Charleston bumps NYC in Conde Nast Readers’ Choice

Charleston, S.C., took the No. 2 spot away from New York on the list of best U.S. cities to visit from Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

Tops on the best cities list was San Francisco, while the Big Apple ended up in third place. San Francisco has been the No. 1 city in the Readers’ Choice Awards for 16 years straight.

The Peninsula in Chicago was named top U.S. hotel, followed by Elizabeth Pointe Lodge, Amelia Island, Fla., and Stephanie Inn, Cannon Beach, Ore.

Among U.S. resorts, Kenwood Inn & Spa, Sonoma, Calif., was named No. 1, with the Inn at Thorn Hill & Spa, Jackson, N.H., and the Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, S.C.., in second and third places.

The awards are based on the results of the Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Survey, in which 32,633 readers voted. Winners are listed in the magazine’s November issue and online at concierge.com/cntraveler .

In Europe, Italy was a big winner with Florence and Rome in the top two spots for best cities, followed by a third-place tie between Venice and Salzburg, Austria. Prague reappeared on the top 10 European cities list for the first time in four years.

In the Caribbean/Atlantic, Bermuda was named best island, followed by St. John and St. Barts.

Singapore Airlines won top international airline, an honor it has achieved for 20 of the last 21 years.

Virgin America, a newcomer among U.S. carriers, was named best domestic airline. JetBlue Airways was No. 2 in the domestic category.
Top cruise lines were Crystal Cruises for large ships and Seabourn for small ships. Hertz was named top car rental agency.

Conde Nast Traveler created two new categories for this year’s list: resorts in the Middle East, with Dubai’s Burj Al Arab in first place, and hotels in Central America, with Casa Santo Domingo in Guatemala as No. 1.

European hotels were divided for the first time into two categories. The list of Southern Europe hotels was led by Italy’s Il Pellicano, while Northern Europe hotels had Budapest’s Four Seasons Gresham Palace in the top spot.

Top Asian city was Bangkok, while the No. 1 spot for cities in “The Americas” went to Buenos Aires.