TRAVEL AND LEISURE CLOSE-UP-16 October 2008-Conde Nast Traveler Names Readers' Choice Awards Winners(C)2008 - CloseUpMedia - newsdesk@closeupmedia.com

Conde Nast Traveler announced the results of its 2008 Readers' Choice Awards, ranking the best cities, cruise lines, airlines, hotels and

The awards appear in the November issue (on newsstands October 21) and are derived from the Conde Nast Traveler Readers Choice Survey, the largest independent poll of consumers' preferences in the U.S. This year, 32,633 readers voted.

"These awards celebrate the destinations, lodgings, and modes of transportation that manage to exceed our expectations," said Conde Nast Traveler Editor in Chief Klara Glowczewska. "The Readers' Choice Awards, with over 32,000 readers voting, are a credit to the worldly expertise of our readers -- passionate travelers for whom no island is too remote, no city too challenging, and no hotel too untested."

The 2008 Readers' Choice Awards reveal surprising moves in this year's results:

- Charleston, South Carolina bumped New York City out of the No. 2 spot for best U.S. city to visit. San Francisco remained No. 1 and New York City slid to No. 3.- San Francisco takes the Best U.S. cities category for a whopping 16th year in a row, a feat never before accomplished by any destination or property. One reason: its worldwide high restaurant score.- Newcomer Virgin America was named the best U.S. domestic airline, with JetBlue Airways at No. 2.- Singapore Airlines is again the No. 1 International Route Airline, and has led this category for 20 of the past 21 years (Only Swissair, in 1994, has taken the top spot from Singapore Airlines).- The growing number of resorts in the Middle East merit their own category for the first time, led by Dubai's Burj Al Arab.- In Europe, Prague makes a splash, reappearing on the top 10 European cities list after a four-year absence.- Two cruise lines each earn ratings above 90: Crystal Cruises (93.1) and Regent Seven Seas (90.2).- High ratings for hotels not only went to classics such as the Peninsula Hong Kong and the Ritz Paris, but also to Shanghai's Hyatt on the Bund, which is just one year old.- This year, more than 500 hotels reached scores above 72, including enough in Central America to generate its own category for the first time, led by Casa Santo Domingo in Antigua, Guatemala.- With so many superb properties in Europe, Conde Nast Traveler divided the list into two categories: Southern Europe Hotels led by Italy's Il Pellicano, and Northern Europe, with a list of 50 led by Budapest's Four Seasons Gresham Palace.- Damascus, Syria remains near the top of the list of best cities in Africa/Middle East after a surprising move up the charts last year.

The Readers Choice Awards gala took place on Wednesday, October 15th in New York City at the New York Public Library.

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