rosewood Abu Dhabi, UAE 95.98
10 Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Dubai

95.48
11 Four Seasons Hotel Doha, Qatar

95.47
12 Mondrian Doha, Qatar 94.80
13 The Chedi Muscat, Oman 93.98
14 Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai 93.89
15 Mandarin Oriental, Doha, Qatar

93.45

68 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

In Mexico, former pop-up Habitas Tulum has bedded in well on its 13 Palácio Tangará, São Paulo, REST OF USA
hammock-swinging stretch of sand, as has Nobu Hotel Los Cabos Brazil 94.00
– though it was the artistically inclined Hotel Matilda in San Miguel de 1 THE GWEN, A LUXURY
Allende (voted one of the friendliest cities) that really caught readers’ 14 Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, COLLECTION HOTEL,
imaginations. Mandarin Oriental’s first South American hotel, in Santiago, Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, MICHIGAN AVENUE CHICAGO,
rose above more established names, with only the W Bogota ahead. Brazil 93.77 ILLINOIS 99.79
And in the States, last year’s New York runner-up The Chatwal, a
homage to the city’s Art Deco era, is the latest king of the hill. LA winner 15 Faena Hotel Buenos Aires, 2 21c Museum Hotel Kansas City,
the Freehand reflects the trend for more affordable, Soho House-type Argentina 92.94 Missouri 99.71
hangouts – see also The Hoxton, Williamsburg and Life House in
Colorado. That state’s all-season appeal has drawn staycationers like never 16 Inkaterra La Casona, Cusco, 3 Freehand Miami, Florida 99.68
before, as have other outward-bound destinations in the American West. Peru 89.08 4 The Art, A Hotel, Denver,

THE AMERICAS SOUTH AMERICA 17 Palacio del Inka, a Luxury Colorado 99.67
Collection Hotel, Cusco, Peru 5 Fairmont Austin, Texas 99.64
MEXICO 1 W BOGOTA, COLOMBIA 99.67 87.40 6 Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia
2 Mandarin Oriental, Santiago,
1 HOTEL MATILDA, SAN 18 Fasano Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at Comcast Center, Pennsylvania
MIGUEL DE ALLENDE 99.44 Chile 99.27 86.22 99.61
3 JW Marriott El Convento 7 The Brown Hotel, Louisville,
2 Anticavilla, Cuernavaca 99.18 19 Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Kentucky 99.60
3 Habitas Tulum 98.95 Cusco, Peru 99.20 Hotel, Peru 81.22 8 Nobu Ryokan Malibu, California
4 Nobu Hotel Los Cabos 98.58 4 JW Marriott Hotel Lima, Peru 99.58
5 JW Marriott Hotel Mexico City 20 Belmond Hotel Monasterio, 9 Life House Lower Highlands,
98.90 Cusco, Peru 80.33 Denver, Colorado 99.58
98.44 5 Casa Gangotena, Quito, 10 Gravity Haus Breckenridge,
6 Belmond Casa de Sierra USA Colorado 99.57
Ecuador 98.76 11 Caldera House, Jackson Hole,
Nevada, San Miguel de Allende 6 Belmond Copacabana Palace, NEW YORK CITY Wyoming 99.49
98.43 12 The Marker, A San Francisco
7 W Mexico City 98.34 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 98.75 1 THE CHATWAL, A LUXURY Hotel, California 99.45
8 Hacienda Xcanatún by 7 Fasano São Paulo, Brazil 98.33 COLLECTION HOTEL, 13 Hotel Crescent Court, Dallas,
Angsana, Mérida 97.27 8 Sofitel Legend Santa Clara NEW YORK CITY 99.30 Texas 99.41
9 Hacienda de San Antonio, 14 The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, A
Comala 97.01 Cartagena, Colombia 97.02 2 Four Seasons Hotel New York Tribute Portfolio Resort & Spa,
10 Dos Casas Hotel & Spa, San 9 Palacio Duhau – Park Hyatt Downtown 99.10 California 99.38
Miguel de Allende 96.40 15 The Whitney Hotel Boston,
Buenos Aires, Argentina 96.33 3 Equinox Hotel New York Massachusetts 99.27
10 Hotel Unique, São Paulo, Brazil 98.97 16 The Watergate Hotel,
Washington, DC 99.26
95.89 4 The Mark 98.94 17 Archer Hotel Austin, Texas 99.21
11 Emiliano São Paulo, Brazil 95.49 5 Freehand New York 98.79 18 Rosewood Sand Hill, Menlo Park,
12 Belmond Miraflores Park, Lima, 6 The Langham, New York, Fifth California 99.16
19 Claremont Club & Spa, A
Peru 94.17 Avenue 98.63 Fairmont Hotel, Berkeley,
7 The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel California 99.16
FREEHAND LOS ANGELES, YOUR No. 1 HOTEL IN LA 20 L’Auberge Del Mar, California 99.16
97.61 21 Kimpton Hotel Born, Denver,
8 Archer Hotel New York 97.20 Colorado 99.16
9 The Lowell 96.92 22 Ace Hotel New Orleans, Louisiana
10 Ink 48 Hotel 96.50 99.16
11 The Hoxton, Williamsburg 96.11 23 Fairmont Grand Del Mar, San
12 Wythe Hotel 95.92 Diego, California 99.16
13 1 Hotel Central Park 94.72 24 Hotel Julian, Chicago, Illinois 99.16
14 The Standard, High Line 93.88 25 Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa,
15 Mandarin Oriental, New York California 99.15

93.44 CANADA
16 The Pierre, A Taj Hotel 93.31
17 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge 93.10 1 OAK BAY BEACH HOTEL,
18 The Peninsula New York 93.10 VICTORIA 99.66
19 The High Line Hotel 92.91
20 Moxy NYC Times Square 92.22 2 Fairmont Waterfront, Vancouver
99.28
LOS ANGELES
3 Hôtel 71, Québec City 97.50
1 FREEHAND LOS ANGELES 4 Hôtel Gault, Montreal 96.66
99.31 5 Sofitel Montréal Golden Mile 95.99
6 Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland
2 Viceroy Santa Monica 99.26
3 Fairmont Miramar Hotel & 95.66
7 Rosewood Hotel Georgia,
Bungalows 99.00
4 The Standard, Downtown LA Vancouver 95.00
8 Fairmont Le Château Frontenac,
98.49
5 The West Hollywood Edition Québec City 94.85
9 Manoir Hovey, Québec 92.09
98.33 10 Le Germain Hotel Quebec 91.05
6 Petit Ermitage 98.33
7 Ace Hotel Downtown

Los Angeles 98.31
8 Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles

at Beverly Hills 98.25
9 AKA Beverly Hills 97.81
10 The Peninsula Beverly Hills

96.66

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

It’s an annual contest to see which ONE OF YOUR FAVOURITE HOTELS IN ASIA: 9 Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
of the big beasts of the Asian ROSEWOOD LUANG PRABANG 95.03

hotel scene emerge triumphant. 7 Conrad Beijing 98.35 7 The Peninsula Hong Kong 10 Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok PHOTOGRAPH: OWEN RAGGETT
The Hong Kong-based Mandarin 8 The Temple House, Chengdu 89.16 94.50

Oriental, Langham and 98.28 8 Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong SINGAPORE
Shangri-La groups all made their 9 Rosewood Beijing 97.80 88.93
presence felt, while Rosewood 10 The Sukhothai Shanghai 97.67 1 CAPELLA SINGAPORE 97.94
did well around the region, bar in 11 Banyan Tree Shanghai On The 9 Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong 2 Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
87.33
its Kowloon base. In Bangkok, Bund 97.63 95.78
where most five-stars vie for 12 The Middle House, Shanghai 10 The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong 3 Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
position along the Chao Phraya, 86.66
two new contenders have arrived: 97.63 95.66
the Capella (with waterside pool 13 Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai JAPAN 4 The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
villas) and the Four Seasons (with
a high-flying spa), though it was the 97.38 1 SUIRAN, A LUXURY 95.54
reliably sleek Sukhothai, scoring 14 Mandarin Oriental Pudong, COLLECTION HOTEL, 5 Raffles Singapore 95.09
well for design, that surged ahead. KYOTO 99.35 6 The Fullerton Bay Hotel
In India, where historic palace Shanghai 97.38
hotels reign supreme, The Leela 15 Sheraton Grand Macao 97.20 2 The Okura Tokyo 98.00 Singapore 94.60
Palace in New Delhi – only 16 InterContinental Beijing 3 Park Hyatt Tokyo 97.88 7 Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
opened in 2011 – came top, 4 Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo 97.68
Sanlitun 96.86 5 Conrad Tokyo 96.31 93.16
edging just ahead of Taj’s 17 Mandarin Oriental, Macau 6 The Tokyo Station Hotel 95.83 8 Andaz Singapore 92.52
Rajasthan jewel in the crown. 7 Iraph Sui, a Luxury Collection 9 Regent Singapore 86.20
96.35 10 Marina Bay Sands 83.16
ASIA 18 Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou Hotel, Miyako Okinawa 93.21
8 Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo REST OF ASIA
INDIA 96.33
19 The Opposite House, Beijing 92.29 1 ROSEWOOD LUANG
1 THE LEELA PALACE NEW 9 Aman Tokyo 84.16 PRABANG, LAOS 99.38
DELHI 98.41 96.15 10 Hoshinoya Tokyo 80.66
20 Jumeirah Himalayas Hotel 2 Rosewood Phnom Penh,
2 Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur 98.41 BANGKOK Cambodia 99.05
3 The Oberoi, New Delhi 98.36 Shanghai 94.44
4 The Lodhi, New Delhi 98.32 1 THE SUKHOTHAI BANGKOK 3 Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom
5 Rajmahal Palace Raas Jaipur HONG KONG 97.65 Penh, Cambodia 99.04

98.29 1 THE LANDMARK 2 Capella Bangkok 97.55 4 Four Seasons Hotel Seoul,
6 Suryagarh, Jaisalmer 98.26 MANDARIN ORIENTAL, 3 Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok South Korea 98.82
7 Taj Palace, New Delhi 98.06 HONG KONG 99.75
8 The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai 97.37 5 Signiel Seoul, South Korea
2 Conrad Hong Kong 99.33 4 Lebua at State Tower 97.28 98.81
96.78 3 The Upper House 98.33 5 The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury
9 The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur 4 Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong 6 Galle Fort Hotel, Sri Lanka
Collection Hotel, Bangkok 97.14 98.80
95.70 96.00 6 Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at
10 Rambagh Palace, Jaipur 93.46 5 The Langham, Hong Kong 7 InterContinental Grand Seoul
11 Taj Fateh Prakash Palace, Chao Phraya River 96.55 Parnas, South Korea 98.75
93.50 7 Banyan Tree Bangkok 96.19
Udaipur 92.88 6 Kowloon Shangri-La, 8 The Peninsula Bangkok 95.25 8 Park Hyatt Saigon, Ho Chi Minh
12 Raas Jodhpur 92.36 City, Vietnam 98.65
13 Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur Hong Kong 90.00
9 Raffles Makati, Philippines
90.00 98.52
14 The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra,
10 InterContinental Hanoi
Uttar Pradesh 89.24 Landmark72, Vietnam 98.39
15 JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu
11 Eastern & Oriental Hotel,
88.95 Penang, Malaysia 98.37

CHINA 12 Azerai La Residence Hue,
Vietnam 98.26
1 WALDORF ASTORIA
SHANGHAI ON THE BUND 13 Sofitel Phnom Penh
99.95 Phokeethra, Cambodia 97.97

2 Waldorf Astoria Beijing 99.79 14 Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta,
3 Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li Indonesia 97.66

99.42 15 The Reverie Saigon, Ho Chi
4 The Langham, Shanghai, Minh City, Vietnam 97.66

Xintiandi 99.37 16 Four Seasons Hotel Kuala
5 Hotel Eclat Beijing 99.15 Lumpur, Malaysia 97.52
6 Waldorf Astoria Chengdu
17 Avani+ Luang Prabang Hotel,
98.35 Laos 96.10

18 Shangri-La The Fort, Manila,
Philippines 96.03

19 Mandarin Oriental, Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia 95.82

20 Mandarin Oriental, Jakarta,
Indonesia 95.78

70 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

ISLANDS

They’re a symbol of the very idea of travel. The tropical island with a single palm planted dead centre; a small world with a clear sense of arrival and
departure. ‘People who live on islands,’ wrote Tove Jansson in her magical The Summer Book, set in the Gulf of Finland, ‘are always letting their eyes
glide along the horizon.’ Your own holiday narratives include lavender-scented Hvar in the Adriatic, which scored highly for its local food and wine, and
gilded St Barth’s, re-energised after Hurricane Irma and top for its white-sand beaches. The impossible sunsets and watercolour lagoons of Bora Bora
are pure romance for voters, while Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton, an epic distillation of the Atlantic wilderness, is an adventure favourite with families.

EUROPE THE CARIBBEAN AUSTRALIA & CENTRAL &
& THE ATLANTIC THE SOUTH PACIFIC SOUTH AMERICA
1 HVAR, CROATIA 96.56
2 Mykonos, Greece 95.46 1 ST BARTH’S 94.29 1 BORA BORA, FRENCH 1 ISLAS SECAS, PANAMA 95.22
3 Zakynthos, Greece 95.19 2 Nevis 94.27 POLYNESIA 93.85 2 Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
4 Madeira, Portugal 94.38 3 Anguilla 94.23
5 Ischia, Italy 94.19 4 Jamaica 93.33 2 Tahiti, French Polynesia 92.52 94.56
6 Hydra, Greece 94.07 5 Antigua 93.21 3 Fiji 92.35 3 Ambergris Caye, Belize 92.94
7 Rhodes, Greece 93.87 6 Cayman Islands 92.73 4 Waiheke Island, New Zealand 4 Roatán, Honduras 90.22
8 Paros, Greece 93.34 7 Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao, 5 San Andrés & Providencia,
9 Crete, Greece 93.17 90.30
10 Mallorca, Spain 93.01 Leeward Antilles 92.37 5 Moorea, French Polynesia 90.04 Colombia 89.67
11 Ibiza, Spain 92.96 8 Puerto Rico 92.31
12 Azores, Portugal 92.35 9 St Lucia 91.91 AFRICA & NORTH AMERICA
13 Sicily, Italy 91.32 10 United States Virgin Islands 91.73 THE INDIAN OCEAN
14 Sardinia, Italy 91.23 1 CAPE BRETON ISLAND,
15 Capri, Italy 90.72 ASIA 1 BAZARUTO ARCHIPELAGO, CANADA 97.97
16 Canary Islands, Spain 90.58 MOZAMBIQUE 98.20
17 Corsica, France 89.34 1 SIARGAO, PHILIPPINES 97.77 2 Prince Edward Island, Canada
18 Santorini, Greece 88.27 2 Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia 2 Zanzibar, Tanzania 95.19 95.68
19 Malta 87.92 3 Seychelles 94.71
20 Jersey, UK 85.83 97.67 4 Maldives 94.40 3 Hilton Head Island, USA 94.26
3 Palawan, Philippines 97.54 5 Mauritius 94.25 4 Kiawah Island, USA 94.04
4 Bali, Indonesia 94.37 5 Lanai, USA 93.44
5 Sri Lanka 94.32 6 Maui, USA 92.42
6 Langkawi, Malaysia 93.96 7 Oahu, USA 91.85
7 Koh Samui, Thailand 93.33 8 Mackinac Island, USA
8 Boracay, Philippines 93.26
9 Phi Phi Islands, Thailand 91.83 91.69
10 Phuket, Thailand 89.79 9 Kauai, USA 91.67
10 Big Island, USA 91.58

PHOTOGRAPH: GREGOIRE LE BACON BORA BORA, YOUR No. 1 ISLAND IN AUSTRALIA & THE SOUTH PACIFIC

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

BEST HOTELS FOR FOOD
LE BRISTOL PARIS

EACH AWARDS CATEGORY WAS VOTED FOR USING A PARTICULAR SET OF CRITERIA,
FROM DESIGN TO SERVICE AND RELIABILITY. HERE'S A HIGHLIGHT FROM THE HOTELS SECTION
Paris and cooking go together like, well, icing sugar and egg white. The haute cuisine of Carême and Escoffier, the steak frites of the
checked tablecloth; the blanquettes de veau of the Belle Epoque through to nouvelle cuisine and the new wave of bistronomy and
beyond. Le Bristol, the grandest dame of them all, has been feeding its guests in fine style since it opened in 1925: now you can start the
day with truffled scrambled eggs, pause in the afternoon for a Champagne high tea, and end with foie-gras-filled macaroni – while
the green bean and artichoke salad is a cult favourite among regulars (though not resident Burmese moggy Fa-Raon). Its two restaurants
have four Michelin stars between them; when they reopened recently, a new talent had joined the kitchen. The creation on this plate
is head pastry chef Pascal Hainigue’s ode to the French summer, bringing together raspberries from the Lot with vanilla chantilly and a
little meringue. The result is every bit as striking as, say, a hat by Schiaparelli or a painting by Mondrian. Both of whom could be

found here a century ago, ordering something fashionable and intricate from the menu. RICK JORDAN

72 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

PHOTOGRAPHS: IILYA KAGAN; SABRINA MAEZZO/UNSPLASH/@SABRINAMAEZZO BEST CITIES FOR SIGHTS AND
SCENERY SEVILLE

THE SPANISH HUB JOINED OTHERS SUCH
AS BERGEN, BATH AND DUBROVNIK IN
SCORING HIGHLY FOR THIS CRITERIA

By the time Washington Irving, the American author of
Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, visited
here in 1829, the Andalucian capital had already risen and
fallen several times. Like a mighty oak, it can be aged in
rings of history – Mudéjar on top of Renaissance on top of
Moorish. ‘If you ever come to Seville,’ he wrote, shortly
before hopping on a mule and trotting off to Granada, ‘do
not miss visiting its glorious cathedral... visit it at dusk,
when the last rays of sun, rather the last shining of the day,
shine through its polychrome stained-glass windows.’
When he was here, the sun would also have shone on the

Alcázar palace, with its fountains and star-spangled
domes, and the crescent sweep of the Plaza de España.
Irving and his mule would both have reared up in surprise at

this alien-like vision, though, known as Las Setas for its
mushroomy shape. Made from timber and glue,

with a walkway on top, it was completed in 2011, a bold
move for a city known mainly for its historic centrepieces.

But really it’s just another layer in a city that, every so
often, embraces change – a building quite as extraordinary

as a medieval cathedral. RJ

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

RESORTS

YOUR No. 1 RESORT IN CENTRAL AMERICA: HACIENDA ALTAGRACIA, COSTA RICA

It’s tricky to pinpoint the exact moment a hotel first decided to flex its
muscles, add another restaurant here and a catamaran there and become
a resort. There were golf hotels at the turn of the 19th century, the safari

camp made its debut in 1950 and Hotel Bora Bora pioneered the
overwater bungalow in 1970. Right now, they look pretty appealing – all
that space, a pool villa to yourself, enough social distance without missing
out on people-watching... Understandable, then, that private-island resorts
such as Fiji’s Kokomo and Naladhu in the Maldives performed well this
year. As did safari lodges including Angama Mara and Singita Sabi Sand,
American ranches, and hard-to-get-to places such as Brazil’s driftwood-
luxe Uxua Casa, Six Senses Bhutan and the new Sensei Lanai in Hawaii.
Elsewhere, Rosewood Little Dix Bay was the big Caribbean comeback,

reopening in early 2020 after a post-Irma transformation, while The
Romanos in Greece impressed with its sheer variety of activities (from a
Sixties-themed teen hub to Bernard-Henri Lévy on democracy), as does
the well-equipped Gleneagles, this year’s highest-ranking UK resort, which
first opened its doors back in 1924 but is now enjoying a new lease of life.

THE AMERICAS 5 Gaia Riverlodge, Mountain Pine YOUR No. 1 SOUTH AMERICAN RESORT:
Ridge Forest Reserve, Belize 97.38 UXUA CASA HOTEL & SPA, TRANCOSO, BRAZIL
MEXICO
PHOTOGRAPHS: LINE KLEIN; OLIVER PILCHER 6 Nayara Springs, Arenal Volcano USA 16 Montage Palmetto Bluff,
1 LIVE AQUA BEACH National Park, Costa Rica 96.80 Bluffton, South Carolina 97.86
RESORT CANCUN 99.68 1 L’HORIZON RESORT
7 Nayara Tented Camp, & SPA, PALM SPRINGS, 17 Terranea, Rancho Palos
2 Zadún, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Arenal Volcano National Park, CALIFORNIA 99.92 Verdes, California 97.85
San José del Cabo 99.66 Costa Rica 96.69
2 Lodge & Spa at Brush 18 JW Marriott Miami Turnberry
3 One&Only Palmilla, San José 8 El Silencio Lodge & Spa, Creek Ranch, Saratoga, Resort & Spa, Florida 97.75
del Cabo 99.52 Bajos del Toro, Costa Rica 95.21 Wyoming 99.88
19 Meadowood Napa Valley,
4 Chablé Yucatán, 9 Turtle Inn, Placencia, 3 Sensei Lanai, A Four Seasons St Helena, California 97.69
Chocholá 99.11 Belize 94.66 Resort, Hawaii 99.71
20 San Ysidro Ranch, Santa
5 Esperanza, Auberge 10 Matachica Resort & Spa, 4 Brasada Ranch, Powell Butte, Barbara, California 97.63
Resorts Collection, Ambergris Caye, Belize 94.65 Oregon 99.52
Cabo San Lucas 98.32 CANADA
SOUTH AMERICA 5 Four Seasons Resort Lanai,
6 The Cape, A Thompson Hotel, Hawaii 99.50 1 FAIRMONT CHATEAU
Cabo San Lucas 98.31 1 UXUA CASA HOTEL & SPA, WHISTLER 99.64
TRANCOSO, BRAZIL 99.99 6 C Lazy U Ranch, Granby
7 Montage Los Cabos, Colorado 99.37 2 Wickaninnish Inn,
Cabo San Lucas 98.25 2 Mashpi Lodge, Pichincha, British Columbia 99.06
Ecuador 99.88 7 Triple Creek Ranch Darby
8 Chileno Bay Resort & Montana 99.31 3 Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge,
Residences, Auberge Resorts 3 Hotel Paracas, a Luxury Alberta 97.76
Collection, Cabo San Lucas Collection Resort, Paracas, 8 Four Seasons Resort Vail,
98.24 Peru 99.80 Colorado 99.18 4 Nita Lake Lodge, Whistler
96.66
9 Viceroy Riviera Maya 97.73 4 Finch Bay Galapagos Hotel, 9 Waldorf Astoria Park City,
10 Cuixmala, Costalegre 97.36 Santa Cruz Island, Utah 98.66 5 Pan Pacific Whistler
11 Rosewood Mayakoba, Ecuador 99.56 Mountainside 95.00
10 Bernardus Lodge & Spa, Carmel
Riviera Maya 97.24 5 Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa, Valley, California 98.61 6 Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise,
12 Andaz Mayakoba Resort San Pedro de Atacama, Alberta 92.23
Chile 99.44 11 Four Seasons Resort Orlando at
Riviera Maya 97.00 Walt Disney World Resort, 7 Brentwood Bay Resort, British
13 Fairmont Mayakoba 96.75 6 Estancia Vik José Ignacio, Florida 98.35 Columbia 91.60
14 Four Seasons Resort Maldonado, Uruguay 98.99
12 The Lodge at Pebble Beach, 8 Four Seasons Resort and
Los Cabos at Costa 7 Explora Atacama, San Pedro de California 98.33 Residences Whistler 91.00
Palmas 96.65 Atacama, Chile 98.91
15 Chablé Maroma, 13 The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury 9 Fairmont Tremblant, Québec
Riviera Maya 96.29 8 Pikaia Lodge, Santa Cruz Island, Collection Resort, Waikiki, 90.92
Galápagos Islands, Ecuador 98.87 Oahu, Hawaii 98.33
CENTRAL AMERICA 10 Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta
9 Aranwa Paracas Resort & Spa, 14 Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, 90.86
1 HACIENDA ALTAGRACIA, Peru 98.66 San Diego, California 98.11
AUBERGE RESORTS
COLLECTION, PEREZ 10 Patagonia Camp, Torres del 15 Twin Farms, Barnard,
ZELEDON, COSTA RICA 99.49 Paine National Park, Chile 98.38 Vermont 98.04

2 Turneffe Island Resort, 11 Explora Rapa Nui, Easter Island,
Belize 98.90 Chile 98.05

3 Hamanasi Adventure 12 Puro Vik, San Vicente,
& Dive Resort, Hopkins Village, Chile 97.40
Belize 98.37
13 Tierra Chiloé Adventure and Spa
4 San Ignacio Resort Hotel, Hotel, Chiloé Island, Chile 96.57
Belize 98.10
14 The Singular Patagonia, Puerto
Bories, Chile 96.29

15 The Vines Resort & Spa,
Tunuyan, Argentina 96.01

November 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 75

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

THE CARIBBEAN 4 Santa Marina, a Luxury 12 Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire, AFRICA
& THE ATLANTIC Collection Resort, England 98.33
Mykonos 96.44 SOUTH AFRICA
1 ROSEWOOD LITTLE DIX BAY, 13 Airelles Gordes, La Bastide,
VIRGIN GORDA, BVI 99.74 5 Ikos Dassia, Corfu 95.78 Luberon, France 98.29 1 MORUKURU FAMILY, DE HOOP
6 Nana Princess, Crete 93.96 NATURE RESERVE 99.94
2 Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa, 7 Elivi Skiathos 92.88 14 Hotel Romazzino, a Luxury
St Barth’s 99.74 8 Blue Palace, a Luxury Collection Collection Hotel, Costa 2 Singita Sabi Sand, Sabi Sands 99.85
Smeralda, Italy 98.21 3 Royal Malewane, Greater Kruger
3 Amanyara, Turks and Caicos Resort and Spa, Crete 92.06
99.44 9 MarBella Corfu 91.35 15 Anantara Vilamoura Algarve National Park 99.81
10 Amanzoe, Porto Heli 90.33 Resort, Portugal 97.96 4 Morukuru Family, Madikwe Game
4 Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton
Reserve, Puerto Rico 99.39 REST OF EUROPE 16 JW Marriott Venice Resort Reserve 99.79
& Spa, Italy 97.88 5 Cheetah Plains, Sabi Sands 99.37
5 Rosewood Baha Mar, 1 CHEVAL BLANC 6 Marataba Luxury Lodges,
Bahamas 98.59 COURCHEVEL, FRANCE 17 Anassa, Cyprus 97.73
99.49 18 Tivoli Marina Vilamoura Marakele National Park 99.12
6 The Shore Club Turks and 7 andBeyond Phinda Private
Caicos 98.41 2 Airelles Courchevel, Algarve Resort, Portugal 97.44
Les Airelles, France 99.46 19 Amara, Cyprus 97.43 Game Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal 98.88
7 La Samanna, A Belmond Hotel, 20 D Maris Bay, Marmaris, 8 Lion Sands Game Reserve,
St. Martin 98.20 3 Royal Champagne Hotel
& Spa, Champillon, France 99.41 Turkey 97.42 Sabi Sands 97.83
8 Manapany, St Barth’s 98.06 21 Hillside Beach Club, Fethiye, 9 Lepogo Lodges, Limpopo 97.83
9 Secret Bay, Dominica 98.01 4 The Bodrum Edition, 10 Ulusaba Private Game Reserve,
10 Ladera Resort, St Lucia 98.01 Turkey 99.38 Turkey 97.10
11 Jade Mountain, St Lucia 97.82 22 7Pines Resort Ibiza, Spain 96.61 Sabi Sands 97.76
12 Kamalame Cay, Bahamas 5 Gleneagles, Scotland 99.16 23 Mandarin Oriental,
6 Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, REST OF AFRICA
97.68 Bodrum, Turkey 96.10
13 Eden Rock – St Barths, Montalcino, Italy 99.09 24 Toscana Resort Castelfalfi, 1 ANGAMA MARA, GREAT RIFT
7 Ashford Castle Hotel & VALLEY, KENYA 99.77
St Barth’s 97.66 Italy 95.87
14 Sandals Montego Bay, Country Estate, Co. Galway, 25 Elysium, Cyprus 95.18 2 andBeyond Bateleur Camp,
Ireland 98.81 26 Borgo Egnazia, Puglia, Masai Mara, Kenya 99.66
Jamaica 97.58 8 Cristallo, a Luxury Collection
15 Silversands Grenada 97.42 Resort & Spa, Cortina Italy 93.58 3 One&Only Gorilla’s Nest,
d’Ampezzo, Italy 98.67 27 Terre Blanche Hôtel Spa Golf Gisakura, Rwanda 99.58
EUROPE 9 Six Senses Kaplankaya,
Turkey 98.63 Resort, Tourrettes, France 93.18 4 One&Only Nyungwe House,
GREECE 10 Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa, 28 Bahía del Duque, Tenerife, Nyamasheke Nyungwe Forest
Hampshire, England 98.50 Reserve, Rwanda 99.58
1 THE ROMANOS, A LUXURY 11 Adare Manor, Co. Limerick, Spain 92.92
COLLECTION RESORT, Ireland 98.42 29 Puente Romano Beach Resort, 5 Cottar’s 1920s Safari Camp,
COSTA NAVARINO 98.96 Masai Mara, Kenya 99.50
Marbella, Spain 92.73
2 The Westin Resort 30 Dromoland Castle 6 Thorntree River Lodge, Mosi-oa-
Costa Navarino 98.18 Tunya National Park, Zambia 99.41
Hotel & Country Estate,
3 Sani Resort, Halkidiki 97.41 Co. Clare, Ireland 90.44 7 andBeyond Okavango Delta,
Botswana 99.33
ROSEWOOD LITTLE DIX BAY, YOUR No. 1 RESORT IN THE CARIBBEAN
8 Volcanoes Safari Lodges, Bwindi
Impenetrable Forest, Uganda 98.98

9 Elewana Lewa Safari Camp,
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy,
Kenya 98.96

10 Richard’s River Camp,
Masai Mara, Kenya 98.81

11 Alex Walker’s Serian,
Masai Mara, Kenya 98.72

12 Wilderness Safaris Mombo Camp
and Little Mombo, Moremi Game
Reserve, Botswana 98.66

13 Elewana Tarangire Treetops,
Tanzania 98.66

14 Virunga Lodge, Ruhengeri,
Rwanda 98.52

15 Elewana Sand River Masai Mara,
Kenya 98.51

16 Zannier Hotels Sonop,
Karas Region, Namibia 98.00

17 Elewana Elsa’s Kopje Meru,
Meru National Park, Kenya 97.91

18 The Bushcamp Company,
South Luangwa National Park,
Zambia 97.56

19 Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy,
Nanyuki Town, Kenya 96.16

20 Governors’ Camp Collection, Masai
Mara, Kenya 96.14

21 Singita Grumeti, Serengeti National
Park, Tanzania 96.11

22 Finch Hattons, Tsavo West 14 JW Marriott Maldives Resort YOUR No. 1 RESORT IN THE MIDDLE EAST:
National Park, Kenya 96.10 & Spa 97.90 SIX SENSES ZIGHY BAY, OMAN

PHOTOGRAPH: JEN JUDGE 23 Mahali Mzuri, Olare Motorogi 15 Waldorf Astoria Maldives REST OF ASIA 22 Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle
Conservancy, Kenya 95.53 Ithaafushi 97.89 Resort, Sri Lanka 96.03
1 SIX SENSES BHUTAN 99.38
24 Tongabezi Lodge & Sindabezi 16 Lux* North Male Atoll, 2 COMO Bhutan 99.32 23 Pangkor Laut Resort,
Island Camp, Livingstone, Maldives 97.56 3 Shinta Mani Wild, Southern Malaysia 94.68
Zambia 95.44
17 Anantara Veli Maldives Cardamom National Park, 24 Topas Ecolodge, Sapa,
AUSTRALIA & Resort 97.41 Cambodia 99.30 Vietnam 94.29
THE SOUTH PACIFIC 4 Cape Weligama, Sri Lanka
18 Niyama Private Islands 99.23 25 The Anam, Nha Trang,
1 KOKOMO PRIVATE ISLAND Maldives 97.38 5 Six Senses Ninh Vân Bay, Vietnam 93.76
RESORT, YAUKUVE LEVU Vietnam 99.08
ISLAND, FIJI 99.63 19 Four Seasons Resort Maldives 6 One&Only Desaru Coast, THE MIDDLE EAST
at Landaa Giraavaru 97.30 Bandar Penawar, Malaysia 98.99
2 Nanuku, Auberge Resorts 7 The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, 1 SIX SENSES ZIGHY BAY,
Collection, Pacific Harbour, 20 Four Seasons Resort Seychelles Malaysia 98.97 DIBBA, OMAN 99.70
Fiji 99.39 at Desroches Island 97.16 8 Ceylon Tea Trails, Hatton,
Sri Lanka 98.82 2 Anantara Eastern
3 Namale Resort & Spa, 21 The Oberoi, Mauritius 97.00 9 El Nido Resorts, Philippines Mangroves Abu Dhabi
Vanua Levu, Fiji 98.35 22 W Maldives 96.76 98.80 Hotel 98.68
23 Conrad Maldives Rangali 10 Amankora Bhutan 98.22
4 The Brando, Tetiaroa, 11 Shangri-La Boracay Resort & 3 Alila Jabal Akhdar,
French Polynesia 98.00 Island 96.15 Spa Philippines 98.13 Oman 98.65
24 Six Senses Zil Pasyon, 12 Capella Sanya, China 98.00
5 Matakauri Lodge, Queenstown, 13 Azerai Can Tho, 4 Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar
New Zealand 97.48 Seychelles 95.32 Vietnam 97.90 Resort, Oman 97.52
25 Lux* Belle Mare, Mauritius 14 Four Seasons Resort Langkawi,
6 InterContinental Bora Bora Malaysia 97.54 5 Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort
Le Moana Resort, French 95.20 15 The Datai Langkawi, Malaysia by Anantara, Liwa Desert,
Polynesia 97.35 97.23 UAE 97.24
ASIA 16 JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald
7 Spicers Sangoma Retreat, Bay Resort & Spa, Vietnam 97.20 6 One&Only Royal Mirage,
Bowen Mountain, Australia INDONESIA 17 Discovery Shores Boracay, Dubai, UAE 95.83
96.59 Philippines 97.11
1 CAPELLA UBUD, BALI 99.28 18 Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa, 7 One&Only The Palm, Dubai,
8 Tokoriki Island Resort, Fiji 96.56 2 Hoshinoya Bali 99.16 India 96.70 UAE 95.42
9 Saffire Freycinet, Tasmania, 3 Alila Ubud, Bali 99.01 19 Ahilya by the Sea, Goa, India
4 Four Seasons Resort Bali at 96.66 8 The Oberoi Beach Resort Al
Australia 96.43 20 InterContinental Danang Zorah, Ajman, UAE 92.89
10 Conrad Bora Bora Nui, Jimbaran Bay 98.61 Sun Peninsula Resort,
5 Amankila, Bali 98.16 Vietnam 96.35 9 Anantara The Palm Dubai
French Polynesia 96.06 6 Anantara Uluwatu Bali 21 Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala, Resort 92.43
11 Owen River Lodge, Nelson, Sri Lanka 96.29
Resort 97.27 10 Banana Island Resort
New Zealand 96.00 7 Bawah Reserve, Riau Islands Doha by Anantara,
12 Turtle Island Fiji 95.62 Qatar 92.16
13 Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, 96.25
8 Mulia Resort, Bali 95.80
French Polynesia 91.33 9 Nihi Sumba 95.68
14 InterContinental Bora Bora 10 COMO Uma Ubud & COMO

Resort & Thalasso Spa, Uma Canggu, Bali 95.19
French Polynesia 90.86
15 Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach THAILAND
Resort, French Polynesia 89.47
1 ANANTARA CHIANG
INDIAN OCEAN MAI RESORT 99.81

1 NALADHU PRIVATE 2 Amanpuri, Phuket 99.76
ISLAND MALDIVES 99.91 3 Soneva Kiri, Koh Kood 99.66
4 COMO Point Yamu, Phuket
2 Cheval Blanc Randheli,
Maldives 99.7 98.93
5 Four Seasons Resort Koh
3 Soneva Jani, Maldives 99.54
4 Soneva Fushi, Maldives 99.22 Samui 98.76
5 COMO Maalifushi, Maldives 6 Phulay Bay, A Ritz-Carlton

99.04 Reserve, Krabi 98.66
6 Finolhu Maldives 99.01 7 Le Méridien Phuket Beach
7 One&Only Reethi Rah,
Resort 98.25
Maldives 98.94 8 Anantara Golden Triangle
8 Anantara Kihavah
Elephant Camp & Resort,
Maldives Villas 98.29 Chiang Rai 97.73
9 The Nautilus Maldives 98.26 9 Aleenta Phuket Resort
10 Joali, Maldives 98.26 & Spa 97.48
11 Six Senses Laamu, Maldives 10 Four Seasons Resort
Chiang Mai 97.02
98.24 11 Rosewood Phuket 96.33
12 Constance Belle Mare Plage, 12 The Nai Harn Phuket 95.81
13 Four Seasons Tented
Mauritius 98.14 Camp Golden Triangle,
13 Lux* South Ari Atoll, Chiang Rai 94.60
14 Anantara Mai Khao
Maldives 97.91 Phuket Villas 93.47
15 The Sarojin, Khao Lak 93.36

November 2021 Condé Nast Traveller 77

SPAS Maintaining some sort of wellness equilibrium has been a tightrope act,
but these destination spa resorts have the art of relaxation as their core
strength. Last year’s number 25, Chiva-Som, is this year’s number one
– perhaps something to do with the Thai retreat’s pre-Covid revamp. Its
famous chi nei tsang abdominal massage is booked out months ahead.

CHIVA-SOM, YOUR No. 1 DESTINATION SPA RESORT IN THE WORLD THE WORLD 19 Vila Vita Parc, Algarve,
Portugal 96.52
SKI RESORTS 1 CHIVA-SOM, HUA HIN,
THAILAND 99.89 20 Tri, Galle, Sri Lanka 95.78
Europe’s skiers are readying their lift passes for a return to the 21 BodyHoliday, St Lucia 94.36
slopes in the 21/22 season. The soon-to-be-released House of 2 Vana, Uttarakhand, India 99.34 22 Terme di Saturnia Spa & Golf
Gucci, partly filmed in the Italian Alps, should at least inspire 3 Ikbal Thermal Hotel & Spa,
Eighties-glam ski holidays to the pistes of Courmayeur – with its Resort, Tuscany, Italy 93.94
shiny Skyway – and to St Moritz, where Maurizio had his chalet. Afyonkarahisar, Turkey 99.33 23 Clinique La Prairie, Clarens-
4 Bürgenstock Hotels & Resort,
Montreux, Switzerland 93.66
Lake Lucerne, Switzerland 99.18 24 SHA Wellness Clinic,
5 COMO Shambhala Estate,
Alicante, Spain 93.50
Bali, Indonesia 99.16 25 Six Senses Qing Cheng
6 Ananda in the Himalayas,
Mountain, Chengdu,
Uttarakhand, India 98.96 China 93.41
7 The Retreat Costa Rica, 26 Dharana at Shillim,
Maharashtra, India 93.10
Atenas 98.80 27 Rancho La Puerta, Baja
8 Valsana Hotel Arosa, California, Mexico 92.64
28 Beaverbrook, Surrey,
Switzerland 98.75 England 92.62
9 Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, 29 Lefay Resort & Spa Lago
di Garda, Lake Garda,
Germany 98.66 Italy 92.05
10 Villa Stéphanie, Baden-Baden, 30 The Original FX Mayr,
Maria Wörth, Austria 91.81
Germany 98.53
11 Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancún, USA

Mexico 98.33 1 THE RANCH MALIBU,
12 Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti, CALIFORNIA 98.58

Trentino, Italy 98.18 2 The Lodge at Woodloch,
13 Chenot Palace Weggis, Lucerne, Pennsylvania 97.56

Switzerland 98.17 3 Lake Austin Spa Resort,
14 Quinta da Comporta - Wellness Texas 95.50

Boutique Resort, Alentejo, 4 Winvian Farm,
Portugal 98.14 Connecticut 94.60
15 Lanserhof Tegernsee, Bavaria,
Germany 98.00 5 CIVANA Wellness Resort
16 Andronis Concept Wellness & Spa, Arizona 94.41
Resort, Santorini, Greece 97.38
17 Euphoria Retreat, Peloponnese,
Greece 96.97
18 Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos,
Mexico 96.96

EUROPE 16 Les Trois Vallées, YOUR No. 1 SKI RESORT IN EUROPE: COURMAYEUR PHOTOGRAPHS: @ROBERTO BRAGOTTO; CHRIS SCHALKX
France 76.75
1 COURMAYEUR,
ITALY 97.33 17 Val Thorens, France 74.62
18 Ischgl, Austria 73.20
2 Gstaad, Switzerland 94.67 19 Chamonix-Mont Blanc,
3 St Moritz, Switzerland 92.21
4 St Anton, Austria 91.65 France 70.86
5 Kitzbühel, Austria 90.57 20 Les Arcs La Plagne,
6 Crans-Montana,
France 70.23
Switzerland 89.81
7 Flims Laax Falera, USA

Switzerland 89.60 1 DEER VALLEY,
8 Lech, Austria 89.44 UTAH 87.24
9 Val d’Isère, France 87.48
10 Megève, France 85.83 2 Sundance Mountain
11 Courchevel, France 84.90 Resort, Utah 86.93
12 Verbier, Switzerland 81.24
13 Zermatt, Switzerland 80.96 3 Aspen Highlands,
14 Cervinia, Italy 80.70 Colorado 85.60
15 Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy 78.02
4 Beaver Creek,
Colorado 83.93

5 Snowbird, Utah 83.75

78 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

TOUR OPERATORS

Even the most gung-ho traveller appreciates a helping hand, and we feel
that now, more than ever, fixers with on-the-ground knowledge and

local connections are invaluable. What Healing Holidays doesn’t know
about spa breaks could be written on a pair of paper pants, while Scott
Dunn is seeing interest in the Maldives and Mauritius, unsurprisingly, as
well as Finnish Lapland, and Red Savannah’s remit covers gulet charters

in Montenegro, ranch holidays in the USA and villas in Jamaica.

GENERAL SPECIALIST

1 RED SAVANNAH 98.65 1 SCOTT DUNN 99.48
2 The Turquoise Holiday Company 2 Healing Holidays 99.36
3 Black Tomato 99.22
98.14 4 InsideJapan Tours 99.16
3 Mr & Mrs Smith 97.88 5 Journey Latin America 99.10
4 Insiders Experience 96.80 6 Wilderness Travel 99.05
5 Tauck 96.79 7 Ultimate Driving Tours 99.04
6 Elegant Resorts 96.72 8 TCS World Travel 99.03
7 Cox & Kings 95.91 9 Remote Lands 98.98
8 Ker & Downey 95.89 10 Mavros Safaris 98.89
9 Kensington Tours 95.11 11 Cookson Adventures 98.68
10 Intrepid Travel 94.87 12 Volcano Safaris 98.63
11 Modern Adventure 94.82 13 AdventureWomen 98.50
12 Classic Journeys 94.31 14 Gray & Co 98.45
13 GeoEx 94.13 15 Butterfield & Robinson 98.13
14 Abercrombie & Kent 93.95 16 andBeyond 97.72
15 Exodus Travels 93.82 17 Micato Safaris 97.69
16 Extraordinary Journeys 93.68 18 Rick Steves’ Europe 95.89
17 Audley Travel 91.31 19 Wilderness Safaris 95.02
18 Road Scholar 90.44 20 Thomson Safaris 94.39
19 Overseas Adventure Travel 89.33
20 Globus 89.22
21 Odysseys Unlimited 89.22
22 Trafalgar 87.88
23 Trailfinders 87.76
24 Gate 1 Travel 85.00
25 Kuoni 81.76

PHOTOGRAPH: ALISTAIR TAYLOR-YOUNG GIZA IN EGYPT, WHERE TRIPS ARE BOOKABLE THROUGH YOUR No. 1 TOUR OPERATOR, RED SAVANNAH

COUNTRIES There were no big surprises this year, although
Spain and France were notable exceptions from

the top 20. Portugal, on the other hand, is
a country that just keeps getting better, with a
growing appreciation not only of its beaches but
its food and wine, and with lesser-known corners
such as the artistically inclined Melides on our

radar alongside the obvious hotspots of
Comporta and the Algarve. Meanwhile, the
wild, empty places of New Zealand – about to
get another boost with the new Lord of the Rings

series – helped it come in second, while
Croatia’s sheer variety of islands saw it
challenging Greece for salt-flecked popularity.

1 PORTUGAL 94.10 11 Norway 92.30
2 New Zealand 94.04 12 Maldives 92.28
3 Japan 93.82 13 Kenya 92.14
4 Morocco 93.41 14 Ireland 92.13
5 Sri Lanka 93.07 15 Israel 92.05
6 Italy 92.98 16 Australia 91.97
7 Iceland 92.96 17 Switzerland 91.84
8 Greece 92.71 18 Indonesia 91.75
9 Croatia 92.51 19 Botswana 91.64
10 Turkey 92.41 20 Philippines 91.63

CARVOEIRO ON THE ALGARVE IN PORTUGAL, YOUR No. 1 COUNTRY

CITIES

Was it the Olympic effect? Japan took gold, silver and bronze in world
cities, with merits for food, sights and culture, while in the USA, Aspen
slalomed ahead of Charleston for the first time. In the UK, Liverpool

just missed nudging the English and Scottish capitals from the top.

WORLD UK

1 TOKYO, JAPAN 96.44 1 LONDON 89.68 PHOTOGRAPHS: SONIA DAVIES; BILL PHELPS
2 Osaka, Japan 95.83 2 Edinburgh 89.49
3 Kyoto, Japan 94.55 3 Liverpool 89.05
4 Singapore 94.55 4 Glasgow 86.67
5 San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 93.88 5 Manchester 86.50
6 Istanbul, Turkey 93.67 6 Cardiff 85.60
7 Mérida, Mexico 93.38 7 Cambridge 84.44
8 Marrakech, Morocco 93.18 8 Belfast 79.16
9 Porto, Portugal 92.78 9 Bath 78.33
10 Aspen, Colorado, USA 92.73 10 York 77.69
11 Bangkok, Thailand 92.65
12 Seoul, South Korea 92.50 YOUR No. 1 CITY: TOKYO, JAPAN
13 Charleston, South Carolina, USA 91.52
14 San Sebastián, Spain 91.52
15 Chicago, Illinois, USA 90.22
16 Alexandria, Virginia, USA 90.16
17 Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA 89.57
18 New York, USA 88.83
19 Greenville, South Carolina, USA 88.64
20 Salzburg, Austria 88.34

80 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

VILLAS

This is the sort of place many of us 1 THE THINKING
have fantasised about waking up in TRAVELLER 99.69

during the past year – a hilltop 2 CV Villas 99.63
estate on the east coast of Sicily, 3 Oliver’s Travels 99.52
with lemon groves to muse in and 4 WIMCO Villas 99.49
Grand Tour views of the Ionian Sea 5 Scott Williams Villas 99.21
6 Le Collectionist 99.19
to sketch with those newly 7 Tuscany Now & More 98.96
acquired lockdown skills. It’s part of 8 Simpson Travel 98.96
The Thinking Traveller’s portfolio, 9 Onefinestay 98.60
which you voted number one this 10 To Tuscany 98.33
year. Italy appears on the books of 11 Thirdhome 98.32
12 SJ Villas 98.26
many of the other villa fixers but 13 Eden Villas 98.25
isn’t the only destination: CV Villas 14 Vintage Travel 98.23
15 La Bergerie 98.21
has addresses in Corfu and the 16 The Greek Villas 98.14
Caribbean; Scott Williams is 17 Boutique Homes 98.02
seeing increasing interest in 18 Welcome Beyond 96.73
Croatia. And while we may not 19 Luxury Cayman Villas 96.41
need a place quite as grand as this, 20 Kid & Coe 96.39
as Onefinestay reports, we want
to stay longer, always longer.

PHOTOGRAPH: FRANCIS AMIAND/THE THINKING TRAVELLER SICILY’S ROCCA DELLE TRE CONTRADE, BOOKABLE THROUGH YOUR No. 1 VILLA RENTAL COMPANY, THE THINKING TRAVELLER

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2021

AIRLINES & AIRPORTS

Stalled during the pandemic, with the collective loss of billions, the
appetite for flying was kept aloft by Qantas, which launched a sightseeing

trip around Australia, while tickets for Singapore Airlines’ pop-up
restaurant – onboard a stationary A380 superjumbo at Changi – sold out
in minutes. For many, Singapore’s airport, with its rooftop cactus garden

and indoor waterfall, feels almost a destination in its own right.

AIRLINES AIRPORTS

1 SINGAPORE AIRLINES UK
88.71
1 LONDON HEATHROW
2 Emirates 87.81 (LHR) 72.90
3 Turkish Airlines 86.99
4 Qatar Airways 85.05 2 London Luton (LTN) 72.10
5 Qantas 84.73 3 London Gatwick (LGW) 59.79
6 Etihad Airways 83.33 4 Manchester (MAN) 57.65
7 EVA Air 83.14 5 London City (LCY) 57.33
8 Virgin Atlantic 82.81
9 Swiss 82.21 REST OF THE WORLD
10 British Airways 82.16
1 SINGAPORE (SIN) 89.58
2 Istanbul (IST) 89.01
3 Tokyo Narita (NRT) 84.22
4 Savannah/Hilton Head (SAV),

Georgia, USA 81.38
5 Indianapolis (IND), USA 80.92
6 Seoul Incheon (ICN) 80.29
7 Doha (DOH) 79.97
8 Hartford (BDL), Connecticut,

USA 79.77
9 Dubai (DXB) 79.00
10 Marrakech (RAK) 78.91

TRAINS YOUR No. 1 TRAIN: SEVEN STARS IN KYUSHU

As the railway renaissance picks up
steam, the romance of the train
endures – Belmond’s Edwardian-

style journeys are popular but it was
Seven Stars, Japan’s first luxe

sleeper, that punched your ticket.

1 SEVEN STARS IN KYUSHU,
JAPAN 95.77

2 Rocky Mountaineer,
North America 95.14

3 The Ghan, Australia 93.90
4 Belmond British Pullman,

UK 92.07
5 Eastern & Oriental Express,

A Belmond Train, Asia 86.85
6 Palace on Wheels, India 86.07
7 The Pride of Africa – Rovos Rail,

Africa 84.07
8 El Transcantabrico Gran Lujo,

Spain 83.79
9 Belmond Royal Scotsman,

UK 83.74
10 Belmond Andean Explorer,

Peru 81.74

82 Condé Nast Traveller November 2021

CRUISE LINES

SAILING NORWAY’S FJORDS WITH YOUR No. 1 MEDIUM-SHIP CRUISE LINE VIKING

The skies were noticably empty when you voted in this year’s awards, but greatly reduced passenger numbers. For many, cruises with fewer stop-
few were placed to remark on how quiet the oceans were. In normal times, offs – Viking’s Norwegian fjord trip, for example – will appeal, while other
lines, such as Cunard, introduced scenic routes around the British Isles.
around 30 million people a year worldwide go on a cruise; the industry’s And small ships including Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot, an electric
recovery will be slow but we can look to Royal Caribbean’s first 2021 hybrid on course for the North Pole, are setting the compass for the future.
sailing from Miami in July for the way ahead: rigorous onboard testing and

PHOTOGRAPHS: JULIETTE CHARVET; ALAISTAIR MILLER/VIKING MEGA SHIPS MEDIUM SHIPS SMALL SHIPS RIVER SHIPS

(More than 4,000 passengers) (500 to 2,500 passengers) (Fewer than 500 passengers) 1 VIKING RIVER CRUISES 98.76
1 NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE 88.81 1 VIKING OCEAN CRUISES 1 LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS 2 Tauck River Cruising 97.51
2 Royal Caribbean International 94.94 96.18 3 Uniworld Boutique River Cruise
87.68 2 Crystal Cruises 93.54 2 Paul Gaugin Cruises 95.51
3 MSC Cruises 84.43 3 Seabourn 93.33 3 Regent Seven Seas Cruises Collection 96.74
4 Regent Seven Seas Cruises 94.80 4 Grand Circle Cruise Line 96.00
LARGE SHIPS 92.68 4 Seabourn 94.10 5 Vantage Deluxe World Cruises
5 Oceania Cruises 91.79 5 Windstar Cruises 94.08
(2,500 to 4,000 passengers) 6 Silversea Cruises 90.60 6 American Cruise Line 93.18 94.28
1 DISNEY CRUISE LINE 94.01 7 MSC Cruises 90.51 7 Quasar Expeditions 93.02 6 AmaWaterways 93.53
2 Celebrity Cruises 88.58 8 Cunard 88.98 8 Silversea Cruises 92.41 7 American Queen Steamboat
3 Cunard 87.73 9 Hurtigruten 88.63 9 Metropolitan Touring 92.20
4 Princess Cruises 87.18 Company 93.41
5 Holland America Line 86.87 10 P&O Cruises 88.57 10 SeaDream Yacht Club 91.46 8 Crystal River Cruises 93.22
6 MSC Cruises 84.97 11 Azamara 88.39 11 Celebrity Cruises 91.43 9 Avalon Waterways 92.27
7 Royal Caribbean International 12 Holland America Line 87.03 12 Ponant 89.34 10 Delfin Amazon Cruises 90.33
84.85 13 Celebrity Cruises 84.26 13 Crystal Yacht Cruises 89.33
8 Marella Cruises 84.01 14 Carnival Cruise Line 83.58 14 Star Clippers 87.77
9 Carnival Cruise Line 82.78 15 Royal Caribbean International 15 Sea Cloud Cruises 87.14

10 Norwegian Cruise Line 82.77 83.20



source
material

IN MARRAKECH, A FORWARD-THINKING CROWD IS CHAMPIONING THE SURVIVAL OF
MOROCCO’S TRADITIONAL CRAFTS WHILE GIVING THEM A GLOBAL PLATFORM

BY TARA STEVENS. PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACK JOHNS

85

When i bought and renovated my house in
the Fez medina in 2009, everyone asked
me where I sourced my interiors from.
A little bit guiltily, I’d confess: Marrakech.
Fez may be the city of artisans, but Marrakech is the real
jewel when it comes to shopping. My mid-century-modern-
style kitchen chairs came from a no-name stall set up
on a dusky square near the now rather chic Souk Cherifia;
my bold cream, orange, green and black striped curtains
were from the tiniest hole-in-the-wall spot near the Palais
Bahia that specialised in antique African cloth. I’d scour
the stands at Bab el Khemis – still Morocco’s most fruitful
flea market – for vintage lamps and bigger pieces to
get reupholstered or sprayed with car paint (the design
hack of the day).

The city has always been a rich seam of inspiration.
Stories of Yves Saint Laurent, Talitha Getty, Bill Willis
and their freewheeling bohemian crowd roaming the
souks in the 1960s are stitched into its recent history. But today the next generation of
creators, combined with a thriving homegrown scene, look deeper into the country’s
heritage and approach it with a fresh sensibility, updating crafts and preserving skills
with equal amounts of respect and innovation.
Globally, there has been a renewed drive towards slow design, the handmade and
small batch, where provenance is as celebrated as the finished product. In the past few
years, this has prompted several big brands to look again to Morocco as a muse.
For its 2020 cruise show, Dior collaborated with regional craftspeople to produce
geometric, henna-dyed cushions and hand-painted crockery for a candlelit dinner at El
Badi Palace. And YSL Beauty recently established a permanent botanical research
centre and gardens in Ourika Valley, overseen by a local women’s cooperative, for

ANCESTRAL TECHNIQUES HAVE PERMEATED LIFE HERE FOR

CENTURIES – IF YOU CAN DREAM IT, YOU CAN DO IT

its new skincare line. But the seeds of a well-established, resident creative community
had already started to sprout before these major labels found inspiration here.

The original market town, Marrakech has always been a place where if you can dream
it, you can do it, largely due to a pool of ancestral techniques that has permeated life here
for centuries. Everywhere you look, there’s something to discover – from the reed storage
baskets and hand-carved wooden spoons in the Rahba Kedima, where I’ll always stop to
have a glass of tea with Rachid Naji, who made the shopping baskets for my cooking school
in Fez, to the carpet souk across the square where I might spy a sequinned vintage wedding
blanket to turn into a headboard. I learned early on to linger at around 4pm on a Wednesday
to see what treasures the traders brought down with them from the mountains.

Lately, this artisanal heritage is being combined with an understanding of modern design
and technology, along with an openness to reference points that transcend the borders of
Morocco, and now something rather extraordinary is starting to emerge: heirloom rugs that
you devise yourself, handcrafted tiles in countless configurations, haute-couture kaftans in
boldly contemporary prints. These independent brands have become synonymous with
the city’s identity, and though they may be having their moment now, they did not spring
up overnight. Most of their founders have spent years living here, cultivating long-term
relationships with those who they collaborate with, scaling their ateliers to provide better
working environments with attractive pay and benefits. It’s particularly game-changing for
female makers, many of whom work on a per-item basis, giving them financial autonomy
as they hone their innate savoir-faire into a more updated aesthetic.

‘For us, it’s really important that what we offer draws young people back into weaving,’
says Tiberio Lobo-Navia, who founded Beni Rugs with Robert Wright in 2015. ‘By

86

Clockwise from above: looking out towards the
Atlas Mountains; showroom, Samuel and Caitlin
Dowe-Sandes, car at the atelier, and tiles inspired by

Berber colour patterns, all at Popham Design.
Opposite, street scene near the central Bab
Taghzout area. Previous pages, Laurence Leenaert

in the Sidi Ghanem neighbourhood

87

Clockwise from left: hand-weaving sustainable
fabrics at Marrakshi Life; Norya Nemiche, storefront,

and Nemiche wearing a ring she designed,
all at Norya Aryon; palm tree at dusk. Opposite,

homeware at Azalai Urban Souk

88

protecting these practices handed down through generations while addressing the needs
of the present-day market, it starts to look like a really appealing career.’ The pair’s team
has grown from 12 women weavers using six looms to 300 women on 150 looms, plus 15
men who wash and dry the rugs, working either in the Middle Atlas or from their new base
in Tameslouht, a village about 30 minutes from Marrakech.

Simultaneously, Moroccan entrepreneurs are putting their own spin on their culture.
‘The purpose of small brands is to be super-bespoke and here I have the flexibility to be
so,’ says Meriem Nour, who designs under her label Hanout Boutique. Likewise, Khouloud
Belkahia is updating long-held craft traditions at her bistro that also showcases a fresh
take on table- and glassware. ‘I think the city’s proximity to Europe is a significant asset
in keeping our soul young and modern, but with a strong Berber,
Arab and, above all, African identity,’ she says.

This spirit of knowledge, inspiration and creative exchange
has brought together the local and international community
in more integrated ways than ever before. Rebecca Wilford,
co-founder of Hamimi, which produces crocheted lampshades,
brass accessories and bags, started out by shipping items to her
home country of Australia, but eventually moved the brand to
Marrakech where it now provides jobs for between 30 and 40
handiworkers:‘It’s one of the last places in the world where you
can find people with this expertise at their fingertips.’

The result of all this innovative input is a dynamic community
whose members share common values: handcrafted, made to
order, inclusive and customisable: ‘Appreciation, rather than
appropriation, is key,’ says Caitlin Dowe-Sandes who, along with
her husband Sam, launched concrete-tile company Popham Design
almost by accident 14 years ago, which currently turns out about
one million tiles per year. The city’s growing stable of fashion
names tells a similar story. Former New York photographer
Randall Bachner started Marrakshi Life in 2013, but says it’s
only now that it’s really bedded in. He couldn’t find the kind of
textiles he wanted to use in his collections, so created his own.
‘When I arrived the fashion culture was quite one-dimensional,
so I saw an opportunity to fill that gap,’ he explains of his urban
twist on classic Moroccan shapes. ‘But today everything you find here is quite different
to what you see in stores elsewhere in the world.’ Meanwhile, Algerian-born Norya
Nemiche of Norya Ayron reimagined the abaya – a traditional garment worn by some
Muslim women – in striking new ways, taking it out of Red City riads and into the realm
of catwalk. It led to her being described as having ‘democratised North African dress’
by American actor and rapper Yasiin Bey, better known as Mos Def. ‘I don’t think
of myself as a designer,’ she says, ‘I always made my own clothes, and here in Marrakech,
my seamstresses were able to realise what I could only see in my head.’

With so few places left across the globe where it’s possible to work closely with such a
large number of highly skilled artisans, with focuses from leatherware and weaving to
ceramics, zellige and metalwork, Marrakech today is far more than a colourful muse – it’s
the collaborative, inventive ground zero.

MEET THE MAKERS

FASHION

Meriem Nour

Among Riad Zitoun’s dusty alleyways, Hanout Boutique gleams. The walls of the
200-year-old showroom have been painted cool white, while filigree-style arches frame
racks of loosely tailored two-piece suits in graphic stripes, kimono-inspired dresses in
Warhol-ish power florals and intricately embroidered leather jackets. The youngest
of five girls in a family who all worked in fashion, Nour studied at London’s Central
Saint Martins, where she developed a range of kaftans for Selfridges, but her heart was
always back home in Marrakech. During lockdown last year, she used the time to turn

89

90

THIS COMMUNITY
HOLDS A SET
OF VALUES:

HAND-PRODUCED,
MADE TO ORDER,

INCLUSIVE.
APPRECIATION,

RATHER THAN
APPROPRIATION,

IS KEY

her immense stock of fabrics from around the world into pieces she was passionate about
– with big volumes, architectural cuts and frilly collars – finished with traditional Moroccan
embellishments. In doing so, she’s cleverly brought a glamorous touch to a wardrobe that
translates seamlessly across borders. hanoutboutique.com

Randall Bachner

Twenty minutes from the medina, in the industrial quarter of Sidi Ghanem, the expansive,
blush-pink headquarters of Marrakshi Life are a hive of activity.What Bachner established
with a single weaver has since grown into an all-Moroccan team of 30. Ultra-wearable
pieces are unisex with a utilitarian silhouette, but the brand’s main focus is sustainability.
It is zero-waste, reusing remnants in future creations, and dedicated to the preservation
of weaving techniques, forming a collaborative community vibe with garments often
woven from the artisan’s own designs. ‘I didn’t know how to do anything at the start. My
team has taught me a lot,’ says Bachner. ‘Although our colour palette remains fairly
consistent, we work from organic or existing shapes that evolve into something such as
the Tuareg dress, largely thanks to our tailor Rachid Misiam who has a really strong feel
for fashion.’ The perennial favourite, however, remains the unisex lab coat, a medina work
jacket worn by the label’s oldest weaver, Mohamed Ait Lahcen. marrakshilife.com

Norya Nemiche

In 2013, self-taught Algerian fashion designer Nemiche was thinking about leaving Morocco
when a friend offered her a little workspace above the oasis that is his restaurant Le
Jardin. On a whim, she decided to use it as the launchpad for Norya Ayron, her first line
of clothing, sewn by local seamstresses from materials she found in the city’s souks. Ten
days later her first collection was ready, and within a few months stars such as Sandra Oh
and Monica Bellucci were wearing it, seduced by the flamboyant shades and patterns
cut into a more feminine and streamlined silhouette than typical kaftans and abayas. At
the end of 2019, Nemiche opened a second atelier with a funky,Art Deco vibe in the heart
of Gueliz to coincide with the launch of her own extensive range of textiles, from swirls
and stripes to prints inspired by butterflies and botanical gardens in far-off lands. It also
offers shoppers a tight edit of garments including traditional North African dresses and
floor-length shirts. norya-ayron.shop

A ZERO-WASTE BRAND REUSES REMNANTS IN FUTURE CREATIONS,

WITH GARMENTS OFTEN WOVEN FROM ARTISANS’ OWN SKETCHES

INTERIORS

Tiberio Lobo-Navia and Robert Wright

After a trip to Marrakech in 2015, the former Brooklynites realised that buying a rug from
afar could be a maddening process.‘You can’t feel the quality or texture, and the sizes are
off because they’re not made for Western living spaces,’ says Lobo-Navia,‘and that’s when
the light went on for us.’ The pair knew they had to do things differently when setting up
Beni Rugs in an already saturated Moroccan market.They invested two years in learning
and documenting the long-practised process of rug making that uses natural wool rinsed
in the Oum Er-Rbia River and dyed with pigments derived from North African herbs.
Next, they scaled production to make it possible to choose the size, background colours,
patterns and finishing details such as tassels on an online platform, while taking design
cues from the Jardin Majorelle, Brazilian modernism and Bauhaus.This autumn they will
collaborate with cult interiors expert Athena Calderone of lifestyle website EyeSwoon,
while summer 2021 saw the opening of their splashy, industrial-scale store, where visitors
can hang out, sip Spritz and really delve into the brand. benirugs.com

Rebecca Wilford

In an airy studio that she shares with her husband, celebrated contemporary Moroccan
artist Larbi Cherkaoui,Wilford works with an all-female crew to develop Hamimi’s small

92

Clockwise from above: Meriem Nour; metalworker
in the medina; Tiberio Lobo-Navia (left) and Robert

Wright with their dog Beni, and rugs made with
natural dyes, both at Beni Rugs; snacks served on an

Azalai hammered tray. Previous pages, from left:
shrimp dish at Azalai, where the bowl is also for sale;

pigeons in the main square with the Kutubiyya
Mosque in the distance

Clockwise from above: Berber door design at
Azalai; local street-food seller; raspberry-topped

cake at Azalai; cat in the medina; Hamimi
founder Rebecca Wilford

94

collection of brass jewellery, soft leather handbags and crocheted lampshades. The latter
came about thanks to a local woman who was helping to look after Wilford’s young
son. ‘I got talking to her one day about women who stitch men’s skullcaps and started
exploring how we could twist it into something new,’ she explains.A set of pendant lights,
inspired by the classic shape of a Moroccan tagine, emerged.‘We didn’t want to dilute the
integrity of the handmade. Instead, we try to honour every person who has crafted a lamp
and that’s our emphasis, so each one is produced to order.’ Now, with 16 colours to choose
from, they are becoming a symbolic piece of Marrakech design. hamimidesign.com

Samuel and Caitlin Dowe-Sandes

The husband-and-wife duo first came to Marrakech from LA on a year-long sabbatical
from their careers in film and PR, but ended up buying a house in the medina because
they couldn’t find anything they liked enough to rent. ‘We’d never seen the crafts of
Morocco,’ Caitlin recalls, ‘but gradually we started to get to know the makers, and when
it came to replacing the tiles in the house, we thought maybe we could apply our own
ideas to the technique.’ Three early motifs emerged – loop, wink and zigzag – which were
so striking that a friend asked if the pair would be open to doing a photoshoot for a
magazine.When the fact checker called to ask whom to credit for the tiles, they hurriedly
set up a company and a website to coincide with publication, and Popham Design,
which now provides tiles to hotels, restaurants and homes all over the world, was
born. ‘Because we are here on the ground, we’ve been able to be very reactive and do

ONE FORM OF RUG-MAKING FOLLOWS THE AGE-OLD PROCESS
OF DYEING NATURAL WOOL WITH PIGMENTS FROM HERBS

tiny, bespoke projects, which makes it very special. That’s a fun point of distinction,’
says Caitlin. Today, the couple offer more than 150 patterns in 150-plus colours,
resulting in almost endless configurations, as well as a collection of brass lighting and
a backgammon board – the most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen. pophamdesign.com

Laurence Leenaert

Belgian-born artist Leenaert is well established in the contemporary Moroccan
design vernacular through Lrnce, which turns out ceramics decorated in bold, fluid
geometric patterns spotted at cult hotels from Menorca Experimental to Parilio on
Paros in Greece. But with a new set of paintings, she is looking to another discipline.
Her space in Sidi Ghanem, which opened at the start of 2020, spreads across two floors
and a rooftop that serves as a studio, showroom and events hub, where clients can
come by appointment to view works such as her Sound of Sun series – an interpretation
of life in the city.‘My framed pieces begin as sketches for rugs and blankets,’ she says.‘I’m
always drawing lines or cutting things out or incorporating elements based on what I see
around me.’ For her latest range of ceramics, she partnered with master craftsmen from
Safi who are known for their pottery. The addition of textural grooves meant they
took three times as long to produce as her handpainted line, but the approach lends a
sculptural element to each object that makes them as worthy of the term art as any of
her other creations. lrnce.com

Khouloud Belkahia

Restaurant and shop Azalai Urban Souk was founded just as Marrakech went into
lockdown. Having previously run a small group of boutique hotels with her ex-husband,
Belkahia understood that ‘people have a great sensitivity to detail – one that is not
necessarily about a material value, but rather an emotional value, a detail that has
a story to tell’. Riffing on her passion for food, she stocks artisan-made tableware such
as flat-top tagines and three-legged cups. This is paired with a healthy Moroccan menu
that spins authentic flavours and techniques into dishes that embody the way we eat
now: quinoa-rather-than-couscous bowls topped with avocado and chermoula prawns,
and decadent gluten-free baked goods. azalai-urban-souk.business.site

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THE SHAPE

OBAN IS THE QUIETLY MAJESTIC GATEWAY TO SCOTLAND’S WESTERN ISLES.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY

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O F WAT E R

LOCKDOWN ARRIVAL ANTONIA QUIRKE DISCOVERS ITS MYTHICAL SHORES

ROBBIE LAWRENCE