If fall gloom has you down, it’s time to plan your next holiday with fresh inspiration from the World’s 50 Best Hotels list.
Marking its third year, the award ceremony was held in London Thursday evening.
The list spans across six continents with 22 destinations and compiles votes from over 800 anonymous experts; a mix of hoteliers, travel writers, educators and frequent travellers.
The voters are asked to nominate the stays that impressed them the most in the last couple of years.
Asia dominated the list once again with 20 entries, but the U.K. made the list five times.
Claridge’s at 16, The Connaught (29), Raffles London at The OWO (31), The Emory (32) and the go-to of the Cotswold elite, Estelle Manor, which just came in at 47.
So if you’re looking for some inspiration for your 2026 getaway – here are the top five hotels the experts recommend…
5. Raffles Singapore, Singapore
Coming in at number five is one of the world’s most recognisable hotels – and one that arguably invented the idea of the luxurious grand tour retreat.
Raffles Singapore first opened its doors in 1887, welcoming travellers arriving by steamer to what was then British Malaya. Over the decades it has hosted everyone from Rudyard Kipling to Elizabeth Taylor, becoming as much a part of Singapore’s identity as the Merlion or the Marina Bay skyline.
After a meticulous restoration in 2019, the white-stucco landmark reopened with its old-world glamour intact.
Behind the famous façade are 115 suites, each with a personal butler, set around leafy courtyards that provide a rare hush in the middle of the city.
There are new touches too: restaurants from French Michelin star chefs Alain Ducasse and Anne-Sophie Pic, refreshed interiors and discreet technology tucked behind the original teak shutters.
The Long Bar – birthplace of the country’s national drink the Singapore Sling – still draws a steady stream of curious visitors, though the hotel itself feels far more poised than its sugary signature cocktail.
Raffles’ enduring appeal lies in its balance: a piece of living history that remains relevant, managing to feel timeless rather than trapped in time.
4. Passalacqua, Lake Como, Italy
The only European hotel to make the top five,…
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