Maui captured Best Island in the World honors in the 22nd annual Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice awards poll. This is the 15th time Maui has won the distinction. During the awards ceremony in New York City, Maui was introduced as “the perennial favorite.”
The magazine’s annual poll analyzes the travel preferences of its readership in various categories including cities, islands, airlines, cruise lines, hotels, spas, resorts and rental cars. More than 25,000 readers cast their ballots this year.
"This prestigious honor is yet again testament to Maui’s visitor industry and, most importantly, the people of our beloved island home,” said Maui Visitors Bureau executive director Terryl Vencl.
Maui was also voted Best Pacific Island for the 19th consecutive year. Kauai placed second. Hawaii's Big Island, Oahu and Lanai place sixth, seventh and eighth, respectively.
For the first time, the hotels of Maui County (Maui, Molokai and Lanai) dominated the magazine's Top Hawaii Resorts category, with the Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea topping the list. The Four Seasons Resort Lanai Lodge at Koele came in third, Hotel Hana Maui and Honua Spa fourth, and Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay fifth. Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawaii's Big Island ranked second. Maui properties ranked in the top 20 include Fairmont Kea Lani Maui, Grand Wailea, Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, and Westin Maui Resort and Spa.
Complete results are published in the November 2009 issue, which arrives on newsstands later this month.
