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The Smart Travel Asia 2012 Best in Travel Poll results roll out as usual with some classic winners and a few surprises. In this age of proliferating brands, largely indistinguishable from one another on the Web where a no-star and five-star may look equally enticing, we posed the million dollar question to readers, "What do these brands represent to you?" And, with a mighty mouse in hand, humble clicks have been a clatter, knocking sacred cows and elevating unknowns. City hotels have climbed the leisure charts, overly posh brands deemed traveler-unfriendly or unseen in the online space have dropped, while modern airports have elevated rankings of hotels within their purview.
While 20 years ago travellers only “saw” the bigger moneyed brands in print, today it is the boutique brands that grab all the online chatter with bigger brands fading
It is interesting that while 20 years ago only the big brands visible in print were the ones that seemingly existed while small boutique gems were only accidentally discovered word-of-mouth, today the big brands are taking a beating online and it is the smaller, fresher brands with personality that are being talked about on the Web. The internet is a level playing field for all and the unknowns have equal muscle here. With bigger brands focusing largely on sales and booking, their brand image has taken a knock. There is a lesson in all this. People want to get an idea of a brand before they can book it. It is folly to assume this can work the other way around.
Travel polls are a dodgy exercise at best of times. Ignorance, foibles, geography, Internet access, poor spelling and outright deviousness often conspire to thwart any meaningful attempt to define preferences. Why do hotels show up in the category for "Best Airport" and even "Best Cabin Service"? Is there something they are not telling us? A flying hotel would get our vote every time. We do of course track and eliminate inarticulate, if amusing, outpourings, as well as orchestrated “block” votes.
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Smart Travel Asia is the region’s only dedicated online travel magazine with over one million readers worldwide. These are frequent travellers in the know. We offer review-based editorial written by seasoned journalists to help people make intelligent choices.
The SmartTravelAsia.com 2012 BEST IN TRAVEL POLL – now in its eighth year – is a distillation of our readers’ perceptions and favourite travel brands. Their vote is based on substantial hands-on travel experience, word-of-mouth at dinnertime chats, as well as an idea of the brand drawn from advertising and editorial exposure in the media, a great deal of this online.
Our poll ran for three key months May-July. There was no incredible premium. Who were these voters? On average, voters took 16.22 air trips (up from 15.75) over the past 12 months and earned US$162,134 in household income (up modestly from US$156,716 in 2011).
There was no charge for nomination or any hidden fee. Readers were free to vote for any of thousands of travel products in Asia from Japan to the Middle East
Approximately 70 percent were based in Asia (largely Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and the Middle East), 15 percent in UK/Europe and 15 percent in USA and North America.
As many as 87.9 percent of the voters said they drew their primary image of brands from the Internet and 79 percent said they made travel decisions online. However, just 37 percent said they book online, many preferring to talk with a human being especially for high-end bookings. Most readers said they went online primarily to seek independent "reviews and information" first and not just the "best price".
Here then, are the winners of the SmartTravelAsia.com 2012 BEST IN TRAVEL POLL. These lists of leading “aspirational” brands offer insight into business and leisure travel preferences at the mid to upper end of the market. There were no nominations or limits on whom readers could vote for. There was no charge for nominations or any hidden fee. Readers picked products from thousands of possible choices in Asia.
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WORLDWIDE |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. Singapore Airlines |
1 |
| 2. Cathay Pacific Airways |
2 |
| 3. Emirates |
3 |
| 4. Thai Airways International |
4 |
5. British Airways
Malaysia Airlines |
7
6 |
6. Korean Air
Qatar Airways
Virgin Atlantic |
6
7
5 |
| 7. Qantas |
8 |
8. Air France
Air New Zealand
Jet Airways |
10
-
6 |
| 9. Lufthansa |
9 |
10. ANA
Etihad Airways
EVA Air
Hongkong Airlines |
-
9
10
- |
 |
| WORLDWIDE |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. Singapore Airlines |
1 |
| 2. Cathay Pacific Airways |
2 |
3. Emirates
Thai Airways International |
3
2 |
| 4. Malaysia Airlines |
4 |
| 5. Qatar Airways |
5 |
6. Bangkok Airways
Jet Airways |
7
5 |
7. Korean Air
|
7 |
8. Asiana Airlines
Silkair |
8
6 |
| 9. Virgin Atlantic |
8 |
10. Dragonair
EVA Air |
9
9 |
 |
| ASIA |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. Bali, Indonesia |
1 |
| 2. Phuket, Thailand |
2 |
| 3. Hong Kong |
3 |
4. Angkor (Siem Reap), Cambodia
Maldives
Palawan, Philippines |
8
5
5 |
| 5. Bangkok, Thailand |
10 |
6. Hanoi, Vietnam
Kerala, India
Seoul, South Korea |
6
4
7 |
7. Hoi An, Vietnam
Shanghai, China |
7
6 |
8. Rajasthan, India
Taipei, Taiwan |
7
10 |
9. Goa, India
Langkawi, Malaysia |
9
8 |
10. Koh Samui, Thailand
Penang, Malaysia
Sanya, China |
9
9
10 |
 |
| ASIA |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore |
2 |
| 2. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong |
3 |
3. Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong
Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong |
1
4 |
| 4. The Peninsula Hong Kong |
4 |
| 5. InterContinental Hong Kong |
8 |
| 6. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore |
5 |
| 7. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong |
13 |
| 8. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok |
9 |
| 9. Shangri-La Hotel Singapore |
10 |
10. Park Hyatt Saigon,
Ho Chi Minh City
The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing
Waldorf Astoria Shanghai
On The Bund |
11
9
20
|
11. Four Seasons Hotel Singapore
Mandarin Oriental, Singapore |
6
13 |
12. JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong
Sofitel Legend Metropole
Hanoi
The Peninsula Shanghai
The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai |
12
18
15
10 |
13. Grand Hyatt Shanghai
The Regent Taipei |
10
14 |
14. Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit,
Bangkok
The St Regis Singapore
The Westin Chosun, Seoul |
12
15
15 |
15. Conrad Hong Kong
InterContinental Bangkok
Park Hyatt Shanghai
The Shilla, Seoul |
-
19
10
16 |
16. Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok
Grand Hyatt Singapore
Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur |
17
-
12 |
| 17. Raffles Hotel Singapore |
7 |
18. Fairmont Peace Hotel
Park Hyatt Seoul
The Peninsula Tokyo |
19
21
16 |
19. Conrad Bangkok
Grand Hyatt Beijing
Grand Hyatt Seoul |
14
-
20 |
20. The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta,
Mega Kuningan
The Westin Beijing Financial Street
Traders Hotel Kuala Lumpur |
-
-
18 |
21. InterContinental Asiana Saigon,
Ho Chi Minh City
Raffles Dubai
Sofitel Wanda Beijing
W Taipei |
24
20
23
17 |
22. Fairmont Singapore
Grand Hyatt Jakarta |
-
- |
23. Centara Grand at CentralWorld,
Bangkok
The Langham, Xintiandi, Shanghai |
19
- |
24. Makati Shangri-La, Manila
Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
The Oberoi, New Delhi
The Peninsula Manila
The Regent Singapore |
24
25
22
21
25 |
25. Conrad Tokyo
Dusit Thani Bangkok
Imperial Hotel, Tokyo
JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok
Palais De Chine Hotel, Taipei
Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel
The St Regis Shenzhen |
25
23
23
22
-
24
- |
 |
| ASIA |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. Conrad Maldives Rangali Island |
1 |
2. Four Seasons Resort Bali
at Jimbaran Bay |
3
|
| 3. The Nam Hai, Hoi An |
3 |
| 4. Banyan Tree Phuket |
5 |
5. Amanpuri, Phuket
Bulgari Resort Bali |
4
2 |
| 6. Ayana Resort And Spa, Bali |
8 |
7. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
Grand Hyatt Bali |
8
8 |
8. Six Senses Samui - a SALA Property
The Legian Bali |
9
10 |
9. Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang
Resort & Spa, Penang
The Landmark Mandarin Oriental,
Hong Kong |
9
10
|
10. The Peninsula Bangkok
The Royal Pita Maha, Bali
The St Regis Singapore |
11
14
10 |
11. JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
Soneva Gili By Six Senses, Maldives
W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak |
9
15
6
23 |
12. Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa,
Maldives
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi,
Chiang Mai
Centara Grand Beach
Resort & Villas Hua Hin |
7
16
13
|
13. Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai
Hotel Tugu Bali |
23
15 |
14. Capella Singapore
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra
Golf and Spa Resort
The St Regis Bali Resort |
12
-
11 |
| 15. The Peninsula Hong Kong |
17 |
16. Shangri-La's Mactan
Resort and Spa, Cebu |
18
|
17. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur
The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya |
18
11 |
18. Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui
Chiva-Som, Hua Hin
InterContinental Bali Resort
Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
The Datai, Langkawi |
16
20
19
20
12 |
| 19. Maya Ubud Resort & Spa, Bali |
21 |
20. Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa
Como Shambhala Estate, Bali
Raffles Grand Hotel D'Angkor,
Siem Reap |
22
21
-
|
21. Angsana Laguna Phuket
Hilton Maldives/Iru Fushi
Resort & Spa |
-
18
|
22. Ananda in the Himalayas, Rishikesh
Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok
Mandala Spa & Villas, Boracay |
20
25
25 |
23. Atlantis The Palm, Dubai,
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou
at Westlake
The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra
The PuLi Hotel And Spa, Shanghai |
-
22
-
19 |
24. Centara Grand Beach
Resort & Villas Krabi
Pangkor Laut Resort
Plaza Athénée Bangkok,
A Royal Méridien Hotel
The Farm At San Benito |
23
20
25
- |
25. Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai
Aleenta Phuket - Phang Nga
Resort and Spa
Conrad Bangkok
Festive Hotel, Singapore
Kamandalu Resort and Spa,
Ubud, Bali
Kupu Kupu Barong Villas
and Tree Spa, Ubud, Bali
Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru
Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu |
22
25
19
-
23
23
22
|
Our voters took an average 16.22 air trips over the past year and earned an average US$162,134 in household income. They travelled enough to tell the difference between crass and class. Their verdict? Classical is back in fashion and so are authentic destinations. |
 |
| WORLDWIDE |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. Singapore Airlines |
1 |
| 2. Cathay Pacific Airways |
3 |
| 3. Emirates |
2 |
4. Air New Zealand
Korean Air |
5
5 |
5. Malaysia Airlines
Qatar Airways |
6
5 |
6. Jet Airways
Thai Airways International |
4
6 |
7. British Airways
Virgin Atlantic |
8
7 |
| 8. Air France |
10 |
| 9. South African Airways |
- |
10. Lufthansa
Qantas |
8
9 |
 |
| ASIA |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. AirAsia |
1 |
| 2. Jetstar Asia |
2 |
| 3. Cebu Pacific |
3 |
| 4. Spice Jet |
4 |
| 5. Tiger Airways |
7 |
| 6. IndiGo |
6 |
| 7. Virgin Blue |
8 |
| 8. JetKonnect |
10 |
| 9. Hong Kong Express |
10 |
| 10. Nok Air |
9 |
 |
| WORLDWIDE |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. Singapore Changi Airport |
2 |
| 2. Hong Kong International Airport |
1 |
| 3. Kuala Lumpur International Airport |
4 |
| 4. Incheon International Airport |
3 |
| 5. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol |
7 |
| 6. Suvarnabhumi Airport Bangkok |
5 |
7. Beijing Capital International Airport
Dubai International Airport, Emirates
Terminal 3 |
6
9
|
8. Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Zurich Airport, Switzerland |
5
9 |
9. Delhi Indira Gandhi International
Airport, Terminal 3 |
10
|
10. London Heathrow Airport
Samui Airport, Thailand |
8
9 |
 |
| ASIA |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. Hong Kong |
1 |
| 2. Singapore |
2 |
3. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Seoul, South Korea |
3
3 |
| 4. Bangkok, Thailand |
10 |
| 5. Sydney, Australia |
5 |
6. Shanghai, China
Taipei, Taiwan |
4
7 |
| 7. Beijing, China |
6 |
| 8. Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
9 |
| 9. Bangalore, India |
8 |
| 10. Tokyo, Japan |
10 |
 |
| ASIA |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong |
2 |
| 2. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore |
1 |
| 3. Grand Hyatt Hong Kong |
3 |
| 4. The Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore |
5 |
| 5. Raffles Hotel Singapore |
6 |
| 6. Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong |
4 |
7. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
Shangri-La Hotel Singapore |
7
8 |
8. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
The St Regis Singapore |
8
9 |
9. Grand Hyatt Beijing
Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur
The Peninsula Hong Kong |
17
6
9 |
10. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok
JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong |
13
11 |
11. InterContinental Bangkok
InterContinental Hong Kong
The Regent Taipei |
15
12
10 |
| 12. Grand Hyatt Bali |
14 |
13. The Shilla, Seoul
The Westin Beijing Financial Street |
15
15 |
14. Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok
The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali |
16
17 |
15. Conrad Hong Kong
Grand Hyatt Seoul
Grand Hyatt Taipei |
16
18
- |
| 16. Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok |
14 |
17. Angsana Laguna Phuket
The Peninsula Shanghai |
-
20 |
| 18. Park Hyatt Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City |
16 |
19. Ayana Resort And Spa, Bali
Mandarin Oriental, Singapore |
20
17 |
20. Fairmont Peace Hotel, Shanghai
The Venetian Macao |
-
21 |
21. MGM Macau
Sheraton Hanoi Hotel |
-
19 |
22. Conrad Bangkok
Raffles Dubai
The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai
Wynn Macau |
15
20
24
- |
23. Sheraton Sanya Resort
Sofitel Macau At Ponte 16 |
24
- |
24. Centara Grand At CentralWorld,
Bangkok
The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai
The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta,
Mega Kuningan |
20
24
25
|
25. Andaz Shanghai
Conrad Tokyo
Dusit Thani Bangkok
Hyatt On The Bund, Shanghai
JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
Kowloon Shangri-La, Hong Kong
Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok
Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra |
-
25
22
22
23
23
25
- |
 |
| ASIA |
| 2012 Rank |
2011 Rank |
| 1. The Peninsula Hong Kong |
2 |
| 2. The Nam Hai, Hoi An |
1 |
3. Amandari, Bali
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi |
3
1 |
4. Amanpuri, Phuket
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
Four Seasons Resort Bali
at Jimbaran Bay
The Legian Bali |
4
5
4
5 |
5. Grand Hyatt Bali
The Opposite House, Beijing
|
5
6 |
6. Amankila, Bali
Bulgari Resort Bali |
9
3 |
| 7. Twinpalms Phuket Resort |
8 |
8. Raffles Grand Hotel D'Angkor,
Siem Reap |
15
|
9. El Nido Lagen Island Resort, Palawan
Shangri-La's Rasa Sayang
Resort & Spa, Penang
The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur |
10
10
5 |
10. Raffles Hotel Singapore
Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra
Golf and Spa Resort
Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur |
12
18
8 |
| 11. Soneva Gili By Six Senses, Maldives |
6 |
12. Banyan Tree Phuket
Four Seasons Resort Maldives
at Landaa Giraavaru |
17
10
|
13. Ayana Resort And Spa, Bali
Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok
SALA Phuket Resort and Spa
The Chedi Chiang Mai |
17
24
25
16 |
14. Anantara Dhigu Resort & Spa,
Maldives
Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi,
Chiang Mai
Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh
The Oberoi Amarvilas, Agra |
15
21
18
-
- |
15. Amanpulo, Philippines
Capella Singapore
Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui
The St Regis Bali Resort |
13
13
16
- |
16. Amanusa, Bali
El Nido Miniloc Island Resort, Palawan
The Royal Pita Maha, Bali |
14
16
17 |
17. Centara Grand Beach
Resort & Villas Hua Hin
W Retreat & Spa Bali-Seminyak |
12
23 |
18. InterContinental Bali Resort
Samode Palace, Jaipur
The Datai, Langkawi
The Laguna Resort & Spa,
Nusa Dua, Bali
The Oberoi, Bali
The Ritz-Carlton, Sanya
The Strand, Yangon |
17
21
7
14
20
11
24 |
19. Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing
JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa
Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru
Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu
Sheraton Sanya Resort
The Chedi Club at Tanah Gajah,
Ubud, Bali |
15
18
22
21
20
|
20. Amanfayun, Hangzhou
The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore
Princess D' Annam Resort & Spa
Wynn Macau |
-
-
21
20 |
21. One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai
The Venetian Macao |
14
19 |
22. The St Regis Sanya
Yalong Bay Resort |
-
|
23. Alila Villas Uluwatu Bali
Conrad Sanya Haitang Bay
The Imperial New Delhi
Victoria Angkor Resort & Spa,
Siem Reap |
-
-
24
24
|
24. Equarius Hotel, Singapore
Indigo Pearl, Phuket
Neemrana Fort – Palace, Rajasthan
The PuLi Hotel & Spa |
-
-
19
- |
25. Anantara Golden Triangle
Resort & Spa, Chiang Rai
Centara Grand Mirage
Beach Resort Pattaya
Conrad Bali
E&O Hotel, Penang
(Eastern & Oriental Hotel)
Hard Rock Hotel Singapore
Hotel ICON, Hong Kong
Palais De Chine Hotel, Taipei
The Library, Koh Samui
The Upper House Hong Kong |
23
21
23
-
-
-
-
20
25 |
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