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London nightlife voted the best but Durham is top with tourists
Ruth Bloomfield, Evening Standard4 Sep 2007
London has been voted the best city in the UK for its restaurants, nightlife and entertainment - but its high prices, unclean streets and concerns about safety are putting off some visitors.
The 10th annual Condé Nast Traveller awards honour the most popular destinations at home and around the world.
London's attractions were considered the best in Britain. But overall it was beaten into third place by Durham and Edinburgh. The magazine's readers complained the capital was too expensive, dirty and potentially unsafe.
Ken Kelling, communications director for Visit London, the capital's tourist board, pointed out that there was a record number of overseas visitors last year - and in total more than 15million people came to London in the summer.
He said he doubted tourists would be deterred by perceptions that the city was dirty, and said crime was less of an issue here than in other world cities such as New York. "London is not like any other city in the UK," he said. "It is uniquely placed in terms of its diversity, its creative edge, the exhibitions that come here first. It is unparalleled."
He also argued that the capital's reputation as an expensive city was unfair. "You can get value for money in London, and you can get expensive - that is why some Russians come to London, because they want to spend money. It can be a reason why people come to London."
The magazine's editor, Sarah Miller, defended the findings, which were based on responses from more than 30,000 readers. She said London also scored strongly for its aesthetics and culture but less so for the friendliness of its residents. "London did exceptionally well in all the areas you would expect, but I think the criticisms were all fair. It is an exceptionally expensive city - that's what you always hear from visitors - and when you see dirty Tubes and rubbish blowing around Oxford Street it doesn't give a good impression."
The awards were announced at Claridge's Hotel last night.
Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Oxfordshire, which boasts a two-Michelin-starred restaurant, was voted the best hotel in the country, with Chewton Glen spa hotel in Hampshire a close second.
London's top hotel was the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park - currently offering two-night packages for £20,000, including a portrait session with photographer Mary McCartney, daughter of Sir Paul. It came fourth overall. Claridge's, The Soho Hotel and The Metropolitan also made the top 10.
In the business hotels category, seven of the best British hotels were in London, led by the Berkeley. EasyJet was named the best low cost airline and British Airways won the short-haul leisure travel category.
India was voted the best country to visit, the Maldives was the magazine's favourite island destination and Sydney won favourite overseas city.
• Full results can be seen in the October issue of Condé Nast Traveller, on sale from Thursday.
Top British cities
1.Durham (new)
2. Edinburgh (2)
3. London (3)
4. Glasgow (1)
5. Manchester (12)
6. = Canterbury (new)
= Liverpool (7)
= York (11)
9. Oxford (6)
10 = Bath (8)
= Cambridge (10)
Favourite countries
1. India(4)
2. Italy (1)
3. Thailand (7)
4. Australia (3)
5. New Zealand (2)
6. South Africa (5)
7. Spain (8)
8. France (6)
9. Brazil (9)
10. Mexico (11)
Overseas cities
1. Sydney (3)
2. New York (4)
3. Paris (5)
4. Rome (1)
5. Barcelona (2)
6. Venice (6)
7. San Francisco (new)
8. Cape Town (17)
9. Singapore (5)
10. Hong Kong (18)
