These are India’s favourite hotels, airlines, destinations of the year

In a year when Indian travellers explored deeper, travelled smarter and regarded for experiences that felt each significant and memorable, which destinations, hotels and types really earned their belief? The outcomes of the Readers’ Travel Awards 2025 reveal a shift in direction of locations that stability magnificence with intention. This year, Udaipur emerged as India’s high leisure vacation spot, buoyed by its mix of lakeside serenity, historical past, craft, regal structure and glorious service. Kerala adopted shut behind, with its backwaters, rain-washed hills and deep-rooted wellness traditions, whereas Leh rounded out the high three with its dramatic landscapes, immersive native experiences, and a deep sense of stillness. Overseas, the UAE leads as India’s most-loved worldwide vacation spot, adopted by Japan, France, the Maldives and the UK, every providing its personal combine of tradition, nature, and lodges to recollect.

Across classes, one theme stands out: traditional allure, aware luxurious, and experiences that really feel genuinely private. From hotels that ship impeccable service year after year, to airports that make journeys smoother, to loyalty programmes that reward their frequent flyers with significant advantages—this year’s winners replicate what Indian travellers worth most in consolation and luxurious.

Here is the full record of winners at the Readers’ Travel Awards 2025, voted for by readers of Condé Nast Traveller by way of a web-based ballot over six weeks from June to August 2025:

DESTINATIONS

FAVOURITE LEISURE DESTINATION IN INDIA

Immersed in royal historical past and atmospherics, Rajasthan all the time hovers close to the high of any traveller’s want record. This year, its most princely of cities, Udaipur, is the year’s most most well-liked Indian leisure vacation spot adopted by the state of Kerala, for its sun-soaked tropical leisure. At the third spot is Ladakh’s capital Leh, famed for its historical monasteries and windswept mountain panoramas.

1. Udaipur
2. Kerala
3. Leh
4. Jaipur
5. Mumbai

FAVOURITE OVERSEAS DESTINATION

A bastion of trendy luxurious, five-star lodges and excessive life-style, UAE tops this year’s ballot, with the esoteric tradition and culinary refinement of Japan a detailed second. France, interesting to each urbane and adventurous travellers, lands on the third spot. Capping off the record, at fourth is the island idyll of Maldives and the United Kingdom, multifaceted and various, finally ends up fifth.

1. UAE
2. Japan
3. France
4. Maldives
5. UK

FAVOURITE INDIAN STATE FOR ROAD TRIPS

Rajasthan, with its glorious highways and sights of majestic havelis and energetic villages, earns the high spot amongst road-trip destinations for the year. For high-altitude thrills, Ladakh and Himachal Pradesh, second and third respectively, are unrivalled whereas the ghat-flanked surroundings of Maharashtra takes the fourth spot. Jammu and Kashmir, a land of icy peaks and inexperienced valleys, sits fairly at fifth.

1. Rajasthan
2. Ladakh
3. Himachal Pradesh
4. Maharashtra
5. Jammu and Kashmir

HOTELS

FAVOURITE OVERSEAS LEISURE HOTEL

1. Soneva Fushi, Baa Atoll, Maldives
2. Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Dubai
3. Raffles Singapore
4. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok At Chao Phraya River
5. Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

FAVOURITE INDIAN LEISURE HOTEL

1. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur
2. Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur
3. Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, Pine N Peak, Pahalgam
4. Alila Fort Bishangarh
5. The Leela Palace Jaipur

FAVOURITE INDIAN BUSINESS HOTEL

1. ITC Maurya, New Delhi
2. The Oberoi, Mumbai
3. JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru
4. The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore
5. Taj Palace, New Delhi

FAVOURITE HOTEL FOR WEDDINGS IN INDIA

1. Raffles Udaipur
2. ITC Grand Bharat, Gurugram
3. Six Senses Fort Barwara
4. JW Marriott Goa
5. The Leela Palace Jaipur

FAVOURITE INDIAN HOTEL FOR DESIGN

1. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur
2. Ran Baas, The Palace, Patiala
3. Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad
4. The Postcard Mandalay Hall, Kochi
5. The Kumaon, Almora

FAVOURITE INDIAN HOTEL FOR SERVICE

1. The Oberoi, New Delhi
2. Taj Mahal, New Delhi
3. JW Marriott Hotel Bengaluru
4. The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore
5. Ronil Goa

FAVOURITE INDIAN HERITAGE HOTEL

1. Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
2. Hotel Narain Niwas Palace, Jaipur
3. The LaLiT Grand Palace Srinagar
4. The Imperial New Delhi
5. Chittoor Kottaram, a CGH Earth Experience, Kochi

FAVOURITE INDIAN BOUTIQUE HOTEL

1. The Khyber Himalayan Resort & Spa, Gulmarg
2. The Johri, Jaipur
3. The Postcard Saligao, Goa
4. Narendra Bhawan, Bikaner
5. Haveli Dharampura, Delhi

FAVOURITE LGBTQ-FRIENDLY HOTEL IN INDIA

1. The LaLiT New Delhi
2. The LaLiT Mumbai
3. W Goa
4. Ronil Goa
5. Trident, Nariman Point, Mumbai

FAVOURITE SAFARI LODGE IN INDIA

1. SUJÁN Sher Bagh, Ranthambhore
2. The Postcard Gir Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Evolve Back, Kabini
4. Aramness, Gir
5. Mahua Kothi, A Taj Safari – Bandhavgarh National Park

FAVOURITE HOTEL FOR SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

1. ITC Maratha, Mumbai
2. ITC Gardenia, Bengaluru
3. JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa
4. Spice Village, a CGH Earth Experience, Thekkady
5. SUJÁN Jawai, Rajasthan

FAVOURITE INDIAN HOTEL FOR FOOD & DRINK

1. ITC Grand Chola, Chennai
2. The Leela Palace New Delhi
3. ITC Maurya, New Delhi
4. The St. Regis Mumbai
5. JW Marriott Bengaluru Prestige Golfshire Resort & Spa

FAVOURITE BAR IN AN INDIAN HOTEL

1. ZLB23, The Leela Palace Bengaluru
2. Copitas, Four Seasons Hotel Bengaluru at Embassy ONE
3. Água Pool Bar & Café, JW Marriott Goa
4. Cirrus 9, The Oberoi, New Delhi
5. The Cheroot – Malt Bar, ITC Grand Chola, Chennai

FAVOURITE RESTAURANT IN AN INDIAN HOTEL

1. Baoshuan, The Oberoi, New Delhi
2. Bukhara, ITC Maurya, New Delhi
3. Wabi Sabi, The Oberoi, Bengaluru
4. Aah, The Postcard Mandalay Hall, Kochi
5. Suvarna Mahal, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur

FAVOURITE DESTINATION SPA

1. Ananda in the Himalayas
2. Dharana at Shillim
3. Atmantan Wellness Centre
4. The Tamara Coorg
5. Kairali – The Ayurvedic Healing Village

FAVOURITE SPA IN AN INDIAN HOTEL

1. J Wellness Circle, Rambagh Palace, Jaipur
2. Six Senses Spa, Six Senses Fort Barwara
3. Spa Alila, Alila Diwa Goa
4. The Ritz-Carlton Spa, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore
5. Heavenly Spa by Westin, The Westin Resort & Spa, Himalayas

FAVOURITE PRIVATE VILLA RENTAL PLATFORM IN INDIA

1. Airbnb
2. amã Stays & Trails
3. SaffronStays

FAVOURITE HOMESTAY IN INDIA

1. Slow Garden Ladakh
2. Premkunj, Udaipur
3. Philipkutty’s Farm, Kottayam
4. Sunnymead Estate, Shimla
5. La Villa Bethany, Landour

FAVOURITE LOYALTY PROGRAMME

1. Marriott Bonvoy
2. NeuPass
3. Club ITC
4. Hilton Honors
5. World of Hyatt

FAVOURITE CRUISE LINE

1. Royal Caribbean
2. Disney Cruise Line
3. Princess CruisesNorwegian
4. Cruise Line
5. Dream Cruises Singapore

FAVOURITE AIRPORT

1. Singapore Changi Airport
2. Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
3. Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
4. Dubai International Airport
5. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai

FAVOURITE AIRPORT LOUNGE

1. 080 International Lounge Terminal 2, Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru
2. Encalm Lounge, Terminal 3, Indira Gandhi International Airport, Delhi
3. Adani Lounge, Terminal 2, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai

FAVOURITE DOMESTIC AIRLINE

1. IndiGo
2. Air India

FAVOURITE INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE

1. Emirates
2. Singapore Airlines
3. Qatar Airways
4. Etihad Airways
5. Lufthansa