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2025 Readers’ Choice Awards – the results you’ve been waiting for

International Traveller
Thousands of International Traveller readers voted in our 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards. The results are in, and here are your winners.

We asked you to vote for your favourite travel experiences around the world, and we received thousands of responses. Here are the results: the most dreamy destinations, incredible hotels and unforgettable journeys to inspire your next year of travel.

Read more about each of the winners and runners-up in our 2025 Readers’ Choice hub.

Best country

Winner: Italy

Runners-up:
Japan
France
New Zealand
Spain

Best city

Winner: Paris

Runners-up:  
London
Tokyo
Rome
New York City

Best beach or island escape

Winner: Maldives

Runners-up:
Fiji
Hawai‘i
Bali
Thailand

Best destination for wildlife and nature

Winner: South Africa

Runners-up:
New Zealand
Canada
Kenya
Borneo

Best hidden gem

Winner: Sri Lanka

Runners-up:
Slovenia
Vietnam
New Zealand
Maldives

Best spot for a family holiday

Winner: Fiji

Runners-up:
Japan
Bali
New Zealand
Singapore

Best foodie destination

Winner: Italy

Runners-up:
Japan
France
Vietnam
Singapore

Best destination for solo travel

Winner: Japan

Runners-up:
New Zealand
London
Thailand
Vietnam

Best destination for wellness

Winner: Bali

Runners-up:
Thailand
New Zealand
Japan
Switzerland

Best destination for skiing and snowboarding

Winner: Japan

Runners-up:
New Zealand
Canada
Switzerland
Austria

Best place for a short break from Australia

Winner: New Zealand

Runners-up:
Fiji
Bali
Singapore
Vanuatu

Best cruise line

Winner: Royal Caribbean

Runners-up:
Princess
Carnival Cruise Line
Viking
Celebrity Cruises

Best cruising destination

Winner: Mediterranean

Runners-up:
Alaska
South Pacific
Caribbean/New Zealand

Best ocean cruise line

Winner: Royal Caribbean

Runners-up:
Princess
Carnival Cruise Line
Viking
Cunard

Best river cruise line

Winner: Viking

Runners-up: 
Scenic
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Tauck
APT Luxury Travel
Avalon Waterways

Best expedition cruise line

Winner: Hurtigruten & HX Expeditions

Runners-up:
Scenic
Silversea
Viking
PONANT

Best cruise line for shore excursions

Winner: Viking

Runners-up:
Princess
Royal Caribbean
Carnival Cruise Line
Scenic Curated

Best cruise line for dining

Winner: Celebrity Cruises

Runners-up:
Viking
Royal Caribbean
Princess
Cunard

Best airline

Winner: Singapore Airlines

Runners-up:
Qantas
Emirates
Qatar Airways
Virgin Australia

Best airport to spend time in

Winner: Singapore Changi Airport

Runners-up:
Dubai International Airport
Hamad International Airport
Hong Kong International Airport

Weekly travel news, experiences
insider tips, offers, and more.

Best stopover city

Winner: Singapore

Runners-up:
Dubai
Hong Kong
Tokyo
Bangkok

Best destination for a walking holiday

Winner: New Zealand

Runners-up:
Spain
Italy
Japan
Scotland

Best road trip destination

Winner: USA

Runners-up:
New Zealand
Italy
France
Canada

Best destination for rail journeys

Winner: Switzerland

Runners-up:
Canada
Japan
Italy
France

Best tour operator

Winner: Intrepid Travel

Runners-up:
Trafalgar
Contiki
Scenic
APT Luxury Travel

Best hotel

Winner: Marina Bay Sands

Runners-up:
Raffles Singapore
Capella Bangkok
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
Ritz Paris

Best hotel or resort brand

Winner: Hilton

Runners-up:
Marriott
Four Seasons
Accor
Sofitel

Best family accommodation

Winner: OUTRIGGER Fiji Beach Resort

Runners-up:
Aulani, a Disney Resort & Spa
Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort
Plantation Island Resort
Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort
InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa

Best island resort

Winner: Soneva Fushi

Runners-up:
Shangri-La Yanuca Island, Fiji
Six Senses Laamu
Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora
Amanpulo

Editors’ Choice

Winner: Peru

Runners-up:
Morocco
Malta
India 
South Korea

Read more about each of the winners and runners-up in our 2025 Readers’ Choice hub.

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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
    Continue
    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.