Revealed: The World’s 50 Best Hotels of 2026

The organisers of The World’s 50 Best Hotels have announced their top hotels for 2026 list – and it includes one from SA.

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Done by the same folks who select the World’s 50 Best Bars, this ranking features a winner from Hong Kong. The towering Rosewood Hong Kong, in the city’s Victoria Dockside arts and design district, offers stunning views of Hong Kong’s iconic skyline. Designed by New York-based designer Tony Chi, the interiors are a true fusion of East and West, immersing guests in a world of colour and texture. The 413-room hotel also boasts 11 restaurants and bars, including Michelin-starred The Legacy House, which specialises in Shunde cuisine.

Thailand claims the No. 2 spot with Capella Bangkok. It overlooks the capital city’s Chao Phraya River and is surrounded by lush gardens, combining all the elegance of a grande dame property with the intimacy of a boutique hotel. The dramatic, layered architecture ensures all 101 rooms face the water; the riverside villas have their own private pools; the Auriga spa is an enclave of relaxation; and the “Capella Culturalists” – personal butlers with a direct line to the city’s finest activities – are always on hand to help guests get under the skin of their destination. Rounding out the top three is the Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, which lies on the riverfront in Bangkok’s creative district.

Africa made the list with two standout offerings: Mount Nelson in Cape Town is at No. 34 and Royal Mansour in Marrakech is at No. 26. There were also special awards to complement the 50 Best rankings and act as additional accolades, given to best-in-class hotels and individuals.

BEST NEW HOTEL: Patina Osaka

Patina Osaka is a 20-storey hotel with 221 rooms and suites, a one-minute walk from Osaka Castle Park. Its design draws on kisetsukan – the Japanese sense of the changing seasons – positioning it as an urban sanctuary in the heart of the city.

HIGHEST NEW ENTRY: Casa Maria Luigia

Casa Maria Luigia is an invitation into the creative world of Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore. Set within a restored 18th-century country estate surrounded by gardens, orchards and the rolling landscapes of Emilia-Romagna, this magical property opened in 2019, blending the warmth of a private home with contemporary art, deeply personal hospitality, and one of Italy’s most celebrated culinary visions.

ECO HOTEL: Chablé Yucatán

Set in the Yucatán jungle, Chablé Yucatán‘s’s philosophy is rooted in a deep commitment to regional heritage, most notably through sustainable gastronomy.

BEST BEACH HOTEL: Atlantis The Royal

Hyped well before it opened, this hotel is big, bold and unapologetically in your face. Home to 795 rooms and suites, 17 restaurants, two storeys of boutiques, a sprawling Art Deco wellness space and swimming pools with unbeatable views, Atlantis The Royal is where to stay if you want an all-out bling Dubai experience.

ART OF DESIGN: Hôtel du Couvent

Hôtel du Couvent is a restored 17th-century convent. Rather than imposing a contemporary concept, architect Louis-Antoine Grégo and Studio Méditerranée treated the building as the author, listening to four centuries of monastic life already present in its walls, gardens, light and daily rhythms.

BEST BOUTIQUE HOTEL: Passalacqua

Set in an 18th-century villa built on land once owned by Pope Innocent XI, this Passalacqua – designed by leading Milanese architect Carlo Felice Soave – has played host to an aristocratic roll call of occupants. Set within spectacular terraced gardens and with just 24 rooms, the hotel showcases the finest Italian craftsmanship in a riot of ornate neoclassical elegance.

Other special awards include the One to Watch, awarded to The Fifth Avenue Hotel; the Art of Hospitality, awarded to Badrutt’s Palace; the Most Admired Hotel Group, awarded to Rosewood; the Highest Climber, awarded to Las Ventanas al Paraíso; and the Icon Award, awarded to James McBride. | the50.com

The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026 list of winners

The list of The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026 winners, ranked from 50 to 1:

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