NEW YORK: An Indian hotel has won the award for the world’s best hotel for the first time in a survey by an international travel magazine while Florence in Italy was named the best city for the second straight year. Travel+Leisure magazine on Tuesday released its 12th annual list of the world’s best awards after a poll of almost 19,000 conducted by researcher Harris Interactive. The Oberoi Udaivilas in Udaipur, a grand setting combined with palatial architecture in the heart of Rajasthan was voted the top hotel worldwide.

Prices for a room per night start at about $600 with an exclusive suite with private pool priced from $3,300, according to the hotel’s website. Florence with its magnificent art and architecture topped the list of best cities while Buenos Aires in Argentina was ranked second and Bangkok, Thailand, came third, according to readers of the magazine that is published monthly by American Express Publishing.

Nancy Novogrod, editor in chief of Travel+Leisure, said the results of the 2007 survey underlined the fact that people were travelling more widely to find distinctive and authentic experiences. “The extraordinary rise of India among the top hotels and resorts in the world is one sure reflection of this tendency,” she said in a statement.

Following is a list of 10 of the awards which were presented at a ceremony in New York on July 23: Best city — Florence; Best hotel — Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India; Best island — Bali, Indonesia; Best large-ship cruise line — Crystal Cruises; Best small-ship cruise line — SeaDream Yacht Club; Best tour operator/safari outfitter — Micato Safaris; Best domestic airline — Midwest Airlines; Best international airline — Singapore Airlines; Best car-rental agency — Hertz; Best hotel for $250 or less — The Peninsula, Bangkok.