Photo Credit: Ruben Ortiz
The World’s 50 Best held its inaugural ceremony for the 2023 50 Best Hotels in the world last night in London, and without further ado, here are the winners, from 35 destinations across six continents, including the top property in the world, which is…
Passalacqua, located in Moltrasio, Italy (Lake Como). This luxury boutique hotel on the shores of Lake Como — which opened in June 2022 — is located in an 18th century villa with spectacular terraced gardens running down to the water. Its owners, the De Santis family, have created an exquisite 24-room property with the feel of a private home. In the No.2 spot is the towering Rosewood Hong Kong, set in the city’s Victoria Dockside arts and design district with stunning views over the harbor.
The inaugural ranking of The World’s 50 Best Hotels reveals that 21 of the winning properties are based in Europe. London solidifies its reputation as a global travel hub, boasting four hotels on the list: Claridge’s (No.16), The Connaught (No.22), NoMad London (No.46) and The Savoy (No.47), while two other UK properties were also winners: Gleneagles in Scotland (No.32) – recipient of the Art of Hospitality Award announced in August – and The Newt in Bruton, Somerset (No.37), which
was awarded the Carlo Alberto Best Boutique Hotel Award. This award is given to the hotel that places highest on the list that fits all the criteria of a boutique property. 50 Best defines a boutique hotel as having fewer than 50 rooms and not being part of a large chain or group, showcasing personalized service and idiosyncratic features unique to its destination.
Meanwhile, the continent of Asia is home to 18 of The World’s 50 Best Hotels, including four properties that sit at the top end of the list: Rosewood Hong Kong (No.2), Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (No.3), The Upper House in Hong Kong (No.4) and Aman Tokyo (No.5). Placed highest on the list and within 20 metres of a beach, Soneva Fushi (No.7), in the Maldives, is also named the Lost Explorer Best Beach Hotel.
Singita Lodges in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, the smallest property on the list with just 18 rooms, takes the No.15 spot, as well as the Flor de Caña Eco Hotel Award. Known for their environmentally conscious hospitality, the lodges are located within 33,000 acres of pristine wilderness where a unique wildlife population thrives across four distinct ecological zones, offering travelers an exciting and luxurious way of experiencing African wildlife, without disturbing the
environment. As with its other global awards, 50 Best worked closely with The Sustainable Restaurant Association on the Flor de Caña Eco Hotel Award, which invited all hotels on the list to submit an application outlining their sustainability initiatives and credentials for rigorous review. Singita Lodges is one of three hotels on the African continent to make the ranking, alongside La Mamounia (No.6) and Royal Mansour (No.23), both in Marrakech.
The Nikka Best New Hotel Award is awarded to Capella Bangkok (No.11), with sweeping riverfront views of the Thai capital, which opened in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Nikka Best New Hotel Award goes to the highest-ranked hotel on the list that opened within the two-year voting window (May 2021 to May 2023).
Sonu Shivdasani OBE, co-founder and CEO of Soneva and founder and former CEO of Six Senses Resorts & Spas, was voted by the Academy as the winner of the SevenRooms Icon Award, celebrating his achievements in the hotel industry over the last 28 years, including the creation of two of the most renowned hotel brands globally.
The evening also celebrated those honoured with pre-announced special awards, including The Lodge at Blue Sky, the remote lodge in the picturesque Wasatch Mountain Range in Utah which was named the Lavazza One To Watch earlier in the month. Gleneagles (No.32) in Scotland was announced on 22 August as the winner of the Art of Hospitality Award, which celebrates a hotel’s outstanding service and attention to detail.
Check out the full list below!
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