The Best Hotels and Resorts in Africa and the Middle East: The Gold List 2026
It’s time again for us to tell you about the hotels (and cruises) we really, really love right now. Our 32nd annual Gold List collects our editors’ current favorite places to stay and ships to sail (all vetted by our team of contributors and editors around the globe). They’re memorable for many reasons: service that made us feel like Hollywood stars; architecture that transported us to 1920s London or 18th-century Lake Como; and meals in Vietnam, in Australia, and at sea that we know will inspire Proustian responses. What do all of these experiences have in common? We’ll be carrying them with us for years to come. To paraphrase the old saying: New friends are silver, but old friends are gold.
See the full Gold List here.
Mark Anthony FoxhotelAl Moudira Hotel — Egypt
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Gold List 2026The word oasis gets thrown around, but in the case of Al Moudira, it’s merited. On land filled with date palms and next to fields of sugarcanes in Luxor, Egypt’s quiet west bank, this jumble of cupola-topped suites feels world’s away from the cruise ship crush across the Nile. Italian Lebanese designer Zeina Aboukheir opened it in 2002, and it’s long been a hideaway for aesthetes like Rick Owens (and Christian Louboutin is often there for lunch). Under new ownership, the property has had a subtle facelift; the new villas with stargazing rooms and salvaged marble and tilework blend right in with the original suites nearby, which are similarly adorned with hand-painted hieroglyphs, trompe l’oeill drapery, and souk-sourced antiques. There’s a farm with ostriches, donkeys, and a new seasonal restaurant by Andalusian chef Gioconda Scott, and a lounger-lined pool that warrants that oasis moniker all on its own. Luxor’s sunrise balloon rides and temple tours await, but no one could judge guests for simply snoozing the day away in this sun-dappled dream. From $330. —Chris Schalkx
Paul ThuysbaerthotelRaffles Doha
$$$ | Gold List 2026Subtle, the Raffles Doha is not. Shaped like a scimitar and towering over Qatar's Lusail Marina, this landmark hotel makes an entrance long before you step inside. The 138-foot-high lobby dazzles with mirrored walls and kaleidoscopic sky projections, and all its rooms are suites complete with hydromassage steam showers and high-tech customizable scent diffusers. There’s a spa with private hammams; the Blue Cigar Lounge, lined with 7,000 antique books (including first editions of Robinson Crusoe and Moby-Dick); and waffles at breakfast shaped like the hotel. But beneath the pomp, it’s the details that stand out: an oil-infused bath drawn while you’re out dune bashing; your favorite toothpaste discreetly replaced. It’s all a bit over-the-top, but Raffles pulls it off. Proof that sometimes too much is exactly enough. From $540. —Chris Schalkx
Courtesy Volcanoes SafarishotelMount Gahinga Lodge — Uganda
$$ | Gold List 2026 
Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2022You’re back from a thrilling gorilla trek, sipping a cocktail with a view of the Virunga peaks on the Uganda-Rwanda border. This is luxury. Understated luxury is what Volcanoes Safaris does best. Here in southwest Uganda, Mount Gahinga Lodge’s eight bandas (huts) with papyrus roofs and stone walls celebrate local design, from the four-poster bed to African-print dressing gowns. Its founder, conservation-philanthropist Praveen Momam, lived in Uganda until his family, like mine, left during the 1972 Ugandan Asian expulsion. But childhood memories and conservation ambitions inspired his return. The conservation story is a success—300 mountain gorillas in the 1970s to more than 1,000 today—but the forest-living Batwa community were displaced as a result. Through the Volcanoes Safaris Partnership Trust, Moman has helped resettle some of the displaced Batwa, among other initiatives. By night we enjoy a fireside drink in the main lounge before dinner at the communal table. Volcanoes’ chefs are wizards with local ingredients: grilled tilapia, chicken luwombo, egg-filled “Rolex” chapati, or steamed plantain. Back in the room the fire is lit. Golden monkeys await tomorrow—as well as a post-hike massage. Sweet dreams in this corner of Uganda. From $765 per person, plus a nightly $50 community fee. —Meera Dattani
Tanveer BadalhotelOur Habitas AlUla — Saudi Arabia
$$$ | Gold List 2026For all of Saudi Arabia’s whiplash reinvention—transforming in the span of a few years from a place with no cinemas or tourism into a nation hosting electronic music festivals and cultural seasons that draw millions each year—it is the otherworldly, sandstone-strewn landscape of AlUla that has emerged as its crown jewel. At its heart is this Habitas property, unfurling in a sweep of low-slung, earth-toned villas that seem to dissolve into the burnt-sugar cliffs. Its interiors reveal earthy red textiles, desert-hued ceramics, and design features echoing the artistry of Hegra’s UNESCO-listed tombs, a 20-minute drive away. Dip into the hotel’s infinity pool (a showstopping ribbon of turquoise) and take a complimentary e-bike to ride past colorful art installations by the likes of Lita Albuquerque and Manal Aldowayan that dot the valley. This is the new Saudi Arabia—rooted in history but with a modern flourish that rewards travelers exploring tourism’s newest frontier. From $346. —Scott Campbell
Courtesy The St. Regis Saadiyat Island ResorthotelThe St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi
$$$ | Gold List 2026The St Regis Saadiyat Island is the grandest of the all-star line-up of luxury resorts that hug the white sands of Abu Dhabi’s most beautiful beach—all winding, palm-lined walkways and palatial Mediterranean-inspired architecture. Inside, the heady scent of jasmine collides with the smell of oud wafting from glamorous guests and the freshly brewed Arabic coffee poured from curved, golden pots upon check-in. This is a big resort, with 376 guest rooms, as well as private residences on its grounds. And yet, it manages not to feel overwhelming, with its many quiet corners, private stretch of idyllic beach, and five swimming pools. Plus, it has perhaps the best breakfast spread I have ever encountered—served until 1 pm, allowing guests to enjoy leisurely beachside mornings and take their time sampling several plates (trust us, you’ll want to). From $272. —Sophie Prideaux
Courtesy Wilderness SafarishotelWilderness Bisate Lodge — Rwanda
$$$ | Gold List 2018, 2020, 2026 
Hot List 2018 Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2022Wilderness remains the gold standard in luxury conservation tourism. Since its 2017 inception on the doorstep of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, bucket-listers and Hollywood A-listers (allegedly) have flocked to this most salubrious of base camps for gorilla trekking. Wilderness Bisate’s six stunning hillside villas, which feature thatch-effect roofing, are shaped like sci-fi orbs, and the interiors are a nod to Rwandan royal palaces with their domed ceilings arching above furnishings accented with splashes of emerald green, black, and white. The balconies open onto lush vegetation and views of three volcanoes soaring above a landscape that Bisate is currently reforesting. Mealtimes include fish, salads fresh from Bisate’s own vegetable garden, and dishes such as Asian-spiced pork belly that can be paired with premium South African reds from the wine cellar. Attentive staff can still provide in-room massages as well as all the equipment you need for your gorilla trek—in case you’ve forgotten that’s what you’re here for. From $2,790. —Noo Saro-Wiwa
Courtesy Bvlgari Resort DubaihotelBvlgari Resort Dubai
$$$ | Gold List 2019, 2026Located away from Dubai’s main traveler trail, the Bvlgari Resort Dubai feels like a secret refuge. The line-up of supercars on the driveway may hint at a clientele of crypto bros and reality TV influencers, but inside there’s a grown-up, understated crowd. There’s nothing showy about the building, but everything looks and feels expensive, from the gleaming Mongolian black granite in the lobby to the green-and-gold mosaic tiles in the spa and the cashmere blankets in the bedrooms. Gardens are filled with shade-giving palms and fragrant frangipani, the beach is soft and powdery, and the poolside cabanas are perfect for mindless lounging. There’s a cluster of Michelin stars at the Italian and Japanese restaurants—the latter a 17-seat counter that feels straight out of Ginza—and the 20 resort villas are among the best in the city, perfectly private residences for those who don’t want to be seen. From $568. —Nicola Chilton
Ritz-Carlton Ras Al KhaimahhotelThe Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert — UAE
$$$ | Gold List 2026Just an hour’s drive north of Dubai, the Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert Resort, is a dreamy escape where gazelles and Arabian oryx traverse the sands. The resort’s 109 sleek suites and romantic tented villas have long drawn guests with its mix of wildlife spotting, desert adventures, and luxe accommodations, but eight new signature two-bedroom villas take the property to another level. Whenever I stay, I never get over seeing white oryx plodding up the dunes, bee-eaters swooping low over the watering holes, and early morning mist evaporating into peachy desert skies. There are bikes to ride, ATV wildlife safaris in the dunes, and desert trails to explore on horseback, but you could just as easily retreat to the spa for a massage on a bed of warm quartz sand. The real beauty of staying here is the serenity and the opportunity to be embraced by a gentle side of the desert and to live alongside the creatures that make it home. From $460. —Nicola Chilton
Inge Prins/Sterrekopje FarmhotelSterrekopje Farm — South Africa
$$$ | Gold List 2026 Hot List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2025The Dutch partners Nicole Boekhoorn and Fleur Huijskens have created such a thoughtful healing hotel that when guests arrive at the 1693 Cape Dutch farmhouse, their stresses seem magically to leech away. On the partners’ 124-acre farm, named after the nearby Star Hill, natural beauty abounds. There’s a spring-filled dam to swim in; Great Danes and fat pigs to stroke; and 20 acres of gardens designed by Leon Kluge and Nicole Boekhoorn to wander in. Afternoons are best spent supine in the Bath House spa, floating in a marble bath, being massaged with botanical oils, and joining sound, breathwork, yoga, and meditation sessions. Guests are encouraged to explore activities that make them feel good; that might mean taking cooking lessons, painting in a light-filled barn, reading on a velvet fireside sofa, sitting in wildflowers, or napping in tasteful, antique-filled interiors. Food is tasty and healthy, and the service sunny. For anyone in need of rest, Sterrekopje Farm has become a guiding light—and South Africa’s wellness star. From $970. —Lisa Grainger
Photo by Ludwigson HakanhotelSomalisa Camp — Zimbabwe
$$$ | Gold List 2018, 2026 Readers' Choice Awards 2022At Somalisa Camp, a safari lodge in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, two lionesses loped along the ridgeline above the impalas, kudu, and waterbucks strewn across the floodplain. Beks Ndlovu, who opened this place nearly two decades ago, followed them and found them lolling and panting beneath an acacia tree, probably overstuffed from breakfast. Wildlife encounters like these—in one of the prettiest and most pristine landscapes in all of Africa—are at the heart of Somalisa’s promise. The lodge is lovely, with tented guest rooms thoughtfully curated with all the accouterments: freestanding copper tubs, zebra hides, and vintage steamer trunks. But the point is to get out into the bush, in the company of some of the continent’s finest guides. Afterward you return to the lodge, enjoy a meal utilizing high-quality and sustainably sourced meat and produce, and drink a cocktail or smoke a cigar by the bonfire, feeling the vastness of the African night. From $910. —Jesse Ashlock
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SussurrohotelSussurro — Mozambique
$$$ | Gold List 2026 Hot List 2022There’s artistry in every corner at Sussurro—in the woven sun beds that fringe the pale azure pool, the outdoor stone baths set on the bedroom patios, and the statuesque basins. It’s a vivid contrast from the Mozambique I knew growing up, when my family stayed in modest rondavels on the beach. There’s an abundance of natural beauty here too: the palms that dot the pearly beach, the afternoon light that turns the buildings golden, and the cerulean water that laps the shore. Set on a long, narrow peninsula between a lagoon and the ocean, Sussurro reminds us of the romance of early coastal travel. The journey there—a two-hour drive from the airport, partly along the beach—leads through completely deserted stretches of coastline. When you arrive at the stone-colored property with thatched roofs, African design takes center stage: woven baskets and hand‑carved Senufo stools. This year, a new family suite was added, featuring two rooms with mosquito-net-draped beds and wood doors that open onto a private pool. The luxury and design isn’t the Mozambique I remember, but the low-key vibe certainly is. From $940. —Mary Holland
DanKullberghotelKinondo Kwetu — Kenya
$$$ | Gold List 2026Twenty years ago Nordic couple Ida and Filip Andersson—relatives of the famous Blixen family—opened their barefoot Indian Ocean retreat along a private stretch of sand at Galu in Diani. Sandwiched between sea and protected forest, a collection of thatched cottages sits in the sands along with two main houses and a modern villa with a private pool. Rise with morning yoga on a clifftop platform, drift away with long lunches in a beached wooden dhow, and take a starry-skied horse ride in the surf at night. But slow doesn’t mean sedentary. A tennis court and stables can be found on-site, and equipment is available for windsurfing, scuba, canoeing, and stand-up paddleboarding. Connecting with community lies at the heart of this project: A foundation funded by tourism finances the local hospital and primary school, and guests can visit sacred forests with indigenous Digo guides. Aptly, kwetu is the Swahili word for “our home”—a place everyone is invited to share. From $280. —Sarah Marshall
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This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
