Photo credit: jmv | Flickr

Sorry Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, Halifax, Saskatoon and Quebec City.

Readers of Conde Nast Traveler have chosen Vancouver as Canada’s best city.  Some 46,700 people worldwide were surveyed for the magazine’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards, which rank hotels, islands, cities, cruises and airlines around the world.

And when the votes were tallied, Vancouver nipped out Quebec City for the title of Canada’s best loved metropolis.  Vancouver received a rating of 81.9 out of 100 points.  Second place was lovely Quebec City (81.1), followed by Victoria (78.5), Montreal (77.3) and Toronto (73.0).

Vancouver’s score is the average of six different criteria: ambience (89.9); friendliness (83.5); lodging (83.8); restaurants (86.1); culture/sites (78.5); and shopping (70.6).   The ranking confirms what Vancouverites already know.  The city has fantastic hotels and restaurants and a great natural backdrop.  But when it comes to shopping and history, it’s hard to compete with the older, bigger cities back East.

Vancouver was also well represented on Conde Nast’s ranking of Canada’s best hotels.  In fact, more than one-third of the country’s top-ranked hotels are in the city.  Local gems include:

• Fairmont Pacific Rim (tied for 6th place)
• Wedgewood Hotel and Spa (8th Place)
• Fairmont Waterfront (tied for 10th place)
• Loden Vancouver (tied for 10th place)
• Fairmont Vancouver Airport (13th place)
• Pan Pacific Vancouver (16th place)
• Opus Hotel (19th place)
• Shangri-La Hotel (23rd place)
• St. Regis (25th place)
• L’Hermitage Hotel (26th place)
• Four Seasons (tied for 27th place)
• Sutton Place Hotel (tied for 27th place)
• Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (30th place).

Photo credit: TOTORORO.RORO | Flickr

Venture outside the city, and British Columbia dominates the annual ranking in multiple categories.  Eight of Canada’s top 20 resorts are in the province, concentrated in Whistler and on Vancouver Island.

• King Pacific Lodge, Princess Royal Island (1st place)
• Four Seasons, Whistler (2nd place)
• Long Beach Lodge Resort, Vancouver Island (3rd place)
• Wickaninnish Inn, Vancouver Island (4th place)
• Fairmont Chateau Whistler (7th place)
• Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre (8th place)
• Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler (14th place)
• Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Ucluelet (17th place)

Any of your favourites NOT make Conde Nast’s list? Let us know below. 

Want more updates on Vancouver and beyond?  Follow me on Twitter @RemyScalza.