2023 Readers’ Choice Awards: all the winners

If 2022 was all about the return to travel, then 2023 was the year we recalibrated what was really important. Few seemed to have disappeared into the metaverse, preferring real life encounters ranging from off-grid wilderness escapes to well-connected urban luxe. From the results that poured in for our 26th readers’ awards – the fifth year running that we’ve joined forces with our American counterparts – it’s apparent that you want to spend more time and more money than ever before on travelling. Much of that is to new destinations, along with trips informed by culture, local food scenes and sustainability. The rise and rise of cruising continues (something we never foresaw in 2020), while, for a vocal minority, music festivals are a ticket to ride (the Beyoncé Bounce and Swiftonomics, anyone?). But don’t forget that these awards and their globe-spinning winners – from hotels and resorts to islands, cities, airports and trains – are a palimpsest of your travel experiences over the years, the places you dream of returning to.

These are all the winners in the 2023 Readers’ Choice Awards.