A night to remember: what went down at the Telegraph Travel Awards

Best city in the world? Best country? Best airline? All of these questions and more were answered at the Telegraph Travel Awards last week, where a who’s who of the travel industry gathered to find out which companies you voted the best of 2019.

In the 21 years since the Telegraph Travel Awards first launched – one of the largest and most influential independent travel surveys in the world – tour operators, tourist boards, hoteliers and airlines have been on tenterhooks to find out who is doing what they do best. 

This year they were joined by Telegraph Travel columnists Marcel Theroux, Mariella Frostrup, and Kathy Lette – who took contextual attire to new heights by wearing a map-print dress – along with Donna Air, Lisa Snowdon and Charlotte Hawkins.

Also present was a host of luxury travel providers responsible for donating the uber-luxe dream trips won by 15 lucky readers in the survey’s £500,000 prize draw.

Under Zaha Hadid’s modernist canopy at Chucs at The Serpentine The Magazine in Hyde Park, dressed with a feature wall of this year’s most lust-worthy Telegraph Travel covers from Sri Lanka to Cinque Terre, guests were served canapes including truffle arancini; Cornish crab tart, fennel, and brown crab mayonnaise; buttermilk chicken, pickled chilli and blue cheese; crispy pigs cheek and apple chilli jelly; and Oysters Rockerfeller. Drinks included a choice of Aperol spritz and Champagne. 

Head of Travel Claire Irvin welcomed guests before handing over to Telegraph Travel columnist and explorer Benedict Allen who regaled the audience with jaw-dropping tales of his adventures before announcing this year’s award winners.

And what a line-up it was. Of course, there were some familiar faces. Cape Town clinched top spot as Best City – for the seventh year running – while New Zealand retained her long-held title of Best Country. But there were some unexpected surprises too, with St Petersburg the first ever winner of Best European City.

A full list of the winners can be seen here.

A party soundtrack was the backdrop to bowl food and more celebrations: seabass, potato and porcini al forno; halloumi, quinoa and pomegranate; and gnocchi, oxtail vaccinara, parmesan and sweet treats including chocolate and salted caramel tart with crème fraiche, Turkish and Pistachio Torrione.

Congratulations again to all our awards winners and thank you, our readers, for taking the time to define the shape of travel for the months to come.

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