The first edition of the World’s Best 50 Hotels was revealed at London’s Guildhall last night in what was a huge event for travel, hotels and hospitality around the world. 

Attracting hoteliers from across six continents and countless cities – ranging from Bangkok to New York – the awards celebrated the most luxurious establishments and experiences in the hospitality world. The new list features 50 hotels from 35 different destinations, voted for by a 580-strong panel of industry experts. 

The awards come after the success of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and the World’s 50 Best Bars, marking the authority’s first foray into the world of travel this year. 

Passalacqua in Italy’s Lake Como took the top prize and has been named the World’s Best Hotel 2023 – quite the feat considering the lakeside property has only been open since last year. Housed in an eighteenth-century villa, the boutique hotel features impressive terraced gardens adjacent to the lake’s turquoise water and just 24 rooms, making this hotel feel like a private home. In the number two spot is the towering Rosewood Hong Kong, set in the city’s Victoria Dockside arts and design district with stunning views over the harbour.

Meanwhile, 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, Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, The Upper House in Hong Kong and Aman Tokyo. Placed highest on the list at number seven and within 20 metres of a beach, Soneva Fushi in the Maldives was also named the Lost Explorer Best Beach Hotel.

Two UK hotels outside of London were featured – Gleneagles in Scotland and The Newt in Somerset – while the capital cemented its position as a hub for five-star hospitality, with four hotels taking the top spots. Read on to discover which properties were ranked and where. 

The Savoy, Strand 

Image: Damien Heweston

The Savoy Royal Suite

Ranked at number 47, it’s perhaps unsurprising that such a seasoned stalwart has found its way onto this list. Since opening its doors in 1889, The Savoy has led the way for London’s five-star hotels with unrivalled white-glove service and attention to detail. The 265 rooms and suites all feature an elegant Edwardian, Art Deco style, with some offering panoramic views of the Thames below. Elsewhere, Gordon Ramsay’s Savoy Grill does not disappoint, nor does the darkly seductive The Beaufort Bar.

Rooms from £720 per night, visit thesavoylondon.com

NoMad London, Covent Garden

A relative newcomer to London’s hotel scene is the NoMad, having opened in 2021 and landing at number 46 last night. Situated at the former Bow Street Magistrates Court, a Grade II-listed building in Covent Garden, the NoMad takes much of its inspiration from the building’s history. The Side Hustle Bar, for example, occupies a former police station and is decorated with memorabilia and old pictures. The grand space houses 91 rooms, designed by New York-based team Roman and Williams who have thoughtfully paid homage to the decorative traditions of England’s heritage while bearing a unique New York sensibility, inspired by the original NoMad found in Manhattan. 

Rooms from £432 per night, visit thenomadhotel.com

The Connaught, Mayfair

At number 22 is The Connaught. Another stalwart, it opened its doors in 1897 and has retained much of its Edwardian charm despite a £70 million facelift in 2007, which saw rooms overhauled by David Collins Studio and the addition of an Aman spa – the first to be built outside the renowned Aman resorts. The dining experiences are nothing short of spectacular, thanks to Hélène Darroze at The Connaught with three Michelin stars, the award-winning Coburg Bar, and The Connaught Bar, which came runner up at the World’s 50 Best Bar Awards where it was named the Best Bar in Europe. 

Rooms from £750 per night, visit the-connaught.co.uk

Claridge’s, Mayfair 

Finally, Claridge’s makes it into the top 20 with a prime ranking at 16th in the world. Since 1856, this five-star hotel has been the Art Deco jewel of Mayfair, welcoming all manner of society elite, from Audrey Hepburn to Kate Moss, through its glitzy revolving doors. The gleaming chequerboard marble floor, cascading chandeliers, towering floristry displays and dramatically curved staircases pay a glittering homage to the Roaring Twenties, while the rest of the impressive property houses 208 rooms and suites, the L’Epicerie restaurant, the newly-opened Claridge's Restaurant, Le Fumoir bar and a rooftop spa. 

From £680 per night, visit claridges.co.uk

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