What has 101 suites and villas, views over Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river and costs from $600 per night?
Capella Bangkok, 2024’s ‘best’ hotel in the world, according to ’50 Best.’
That’s the collective view of 600 anonymous global voters, comprising travel journalists, hoteliers and seasoned travel specialists, which determined the results of “The World’s 50 Best Hotels,” announced Tuesday in London’s historic Guildhall.
The hotel climbed 10 places, up from No. 11 on the 2023 list. It has five dining options, including a one Michelin-starred restaurant by chef Mauro Colagreco, plus a “spa sanctuary” called Auriga, and seven riverside villas with private plunge pools.
Following the awards ceremony, the hotel’s General Manager John Blanco told CNBC Travel: “I think we’re numb! So unexpected, flattering, all the adjectives you can think of. For a small brand like Capella … it’s just wonderful recognition for our people. I’m sure everyone back home is celebrating.”
The hotel’s director of sales and marketing, Josephine Ping, added: “We focus on giving guests a true Thai experience. It’s a great reward for everyone and their hard work. Our location is truly unique, local, authentic with a sense of place on the ‘River of Kings.'”
In 2023, bragging rights in the inaugural hotel awards went to Passalacqua in Italy’s Lake Como, which slipped one place to No. 2 in this year’s list.
This is the second time the 50 Best organization has released hotel rankings. It has long produced rankings in the culinary world, releasing “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” since 2002, and ‘The World’s 50 Best Bars’ since 2009.
The ’50 best’ hotels in the world
Here’s the complete list:
- Capella Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
- Passalacqua, Lake Como, Italy
- Rosewood Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- Cheval Blanc, Paris, France
- The Upper House, Hong Kong
- Raffles Singapore, Singapore
- Aman Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Soneva Fushi, Maldives
- Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, UAE
- Nihi Sumba, Sumba Island, Indonesia
- Claridge’s, London, UK
- Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand
- Raffles London at The OWO, London, UK
- Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Bangkok, Thailand
- Hôtel de Crillon, Paris, France
- Chablé Yucatán, Chocholá, Mexico
- Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes, France
- Maroma, Riviera Maya, Mexico
- Four Seasons Firenze, Florence, Italy
- Borgo Santandrea, Amalfi, Italy
- Desa Potato Head, Bali, Indonesia
- Bulgari Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- The Lana, Dubai, UAE
- Rosewood São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- The Calile, Brisbane, Australia
- The Siam, Bangkok, Thailand
- Park Hyatt Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan
- Mount Nelson, Cape Town, South Africa
- One&Only Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit, Mexico
- The Carlyle, New York, U.S.
- La Mamounia, Marrakech, Morocco
- Four Seasons Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Capella Singapore, Singapore
- Four Seasons at The Surf Club, Surfside, U.S.
- Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles, U.S.
- Eden Rock, St. Barths, Caribbean
- Aman New York, New York, U.S.
- Royal Mansour, Marrakech, Morocco
- Amangalla, Galle, Sri Lanka
- Le Bristol, Paris, France
- Gleneagles, Auchterarder, Scotland
- Castello di Reschio, Lisciano Niccone, Italy
- Suján Jawai, Rajasthan, India
- Singita – Kruger National Park, Kruger National Park, South Africa
- Six Senses Zighy Bay, Zighy, Oman
- The Connaught, London, UK
- The Brando, Tetiaroa, French Polynesia
- Hotel Esencia, Tulum, Mexico
- The Tasman, Hobart, Australia
- Kokomo Private Island, Yaukuve Levu Island, Fiji
The 2024 list features hotels from dozens of destinations across six continents.
Asia is home to the most hotels on the list with 19 spots, followed by Europe with 13, North America with nine, Africa and Oceania with four each, and South America with one.
The top-ranked hotel on each continent are:
- Asia — Capella Bangkok (No. 1)
- Europe — Passalacqua (No. 2)
- North America — Chablé Yucatan (No. 16)
- South America Rosewood Sao Paulo (No. 24)
- Oceania — The Calile (No. 25)
- Africa — Mount Nelson (No. 28)
For travelers looking for a city break, Bangkok represents the top urban destination on the list with four hotels; followed by London and Paris, with three each; then Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore and New York, with two each.
Other awards
The ’50 Best’ organization also announced individual awards for standout hotels in specific categories.
The Highest New Entry Award went to Raffles London at the OWO (No. 13) while The Highest Climber Award was claimed by Atlantis The Royal in Dubai, moving 35 positions from No. 44 to No.9.
Bulgari Tokyo (No. 22) was the highest-ranked hotel to open within the two-year voting window and was therefore named “Best New Hotel,” while The Peninsula Istanbul, which only opened last year, was named the “One to Watch” for showing the greatest potential to break into the top 50 list in the future.
The Art of Hospitality Award went to Morocco’s Royal Mansour, and the Best Beach Hotel Award went to Soneva Fushi in The Maldives.
The Best Boutique Hotel Award was claimed by Passalacqua in Lake Como and the Eco Hotel Award was awarded to Maroma Riviera Maya in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula for “its commitment to both people and planet.”
The Most Admired Hotel Group Award went to luxe and wellness pioneer Aman, while The Icon Award was given to Rosewood Hotel Group CEO Sonia Cheng for her “positive force on the hotel sector.”
The voting system
Voters, divided across nine regions around the world, name the seven hotels that they enjoyed the most in the past two years, in their order of preference.
Members of the 50 Best organization “do not vote and do not control the composition of the list,” Emma Sleight, head of content for The World’s 50 Best Hotels told CNBC. “It’s up to each individual voter to decide what makes any individual hotel among their ‘best’ experiences.”
Any hotel can be nominated, as long as a voter stayed at least one night in it, however, the rules state that a voter cannot nominate more than three properties within the same hotel group.
“A hotel does not have to stock a certain product, meet a certain price point, have won any other accolades,” said Sleight. “Any style of hotel is eligible for inclusion — whether it’s a new hotel or has been open for 100 years — as demonstrated by last year’s list … Atlantis The Royal in Dubai was featured, alongside Claridge’s which has been open since the 1800s.”