ASIAN TRAVEL POLL

Service and the human touch the key to reader rankings

Readers' Top 10 lists of their favourite Asian hotels, airlines, airports and destinations in the free and open Smart Travel Asia 2025 Best in Travel Poll. There are a few surprises. See also last year's results.

JUMP TO Best Airlines | Best Business Class | Best Cabin Service | Best Budget Airlines | Best Luxury Hotels | Best Holiday Destinations | Best Cities for Meetings | Best Airports | Best Business, Meetings Hotels | Best New Hotels | Best Spa Hotels | Best Sustainable Hotels | Best Boutique, Lifestyle Hotels | Best Family Hotels | Best Wedding Hotels | Best Hotel Service

BRAND CONFUSION ONE of the biggest takeaways from the 2025 Smart Travel Asia BEST IN TRAVEL POLL that ran June to late August, was the growing confusion regarding brands. As many as 48% of readers on ongoing surveys and focus groups said they had a very poor understanding of travel brands (38% were not really sure) after the mega-mergers and new line rollouts. This year's votes saw fresh interest in Asia from longhaul regions like USA, Australia and UK as well as from regionals like Singapore, India, China, Malaysia and Thailand. This is where the search for brand clarity was keenest judging from the queries we received.

WARS, HERITAGE, FAMILY Continued instability in the Middle East impacted several prominent airlines, airports and destinations in that region. Thailand lost some votes as the Cambodia border crisis brewed but saw a late surge to recover. Japan too saw a brief dip in travel from Hong Kong early July as manga comic Big Quake predictions spread causing flight cancellations from Hong Kong, but both Tokyo and Kyoto pulled in the votes eventually. Growing interest in culture and heritage saw some smaller destinations hold on to Top 10 ranks despite intense competition. And the surge in demand for fun family hotels boosted a surprising new category of accommodation — casino hotels.

{as many as 48% of respondents expressed serious confusion about brands, especially after the mega-mergers and the new sub-line rollouts

GENERATIONAL SPLIT What travellers want in 2025 is service and experience — some of this a response to over-automation. Our 'Best Hotel Service' category was newly added in 2024. Interestingly, the highest awardees here are not always luxury properties. Some are older classics or unknowns. Younger travellers welcomed contactless innovation and design minimalism (their offbeat experimentation offering some delightful finds) but older baby boomers and Gen-Xers pushed back against any loss of 'touch points', favouring traditional spots with familiar faces.

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THE WILD BUNCH A challenge this year as in the past was separating hotels into a clear rank order without too much bunching. But with thousands of choices and a lively stage that threw up many new and unknown faces — exactly what this poll is designed for — rank stacking was inevitable. We have no nomination lists. We do have a drop-down spell check that can never be entirely up to date or all-inclusive. This is why any name picked by readers can be freely keyed in. After eliminating duplicates, misspellings, ballot stuffing and a range of nonsensical and inadmissible entries, we had the results.

TRIPS, EARNINGS DIP As surveyed on our 2025 Best In Travel Poll (running June to late August), our readers on average took 12 air trips (down from 16) in the past year (with 12% taking 31-40 air trips and 3% over 50 trips). They earned an average US$152,000 per annum (household income; down from $172,000 in 2024).

ENGAGEMENT IS UP KEY INTERESTS were broadly similar to 2024 but more actively pursued— dining and nightlife (74%); culture, heritage and history (69%); shopping (69%); spas and wellness (68%); adventure and nature (58%). These were followed by child-friendly resorts (58%); conferences and meetings (46%); resort weddings (36%); golf (24%); casinos (23%); cruises (21%); and diving (15%). PLANNED PURCHASES by this audience include camera gear and phones (74%); luxury fashion (62%); cars (54%); city residences and holiday villa investment (53%); duty-free alcohol (48%); and medical tourism (27%).

OVER 20 YEARS Smart Travel Asia launched in February 2003 as the region’s first fully online publication. Many readers from our former print magazines migrated online with us. Over 60% visit us direct via bookmarks, referrals, monthly e-newsletters, social media and newspaper and magazine reprints, as well as through diverse search including Bing, Duck Duck Go, Baidu, Yandex, Naver, Kagi, SwissCows, ChatGPT and AI platforms.

Top 10 Airlines WORLDWIDE 2025 Rank 1. Singapore Airlines 2. Cathay Pacific Airways 3. Qatar Airways 4. Emirates 5. Japan Airlines 6. All Nippon Airways 7. Swiss International Air Lines     Korean Air 8. Air France 9. Turkish Airlines 10. Garuda Indonesia       EVA Air Top 10 Airlines, Cabin Service WORLDWIDE 2025 Rank 1. Singapore Airlines 2. Cathay Pacific Airways 3. All Nippon Airways 4. EVA Air 5. Garuda Indonesia 6. Japan Airlines     Malaysia Airlines 7. Qatar Airways 8. Emirates     Thai Airways International 9. Bangkok Airways      Korean Air 10. Vietnam Airlines       STARLUX Airlines       Asiana Airlines Top 10 Holiday Destinations ASIA 2025 Rank 1. Bangkok 2. Tokyo     Bali 3. Chiang Mai 4. Seoul     Luang Prabang 5. Hong Kong     Phuket     Rajasthan 6. Taipei     Kyoto     Da Nang / Hoi An 7. Singapore     Siem Reap / Angkor     Penang 8. Phu Quoc     Kuala Lumpur     Maldives 9. Macau     Kerala     Hangzhou 10. Bhutan       Palawan       Sabah Top 10 Luxury Hotels ASIA 2025 Rank 1. Amanpuri, Phuket 2. Amankila Bali     Jumeirah Bali 3. Bvlgari Hotel Shanghai     Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur     Regent Hong Kong 4. Dusit Thani Bangkok     Rosewood Hong Kong     The Peninsula Hong Kong 5. MGM MACAU     The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok 6. Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Bali     Suryagarh Jaisalmer     Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay 7. Raffles Sentosa Singapore     Park Hyatt Kyoto 8. Park Hyatt Bangkok     Waldorf Astoria Beijing     Park Hyatt Niseko Hanzamono 9. The Siam, Bangkok     Andaz Bali 10. Villa Song Saigon       Mason Pattaya       Baale Resort Goa Top 10 Business/ Meetings Hotels ASIA 2025 Rank 1. The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok 2. Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong     Grand Hyatt Singapore 3. The Peninsula Shanghai     Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong     Rosewood Beijing 4. Park Hyatt Jakarta     The St Regis Singapore     Grand Hyatt Hong Kong 5. Regent Taipei     MGM COTAI 6. The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore     Marina Bay Sands, Singapore     InterContinental Bangkok 7. The Middle House, Shanghai     Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur     Four Seasons Hotel Singapore 8. Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok     The Oberoi New Delhi     Conrad Singapore Orchard 9. Banyan Tree Kuala Lumpur     Pan Pacific Singapore     The Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai 10. The Okura Prestige Bangkok       Wynn Macau       Sofitel Guangzhou Sunrich Top 10 Spa Hotels ASIA 2025 Rank 1. Bvlgari Resort Bali 2. Banyan Tree Samui 3. The Datai Langkawi     Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan 4. Six Senses Samui    The Royal Pita Maha Bali 5. The St Regis Bali Resort     Conrad Maldives Rangali Island     TIA Wellness Resort Da Nang 6. Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang    Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok    Alma Resort Cam Ranh, Vietnam 7. The PuXuan Hotel and Spa, Beijing     Ayana Resort & Spa, Bali     Ananda in the Himalayas 8. Coconut Lagoon, Kerala     COMO Metropolitan Singapore 9. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans     Grand View Resort Beitou 10. Hotel Tugu Bali      Amaraanth, Goa      The PuLi Hotel and Spa, Shanghai Top 10 Family Hotels ASIA 2025 Rank 1.Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort Pattaya 2. Grand Hyatt Bali 3. MGM COTAI     Regent Phu Quoc 4. Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa, Penang     Courtyard Bali Nusa Dua Resort 5. Alma Resort Cam Ranh, Vietnam 6. Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort     Shangri-La Boracay 7. Okada Manila     Santiburi Koh Samui 8. The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa     Azerai Ke Ga Bay 9. Melia Koh Samui     Artyzen Grand Lapa Macau 10. Sofitel Sanya Leeman Resort       Hyatt Regency Manila, City of Dreams Top 10 New Hotels ASIA 2025 Rank 1. Dusit Thani Bangkok 2. The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok     Raffles Sentosa Singapore 3. Capella Taipei     Aman Nai Lert, Bangkok 4. Raffles at Galaxy Macau     The Standard, Singapore     Fairmont Mumbai 5. Lanson Place Causeway Bay, Hong Kong    Patina Osaka     Melia Pattaya Hotel 6. COMO Metropolitan Singapore     Park Hyatt Kuala Lumpur     Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing 7. Raffles Jaipur     The Ritz-Carlton, Suzhou     Conrad Singapore Orchard     Fairmont Tokyo 8. Artyzen Singapore     The Sira, A Luxury Collection Resort and Spa,         Lombok     &Beyond Punakha River Lodge 9. Janu Tokyo     Shangri-La Phnom Penh     Innit Lombok 10. Hopewell Hotel, Hong Kong       Somewhere Lombok       The Boathouse Tioman

Top 10 Airlines, Business Class WORLDWIDE 2025 Rank 1. Qatar Airways 2. Singapore Airlines 3. Cathay Pacific Airways 4. All Nippon Airways      Emirates 5. Japan Air Lines 6. STARLUX Airlines 7. Air France 8. Turkish Airlines 9. Qantas 10. EVA Air Top 10 Budget Airlines ASIA 2025 Rank 1. AirAsia 2. IndiGo 3. Scoot 4. HK Express 5. Cebu Pacific 6. Peach 7. ZIPAIR 8. Citilink 9. Vietjet Air 10. Pelita Air       Air Arabia Top 10 Airports WORLDWIDE 2025 Rank 1. Singapore Changi Airport 2. Haneda Airport, Tokyo 3. Hong Kong International Airport 4. Incheon International Airport, Seoul 5. Hamad International Airport, Doha 6. Narita International Airport, Tokyo 7. Zurich Airport 8. Munich Airport 9. Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok 10. Kuala Lumpur International Airport       Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru Top 10 Cities for Meetings ASIA 2025 Rank 1. Singapore 2. Bangkok 3. Taipei     Seoul 4. Hong Kong 5. Kuala Lumpur     Da Nang 6. Bali     Sydney 7. Ho Chi Minh City     Shanghai 8. Langkawi     Macau 9. Dubai     Pattaya 10. Manila Top 10 Boutique/ Lifestyle Hotels ASIA 2025 Rank 1. Capella Hanoi 2. Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape 3. Namia River Retreat, Hoi An     Zannier Bai San Ho, Song Cau, Vietnam 4. Aleenta Retreat Chiang Mai     Capella Ubud 5. Bhutan Spirit Sanctuary, Paro     Wallawwa Colombo     Raffles Bali 6. Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li     The Warehouse Hotel, Singapore 7. Lanson Place Causeway Bay, Hong Kong     Hotel Indigo Bangkok 8. Innit Lombok     Mia Resort Nha Trang 9. Amorita Resort Bohol     Verve Estate, Goa     Tandjung Sari Hotel, Bali 10. Lihim Resorts, El Nido       The Tower House — Cochin       Gyeongwonjae By Walkerhill, Incheon       Villa 32, Beitou Top 10 Sustainable Hotels ASIA 2025 Rank 1. Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape 2. Bambu Indah, Bali     SwaSwara, Gokarna, India 3.The Singapore EDITION 4. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Vietnam 5. Sonevafushi Maldives     Innit Lombok 6. Barefoot at Havelock, Andaman Islands     Garrya Tongsai Bay Samui 7. The Westin Resort Nusa Dua, Bali     The Leela Palace Bengaluru 8. Mia Resort Nha Trang     JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok 9. Mandai Rainforest Resort by Banyan Tree     Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore 10. Hyatt Regency Bangkok Sukhumvit       Keemala, Phuket Top 10 Wedding Hotels ASIA 2025 Rank 1. The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur 2. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort     Ayana Resort & Spa, Bali 3. Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin     Dusit Thani Bangkok 4. Jumeirah Bali     Amanoi, Vietnam 5. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya       River     Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok 6. Raffles Singapore    Centara Reserve Samui 7. Alila Villas Uluwatu     Eastern & Oriental Hotel, Penang 8. The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel,         Bangkok     The Apurva Kempinski Bali 9. Waldorf Astoria Bangkok     Samode Palace 10. Kamandalu Ubud      lebua at State Tower, Bangkok Top 10 Hotels for Service ASIA 2025 Rank 1. Peninsula Manila 2. Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong     Aman Nai Lert, Bangkok 3. MGM MACAU     Fairmont Makati     Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok 4. The Upper House Hong Kong     The Imperial New Delhi     The St Regis Bangkok 5. JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok     Andaz Bali     The Londoner Macao 6. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort     Four Seasons Hotel Singapore 7. Park Hyatt Sydney    Azerai La Residence Hue 8. The Westin Josun Seoul     Palace Hotel Tokyo 9. The Langham, Sydney 10. The Hari, Hong Kong

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