TripAdvisor recognizes world's best airlines in 2018

TripAdvisor, the travel planning and booking site, has announced the winners of its Travelers' Choice awards* for airlines.

For 2018, Singapore Airlines was named the No. 1 airline in the world. Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of airline reviews and ratings submitted by travellers worldwide over a 12-month period on TripAdvisor Flights.

Following the success of last year's inaugural Travelers' Choice awards for airlines, the 2018 award categories were expanded and now honour 69 airlines that provide exceptional value and service across the world. In addition to the world list, the Traveler's Choice awards recognise the best airlines in seven regions including Asia, South Pacific & Oceana, Africa & Indian Ocean, and the Middle East. The awards also recognize the top airlines in four service classes: International First Class, Business Class, Premium Economy and Economy.

Said Bryan Saltzburg, Senior VP and GM for TripAdvisor Flights: "As the airline industry introduces new fare products and a widening array of in-flight offerings, consumers continue to seek out the carriers that deliver value and a quality experience. The Travelers' Choice awards for airlines recognise the carriers that exceed passenger expectations and receive top marks from travellers."

"The award is a validation of the hard work and dedication of our thousands of staff all around the world, who focus their attention every day on ensuring that Singapore Airlines remains competitive on a global level," said Singapore Airlines' CEO, Goh Choon Phong. "Our business model is based around three main pillars – product leadership, service excellence and network connectivity. We are continuing to invest heavily in all three areas to ensure we have industry-leading offerings that meet and exceed our customers' expectations, both on the ground and in the air."

Among the global top 10, Asian carriers dominated with four airlines on the list (Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, EVA Air and Korean Air); followed by the Middle East with two airlines (Emirates and Qatar Airways).

The top 10 airlines in the world are:

1. Singapore Airlines, Singapore

According to a TripAdvisor reviewer: "I flew from Sydney to Singapore in business class. The food was the best I have had in the last 10 years. Service was great and the staff actually wanted to be there. One of the best, if not the best airline."

2. Air New Zealand, New Zealand (NZ)

According to a TripAdvisor reviewer: "The flight attendants are friendly, courteous, professional, and dedicated to customer service. The dinner was excellent, even in Economy class, and there was complimentary NZ red and white wine. Even the safety videos are entertaining. I wouldn't fly any other airline between the US and New Zealand."

We’re so stoked to be ranked #2 airline in the world, along with five other awards in this year’s @TripAdvisor #TravelersChoice awards. But the real #1 goes to you - the amazing people that fly with us every single day. From us to you - thank you. 😊❤️ 🎉 pic.twitter.com/UK3ubCrfQO

— Air New Zealand✈️ (@FlyAirNZ) April 9, 2018

3. Emirates, UAE

According to a TripAdvisor reviewer: "This airline is the essence of style, class and comfort. Everything I had expected was surpassed. From their presentation, to their service, which is professional, but does not override their personable approach to travellers. The Airbus is huge, but the atmosphere within is comfortable, seats are wider, windows are bigger."

4. Japan Airlines, Japan

According to a TripAdvisor reviewer: "This airline carrier is exquisite and features great on board meal service, drink service, and the entertainment is great. They provide excellent service with exceptional leg room. This airline is truly above most others and comes with outstanding crew members."

5. EVA Air, Taiwan

According to a TripAdvisor reviewer: "One of the things that separates EVA out from other airlines is in the little things. I was blown away by the novelty of the "character" flight we took. Everything from the pillows to the meals - it was Hello Kitty cuteness overload. Kids' meals are excellent. These small personal touches made our entire flight experience so much nicer!"

8. Qatar Airways, Qatar

According to a TripAdvisor reviewer: "I've traveled a lot in my life and Qataris one of my favourite airlines to travel with. The bar in A380 (business class) is the best. The service regardless of class is fab. The treatment of frequent fliers is great... food very tasty for economy ... and very big portions… Entertainment is top notch. They are one of my favourite airlines for eco travel."

10. Korean Air (KA), South Korea

According to a TripAdvisor reviewer: "We travelled from Chicago to Hong Kong with our toddler, and could not have been more pleased with the experience. Basic economy on KA is basically economy plus on other (especially US-based) airlines. The flight staff actually made me like the experience, rather than detract from it. I'll be flying KA whenever possible in the future."

Class of Service global winners recognise airlines around the world that provide a consistently exceptional passenger experience in each cabin:

Best First Class: Singapore Airlines, Singapore

Best Business Class: Qatar Airways, Qatar

Best Premium Economy: Air New Zealand, New Zealand

Best Economy: Singapore Airlines, Singapore

Explore:

Browse the complete list of winners from the 2018 Travelers' Choice awards for airlines

Hashtag: #TravelersChoice

*Winners were based on airline reviews submitted on TripAdvisor Flights or via one of TripAdvisor's review collection partners from February 2017 to February 2018. 

Mandarin Orchard Singapore receives TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

Mandarin Orchard Singapore has been awarded the 2016 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
Now in its sixth year, the award celebrates hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong traveller ratings and reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year.

The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence accounts for the quality, quantity and recency of reviews submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor.com over a 12-month period. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on the site for at least 12 months.

“We are honoured to receive the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, and we are grateful that our efforts have been recognised by the very people we most want to impress,” said Danny Wong, Hotel Manager of Mandarin Orchard Singapore. “This achievement validates our ongoing commitment in providing an unrivalled Asian hospitality experience to our guests.”

This year marks the 45th anniversary of Mandarin Orchard Singapore. Since opening its doors in 1971, the hotel has consistently delivered the brand’s signature Asian grace, warmth and care to guests from all over the world.

"With the Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor honours hospitality businesses that have consistently received strong praise and ratings from travellers,” said Heather Leisman, Vice President of Industry Marketing, TripAdvisor. “This recognition helps travellers identify and book properties that regularly deliver great service. TripAdvisor is proud to play this integral role in helping travellers feel more confident in their booking decisions.”

posted from Bloggeroid

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas announces TripAdvisor accolades for three properties in Vietnam

Source: Six Senses Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. The master bedroom of an oceanfront three-bedroom villa at Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam. 

The world’s largest travel site TripAdvisor* has announced its top properties for the 14th year, based on millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travellers around the globe. Evason Ana Mandara, Six Senses Ninh Van Bay and Six Senses Con Dao have each received the Traveller’s Choice award, the highest honour given by TripAdvisor. 

Evason Ana Mandara and Six Senses Ninh Van Bay are recognised within the Top Hotels of Vietnam, and Six Senses Con Dao joins under the category of Luxury. Both Evason Ana Mandara and Six Senses Ninh Van Bay renewed the title from the last two years. Recognised previously with the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, this is the first year that Six Senses Con Dao has broken into the top 1% of peer reviews on the website.

Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas President Bernhard Bohnenberger comments on the recognition, “Approximately 80% of travellers will consult peer reviews prior to finally deciding where to stay during their holiday. Recognition from websites such as TripAdvisor carries with it an immense amount of weight because it is based on genuine feedback from our guests. Our three very special resorts in Vietnam are no stranger to this, as we have been redefining experiences there for nearly two decades. We are exceptionally proud of the in-roads made and look forward to continuing in the years to come.”

TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 350 million unique monthly visitors**, and more than 290 million reviews and opinions covering 5.3 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions.

* ComScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, July 2015

** TripAdvisor log files, average monthly unique users, Q315

TripAdvisor makes it easier to record key moments in a travel experience

TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site*, has launched a Travel Timeline feature for its mobile app to help users log and share travel experiences. Once activated, the feature automatically creates a timeline of the places travellers have visited and the photos they’ve taken at each location, which can be viewed in chronological order or as a route on a map. 

“Travel Timeline is a useful and valuable tool for chronicling travel experiences and conveniently capturing moments to remember,” said Adam Medros, SVP, global product, TripAdvisor. “TripAdvisor not only helps travelers plan and book their trips, but with Travel Timeline we help our community document and share them too.”

To activate Travel Timeline, users log on to the TripAdvisor mobile app and opt-in to the feature. Once the feature is activated, it will keep a log of the points of interest that the user has visited in a running timeline, and travellers can easily rate and review hotels, restaurants, or attractions they visited. The feature uses the phone’s GPS and motion sensors to predict when the user is visiting a location or if they are just passing by. Activities are logged without an Internet connection. The timeline is private to the user on their TripAdvisor app, but travellers can edit their timeline and easily share it with family and friends. Users may turn Travel Timeline off at any time.

Interested?

Travel Timeline will be available through the free TripAdvisor mobile app, only on iOS, in 28 languages worldwide.

*Source: comScore Media Metrix for TripAdvisor Sites, worldwide, July 2015. TripAdvisor manages and operates websites under 23 other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.everytrail.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.iens.nl, www.besttables.com and www.dimmi.com.au), www.gateguru.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.travelpod.com, www.tripbod.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, www.viator.com, and www.virtualtourist.com. TripAdvisor branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, reaching 350 million unique monthly visitors**, and more than 290 million reviews and opinions covering 5.3 million accommodations, restaurants and attractions. The sites operate in 47 countries worldwide.

**Source: TripAdvisor log files, average monthly unique users, Q3 2015

Hoi An takes the TripAdvisor crown for most number of top hotels

Top hotels are more likely to be found in Hanoi and Hoi An, Vietnam. Three each of the top 10 hotels that received TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards in 2015 for Vietnam are in Hanoi, with another three in Hoi An. There are a further two Hoi An-based hotels in the top 25. Here's a look at the top 10:

Source: TripAdvisor. The Hanoi Elegance Diamond Hotel.

1. Hanoi Elegance Diamond Hotel, with 1,832 ratings of 'excellent' out of 2,064 reviews.
2. The Nam Hai Hoi An - a GHM hotel, Hoi An
3. JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi
4. Mia Resort Nha Trang
5. Essence Hoi An Hotel & SPA
6. Fusion Maia Da Nang
7. Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
8. Evason Ana Mandara Nha Trang
9. BEST WESTERN PREMIER Indochine Palace, Hue
10. Little Hoian Boutique Hotel & Spa, Hoi An

Interested?

View the TripAdvisor Top 25 hotels for Vietnam

It's all about beaches in the Philippines

Source: TripAdvisor website. The Atlantis Dive Resorts Dumaguete.

TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards 2015 for accommodation in the Philippines are almost split evenly between hotels in Manila and beach resorts. The following are their top 10:

1. Atlantis Dive Resorts Dumaguete, Dauin, Philippines, which garnered 189 'excellent' scores out of 235 reviews.
2. Amanpulo, Palawan Island
3. El Nido Resorts Pangulasian Island

4. Fairmont Makati, Manila
5. Shangri-La's Boracay Resort & Spa
6. Raffles Makati
7. Makati Shangri-La Manila
8. Huma Island Resort and Spa, Coron, Palawan Island

9. Radisson Blu Cebu
10.Manila Marriott Hotel, Pasay

View the TripAdvisor Top 25 hotels for the Philippines

The best Japanese hotels are clustered around Chiyoda, Tokyo

TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards 2015 for Japanese hotels have the following as their top 10:

Source: TripAdvisor website. The Park Hyatt Tokyo.

1. Park Hyatt Tokyo, Shinjuku, rated 4.5 out of 5 stars in 1,658 reviews.
2. Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, Chuo
3. The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, Chiyoda
4. Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, Chiyoda
5. The St Regis Osaka
6. The Shangri-La Hotel, Tokyo, Chiyoda
7. Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo, Chuo
8. Palace Hotel Tokyo, Chiyoda
9. Conrad Tokyo, Minato
10. Imperial Hotel Tokyo, Chiyoda

Interested?

View the TripAdvisor top 25 hotels for Japan
Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about the Imperial Hotel Tokyo's courting of Southeast Asian travellers

Tour the top 25 travel destinations in the world, beginning with Turkey

The top 25 TripAdvisor destinations in the world for 2015 include a number from the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions.

Source: TripAdvisor website. Istanbul.

• Turkey is the only country with two locations listed, Istanbul (no. 3) and Goreme (no. 14). 
• French Indochina has two entries in the top five, Siem Reap, Cambodia at no. 2 and Hanoi, Vietnam in 4th place.  
• Mainland Southeast Asia is represented by Bali's Ubud, Indonesia (no. 15), and Bangkok, Thailand (no. 18). 
• The Pacific sees Queenstown, New Zealand at no. 22, and Sydney, Australia at no. 25. 
• No. 19 is Kathmandu, Nepal; no. 23 is Hong Kong, China, and No. 24 is Dubai, UAE.

Interested?

View the 2015 Travelers' Choice top 25 travel destinations

Langkawi hotels well-represented in TripAdvisor's top 10 Travelers' Choice awards

Four of the top 10 hotels that received TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards in 2015 for Malaysia are on the island of Langkawi, while two of the top 10 are Shangri-La properties (a third ranks no. 11). Here's a look at the top 10:

Source: TripAdvisor website. The Danna Langkawi Malaysia.

1. The Danna Langkawi Malaysia, Pantai Kok, rated 5 out of 5 in 1,777 reviews. It is rated 'excellent' by 1,508 of those reviews, with a further 203 calling the hotel 'very good'.
2. Casa Del Mar Langkawi, Pantai Cenang
3. The Datai Langkawi
4. The Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
5. Shangri-La's Rasa Ria Resort & Spa, Kota Kinabalu
6. Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
7. Mandarin Oriental, Kuala Lumpur
8. Sama-Sama Hotel, Sepang
9. Four Seasons Resort, Langkawi
10. The Majestic Malacca, Melaka

Interested?

View the TripAdvisor top 25 hotels for Malaysia

Two JW Marriott hotels are top 10 TripAdvisor Travelers' Choices for Korea

Source: TripAdvisor website. The Lotte Hotel Seoul.

TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards 2015 for Korean hotels have the following as their top 10:

1. Lotte Hotel Seoul. This hotel scored 4.5 out of 5 in 1,849 reviews.
2. The Plaza
3. Conrad Seoul
4. JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul
5. Park Hyatt Seoul
6. The Shilla Seoul
7. Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel
8. The Westin Chosun Seoul
9. The Ritz-Carlton, Seoul
10. The JW Marriott Seoul

Interested?

View TripAdvisor's top 30 hotels in Korea

Six Accor hotels in Australia enter TripAdvisor Hall of Fame

In addition to the many Accor hotels across Australia recognised by TripAdvisor for their outstanding performance from businesses within the tourism and hospitality industry, several Accor hotels and resorts were acknowledged for achieving the honour five years in a row, earning a TripAdvisor Hall of Fame award.

Six Accor hotels in total were admitted into the Hall of Fame this year:

The Sebel Melbourne Flinders Lane
Quay West Suites Melbourne
The Sebel Maroochydore
Pullman Palm Cove Sea Temple Resort and Spa
Pullman Cairns International
The Sebel Mandurah

Chief Operating Officer of Accor Hotels Australia, Simon McGrath, said the number of hotels and range of brands and destinations represented by Accor in TripAdvisor‟s Hall of Fame roll call for 2015 reflected the high calibre of hotels and resort's the group represent across the nation.

“Maintaining a focus on guest experience, and a commitment to anticipating needs are essential to any hotel's ongoing success, and the honest feedback provided by customers via TripAdvisor is highly valued by Accor.

“It‟s particularly impressive to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as this award relies on having consistently positive online reviews for five years in a row – a difficult achievement by any measure,” he said.

TripAdvisor is a travel community site allowing travellers to create and read reviews from hotels, restaurants attractions and more all over the world. The site has 340 million unique visitors each month and is home to more than 225 million reviews.

Now entering its fifth year, the Certificate of Excellence is awarded to establishments which have continuously earned positive online reviews on TripAdvisor. A handful of Accor properties have been initiated into the TripAdvisor Hall of Fame – an accolade reserved for hotels which have won the Certificate of Excellence five years in a row.

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Bhaya Cruises receives TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence five times in five years

Source: Bhaya Cruises website.

Bhaya Cruises, a luxury cruise operator in Halong Bay, Vietnam, has received a Certificate of Excellence 2015 award from TripAdvisor for three brands: Bhaya Classic, The Au Co and Legend Halong. This is the fifth consecutive year that Bhaya Cruises has been recognised for its services.

The award, which honours hospitality excellence, is given only to establishments that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on TripAdvisor, and is extended to qualifying businesses worldwide. Certificate of Excellence winners include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a superior customer experience.

To qualify for a Certificate of Excellence, businesses must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews by travelers and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

“We always strive to offer our guests more than just a cruise but a lifetime experience in Halong Bay with impeccable service and a broad range of culture and leisure activities,” said Pham Van Ha, General Manager of Bhaya Cruises. “Positive reviews by travelers on TripAdvisor are not only meaningful gifts but also a great encouragement to our hard working and passionate team.”

Bhaya Cruises currently operates 17 boats with a total of 178 cabins in Halong Bay. Both day and night cruises are offered.

Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel, Dubai, sets foot in TripAdvisor Hall of Fame

Source: Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel website.

The five-star Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel in Dubai, opposite the Burjuman Shopping Centre and adjacent to the Dubai Metro, has joined TripAdvisor’s Hall of Fame, winning consecutive Certificates of Excellence over the past five years of operation.

The Hall of Fame ranking, introduced by TripAdvisor this year to highlight those hotels, restaurants and attractions that maintain the highest customer satisfaction ratings, is achieved by less than 10% of the establishments winning the 2015 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence, according to Scott Butcher, General Manager at the Park Regis Kris Kin.

“What our team has accomplished is quite outstanding,” he said. “Not only did we receive high customer ratings from the beginning, but we have continued, year on year, to deliver the product and service required to satisfy the increasingly discerning traveller to Dubai who is looking for quality at a price.”

Increasingly, customers research hotel accommodation online prior to booking, and with more than 225 million views and reviews, TripAdvisor has an important role to play, he added.

“The key difference in the 21st century is that travellers are no longer passive buyers of accommodation, and at the Park Regis Kris Kin, all our staff know that every guest counts – and the spirit of hospitality so famed in the Arabian Gulf is enshrined in our corporate thinking.”

Templeberg Villa receives TripAdvisor award

Source: Templeberg Villa website.

TripAdvisor has awarded Templeberg Villa, a five-bedroom villa in the Dutch colonial style that is over a century old, a Certificate of Excellence for the second consecutive year. The Certificate of Excellence is given to properties that consistently achieve outstanding traveller reviews on the travel review site.

"The Excellence Award pays tribute to our unique Antipodean style of customer service and tailored local experiences that guests receive from choosing a villa stay over a hotel room," said  Brent Carey, Owner, Templeberg Villa, which is situated on a five-acre working coconut plantation in Galle, Sri Lanka. "We are continually finetuning our operation with an eye to delivering on our brand promise of laid back luxury."

 

Carey shared that the Templeberg Villa experience is undergoing enhancements. "Guests will soon be able to enjoy our 25 m jungle edge infinity pool and may book private cooking lessons with Tricksey, our cook, through a new site devoted to Sri Lankan cooking classes," said Carey.

Holiday Inn Dubai - Al Barsha wins TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for 5th consecutive time

The Holiday Inn Dubai – Al Barsha has been recognised as a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame winner. The Certificate of Excellence award celebrates excellence in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great traveller reviews on TripAdvisor.

The Hall of Fame was created to honour those businesses that have earned a Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years. While the hotel was recognised this year, two of its restaurants have also won TripAdvisor awards: The Royal Budha for Fine Dining – Thai and the Gharana  for Casual Dining – Indian. 

Roxana Jaffer, CEO at Holiday Inn Dubai – Al Barsha, thanked all past guests who took the time to complete a review on TripAdvisor. “There is no greater seal of approval than being recognised by one’s customers. With the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and our continued commitment to excellence,” she said.

When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm to determine the honourees that takes into account the quality, quantity and recency of reviews and opinions submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period as well as business’s tenure and ranking on the Popularity Index on the site. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

Need context?

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about other hotels which have won TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence for 2015.

Old Delhi Bazaar walking tour wins Tripadvisor Award Of Excellence

Source: Old Delhi Bazaar walking tour website.

The Old Delhi Bazaar walking tour has won a Tripadvisor Award of Excellence for the third consecutive year. The activity is ranked no. 1 for New Delhi in 2015 by Tripadvisor, and comes with a five star rating.

The personalised tour experience combines food, heritage and culture with walking and cycle rickshaw and is designed to give the visitor a taste of the real Delhi.

Both full- and half-day Old Delhi tours are conducted daily and include a traditional meal in a haveli, a mansion in the old city in which a single family has been living for generations.

TripAdvisor's top 10 Singapore hotels for 2015 includes two by Far East Hospitality

TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Awards 2015 for Singapore hotels have the following as their top 10:

Source: TripAdvisor website. The Singapore AMOY by Far East Hospitality.

1. Singapore AMOY by Far East Hospitality, with 309 of 389 reviews rating the hotel as 'excellent'.
2. Capella Singapore, Sentosa
3. Raffles Hotel, Singapore
4. The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia, Singapore
5. Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
6. Four Seasons Hotel, Singapore
7. Wangz Hotel, Singapore
8. The Quincy Hotel by Far East Hospitality
9. Pan Pacific Singapore
10. The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore

The best hotels in Asia are in the Maldives, and in the UAE for the Middle East

This year's top Asian hotels according to TripAdvisor are mostly from the Maldives. Out of the top 10, four are resorts in the Maldives, and two from Bali. There are another three from the Maldives in the top 25, making it 28% representation, and a third hotel in Bali. India is also well represented, with four more hotels in the top 25.

Source: TripAdvisor website. The Gili Lankanfushi Maldives.

1. Gili Lankanfushi Maldives, North Male, Maldives
2. Shinta Mani Club Siem Reap, Cambodia
3. Cocoa Island by COMO, South Male, Maldives
4. Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, China
5. Constance Moofushi, Alifu Atoll, Maldives
6. The Upper House, Hong Kong, China
7. Komaneka at Bisma, Bali, Indonesia
8. The Legian Bali - a GHM Hotel, Bali, Indonesia
9. The Baros Maldives, North Male, Maldives
10. Wildflower Hall, Shimla in the Himalayas, Mashobra, India

It should be no surprise then that the top hotel in the world for this year is the Gili Lankanfushi Maldives. The hotel garnered an impressive 967 ratings of 'excellent' out of 1,029 reviews. The Asia Pacific and Middle East hotels in the top 25 global list are:

1. Gili Lankanfushi Maldives, North Male, Maldives

3. Shinta Mani Club Siem Reap, Cambodia 

6. Cocoa Island by COMO, South Male, Maldives 

8. Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Murqquab, UAE

13. Jumeirah Al Qasr at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE

14. Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai, China 

15. Constance Moofushi, Alifu Atoll, Maldives 

19. The Upper House, Hong Kong, China

24. Kayakapi Premium Caves - Cappadocia, Urgup, Turkey

For the Middle East, which for TripAdvisor includes Egypt, the top 10 are:

1. Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Murqquab, UAE
2. Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
3. The Royal Savoy Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
4. The Raffles Dubai, UAE
5. Jumeirah Al Qasr at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
6. Four Seasons Resort Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
7. Stella Di Mare Beach Hotel & Spa, Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt
8. The Oberoi, Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada, Egypt
9. Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa, Luxor, Egypt
10. Grosvenor House, Dubai, UAE

If Egypt - which this blog classes as part of Africa - is taken out of the equation, the top 10 list would be heavily skewed towards the UAE:

1. Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Murqquab, UAE
2. Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
3. The Raffles Dubai, UAE
4. Jumeirah Al Qasr at Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE
5. Grosvenor House, Dubai, UAE
6. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, Hamim, UAE
7. Staybridge Suites Beirut, Lebanon
8. Residence&Spa at One&Only Royal Mirage Dubai, UAE
9. The Oberoi Dubai, UAE
10. Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, Dubai, UAE

Interested?

View TripAdvisor's top 25 hotels around the world

View TripAdvisor's top 25 Asia hotels

View TripAdvisor's top 25 Middle East hotels

TripAdvisor shares 2015 Certificate of Excellence hotel winners

Source: TripAdvisor website.

A number of hotels in Asia Pacific and the Middle East have received accolades from their visitors via TripAdvisor. The Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers has received a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence award this year, for instance.

“Winning the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence is a true source of pride for the entire team at Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers and we’d like to thank all of our past guests who took the time to complete a review on TripAdvisor,” said Akhmad Fadholi, General Manager at Sheraton Bandung Hotel & Towers. 

“There is no greater seal of approval than being recognised by one’s customers. With the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on customer reviews, the accolade is a remarkable vote of confidence to our business and our continued commitment to excellence.”

A TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence has also been awarded to the Coral Beirut Al Hamra Hotel, recognising its popularity with guests and quality product and service.

According to Hartmut Grauel, General Manager of the Coral Beirut Al Hamra Hotel, the Certificate of Excellence reflects a team effort and demonstrates the commitment of staff to the true spirit of hospitality. “Our major objective is to make every guest feel welcome, and the high level of positive comments received on TripAdvisor demonstrates how much they appreciate this warmth, as well as other benefits of the hotel such as a convenient central location in Beirut, spacious rooms, private parking and free Internet access,” he said.

Now in its fifth year, the award celebrates excellence in hospitality and is given only to establishments that consistently achieve great reviews on TripAdvisor. An establishment that receives a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence for the fifth consecutive year is inducted into the travel website’s Hall of Fame.

The Grand Millennium Dubai has just entered the Hall of Fame, one of only 9% of restaurants, attractions and accommodation providers in 2015 to do so. According to General Manager of the Grand Millennium Dubai, Peter Mansourian, this latest accolade from TripAdvisor was a bonus during a busy year for the team at the hotel:  “With a revamp of our restaurant offerings, plus further competition from new accommodation opening up in Dubai, we have had to strive to be at the top of our game,” he said.

“Winning the 2015 Certificate of Excellence for the fifth time – and joining the Hall of Fame – is excellent news and demonstrates we are providing service with a smile for our guests as well as a product that delivers everything they require, whether visiting Dubai on business or leisure.”

Marriott Executive Apartments in Bangkok, which consists of Mayfair-Chidlom, Sathorn Vista, and Sukhumvit Park, they also entered the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame. 

“Receiving the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence five years in a row and inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ is a true source of pride for the entire team at Marriott Executive Apartments Sukhumvit Park Bangkok and we’d like to thank all of our guests who have taken the time to complete a review over the past five years,” said David Lance, General Manager at Marriott Executive Apartments Sukhumvit Park Bangkok.

“At Marriott Executive apartments our moto is you don’t stay here you live here, even if it is only for one night and providing great service that creates a homelike atmosphere allows us to achieve this. There is no greater seal of approval than being recognised by our guests consistently over the last five years. With the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence based on customer reviews, this is a remarkable vote of confidence to our hotel and our continued commitment to excellence.”

Certificate of Excellence winners include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a superior customer experience.

When selecting Certificate of Excellence winners, TripAdvisor uses a proprietary algorithm to determine the honorees that take into account the quality, quantity and recency of reviews and opinions submitted by travellers on TripAdvisor over a 12-month period as well as business’s tenure and ranking on the Popularity Index on the site. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four out of five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months.

"TripAdvisor is pleased to honour exceptional hospitality businesses that have received consistent praise and recognition by travellers on the site,” said Marc Charron, President, TripAdvisor for Business. “By putting a spotlight on businesses that are focused on delivering great service to customers, TripAdvisor not only helps drive increasing hospitality standards around the world, it also gives businesses both large and small the ability to shine and stand out from the competition.”

TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel website with 45 sites in 28 languages. It features more than 225 million reviews and opinions on nearly five million hotels and other accommodation, restaurants and attractions.

TripAdvisor lists top 25 hotels in the world, three in Asia

TripAdvisor's top 25 hotels in the world, part of its 2014 Traveller's Choice awards, is an eclectic mix. Three of the top 10 are in Asia. At no. 2 is The Upper House in Hong Kong, and at no. 5, India's Oberoi Udaivilas. Oberoi also takes no. 9 spot with the Oberoi Mumbai.

The Upper House, in Pacific Place, is ranked no. 1 in Hong Kong. "Best hotel experience I have ever had. Faultless," says one reviewer. 97% of reviews are positive for this hotel.

The Oberoi Udaivilas is ranked no. 2 in Udaipur. “Unsurpassed service, exquisite style, and extraordinary attention to detail!” says a reviewer.

The Oberoi Mumbai is ranked no. 1 in Mumbai, with 97% of reviews being positive. One reviewer called staying at the hotel 'a lifetime experience".