The North Yorkshire spa town is the only UK city to feature in the global top 10 list in Booking.com’s latest annual Traveller Review Awards, which recognises destinations where visitors feel genuinely cared for thanks to warm interactions and thoughtful hospitality.
The awards are based on more than 370 million verified traveller reviews and celebrate a record 1.81 million travel partners across 221 countries and territories.
According to Booking.com, this year’s winners highlight places where hosts go the extra mile to make trips memorable. Harrogate’s elegant spa heritage, leafy gardens and independent cafés helped secure its place on the list, alongside a strong sense of community that makes visitors feel at home. Recognised accommodation providers in the town include Hotel du Vin and Bistro and Rudding Park.
Globally, the 2026 Most Welcoming Cities on Earth include Montepulciano, Magong, San Martín de los Andes, Harrogate, Fredericksburg, Texas, Pirenópolis, Swakopmund, Takayama, Noosa Heads and Klaipeda.
Within the UK, Harrogate tops the list, followed by Newry, Broadway, Enniskillen, Portstewart, Wells, Dornoch, Hornsea and Stornoway.
The awards also reveal shifting accommodation preferences. Apartments remain the most awarded property type for the ninth consecutive year, with more than 901,000 accolades, followed by holiday homes and hotels.
Camping and villas saw the highest year on year growth in award recipients, both up 15 per cent, reflecting continued interest in character rich and authentic stays.
Transport providers were also recognised, with rental car companies seeing a 49 per cent increase in awards compared with 2025.
James Waters, Chief Business Officer at Booking.com, said: "From welcoming hosts who go above and beyond for guest stays to expert taxi drivers sharing ‘local-only’ tips, these personal touches can make a trip truly special for travellers.
"The Traveller Review Awards continue to shine a well-deserved spotlight on our partners who help create lifelong memories for travellers. It’s one of our ways of saying ‘thank you’ from all of us at Booking.com and the hundreds of millions of travellers around the world."
