The World's Best Hotels in 2024

Capella Bangkok in Thailand has been named the best hotel in the world by William Reed Business Media's The World's 50 Best Hotels list. The roundup of luxurious hotels was announced at an awards ceremony in London on Tuesday night, marking only the second-ever edition of the list. The ranking was based on the answers of 600 anonymous voters from across the globe, including travel journalists, hoteliers and seasoned luxury travelers.

Capella Bangkok, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, is a fairly new hotel, having opened its doors in 2020. It is complete with a Michelin-starred restaurant, a spa and seven villas, each with their own jacuzzi plunge pool. The hotel jumped up 10 spots from 2023, overtaking last year’s winner, the Passalacqua on Italy’s Lake Como, which now places second. Passalacqua is set in an 18th-century villa with terraced gardens and just 24 rooms. In third place comes the 65-storey Rosewood Hong Kong, with harbor views, a modern style and 11 restaurants.

Asia dominates this year’s edition of the 50 Best, with 19 hotels making an appearance in total, four of which are in Thailand’s Bangkok. Europe has 13 hotels on the list, with four properties in each of France, the United Kingdom and Italy, while North America has nine properties featured. The top performing U.S. hotel is The Carlyle (rank 30), which is located on New York’s Upper East Side and known for its Art Deco aesthetic. Its bar, Bemelmans, is famed for jazz and martinis.

William Reed is widely known for their prestigious 50 Best Restaurants list and 50 Best Bars list.