Bangkok Chapeloverlooking the majestic Chao Phraya River in Thailand, takes the top spot in the list of the World's 50 Best Hotels 2024, also grabbing the title of Asia's Best Hotel 2024.
Hotels in Asia occupy a significant place in the ranking (19), followed by Europe (13), North America (9), Africa (4), Oceania (4) and South America (1).
Bangkok cements its reputation as a global travel hub with four hotels on the list: Bangkok Chapel (No. 1), Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (No. 12), Four Seasons Bangkok on the Chao Phraya River (No. 14) and Siam (No. 26). To further strengthen Asia's presence, Japan has three hotels, including In Tokyo (No. 7), Bulgari Tokyo (No. 22) and Park Hyatt Kyoto (No. 27).
Europe accounts for 13 of the world's 50 best hotels, with France, the UK and Italy each having four properties on the list. The top-ranked properties include: White Horse Paris (No. 4) and Crillon Hotel (No. 15) in Paris, Claridge's (No. 11) and Raffles London at OWO (No. 13) and The Four Seasons of Florence (No. 19) in Italy.
North America is home to nine winning properties: Maroma (No.18) is one of four hotels in Mexico to appear in the ranking, including Chablé Yucatan (No. 16), Mandarin One&Only (No. 29) and Esencia Hotel(No. 48). In New York, The Carlyle enters at number 30, while Aman New York is number 37.
Africa now has four hotels on the list: new entry Mount Nelson (No. 28) at the Cape, La Mamounia (No. 31) and Royal Mansour (No. 38) in Marrakech, and Singita – Kruger National Park (No. 44).
Here is the Top 10:
1. Capella Bangkok
Capella Bangkok is a lesson in serenity and calm, from the sleek Japanese-style design to the seemingly semi-psychic service that anticipates guests’ every need. Space and light are integral to the 101 rooms, suites and villas, which are impressively spacious with separate living rooms and huge bathrooms. The villas all feature private gardens with private hot tubs and room living room.
The friendly team of Capella Culturists can create tailor-made experiences for guests around food, art, culture and gardens. Starting rate: $600
2. Passalacqua, Lake Como
Set in an 18th-century villa amid spectacular terraced gardens on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, Passalacqua is a Charming hotel with only 24 rooms. The hotel rooms are spread across three buildings: the main villa, the eight-room Palazz and the four-suite Casa al Lago on the lakefront.
The pool deck is dotted with brightly colored umbrellas that add a modern, trendy touch to the otherwise classic opulence. Starting rate: $1,300
3. Hong Kong Rosewood
When it opened in 2019, Rosewood Hong Kong made its 65-storey tower a fixture on the city’s skyline. It is the seventh property from Rosewood Hotel Group to open in Asia, offering its signature style of luxury hospitality against the breathtaking backdrop of Victoria Harbour.
The hotel's 413 rooms offer an aesthetic designed to encourage a state of total zen, complemented by floor-to-ceiling windows offering unparalleled views of the surrounding city. Starting rate: $650
4. White Horse, Paris
From its headquarters in the iconic La Samaritaine building next to the famous Pont Neuf, Cheval Blanc – the first urban Maison from luxury group LVMH Hospitality – features colourful interiors, a Dior spa, the world-renowned Plénitude restaurant and the longest indoor swimming pool in Paris.
While nearly all of the 72 light-filled rooms (including 46 suites) overlook the Seine, those views are best enjoyed from the sunny Winter Garden Suites, which have floor-to-ceiling windows framing the river with Notre Dame to the left and the Eiffel Tower to the right. Starting rate: $3,000
5. The Upper House, Hong Kong
This 117-room hotel, located above Admiralty’s Pacific Place, is a haven of well-being. Spacious rooms and studios rival the average Hong Kong apartment. The peaceful experience begins with a paperless check-in that bypasses the check-in desk.
Inside the rooms, each accommodation is a dining space with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the city beyond. The hotel also features artwork in every corner with over 400 pieces of work. Starting rate: $650
6. Raffles Hotel, Singapore
The grand white neo-Renaissance building that houses Raffles Singapore is iconic throughout the city-state and beyond. It was completed in 1899 and hailed as one of the most beautiful and innovative buildings of the century. It even boasts Singapore’s first electric lights and fans and is home to the famous Singapore Sling cocktail. It offers 115 suites and its tropical gardens take up almost half of the entire estate.
Raffles' legendary butlers are the hotel's ambassadors who have received specialized training and pioneered a style of service that countless people around the world have tried to emulate. Starting rate: $2,000
7. Aman, Tokyo
The hotel became Aman’s first urban outpost when it opened in 2014, spanning the top six floors of a 38-story skyscraper in the Otemachi financial district. The hotel’s 84 spacious, light-filled rooms feel more like a luxury residence than a guest room, and deep, window-side stone bathtubs offer one of the best bathing experiences with a view in Tokyo.
The spa spans two floors and offers inventive treatments rooted in Japan's healing traditions, from traditional kampo herbs to Shinto misogi purification rituals. Starting rate: $1,800
8. Soneva Fushi, Maldives
Soneva Fushi is accessible only by seaplane, a 40-minute journey. Upon arrival, guests remove their shoes and send them to the villas, to be returned upon departure from the Maldives. The resort has 63 private villas, each with its own personalized Barefoot Guardian service available 24/7.
Upon check-in, guests are provided with a bicycle, the only means of transport to access the Balinese-inspired spa, pool complex, tennis courts, library and gym. Soneva Fushi pioneered the open-air bathroom experience, which is now a feature of quality Maldivian resorts. Starting rate: $2,800
9. Atlantis The Royal, Dubai
Home to 795 rooms and suites, 17 restaurants and bars, 17 boutiques, a 32,300-square-foot wellness area and no fewer than 90 pools – including Cloud 22 perched atop the skybridge – this is the place to stay if you want a bling-bling experience in Dubai.
The hotel's luxury intensifies with suites and penthouses, 44 of which feature their own glass-walled pools so you can swim in the sky. Departure rate: $460
10. Nihi Sumba, Indonesia
Nihi Sumba sits on 225 hectares of largely untouched jungle on the remote west coast of Sumba Island in eastern Indonesia, an hour’s flight from Bali. The 27-villa resort is set in the steep hills above a private beach, home to one of the world’s most famous surf breaks, Occy’s Left.
All villas feature private infinity pools, indoor and outdoor bathrooms, teak and marble finishes and a dedicated host. The resort features a spa on a spectacular clifftop site with open-air treatment rooms overlooking the ocean and a chocolate factory, a beachfront infinity pool and an organic garden. Starting rate: $1,300
The full list can be viewed here
