New Delhi, Chandy’s Windy Woods Hotel in Munnar, and the Avartana restaurant in Chennai have made the cut in their respective categories at Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travellers’ Choice Awards.
The Travellers’ Choice Awards “Best of the Best” title celebrates the highest level of excellence in travel. It is awarded to those who receive a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over a 12-month period.
This year, New Delhi was ranked 22nd in the list of the world’s top destinations, which has everything travellers are looking for and more. London claimed the top spot, followed by Bali, Dubai, Sicily, and Paris.
The Chandy’s Windy Woods resort in Munnar, Kerala, was ranked as the 11th “Best of the Best Hotel” for its spacious accommodations, cosy interiors, and amazing toiletries. In first place was the Hotel Colline de France of Brazil, followed by the Obu Select Lobigili in the Maldives, the La Siesta Hội An Resort and Retreat in Vietnam, the Adiwana Suweta in Indonesia, and the Iberostar Grand Packard in Cuba.
In the “Best of the Best Restaurants” category, which ranks places worth getting on the waiting list for, the Avartana restaurant was ranked 17th for its innovative Indian dishes and beautiful ambience. The list was topped by Restaurant Pic in Valence, France; Restaurante 1621 in Cartagena, Colombia; the Northcote Restaurant in Langho, United Kingdom; the Casa Vigil in Mendoza, Argentina; and the Maison Medard in Boulleret, France.
There were two global rankings that Indian businesses and destinations missed out on, such as the “Best of the Best Beaches” category—which was topped by Elafonissi Beach in Crete, Greece—and the “Best of the Best Things to Do” list, which ranks the best experiences tourists can have around the world. The latter list was topped by a tour of the Porto city centre in Portugal, an all-inclusive private tour of Ubud in Indonesia, an all-inclusive canal cruise of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, an Angkor Wat sunrise tour in Siem Reap, Cambodia, and a Chichén Itzá, Cenote and Valladolid tour in Cancún, Mexico.
Tripadvisor’s 2025 Travellers’ Choice Awards also categorise the best travel destinations by region, continent, and country.
Among the “Best of the Best Destinations” in Asia, India fared much better than in the world rankings. While Bali, Hanoi, and Bangkok topped the list, New Delhi was ranked eighth, Jaipur came in 12th, and Agra was 16th.
Among the “Best of the Best Beaches” in Asia—a list topped by Banana Beach in Phuket, Thailand; Kelingking Beach in Nusa Penida, Indonesia; and Haeundae Beach in Busan, South Korea—the top Indian entry was Radhanagar Beach on Havelock Island at fifth place.
In the “Best of the Best Things to do” in India, a full-day Old and New Delhi city tour topped the list, followed by a tour of the Taj Mahal, a Fontainhas heritage walk in Panjim (Goa), a spiritual walking tour of Pushkar in Rajasthan, and a food tour of Old Delhi.
After Chandy’s Windy Woods, the “Best of the Best Hotels” in India included the Blanket Hotel and Spa in Pallivasal, JW Marriot Hotel in Pune, Radisson RED in Mohali, Taj West End in Bengaluru, and Radisson Hotel in Kufri.
Finally, while Avartana was India’s top fine dining venue in the “Best of the Best Restaurants” category, other ranked establishments included the Le Cirque Signature in Bengaluru; Tuskers - Vegetarian Dining and Bar, Ummrao, Saffron, and Trèsind—all in Mumbai.
