The World’s 10 Best Luxury Hotels
Discover the best of the world, from unforgettable stays and local flavours to inspiring experiences and so much more. Explore our growing collection of guides and find your next favourite.
Capella Bangkok
Bangkok, Thailand
Capella Bangkok brings a residential scale to the banks of the Chao Phraya, with a low-rise building oriented towards the movement of the river. Its address on Charoenkrung Road places the hotel within an established part of the city, while the waterfront setting creates a sense of space around the rooms and public areas. River views are a defining feature throughout the accommodation. Rooms have generous windows and outdoor living areas, and suites add separate sitting rooms and broad balconies. The villas offer another degree of privacy, with gardens, living and dining spaces, and outdoor plunge pools beside the river. Contemporary interiors keep attention on the changing light and the boats passing outside, making time in the room part of the Bangkok experience. Dining ranges from Thai family recipes at Phra Nakhon to Riviera-inspired cooking at Côte by Mauro Colagreco. Stella provides cocktails, while the Tea Lounge looks towards the water and a lily pond. Auriga Wellness adds space for treatments and relaxation. Together, these facilities suit travellers who want to combine the activity of the capital with an unhurried base beside its principal river.
Passalacqua
Moltrasio, Italy
Passalacqua occupies an eighteenth-century villa above Lake Como in Moltrasio, where terraced gardens connect the house to the water. The hotel draws on the Italian tradition of spending extended time at a country residence, encouraging a slower rhythm of meals, swimming and lake excursions. Its setting feels closely tied to the landscape, with paths and planted terraces creating several places to pause outdoors. Accommodation is divided between the main Villa, the Palazz behind it and Casa al Lago near the shore. The buildings have distinct characters, ranging from richly detailed rooms in the historic house to more secluded spaces within the garden. Individual layouts and decorative schemes make the choice of room part of the experience, while lake-facing options provide different perspectives on the water. An outdoor pool occupies a garden terrace, and the spa introduces another side of the estate. Beneath the gardens, historic passages lead towards a sauna, steam bath and heated indoor pool. Treatments and a gym in a former greenhouse extend the wellness facilities. Passalacqua suits travellers who want a residential base for exploring Como’s villages, with equal reason to spend a day within the grounds.
Rosewood Hong Kong
Hong Kong, China
Rosewood Hong Kong rises above Victoria Dockside in Tsim Sha Tsui, with rooms and public spaces oriented towards the harbour and the city beyond. Its Kowloon waterfront address provides a strong sense of place, while art and landscaped spaces soften the scale of the building. The hotel brings together accommodation, dining and wellness in a setting designed to feel residential despite its urban height. Rooms combine large windows with carefully arranged living spaces, and the suite collection adds separate areas for relaxing and entertaining. Harbour and mountain views vary by category, making the outlook an important consideration when choosing accommodation. Selected rooms and suites include access to the Manor Club, while longer stays can be accommodated in the adjoining residences. The dining collection covers several distinct traditions, including Cantonese cooking at The Legacy House, Indian dishes at CHAAT and Italian food at BluHouse. DarkSide provides a bar setting for the evening, and the Butterfly Room serves afternoon tea. Asaya brings together spa treatments, fitness facilities and a pool. These choices make the hotel a substantial base for exploring Hong Kong, with enough variety for quieter days spent close to the waterfront.
Raffles London at The OWO
London, United Kingdom
Raffles London at The OWO occupies the former Old War Office on Whitehall, placing a hotel within a building closely associated with Britain’s political and military history. The restored interiors retain the scale and character of their earlier use while accommodating contemporary hospitality. Outside, the ceremonial streets of Westminster provide a particularly distinctive setting for a London stay. The hotel has 120 rooms and suites, with historical features helping to distinguish individual spaces. Generous proportions and modern furnishings make the accommodation comfortable for longer visits, while some suites occupy rooms associated with the building’s former working life. Guided historical tours provide context for the architecture and the people who passed through it, adding depth to the experience of staying here. Dining includes Mauro Colagreco’s restaurant, Mediterranean dishes at Saison and afternoon tea in The Drawing Room. The wider building offers further restaurants and bars, creating several options for an evening close to the room. Guerlain Spa includes a twenty-metre indoor pool, thermal facilities and treatment spaces, complemented by fitness programmes from Pillar Wellbeing. The result is a central London base with substantial facilities and a strong historical identity.
Le Bristol Paris
Paris, France
Le Bristol Paris has welcomed guests on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré since 1925, combining the traditions of a Parisian grand hotel with spaces that invite an unhurried stay. Its courtyard garden offers a quiet contrast to the surrounding streets, while the hotel’s public rooms preserve a formal yet residential atmosphere. The address is well placed for exploring the city’s galleries, shops and architectural landmarks. Rooms and suites follow a classical Parisian style, with individual decorative details and layouts that range from comfortable bedrooms to larger residential spaces. The emphasis is on generous surroundings and a sense of continuity with the building’s history. A rooftop indoor swimming pool adds an unusual feature, with views towards Montmartre and the Eiffel Tower, while the spa offers treatments alongside fitness facilities. Dining is central to the hotel, from the carefully composed French cooking at Epicure to the more relaxed atmosphere of 114 Faubourg and Café Antonia. The garden provides another setting for a meal or afternoon pause. Artisan food workshops contribute to the hotel’s culinary identity, making bread, pastry and other preparations part of an experience that extends well beyond the bedroom.
Aman Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
High above the business district of Otemachi, Aman Tokyo interprets the Japanese inn on the scale of a metropolitan hotel. Its position in the Otemachi Tower brings wide views across the capital, while stone, timber and translucent washi paper give the interiors a measured, distinctly Japanese character. The lofty lobby introduces this approach with generous space and seasonal ikebana arrangements. Accommodation continues the theme with sliding shoji screens, deep stone furo baths and large windows. Living areas encourage guests to settle in and take in the skyline, and the larger suites separate sleeping, dining and relaxation. The spa includes a 30-metre indoor swimming pool, hot baths, steam rooms and studios for yoga and Pilates, creating scope for a slower day between city excursions. Dining spans Italian cooking at Arva and an intimate Edomae sushi counter at Musashi by Aman, alongside a lounge, café and patisserie. Beneath the hotel, Otemachi Station connects several underground lines; Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace gardens are also nearby. The setting is particularly useful for travellers who want central access with substantial space to retreat at the end of the day.
Jumeirah Burj Al Arab
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Set on an island off Dubai's Jumeirah coastline, Jumeirah Burj Al Arab gives the city's maritime heritage an architectural expression. Its sail-shaped profile rises above the Arabian Gulf, approached by a causeway that separates the hotel from the beachfront. The building's exterior has become part of Dubai's visual identity, while its interiors pursue a deliberately theatrical interpretation of a grand hotel. Gold leaf, Statuario marble and Swarovski crystal are central to that character. Strong colours and intricate decorative work create a succession of richly detailed spaces, with the height of the atrium reinforcing the contrast between the narrow island setting and the building's vertical scale. Its established accommodation concept centres on suites, with separate spaces for living and sleeping overlooking the water or coastline. The hotel is temporarily closed for restoration. Its significance lies as much in its design as in its seaside position. A restoration programme led by interior architect Tristan Auer is intended to preserve the sail silhouette, craftsmanship and much of the bold décor, while refining layouts and introducing contemporary comforts. That approach places continuity at the centre of the property's next chapter, retaining the visual language that distinguishes it within Dubai.
The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur
Udaipur, India
The Oberoi Udaivilas occupies landscaped grounds on the shore of Lake Pichola, facing the palaces and waterfront of Udaipur. Domes, courtyards and covered walkways draw on Rajasthan's architectural traditions, creating a hotel that unfolds through a series of intimate spaces. Water features and gardens soften the scale of the buildings and encourage unhurried exploration. Rooms combine a restrained natural palette with local patterns, colourful textiles and marble bathrooms. Views vary between gardens, pools and the City Palace, so the category chosen shapes the experience. Selected rooms open from private terraces into semi-private pools, while larger suites provide separate living areas and their own swimming pools. The arrangement brings water close to the accommodation without making every room identical. Restaurants present Indian and international cooking, with terraces and dining spaces that make use of the lakeside setting. A spa, swimming pools and gardens give guests reasons to remain within the grounds, while the old city's temples, lanes and palace complex offer a contrasting day out. The combination of Rajasthani detail and a broad waterfront setting is the defining feature of a stay here.
La Mamounia
Marrakech, Morocco
La Mamounia stands beside Marrakech's old city, where formal gardens provide a leafy interval between the hotel and the bustle of the medina. Its public rooms bring together carved plaster, zellige tilework, marble and richly coloured fabrics. Fountains and shaded paths extend that decorative language outdoors, making the gardens an integral part of the experience. Accommodation ranges from rooms and suites to private riads, with views and layouts that reflect their position within the property. Traditional Moroccan craftsmanship remains a consistent thread, though individual spaces vary in scale and mood. The riads offer a more secluded arrangement with private pools, while the main building keeps guests close to the hotel's salons, restaurants and communal facilities. Dining covers Moroccan, Italian and Asian cooking, alongside pastry and tea experiences. The spa includes hammam rituals and an indoor pool, and an outdoor pool provides a different setting for a relaxed afternoon. With the Koutoubia area and medina nearby, La Mamounia can serve both as a base for exploring Marrakech and as a destination for appreciating the city's craft traditions through architecture, gardens and food.
The Peninsula Paris
Paris, France
The Peninsula Paris occupies a grand building on Avenue Kléber, a short walk from the Arc de Triomphe. Its restored stone façade and elaborate public interiors connect it to the city's tradition of substantial palace hotels. Inside, contemporary artwork and discreet technology sit alongside decorative ceilings, polished marble and carefully restored architectural detail. Rooms and suites are designed around generous living space, dressing areas and marble bathrooms. Some of the larger suites add terraces or rooftop gardens, giving them a different relationship with the city beyond the windows. Below ground, the spa includes treatment rooms, a 20-metre indoor pool and vitality pools, offering a quiet setting away from the traffic and monuments outside. Dining is a significant part of the stay. L'Oiseau Blanc occupies the rooftop, pairing French cooking with views towards the Eiffel Tower, while other venues offer Cantonese dishes and more informal meals. The hotel's position is useful for the Champs-Élysées and the western neighbourhoods of central Paris. Its distinction comes from the combination of restored Parisian architecture, extensive facilities and a rooftop perspective on the capital.