The Triple Crown collection, rolling out June 2 across the U.S. and U.K., names hotels that have appeared on all three of CNT's most prestigious tentpole franchises: the Hot List, the Gold List and the Readers' Choice Awards. Image courtesy of Condé Nast Traveler

Condé Nast Traveler is launching a first-of-its-kind awards franchise recognizing the hospitality industry's most enduringly exceptional properties.

The Triple Crown collection, rolling out June 2 across the U.S. and U.K., names hotels that have appeared on all three of CNT's most prestigious tentpole franchises: the Hot List, the Gold List and the Readers' Choice Awards. Drawing on 30 years of editorial history, the inaugural collection comprises just under 400 properties culled from thousands of candidates, with winners ranging from landmark city hotels to boutique local stays; the launch also introduces Storefront, a new shoppable experience on CNT's website designed to close the gap between editorial discovery and direct booking.

In this Q&A, Divia Thani, global editorial director of Condé Nast Traveler, discusses what sets Triple Crown apart and how the magazine's new Storefront capability signals a broader evolution in how the brand connects its audience to travel. Here is the dialogue:

How many properties will be named to the inaugural CNT Triple Crown collection, and could you share a few examples of hotels that have made the cut?
Divia Thani: The list comes in at just under 400 properties out of thousands that have appeared on the CNT Hot List in their first year of opening, and also on our Gold List and Readers' Choice Awards at some point, in the past 30 years.

If any hotel's standard of excellence has endured so it features across all three of the most prestigious lists in travel and hospitality, loved by our audiences, the industry, and CNT editors themselves, then it is by default one of the best of the best in the industry.

This mechanism allows for a lot of diversity on the list: we have winners like The Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur, India, with its luxury tents and landscaped gardens, a favourite from one of the finest brands in India — indeed, the world. Triple Crown also features Borgo Egnazia in Italy, which is one of the chicest hotels anywhere.

It is petite, boutique and independently owned, a jewel in Puglia, a region which has only recently started receiving attention. Then there is also a classic like the Mark, New York's standard for what a hotel should be and one that every hotel in the city aspires to emulate. The Triple Crown winners range in size and style but they all share a trait of being exceptional in their mission.

What does Triple Crown offer that existing programs do not, and what do you most want travelers to take away from the launch? Is there a roadmap for expansion into regions beyond the U.S. and U.K.?
DT: We are really proud of CNT Triple Crown's transparency. The industry and our audience know exactly what qualifies each winner.

There are no opaque voting committees or practices. Plus, because the foundation for CNT Triple Crown is entirely built of Condé Nast Traveler franchises, the collection is completely proprietary to us. This collection of hotels, by definition, could not exist anywhere else.

We are always considering ways that our IPs can support our additional Condé Nast Traveler markets and though it is very much in discussion to roll out CNT Triple Crown more globally, launching in the United States and the United Kingdom makes the most sense for our audience right now.

But stay tuned — we have roadmapped a variety of ways to keep CNT Triple Crown front and center of the audience experience over the course of this year and beyond.

Storefront is described as a new shoppable experience. Can you speak to what this will look like — does this include direct bookings, affiliate partnerships, etc.?
DT: We know our audience is after more opportunities to browse, shop, and book through our website and so we are excited to launch CNT Triple Crown with our new Storefront capabilities, which will really improve the user experience on our websites.

There will be direct booking links to every Triple Crown winner as well as personal curation and tips from Condé Nast Traveler editors.

We see this as the first step in creating an even more efficient experience between our audience and our e-commerce. Much more to come on that front.