The World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2026 – where should you stay next?

When you think about the best hotels in the world, exceptional service and extensive amenities may spring to mind.

To earn a place among the World’s 50 Best Hotels, a property needs to excel in everything, from design to dining and paying attention to detail.

Around the world, hotels are redefining luxury and what it means to travel well. Asia leads the charge — the top four hotels are located in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Dubai, while 21 European properties feature in the top 50, though none make it into the top ten.

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If you’re planning your holidays in 2027, these extraordinary stays might just inspire your next destination.

How are The World's 50 Best Hotels selected?

The World’s 50 Best Hotels list is an annual ranking of the best properties across the world. It’s created by a group of more than 800 industry experts, ranging from travel journalists to hoteliers and professionals.

While there isn't a set criteria, the judges are required to list the seven best hotels they stayed in over the past 24 months in order of preference.

There are rules, however. The voting process is strictly confidential, and any hotel in the world is eligible – provided it will not permanently close within three months of the list being published. The voters must have spent at least one night at each property they list, and they cannot choose more than three hotels from the same group.

The world’s best hotels in 2026 revealed

We explore the 50 best hotels in the world. We delve a bit more into the top ten hotels below the list.

Source: World’s 50 Best Hotels

1. Rosewood Hong Kong

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Rosewood Hong Kong offers the very best of what modern Asia has to offer. It is not only the best hotel in Asia but also the best hotel in the world for the second year in a row.

Located 270 metres above the city, on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront with striking views of Victoria Harbour, the hotel sets a new standard for scale in luxury hospitality and occupies 43 floors of the Rosewood Tower, with over 400 rooms. It was designed by New York-based Tony Chi and opened in 2019. There are 11 restaurants and bars to suit everyone’s palate, including two Michelin-star restaurants with Cantonese and Indian flavours. There is a 25-metre infinity pool, spa and wellness centre.

Cost per night starts at $800
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

2. Capella Bangkok

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Capella Bangkok was named the best hotel in the world in 2024, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s located away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok, sitting on the Chao Phraya River in the Charoenkrung district. The hotel stretches across 101 rooms, all of which come with their own dressing rooms and private lounge terraces. If you really want to splash out, a villa includes a private garden with a jacuzzi plunge pool and sala lounge. The hotel has five restaurants with diverse cuisines and a glamorous bar to match the glittering Thai capital. If you’re unsure where to start exploring the city you can ask ‘Capella Culturists’ to plan your itinerary, whether it’s a shopping spree or a private meditation session with a monk.

Cost per night starts at $600
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

3. Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River

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In third place is the Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, a “spacious urban retreat serving world-class hospitality”. It blends calmness with the buzz of Bangkok. The 299 rooms are designed by Jean-Michel Gathy for space and sanctuary, and set on the banks of the River of Kings. You can also enjoy award-winning drinks at the BKK Social Club, which was awarded one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars in 2026. On the food front, Yu Ting Tuan, the hotel’s flagship restaurant, serves decadent Cantonese cuisine. There is a Mediterranean-inspired garden, a wellness centre with a spa, and a multi-layered pool area.

Cost per night starts at $450
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

4. Atlantis The Royal

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This year, Atlantis The Royal has been named the best hotel in the Middle East and also the best beach hotel in the world. Located on the outer crescent of Palm Jumeirah, this larger-than-life property feels like a must-stay for anyone seeking the ultimate Dubai experience. The resort has 760 rooms and suites, 16 restaurants including the world-famous Nobu, over 90 swimming pools and a 32,300-square-foot wellness centre with a salt cave, charcoal sauna and hydrotherapy pool. You could spend days here and still not see it all. While luxurious to the core, some rooms embrace a more minimalist and sleek design, allowing guests to fully soak in the breathtaking views outside.

Cost per night starts at $460
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

5. Passalacqua

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Enjoy Italian hospitality in not only the best hotel in Europe but also the best boutique hotel for three years in a row. Set in a lavish 18th-century villa that was once owned by Pope Innocent XI, this northern Italian property has just 24 rooms, each with a view of Lake Como. The hotel charms with its spectacular display of fine Italian craftsmanship, authentic cuisine, and Baroque architecture. During your stay, you can take part in a gelato-making workshop or flower-arranging course, and dine at The Garden Terrace.

Cost per night starts at $1,300
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

6. Rosewood São Paulo

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Rosewood São Paulo is a new entrant to the top ten list, and the best hotel in South America. Rosewood’s first property in the region opened in 2022, and is nestled within the seven-acre Cidade Matarazzo. It used to be an old maternity ward where more than half a million Brazilians were born. It has 160 rooms and 450 distinctive artworks created exclusively with Brazilian artists for the hotel. The property also boasts a Jean Nouvel-designed vertical garden tower that takes inspiration from the Atlantic Forest. It has a rooftop infinity pool, a spa with 400 white quartz crystals lining the walls, and a 900-square-metre penthouse suite that has a rainforest-themed garden and comes with its own infinity pool. You can sip on drinks at the hotel’s jazz bar, Rabo di Galo, and try some local favourites at Le Jardin.

Cost per night starts at $800
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

7. Mandarin Oriental Qianmen

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Mandarin Oriental Qianmen is one of the newest hotels on the list, having opened in 2024 and marking the hotel chain’s second property in Beijing. It comprises 42 siheyuan (traditional Chinese courtyard houses), each with floor-to-ceiling windows and original timber beams. Indulge in Cantonese and Chaozhou cuisine in a courtyard setting at Yan Garden, or afternoon tea at Maple Lounge beneath a pair of century-old maple and mahogany trees

Cost per night starts at $1,900
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

8. Upper House Hong Kong

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The Upper House Hong Kong offers understated luxury with a design-forward aesthetic. Perched above the Pacific Place shopping complex, it is the debut hotel of acclaimed Hong Kong architect André Fu, with a modern, brutalist style. The property features 117 rooms, a serene wellness spa, a rooftop lawn, a fitness centre, and a stylish bar lounge. More than 400 artworks, all carefully curated and commissioned, adorn the interiors. The rooms are sizable and offer sweeping views of the Hong Kong skyline, a tranquil retreat above the city’s bustle.

Cost per night starts at $650
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

9. Chablé Yucatán

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Chablé Yucatán has been voted the best hotel in North America for the second year in a row. This remote sanctuary is nestled in the heart of Mexico’s Yucatán jungle and has 40 rooms, a golf course and a wellness centre. Each room features its own private pool, hammock, and outdoor moon showers. The property’s world-class spa is built around a cenote, a natural sinkhole considered sacred by the Mayans. At the flagship Ixi’im restaurant, fresh produce is sourced directly from the hotel’s gardens, with a focus on healthy living and a balanced diet. Moreover, the hotel also boasts one of the largest tequila collections in the world.

Cost per night starts at $770
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

10. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

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Set on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is one of the most iconic symbols of Asian hospitality. For nearly 150 years, it has welcomed high-profile guests – from Elizabeth Taylor to Marlon Brando and Joseph Conrad. What began as a modest establishment with just 12 rooms has grown into a hotel boasting 331 rooms, multiple bars, swimming pools and a spa. Guests can indulge in a variety of dining experiences, from buffet-style breakfasts to traditional Thai cuisine. The hotel also celebrates its rich literary heritage; many renowned writers, including Graham Greene and Joseph Conrad, once stayed here. Their legacy is honoured today in the hotel’s elegant Authors’ Lounge.

Cost per night starts at $757
Star rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★