The result, of course, was never in doubt — at least for anyone who has been following London’s seemingly unstoppable luxury hotel boom over the past 12 months.
Last night, the capital retained its status as a world leader in delivering first-class places to rest your head, as three of its hotels made it onto the list at The World's 50 Best Hotels awards.
This was the second edition of the event, which took place once again at the historic Guildhall. Last year, London shared the honours with Paris and Bangkok as home to the highest number of celebrated properties on the planet, and it once again had a strong showing.
This time around, the city’s tally was bettered only by Bangkok, which notched a quartet of entries.
Almost all awards like to describe themselves as an Oscars of some variety or other, but the comparison here is justified, as a who’s who of hoteliers jetted in from around the world to lend a sense of real occasion to proceedings.
On a warm September evening, the red carpet outside the Guildhall was awash with cocktail dresses and velvet dinner jackets, as guests filed into the medieval building for canapés and free-flowing fizz, a gospel choir providing a suitably rarefied soundtrack to the reception. Then to the Grand Hall, as the main event began under the high-vaulted ceiling.
With 37 destinations represented across six continents, this year’s list had a suitably global feel to it and the first name to be announced — Kokomo Private Island on the Fijian island of Yaukuve Levu — could not be further removed from the capital. However, it wasn’t long before home supporters had something to cheer about.
At number 46, The Connaught in Mayfair was the UK’s first entry. Opened in 1815 and still a mainstay in the capital, its enduring popularity, and its place on the list, explained no doubt by the impeccable, old-school service — not to mention the world-class martinis made at its bar.
From one of London’s most established luxe offerings to one of its newest, as we jump to number 13. When Raffles at The OWO opened last September, the £1.4bn property was lauded – not least by the Evening Standard — as the city’s most important hospitality opening of the century – spearheading a “gold rush” of launches in the capital that would see at least 13 new high-end hotels appear by the end of 2025.
The judges agreed, not only placing Raffles at The OWO in the upper echelons of the list, but also making it this year’s highest new entry. That’s quite a seal of approval for London’s most expensive hotel from the 600-strong Academy of voters, made up of luxury travel experts from around the world, who decide on the ranking.
As to London’s highest ranked hotel? Claridge's retained that accolade from last time around, remaining at number 11 in the list. Long beloved by politicians, royalty and celebs for its discreet glamour, a smart, recent refurb that has seen the addition of a new Japanese-inspired 7,000 sq ft spa and in-house chocolatier (naturally) has refreshed its appeal immeasurably.
Elsewhere in the UK, Gleneagles in Scotland hit the No.41 spot.
Taking the global temperature
As to the other big trends of the night, sustainability was a frequent — and welcome — watchword. The challenge for luxury hotels to be more eco-friendly, while maintaining the highest standards is a real one; and many fall painfully short. But in Bali’s Desa Potato Head (no.21), that challenge is being answered with aplomb. The first Asian hospitality brand to go carbon-neutral, a zero-waste ethos runs through everything at this design-led, boutique hotel, and it was duly rewarded.
Elsewhere, Maromo (no. 18) on Mexico’s Riviera Maya is also flying the flag for a more sustainable approach, combining Belmond’s near unrivalled reputation for luxurious stays with an impressive commitment to reducing waste, supporting its local community and protecting biodiversity — all factors that contributed to the property winning the Flor de Caña Eco Hotel Award on the night.
While the UK’s performance can rightly be lauded, part of a strong showing from European hotels that contributed 13 entries, including last year’s top-rated property Passalacqua in Italy (now at 2), there was a clear, geographic winner.
With 19 listings, the centre of gravity was very much in Asia, the successful entries from the continent spanning an impressive range of destinations and types of offering, from barefoot luxe of Soneva Fushi in the Maldives (8) to Hong Kong’s smart, design-forward city high-rise The Upper House (4). Aman, the luxury group founded by Indonesian hotelier Adrian Zecha, had three properties on the list: Sri Lanka (39); New York (37); Tokyo (7). It also won the Ferrari Trento Most Admired Hotel Group award.
To cap Asia’s dominance of the list, Capella Bangkok was announced as the recipient of the top gong, crowning a winning night for the Thai capital as well.
When it opened in 2020, this serene and chic 101-room oasis on the Chao Phraya River upped Bangkok’s hotel game significantly, and the murmurs of approval that rippled through the audience, followed by the standing ovation, told their own story.
Now all that was left for the gathered crowd was to disperse to NoMad London for an after-party that went on long into the night, and no doubt left a good number of the world’s top hoteliers waking up this morning with something of a sore head.
The World’s 50 Best Hotels List in full
1.Capella Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand)
2.Passalacqua, (Lake Como, Italy)
3.Rosewood Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
4.Cheval Blanc (Paris, France)
5.The Upper House (Hong Kong)
6.Raffles Singapore (Singapore)
7.Aman Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
8.Soneva Fushi (Maldives)
9.Atlantis The Royal (Dubai)
10.Nihi Sumba (Sumba Island, Indonesia)
11.Claridge's (London, UK)
12.Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand)
13.Raffles London at The OWO (London, UK)
14.Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (Bangkok, Thailand)
15.Hôtel de Crillon (Paris, France)
16.Chablé Yucatán (Chocholá, Mexico)
17.Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc (Antibes, France)
18.Maroma (Riviera Maya, Mexico)
19.Four Seasons Firenze (Florence, Italy)
20.Borgo Santandrea (Amalfi, Italy)
21.Desa Potato Head (Bali, Indonesia)
22.Bulgari Tokyo (Tokyo, Japan)
23.The Lana (Dubai)
24.Rosewood São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil)
25.The Calile (Brisbane, Australia)
26.The Siam (Bangkok, Thailand)
27.Park Hyatt Kyoto (Kyoto, Japan)
28.Mount Nelson (Cape Town, South Africa)
29.One&Only Mandarina (Riviera Nayarit, Mexico)
30.The Carlyle (New York, USA)
31.La Mamounia (Marrakech, Morocco)
32.Four Seasons Madrid (Madrid, Spain)
33.Capella Singapore (Singapore)
34.Four Seasons at The Surf Club (Florida, USA)
35.Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles, USA)
36.Eden Rock (St. Barths)
37.Aman New York (New York, USA)
38.Royal Mansour (Marrakech, Morocco)
39.Amangalla (Galle, Sri Lanka)
40.Le Bristol (Paris, France)
41.Gleneagles (Auchterarder, Scotland)
42. Castello di Reschio (Lisciano Niccone, Italy)
43.Suján Jawai (Rajasthan, India)
44. Singita – Kruger National Park (Kruger National Park, South Africa)
45.Six Senses Zighy Bay (Zaghi, Oman)
46.The Connaught (London, UK)
47.The Brando (Tetiaroa, French Polynesia)
48.Hotel Esencia (Tulum, Mexico)
49.The Tasman (Hobart, Australia)
50.Kokomo Private Island (Yaukuve Levu Island, Fiji)
Special Awards
Nikka Best New Hotel - Bulgari Tokyo
SevenRooms Icon Award - Sonia Cheng, CEO of Rosewood Hotel Group
Flor de Caña Eco Hotel - Maroma, Riviera Maya
American Express Travel One To Watch Award - The Peninsula Istanbul
Lost Explorer Best Beach Hotel Award - Soneva Fushi, Maldives
No.3 Gin Art of Hospitality- Royal Mansour, Marrakech
Carlo Alberto Best Boutique Hotel - Passalacqua, Lake Como
Ferrari Trento Most Admired Hotel Group - Aman
Highest Climber Award - Atlantis The Royal, Dubai
Lavazza Highest New Entry Award- Raffles London at The OWO, London
