Travel + Leisure, the New York City-based magazine, has announces its World’s Best 2025 Awards headlined by some of the most prestigious travel companies.
No.1 City Hotel in ANZ
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney has been ranked No. 1 on the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2024 list of Top City Hotels in Australia and New Zealand.
“This prestigious award from Travel + Leisure, naming us the 2024 Top City Hotel in Australia and New Zealand, is a testament to the exceptional standards of service that define the Four Seasons experience. We are immensely proud of our dedicated team for earning this remarkable recognition,” regional director of sales & marketing at Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Helen Radic, said.
Best River Cruise award – Aqua Expeditions
This cruise company has won the award for the second year in a row while also earning third spot for the Best Intimate Ship Ocean Cruise Line category.
Aqua Expeditions has a mission to guide travellers to the world’s most biodiverse corners with its five-ship-fleet, including three contemporary river vessels and two luxury superyachts. They are also as serious about sustainability as providing once-in-a-lifetime guest experiences.
The company’s partnership with 4Ocean underscores a pledge to remove a minimum of 12,000kg of plastic from the world’s waterways over the next year. They have also joined the Science Based Targets Initiatives (SBTi) with an aim to reduce carbon emissions by at least 4.5 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero targets consistent with limiting global temperature rise. The line also recently announced a collaboration with the Charles Darwin Conservation to support sustainability initiatives in the Galapagos.
They offer three- to 14-night itineraries that are tailored and exclusive, with 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, award-winning cuisine helmed by renowned chefs, and naturalist-guided activities. There’s also a hands-on approach as CEO and founder Francesco Galli Zugaro can often be found onboard, leading some of the expeditions and mingling with guests to share the founding principles behind his extraordinary company.
Best Resort in Southeast Asia – Vietnam’s Alma Resort
Alma Resort scores a 99.2 on the US-based publication’s 100-point survey, earning it top spot and named top resort in Southeast Asia. It also earned the second spot for Asia, and ninth spot worldwide.
The resort is located on Vietnam’s Cam Ranh peninsula fronting Long Beach and commands 30 hectares of inspiring ground. The bold and spacious resort offers 580 oversized suites and pavilions that offer sweeping vistas of the ocean. The resort also features 12 swimming pools cascading down to the beach, and a waterpark with a lazy river slide, wave pool, and kids pool.
“A 30-hectare stunner on Cam Ranh Peninsula in southern Vietnam, Alma Resort not only holds the title of best hotel in Southeast Asia, but also one of the best in Asia and the world. “Alma is exceptional”, wrote one T+L reader, calling out its laundry list of “incredible facilities”.
“This comprises 12 (yes, 12) swimming pools, a water park with a lazy river, and other kid-friendly to-dos like a science museum and cinema,” Travel + Leisure’s associate editorial director Alisha Prakash wrote of Alma.
“But grown-ups will be spoiled for choice, too, thanks to a spacious spa and 14 restaurants and bars that include a fine-dining Italian venue and the beachfront Atlantis with fresh, local seafood. Add to that beautiful accommodations, some with private pools, and service that one T+L reader called ‘phenomenal,’ and you have a recipe for a perfect beach vacation.”
Travel + Leisure’s news director Paul Brady and special projects editor Jess Feldmana added: “Oceanfront Alma, on the Cam Ranh Peninsula just south of Nha Trang, Vietnam, is a full-featured beach resort with 12 pools, 14 restaurants and bars, plenty of kid-friendly activities, a spacious spa — and even an on-property farm from which many ingredients are sourced.”
Best 100 Hotels in the World List – The Imperial New Delhi (92nd)
The beacon of luxury and elegance in the heart of India’s capital city proudly announces its inclusion in the prestigious Best 100 Hotels in the World List from Travel + Leisure Magazine. With a score of 97.60 on the 100-point survey, the hotel earns the 92nd spot among other prestigious accommodations. This recognition is a testament to the hotel’s unwavering commitment to excellence and unparalleled hospitality.
Nestled in the historic enclave of Janpath, the iconic hotel has long been synonymous with timeless grandeur and unmatched service. Boasting a rich heritage dating back to 1936, it has played host to royalty, dignitaries, and discerning travellers from around the globe, setting the standard for luxury hospitality in India.
“We are delighted and humbled by the honor of being included in The World’s 100 Best Hotels,” expressed Louis Sailer, senior executive vice president of The Imperial New Delhi.
“Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to all our patrons whose generous support and votes have made this achievement possible. This recognition truly reflects the unwavering dedication and passion of our team, who strive tirelessly to deliver exceptional guest experiences. We extend a sincere thank you to our owners for their steadfast commitment in entrusting us with a unique eight-acre estate in the heart of the capital, a destination like no other,” he adds.
Best Hotel Spas in Vietnam (3rd) / Best Upcountry Hotels (5th) – Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion
Nestled in the lush foothills of the Truong Son mountain range in central Vietnam, Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion is one of the 23 properties managed by fusion. They were currently named in the Top 10 Best Hotel Spas in Vietnam (3rd) and Top 10 Best Upcountry Hotels (5th) by Travel + Leisure magazine.
The two honours place Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion among the top luxury properties in the Southeast Asian country and marks the second straight year the resort was honoured by Travel + Leisure.
Eugene Hendriks, general manager, said: “Our total dedication to wellness and our extraordinary spa programme are at the very heart of our identity at Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion. These awards, from one of the world’s leading travel authorities, only strengthen our commitment to providing our guests with healthy, luxurious and memorable getaways,”
The latest recognition follows Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion’s top honours in last year’s Luxury Lifestyle Magazine Readers’ Travel Awards, based in the U.K., in which Alba was voted the world’s No. 1 hotel for nature lovers, sustainability and families. In the same poll, Alba took the No. 2 spot internationally for spa and wellness hotel.
Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas also made Travel + Leisure‘s Top 100 Hotels in the world in the ‘World’s Best Awards’. The Anantara brand made the top 20 hotel brands in the world and Anantara Riverside top 5 hotels in Bangkok.
