Rosewood Hong Kong has retained the No. 1 position in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026, while Bangkok hotels took the next two places in the global ranking.
Capella Bangkok ranked No. 2, rising from No. 3 in 2025, while Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River placed No. 3. Capella Bangkok was ranked No. 1 in the 2024 edition.
The 2026 list was announced on 15 September at a ceremony in Paris. It is the fourth edition of The 50 Best Hotels and the first ceremony to be held outside London. The event took place at Les Salles du Carrousel.
The ranking covers 50 hotels across 22 territories and six continents. Europe has the largest representation with 21 hotels, followed by Asia with 18, North America with six, South America and Africa with two each, and Oceania with one. The 2026 list also includes 10 new entries across seven destinations, including Türkiye, the United States and Japan.
Rosewood Hong Kong Retains the Top Position
Rosewood Hong Kong has been named The World’s Best Hotel for the second consecutive year. It previously ranked No. 3 in 2024.
The hotel also takes The Best Hotel in Asia title as the highest-ranked property on the continent.
Opened in 2019, Rosewood Hong Kong occupies 65 floors overlooking Victoria Harbour. The hotel has 413 rooms and suites and 11 restaurants and bars.
Its wellness facilities include Asaya, which occupies several levels of the property. The facility has nine treatment rooms and an infinity pool overlooking the harbour. Two Asaya Lodges are also located separately from the main building on a sun terrace.
Faye Huggett, Director of Community for The 50 Best Hotels, said the 2026 ranking reflects continued change across the global hotel sector.
“The 50 Best Hotels 2026 captures a defining moment for global hospitality, and we are delighted to celebrate the world’s most exceptional hotels that continue to shape how people travel, connect and experience culture. Rosewood Hong Kong retaining its No.1 position for a second consecutive year underlines Asia’s continued influence at the very highest level, while Europe’s strong representation and this year’s ten new entries point to a dynamic, diverse and competitive global hotel landscape. As The 50 evolves, our ambition is to continue to champion the people, places and ideas setting the agenda for the future of hospitality.”
Bangkok Takes Nos. 2 and 3
Capella Bangkok moved up one place from No. 3 in 2025 to No. 2 in the 2026 ranking.
The riverside hotel is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. It previously held the No. 1 position in 2024.
Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River ranked No. 3.
Two other Bangkok properties also made the 2026 list. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok ranked No. 10, while Aman Nai Lert entered the ranking at No. 48.
As a result, Bangkok accounts for four of Asia’s 18 ranked hotels.
Elsewhere in Asia, Mandarin Oriental Qianmen in Beijing ranked No. 7. Hong Kong has three hotels on the list: Rosewood Hong Kong at No. 1, The Upper House at No. 8 and The Peninsula Hong Kong at No. 46.
Japan has four ranked properties: Aman Tokyo at No. 11, Bulgari Tokyo at No. 24, Patina Osaka at No. 33 and Park Hyatt Kyoto at No. 37.
Patina Osaka also received the Nikka Best New Hotel Award.
Raffles Singapore ranked No. 17, while The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai placed No. 30 after climbing eight positions.
Indonesia has two hotels on the list. Desa Potato Head ranked No. 21, while Nihi Sumba re-entered at No. 35.
In Dubai, Atlantis The Royal ranked No. 4 and received both The Best Hotel in the Middle East and Best Beach Hotel awards. Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab ranked No. 15 after climbing five places.
Europe Leads the 2026 Ranking
Europe has 21 hotels in the 2026 ranking, the highest number of any region.
Italy and France each have six properties, while the UK has four. Austria, Greece, Monaco, Switzerland and Türkiye each have one.
Passalacqua in Lake Como is Europe’s highest-ranked hotel at No. 5. It also received The Best Boutique Hotel Award for the third consecutive year.
The 50 defines a boutique hotel as having fewer than 50 rooms, operating independently of a major hotel chain or group, and offering personalised service and characteristics connected to its destination.
Italy’s other entries are Four Seasons Firenze at No. 12, Casa Maria Luigia at No. 18, Bulgari Roma at No. 32, Portrait Milano at No. 39 and San Domenico Palace at No. 50.
Casa Maria Luigia also received the Lavazza Highest New Entry Award.
Paris has four hotels on the list. Hôtel de Crillon ranked No. 14 after climbing nine places, followed by Le Bristol at No. 19, Cheval Blanc Paris at No. 20 and new entry Plaza Athénée at No. 41.
Hôtel du Couvent in Nice ranked No. 38 and received the Johnnie Walker Art of Design Award. Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc re-entered the ranking at No. 44.
The UK entries are Claridge’s at No. 13, Raffles London at The OWO at No. 28, Estelle Manor in Witney at No. 43 and The Connaught at No. 49.
Elsewhere in Europe, Four Seasons Astir Palace in Greece ranked No. 27, Badrutt’s Palace in Switzerland No. 36, Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo No. 40 and Hotel Sacher Vienna No. 42.
The Peninsula Istanbul entered the list at No. 31.
North and South America
North America has six hotels in the 2026 ranking.
Mexico accounts for four of them: Chablé Yucatán at No. 9, One&Only Mandarina at No. 23, Las Ventanas al Paraíso at No. 25 and Maroma at No. 47.
Las Ventanas al Paraíso also received the WhistlePig Highest Climber Award after moving up 19 places from No. 44.
The United States has two new entries: San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara at No. 22 and Amangiri in Canyon Point at No. 45.
In South America, Rosewood São Paulo climbed 18 places to No. 6. Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro ranked No. 29.
Africa and Oceania
Africa has two hotels in the 2026 ranking: Royal Mansour in Marrakech at No. 26 and Mount Nelson in Cape Town at No. 34, which re-entered the list.
Royal Mansour also takes The Best Hotel in Africa title as the continent’s highest-ranked property.
Oceania has one hotel on the list. Capella Sydney ranked No. 16 and was named The Best Hotel in Oceania.
Special Awards
Alongside the main ranking, The 50 Best Hotels 2026 presented a series of special awards.
Patina Osaka received the Nikka Best New Hotel Award, while James McBride, Co-Founder and CEO of Nihi Hotels, received the SevenRooms Icon Award.
Chablé Yucatán won the Bombay Sapphire Eco Hotel Award. The resort reports that solar panels generate around 60% of its energy, while its kitchens use produce grown in traditional Mayan ka’anche gardens. The property also supports initiatives including the protection of the endangered Melipona bee. The award assessment was conducted with the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
Atlantis The Royal received the Best Beach Hotel Award, while Badrutt’s Palace received the SeiBellissimi Art of Hospitality Award.
Passalacqua won Best Boutique Hotel for the third consecutive year. Hôtel du Couvent received the Johnnie Walker Art of Design Award.
Rosewood received the Ferrari Trento Most Admired Hotel Group Award.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York received the American Express Travel One to Watch Award.
The 50 Best Hotels 2026: Full Ranking
- Rosewood Hong Kong — Hong Kong
- Capella Bangkok — Bangkok
- Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River — Bangkok
- Atlantis The Royal — Dubai
- Passalacqua — Lake Como
- Rosewood São Paulo — São Paulo
- Mandarin Oriental Qianmen — Beijing
- The Upper House — Hong Kong
- Chablé Yucatán — Chocholá
- Mandarin Oriental Bangkok — Bangkok
- Aman Tokyo — Tokyo
- Four Seasons Firenze — Florence
- Claridge’s — London
- Hôtel de Crillon — Paris
- Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab — Dubai
- Capella Sydney — Sydney
- Raffles Singapore — Singapore
- Casa Maria Luigia — Modena
- Le Bristol — Paris
- Cheval Blanc Paris — Paris
- Desa Potato Head — Bali
- San Ysidro Ranch — Santa Barbara
- One&Only Mandarina — Riviera Nayarit
- Bulgari Tokyo — Tokyo
- Las Ventanas al Paraíso — Los Cabos
- Royal Mansour — Marrakech
- Four Seasons Astir Palace — Athens
- Raffles London at The OWO — London
- Copacabana Palace — Rio de Janeiro
- The Taj Mahal Palace — Mumbai
- The Peninsula Istanbul — Istanbul
- Bulgari Roma — Rome
- Patina Osaka — Osaka
- Mount Nelson — Cape Town
- Nihi Sumba — Sumba Island
- Badrutt’s Palace — St. Moritz
- Park Hyatt Kyoto — Kyoto
- Hôtel du Couvent — Nice
- Portrait Milano — Milan
- Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo — Monaco
- Plaza Athénée — Paris
- Hotel Sacher Vienna — Vienna
- Estelle Manor — Witney
- Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc — Antibes
- Amangiri — Canyon Point
- The Peninsula Hong Kong — Hong Kong
- Maroma — Riviera Maya
- Aman Nai Lert — Bangkok
- The Connaught — London
- San Domenico Palace — Taormina
How The 50 Best Hotels Ranking Is Compiled
The ranking is based on votes from The 50 Best Hotels Academy, which comprises more than 800 members across 13 geographical regions.
The voting panel includes hoteliers, travel journalists, hotel educators, business travellers and consumer travel enthusiasts. At least 25% of the panel is renewed each year.
Academy members can vote for any hotel where they have stayed, regardless of their home region. Each voter selects seven hotels in order of preference based on stays experienced during the three-year voting period.
Votes are cast individually and confidentially through a secure website. Academy Chairs do not have access to the votes submitted by members in their respective regions.
Deloitte serves as the independent adjudicator for The 50 Best Hotels. The firm has independent access to the voting process and data and has performed procedures to verify the integrity and authenticity of the process and resulting list.
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