The Best Hotels in the World: 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards
It isn’t possible for the Condé Nast Traveler team to see and do everything, everywhere, all at once—though we try our best! Fortunately, we also have you, our readers. This year you cast an astonishing 757,109 votes in the 38th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey, sharing your opinions on the very best in travel. You told us you were enchanted by Italian hotels, went on safari in Botswana, took to semiprivate aviation, and advocated for newcomers to the top American cities. We loved poring over the results to find out what’s sticking with readers and editors and spinning the data into a snapshot of the current moment in travel. Ahead: your manual for planning that next adventure, whether it's to a top-rated hotel or resort, or centered around a worthy cruise, spa, or island. These are the best hotels in the world, as voted by our readers.
View the Readers' Choice Award winners for best resorts in the world here.
Courtesy The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotelhotel50. The Joseph, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Nashville
$$ |
Readers' Choice Awards 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025Despite being part of Marriott's Luxury Collection, this hotel feels like an independent boutique. Each floor sports different artworks, including many pieces from the owner’s personal collection. The guest rooms are likewise decorated with their own artwork from locals. The restaurant, Yolan, could bring you to Nashville all on its own—heck, it brought chef Verlord Laguatan. Having honed his skills at the Pump Room by Jean-Georges and Sepia in Chicago, Laguatan brings his prestigious sensibilities to the hotels's three distinct dining options. And located next to the Presidential Suite, the fitness center is open to all guests and boasts some of the best views in Music City.
Courtesy Faena Hotel Miami Beachhotel49. Faena Hotel Miami Beach
$$$ |
Gold List 2018 
Hot List 2016 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025There’s a bit of an Alice in Wonderland vibe to the Faena, and it carries through into the rooms—particularly with the smaller accents and pieces of furniture you’ll find yourself “discovering” as your stay progresses. Los Fuegos, Argentine super-chef Francis Mallmann’s open-fire asado, delivers on the food and drink front; and outside, the hotel makes the most of its 100,000 square feet of private white-sand beach. Also, if you find yourself asking, "Did I just see a golden woolly mammoth skeleton in a glass cage?" the answer is yes—you can thank artist Damien Hirst for that one.
Courtesy Belmondhotel48. Villa Sant'Andrea, A Belmond Hotel, Taormina Mare — Sicily, Italy
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025Currently closed for the season through March of 2024—springtime in Taormina being well worth the wait, our readers agree—this Belmond entry is lauded in large part for its sublime location and the views afforded as a result. The villa was originally built in 1919 by a family of aristocrats to serve as their private retreat, and the intimacy of such a setting fabulously survived the property's transformation into a hotel come the 1950s. There are, of course, modern splashes: a complimentary shuttle brings guests into Taormina proper in around 15 minutes, with a similarly free-with-admission, White Lotus-style boat excursion during the summer months. Onsite dining restaurant Brizza, which can accommodate just 12 guests at a time, gets special mentions from our readers, with one writing wistfully, “A dinner at Brizza, barefoot...”
Daniel Kelleghan/Sofitelhotel47. Sofitel Chicago Magnificent Mile
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2025Contemporary and sleek, this hotel is the epitome of great design meeting great location. The crowd tends towards the cosmopolitan type who's well-versed in more than one language. Rooms are warmly welcoming, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, sleek decor, and bright accents. Craving deep and restorative sleep? The cozy and sleep-inducing beds at this hotel have you covered in silky sheets and cloud-soft duvets. Open showers, big bathtubs, and spacious areas for getting ready make it feel expansive and comfortable, like you’re right at home. The menus featured at all three dining options—locally loved Le Bar, outdoor lounge La Terrace, and breakfast-lunch spot CDA—include delightful French-inspired items for different times of day. You'll feel embedded in the city in the best of ways, with a convenient location and great design.
Courtesy The St. Regis Atlantahotel46. The St. Regis Atlanta
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2025St. Regis Atlanta is one of those hotels that stays busy all day with guests—and locals—heading to and from the spa, restaurants, and bar. You can hang by the Pool Piazza and read a magazine, get a tension-reducing treatment at the Remède Spa, grab one of their "famous Bloody Marys" at the St. Regis Bar, arguably the most popular hotel bar in Atlanta, and even watch the hotel sommelier open a bottle of champagne by saber. (It’s a nightly tradition that traces its roots to Napoleon and was ritualized some years ago at the St. Regis New York.) We haven't even mentioned the hotel’s on-site restaurant, Atlas, with bold American cuisine served in a room with original works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Chagall, and Matisse (from owner Joe Lewis’s private collection). It was one of only a handful of restaurants to receive one Michelin star (which is why it books up quickly).
Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton, Astanahotel45. The Ritz-Carlton, Astana
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2024, 2025When Kazakhstan moved its capital to a little-known, wind-battered town in the country’s north nearly 30 years ago, skeptics abounded. Today, Astana’s skyline can keep up with the best of them, with 21st-century architectural marvels made from concrete, steel, and glass cresting over the country’s endless steppes into the horizon. At its heart is the impressive main street, Nurzhol Boulevard, a pedestrian-friendly avenue packed with civic buildings, residential blocks, hotels, restaurants, and shopping malls. Within walking distance of Nurzhol and the city’s iconic Bayterek Tower sits Astana’s Ritz-Carlton. The hotel’s well-appointed rooms and suites have panoramic city views, and Club Level guests have access to the 14th floor Club Lounge—there's even a stylish spa with a 25-meter indoor pool.
Courtesy La Mamouniahotel44. La Mamounia — Marrakech
$$$ | Gold List 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025There’s a very particular effect exerted by La Mamounia, which seems to take hold the moment you head up the green tiled steps to this most bohemian of grandes dames. Upon seeing La Mamounia’s faded pink walls, Churchill was wont to ditch the suit and pick up his watercolor brushes; Paul McCartney wrote “Mamunia” (meaning “safe haven” in Arabic) during a 1973 stay; and Hitchcock, who filmed The Man Who Knew Too Much here, got his inspiration for The Birds from some overzealous finches on a jardin-facing balcony. La Mamounia was always a curious mash-up of Art Deco, Berber, and opulent Moorish, and the old place has had numerous facelifts over almost 100 years—from Jacques Majorelle’s bright stylings in 1946 to a theatrical noughties revamp by Jacques Garcia (Hotel Costes) and most recently a series of sly additions by Parisian futurists Jouin Manku, including a new cinema and teahouse. There are all the columns, foliage-filled courtyards, and mosaics of the most photogenic medina riad—except that there’s also the smoky Churchill speakeasy, an Asian-focused Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant with its sultry blacks and reds, and that legendary, vast square pool, where the people-watching irresistible (bring dark sunglasses). There’s a reason that the actors and rock stars have kept coming; the fashionistas with kaftans and cigarettes. For all that it is woven into Marrakech like the knots in a Berber rug, La Mamounia has never, ever been boring.
Courtesy The Plettenberghotel43. The Plettenberg Hotel — Plettenberg Bay, South Africa
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Named after South Africa’s ruggedly handsome Plettenberg Bay, this hotel is a masterclass in seaside intimacy with only 35 keys and two family-style villas. Interiors are decorated in sandy woods and an array of blues and greens mirroring the region’s luscious backdrop and 360-degree vistas of azure seas. The property is located along South Africa’s famed Garden Route, a 185-mile-long journey showcasing the southeastern coast’s natural beauty, from abundant forests to deep-blue lagoons to lush mountains shimmering between shades of gold and green, not to mention plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities. This is very much a stay where you reap the benefits of staying on-property—every space in the Plettenberg is designed to bask in the panoramic views only such a headland is privy to, whether it’s the scenic dining experience at Amelia’s or the infinity pool whose edge bleeds into the sunset.
Courtesy of the Sparrowhotel42. The Sparrow — Boise, Idaho
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025For a healthy dose of Americana, it’s hard to beat the immaculate midcentury motor lodge pastiche at the Sparrow. Located in Boise, the hotel professes that its primary goal is to get its guests out of rooms and exploring. With more than 100 parks, bracing hiking trails, and interactive cultural activities like the city’s art glass studio, Boise has no shortage of opportunities to breathe in the fresh Rocky Mountain air. Guests heading back to their rooms are welcomed by decor rooted in local flavor, from sliding barn doors to regional art depicting notable landmarks like ski haven Bogus Basin or the surreal Bruneau Dunes. Walk-in showers, downy bathrobes, and Malin+Goetz bath products provide a fitting spa-like counterpart to the cozy, cabin-esque rooms. For the adventurous traveler seeking an escape that doesn’t lose pace, The Sparrow is a home base just as chipper and lively as its namesake.
Courtesy of Hotel AKA Boston Commonhotel41. Hotel AKA Boston Common
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025Modern Scandi sensibilities meet one of America’s most historic cities at this newly revamped hotel. New York–based architect Rafael de Cárdenas and Studio NA.GI stood at the helm of the AKA redesign, providing the space with sleek connection points, such as the lobby's terrazzo flooring and white stone tiling. And effortlessly cool places to rendezvous only start there. At the Bosworth, AKA’s on-site restaurant, patrons dine on elevated Mediterranean bites paired with the classic sips done well, whether you’re feeling a Manhattan, a sour, or a spritz. For a more intimate venue, consider ushering your company into the wood-paneled walls of A.bar, a moody sanctuary centered around well-crafted tipples to soundly punctuate the night. Guest rooms carry Eames lounge chairs, plush carpeting, and workspaces that embody both functionality and a relaxed, at-home feeling, though their best amenity may be the postcard-perfect vistas of Boston offered by the city and skyline view rooms.
Oetker Collectionhotel40. The Woodward — Geneva, Switzerland
$$$ | Hot List 2022 Readers' Choice Awards 2024, 2025The Woodward is by turns wild and lavish, demure and delicate. The eclecticism that confronts you when you step in off the street—a deliberately dissonant jolt of crystal, marble, murals, gilded Victorian lacquer, midcentury modernism, and Macassar ebony—soon settles down, but that initial impression of fizz and drama lingers. Each of the 26 suites is decked out in glorious, richly textured style. The Guerlain Spa is a knockout. In addition to the spa itself, there is a 70-foot pool, two saunas, two steam rooms, a hot tub, a gym, and—get this—a cigar lounge.
Courtesy Limelight Hotelhotel39. Limelight Aspen — Colorado
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025From Hotel Jerome to the Little Nell, the coterie of Aspen hotels is a refined bunch, and Limelight Aspen brings an undeniably youthful flair to the mix with details familiar to followers of the brand: flannel bed runners, bold accent furniture, and buzzy rooftop terraces with the type of scenery panoramic photos were invented to capture. With an ideal seat between Aspen Mountain and the Silver Queen Gondola, guests stay right at the center of the Aspen snow globe come wintertime. More in the mood for the après lifestyle or exploring the ski town beyond its snow? Dive into the outdoor pool or sink into one of the hot tubs, take a test drive tracing the endless miles of evergreen treeline in one of the property’s fully electric Audi vehicles, or have the concierge arrange a fly-fishing session for you in the Roaring Fork Valley.
The FINCHhotel38. The Finch — Walla Walla, Wash.
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023, 2025This Walla Walla–based hotel embraces its home in one of the United States’ finest wine regions. With more than 120 wineries in the valley, sampling a world-famous glass of cabernet or merlot is all at your fingertips here. The Finch’s vintage aesthetic aptly complements the slower pace of life encouraged among the endless waves of vineyard rows, but there’s no mistaking its playfully dressed-up nostalgia for dusty. The past breathes fresh air into the hotel, a spirit apparent in a chandelier composed of old car parts, artist’s mannequins, and other junk-room miscellanea, or the Christmas-light-strung bannister on the stairs, which hangs over the silhouette of a life-sized pin-up in the lobby. Unabashed funk and a clear sense of style play co-starring roles at this stay and carve out a place for the past to shake hands with the present.
Courtesy The Langham Huntingtonhotel37. The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, Los Angeles
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2025Rooms at this Pasadena landmark, just north of Los Angeles, display Pueblo Mission Revival architecture, are decorated with rich woods, and furnished with chaise lounges; those on the ground floor have French doors opening onto patios. The Terrace serves contemporary California cuisine in a poolside setting, while small dishes are the norm at The Bar. The 11,000-square-foot spa was renovated in 2010 and has treatments based on traditional Chinese medicine.
Courtesy Hyatthotel36. Hyatt Regency Boston
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2025Theater lovers rejoice at this downtown hotel, a central node in the vast network of the best things to do in Boston. Whether you’re in town to attend a program at the ballet, watch a touring Broadway show, or delve into the rich, culinary community of Chinatown, this is a base camp just steps away from it all. A versatile hotel with 502 newly renovated guest rooms, the property demonstrates a real sense of range, whether you’re traveling with a furry friend and need pet-friendly accommodations or in search of more leg room, in which case a suite with its own balcony certainly couldn’t hurt. Additionally, the hotel is well-equipped to handle work trips with seamless convenience—an on-site restaurant, 30,000 square feet of event space, and a heated indoor pool are just a few of the perks that sneak pleasure into business.
Ralf Tooten / Courtesy W Singaporehotel35. W Singapore - Sentosa Cove
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025A touch less clubby than your standard W, this Sentosa Cove location occupies an exclusive enclave that’s still a sight to behold. Rooms have names like Wonderful, Fantastic, and Wow (the Extreme Wow Suite clocks in at over 2,150 square feet and has an outdoor plunge pool) that offer views of the sea and marina, with furnishings in bold, vibrant colors that exude the brand's playful attitude. The strong modernist design continues throughout the property, from the glass installations at the entrance, to columns in the lobby that bloom up like mushrooms, to the crescent-shaped poolside lounge chairs. In the evenings, guests head to Woobar for cocktails to the sounds of a live DJ before dining on Asian fare at the whimsical Kitchen Table or grilled meat and seafood at the grown-up Skirt.
Danielle Hamilton/The Maybourne Beverly Hillshotel34. Maybourne Beverly Hills
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025Located in the Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills, this former Montage now has a modern California levity, while still holding true to the luxury touch points of five-star service for which one of the world’s most exclusive neighborhoods—and hotel brands—is known. It’s not unusual to experience celebrity sightings on the Terrace, where agents from the nearby buildings mix with a well-heeled jet set crowd. Sipping on the perfect gin martini from The Connaught—the sister hotel from Across the Pond—while gazing out at the plaza’s oversize fountain, you’d swear that you were in Europe, but the pooches in Prada are a dead giveaway that you’re most definitely in Beverly Hills. When you're not luxuriating in your room, make use of the 20,000-square-foot spa, which includes a stunning riad-style mineral pool, saunas, Turkish steam rooms, and Balinese inspired relaxation rooms.
Courtesy Ritz-Carltonhotel33. The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2025With a Magnificent Mile location, loads of amenities, and access to food and drink options that draw in the locals as much as guests, the Ritz-Carlton feels plugged in while still offering a welcoming home base. The lobby is energized by a glass-roofed café area that serves as a coffee shop by day and a special drinks spot by night—with views of the city lights. There's also an Italian restaurant with a handsome bar and, in summer, a rooftop lounge that looks up to 875 N. Michigan Avenue (formerly the John Hancock Building) next door. It's a great location for exploring the city and a cosseting base to retreat to when exhausted.
Courtesy of the Inn at Mattei's Tavernhotel32. The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection — Los Olivos, California
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025Over the past two decades, Central Coast's Santa Ynez Valley has been gaining ground on the state's more established wine regions to the north with its scores of boutique wineries and tasting rooms, as well as an elevated food scene. The opening of an Auberge Collection property in the little town of Los Olivos is further proof of the area's status as a preeminent New World wine destination. A Santa Barbara County Historical Landmark, The Inn at Mattei's Tavern has been a popular traveler's refuge since the 1880s, when it welcomed visitors on California's stagecoach route. Now, it's been given a five-star makeover with indoor-outdoor rooms and cottages with private terraces; a sun-drenched spa; and locally harvested California cuisine at the eponymous tavern. There are also a few cheeky nods to the area's Old West past, including saloon nights with live music and card games and outdoor firepits for roasting marshmallows.
Courtesy The Arthotel31. The Art Hotel Denver, Curio Collection by Hilton
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Forget a tired valet pull-through: At this boutique hotel in Denver’s thriving Cultural District, your first impression is a Leo Villareal–designed light installation. Keep walking and the art continues, including pieces by stars like Ed Ruscha and Kiki Smith. Artwork isn’t just a design flourish here—it’s the main objective of the hotel itself. If that's not enough, you're also steps away from the Denver Art Museum and the Clyfford Still Museum. You'll find serious culture connoisseurs and business travelers looking for something different staying in its 165 rooms, which sport a minimalist design and—surprise!—even more artwork.
hotel30. W Philadelphia
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025Set in the heart of Center City, W Philadelphia blends ultramodern style with playful nods to the city’s rebellious history. This 295-room property draws in young professionals and creative types with its stand-out cocktail program at the Living Room lobby bar and rooftop Wet Bar. The Away Spa is a peaceful retreat with signature treatments like the Balance CBD massage. The hotel's prime location offers easy access to Philadelphia's business district, historical attractions, and evolving food scene. Service embodies the W’s “Whatever/Whenever” philosophy while incorporating authentic local touches, like commissioned artwork by Philly art students.
Thompson Palm Springshotel29. Thompson Palm Springs
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025Though it’s in the middle of town, the Thompson is not an urban high-rise hotel. It manages to feel sprawling and spread-out with just a few levels of rooms and plenty of pockets of communal open-air spaces equipped with comfy couches and seating throughout the property. You'll be in close proximity to everything Palm Springs has to offer, from the ever-growing restaurant scene to design and vintage shops to the impressive art museum, while having access to a fun-but-not-raucous pool scene and an excellent Mediterranean restaurant onsite. Plus, rooms are sizable and come with private balconies or patios. The $49 destination fee covers a lot. In addition to valet parking, house car drop-off service, and bikes, you’ll get discounts at the local Brandini toffee and ice cream shop down the street and the BMW Performance Driving School in Thermal (about 45 minutes away), two-for-one tickets to the museum, in-room waters bottled in eco-friendly aluminum, and outdoor yoga classes on weekends. The gym is spacious and top-notch, too.
Courtesy Le Petit Hôtel/Photo by Alexi Hobbshotel28. Le Petit Hôtel — Montreal
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025Enter the greystone building on Rue Saint-Paul, a designer shopping strip that runs through the heart of Old Montreal, and you'll catch the mod vibe right away, thanks to low-slung white armchairs, a black lacquer front desk, and an oversize orange standing light shaped like a flower. The lobby also doubles as a café (where guests enjoy complimentary coffee and tea all day long), so you'll be welcomed by the smell of roasting beans. It's the hotel that's small—just 28 rooms—not the accommodations within it. Unless you're solo, you'll want to book at least an M (for medium) room, which comes with a king-size bed, a goose-down duvet, Marie L’Oie pillows, and custom furniture in a dark shiny wood that reflects the daylight streaming in. As its name suggests, this is among Montreal’s smallest boutique hotels. That said, the rooms are decently sized—especially the L and XL categories—and the property as a whole is designed to comfortably accommodate guests.
Courtesy W Austinhotel27. W Austin
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025This hip hotel—attached to iconic Moody Theater, where Austin City Limits Live concerts are taped—feels decidedly fitting for Austin. It also happens to be located near some of the city's best restaurants and shops (guests stay here for the downtown walkability and access to nightlife) so you'll find a mix of trendy young professionals during the week and musicians/concert-goers on the weekend. If you have time for a pre-dinner drink, stop into the Records Room; it's one of several cozy bars, but the fireplace and floor-to-ceiling shelves of vinyl are pretty cool.
Le Méridien Essex Chicago/Marriott Internationalhotel26. Le Méridien Essex Chicago
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2024, 2025From its airy, midcentury-modern design to the unbeatable views of Chicago’s skyline and Lake Michigan, Le Méridien Essex Chicago fits all the cosmopolitan chic of the Windy City’s downtown into 14 compact stories. Seated just across from Grant Park, the hotel has prime accessibility to major must-dos in the city, being just a five-minute walk from Museum Campus and a 15-minute walk from the Art Institute of Chicago. Le Méridien Essex Chicago’s 274 guest rooms are filled with subtly elegant details such as the hidden speakers in the bathroom mirrors and custom Frette bathrobes. The thoughtfulness extends to every nook and cranny of the property—for instance, in the fitness center, guests can spin on Pelotons equipped with Hulu and Netflix. The in-house restaurant, Grant Park Bistro, serves New American classics with European panache—think charred broccolini risotto and Iberico pork skirt steak.
Hotel Okura Amsterdamhotel25. Hotel Okura Amsterdam
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025In hip foodie quarter De Pijp, not far from the Museum Quarter, the 23-story Okura towers over low-rise central Amsterdam. Many rooms, as well as the chic Twenty Third Bar and Ciel Bleu restaurant on the top floor, have formidable views. Inside, the rooms and bathrooms are eminently luxurious—soft colors, beautiful woods, and filtered light create an air of tranquillity. Staff match it with effortless politeness. The restaurants share three Michelin stars between them: Ciel Bleu (adventurous new Dutch cuisine) has two and Yamazato (classic Japanese kaiseki) has one, while Serre Restaurant (a global fusion leaning into Asian flavors) has a Bib Gourmand. There’s also a top-class gym and spa with a 60-foot pool.
John Bellenishotel24. InterContinental Boston, an IHG Hotel
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2023, 2024, 2025For waterfront views of an iconic slice of Boston Harbor (namely, the iconic clipper ship at the Tea Party Ships and Museum) and plenty of space to spread out, from the lobby to the pool. Newly renovated rooms and suites range from 420-square-foot rooms overlooking the verdant Rose Kennedy Greenway to a 2,100-square-foot corner Royal Ambassador suite—complete with two bedrooms, a service kitchen, plush living room, and a full office perched above the Fort Point Channel. If it’s a suite you’re here for, the property has plenty with corner views of the water so you can feel like you live in one of Boston’s most luxe real-estate corners. But rooms are well-appointed, too—there’s barely a bad view from this property—with workspaces, velvet banquette chairs, plush linens, and roomy standalone tubs with handy sliding-door windows that open into the room so you can doubly enjoy that waterfront view.
The Metcalfe Hotelhotel23. The Metcalfe Hotel — Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2024, 2025Though Ottawa boasts some famous grande dames, this modern boutique hotel downtown reopens this summer after a fabulous renovation. The peerless location, large rooms, and fresh in-room amenities such as jetted tubs remain the same (albeit a little facelift), but the addition of a new restaurant will surely cause some buzz around town for guests and locals alike. The open-plan lobby, at the ground floor of a five-story-high atrium that houses the rooms, has a striking industrial-chic vibe. It's not the most romantic property in town, but it's the most seamlessly on point. You'll sleep well, work easily, and be right in the middle of things.
Jason Deweyhotel22. The Whitley, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Atlanta Buckhead
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Timeless Southern hospitality meets sartorial sophistication at this chic Buckhead hotel. Rubbing shoulders with the upscale department stores and indie art galleries that skirt Miami Circle and Bennett Street, the Whitley stays ever en vogue in a young and vibrant commercial district. The decor here embodies all the fun of a well-done remix: Expensive jade greens meet creams and dark woods to comprise a satisfying limited palette; pops of gold manifest in flower pots, throw pillows, and atmospheric sconces; and rocking chairs in the living room throw it back to idling summer away on a wraparound porch. Should you need that extra push to settle in, stop by the freshly renovated spa, which houses a lounge, boutique shop, treatment rooms, and a Himalayan salt room for an above-and-beyond sense of Zen.
Courtesy La Réserve Hotel Spa and Villa Genèvehotel21. La Réserve Hotel Spa and Villa Genève — Geneva, Switzerland
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2025Highly revered for its outdoorsy facilities, the low-slung La Reserve Hotel and Spa Geneva occupies a sizable, green patch alongside its namesake lake. Interiors seize curiously but victoriously on an Old-World Africa theme, with gold, walnut, and berry shades; glowing lanterns; and dark polished floors reminiscent of the continent’s luxury lodges. Rooms either gaze down upon the topiary-trimmed gardens or out over the lake, most with their own large terraces or balconies. And despite its spa’s promise of eternal youth and four refined restaurants (the main act being the Cantonese, Michelin-starred Tsé Fung), the hotel is surprisingly family-friendly. Children can tear through the elaborate wooden playground, dive into one of two expansive pools, or embark on waterborne adventures aboard one of La Reserve’s vintage motorboats (allegedly an enjoyable grown-up activity, too).
.jpg)
Lea Gil/Courtesy of Château de Bernehotel20. Chateau de Berne — Flayosc, France
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025If rustic architecture and the ruggedly handsome Provence landscapes are your idea of bliss, look no further than this chateau, tucked inside 1,200 acres of the Var hinterland. Between the swimming pool inset like a crown jewel within a topiary garden and the pastoral paradise of olive groves, vineyards, and woodlands, the refreshment offered by the outdoors here is second to none. However, the sprawling spa facilities and Michelin-starred dining options might just be enough to tempt you to pass the time inside. First, stop by the 8,600-square-foot spa and make a relaxing circuit around the hammam and whirlpool baths. Then, take dinner at Le Jardin de Berne, where chef Louis Rameau and pastry chef Éric Raynal work side-by-side to deliver gastronomical miracles like their heirloom-tomato French toast, smoked squid with sorrel cream, and olive-oil madeleines that push the envelope.
Courtesy Starwood Hotels & Resortshotel19. The Westin Nashville
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2024, 2025On the outside, the Westin looks like a cold tower; inside, there's personality to be found in the lobby's fancy crystal chandeliers and trendy leather seating. This towering hotel within walking distance of Music City Center has all the modern amenities you're looking for. When it's nice out, the rooftop bar and pool are worth a visit, as is the 6,000-square-foot spa. Entry level rooms are bigger than most in the city, and if you've got a couple grand to drop, the luxury suites are rock star-worthy.
.jpg)
Courtesy of Hyatthotel18. Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023, 2024, 2025This Chinese outpost of the Hyatt Regency brand defines itself as a marriage between “office and oasis,” and it’s hard to imagine a better place to work remotely. Mirroring Beijing itself in design, the hotel balances the traditional with the cutting edge—think slotted wood awnings reminiscent of streetside vendors, bamboo-pole space dividers, and spotlessly polished marble surfaces. The natural wood finishes continue in the guest rooms and serve as the framing for breathtaking floor-to-ceiling views of the Chinese capital. With digital check-in, laundry service, a light-flooded atrium lounge, and a slinky listening bar, the comforts of home and the white-glove conveniences of a five-star stay imbue each and every space at this hotel.
Courtesy White Barn Inn, Auberge Collectionhotel17. White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection — Kennebunk, Maine
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Ever since Kennebunk's White Barn Inn & Spa opened in 1973, the 26-room, 19th-century main house and two renovated barns have attracted couples seeking enchantment and celebrities seeking discretion. They’ve indulged in all the decadent property has to offer—the infamously rich lobster fettuccine with cognac coral butter sauce; the 90-minute Himalayan Salt Stone Massage in the spa; the hand-packed picnic baskets made for sunrise (or sunset) beach picnics. What's most remarkable about The White Barn Inn is the extent to which they seem to have thought of everything: You walk away from a stay here wondering why all of life can't be this seamless.
Courtesy Bobby Hotelhotel16. Bobby Hotel — Nashville
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Bobby Hotel Nashville doesn’t take itself too seriously. With its funky decor, dog-in-residence, and ever-changing visual art exhibits, it’s built for young, fun creatives. But that doesn’t mean this boutique hotel off of the historic Printers Alley (and across from the historic Arcade) doesn’t take hospitality seriously. Staff are friendly, welcoming, and genuine. They work to create an atmosphere that has some novelty, but doesn’t give up comfort or function for the sake of fun. Don’t skip the rooftop lounge’s concert series. It attracts national acts with some of the best non-country music in Music City. From there, you can sit and have a drink in the famous vintage Scenicruiser bus, perched on the roof, and just waiting for a photo op.
Courtesy of Harvest Inn 2020hotel15. Harvest Inn — St. Helena, Calif.
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025This Napa Valley bolthole is classic California wine country, up close and personal. You'll wake up to 360-degree vineyard views hugging the property and end your evening with crackling fireplaces and private hot tub patios. As this inn’s name suggests, there is a veritable bounty of verdant greenery to frolic through here—on the estate grounds, there seems to be blossoming life around every corner, be it a humble fruit tree sapling, a mighty redwood, or a meandering vine. It’s all ripe for exploration along the inn’s inviting brickwork paths. Of course, this wouldn’t be a full immersion into Napa without a wining and dining scene that pulls out all the stops. On-site restaurant Harvest Table is the gold standard in farm-to-table dining, with rotating menus that make the best out of whatever’s fresh for the season.
Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachihotel14. Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2023, 2024, 2025With the opening of the Otemachi sister hotel to the longstanding Marunouchi property, the Four Seasons has reestablished itself as a major force to be reckoned with when choosing among the finest places to stay around town. Otemachi sits more in a financial hub than a proper neighborhood, but it’s a stone’s throw from bustling Ginza and temple-ridden Asakusa—and the gridded streets make it abundantly easy to navigate by foot. In one space are guests and ladies who lunch, sipping high tea, dining on Instagrammable snacks, and enjoying the unobstructed views of Mount Fuji across the lush imperial gardens down below. Head farther into the property to find a passageway to some of the best dining in the city, and upstairs are rooms so plush—yet also somehow embracing Japanese austerity—that you’ll never want to leave.
Courtesy Belmond Casa de Sierra Nevadahotel13. Casa de Sierra Nevada, A Belmond Hotel, San Miguel de Allende — Mexico
$$$ | Gold List 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025The babble of a courtyard fountain, a breeze that shoulders its way through stone arches: Casa de Sierra Nevada, A Belmond Hotel is an unquestionably sensory experience. But the more elemental charms of this historical marvel, whose 17th- and 18th-century buildings are scattered across San Miguel de Allende’s Centro district, are only part of its allure; the rest it owes to the human touch. I arrived at my suite—a corner unit cleaved from a former mansion—to find my wedding portrait set into a carved tin frame; one afternoon, I returned to find textured strips of paper on my reading stack—bookmarks. Chef Alejandra Puente told me about her daughter as we contemplated fresh avocados at the local market, gathering up the bounty we would need for my private cooking class. This is hospitality at its finest.
The Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtownhotel12. Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025This hotel occupies 24 floors of an 84-floor building (with condos making up the rest of the space), New York's second Four Seasons property. There is also a pool, spa, steam room, and 189 total rooms, including 28 suites designed by Yabu Pushelberg, who also handled interiors for the NYC hotel debut from the fitness brand Equinox. This is one of the best hotel spas in the city, both for its lovely facilities and the breadth and diversity of its offerings. The main wellness floor houses a 75-foot heated lap pool, a well-stocked fitness center (with Peloton bikes), a steam room and infrared sauna, and a sundeck; these are open to hotel guests, people who book spa services, and members of Club27, an intimate, membership-only space launched in late-2020 to offer a more personalized approach to fitness and wellness. The two crown jewels are the Tribeca Suite and Empire Suite—the latter, at 2,400 square feet, has space for a dinner party and sweeping views of downtown New York. The Four Seasons Downtown's ground floor is home to the only New York City outpost of Wolfgang Puck's Cut, serving fresh fruit and upscale takes on egg sandwiches by day, and steaks by night.
Courtesy of Sun Rose West Hollywoodhotel11. The Sun Rose West Hollywood
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025Formerly the Pendry West Hollywood, the Sun Rose cut the ribbon on its new chapter in August 2025. The 149-key hotel takes its new name from its on-site music venue, where it embraces its past as the original address for the House of Blues while ushering in a new era of music history right on the Sunset Strip. Swedish architect Martin Brudnizki ran point on the redesign, dressing the hotel in bold Art Deco interiors and an electric color palette fit for a property stepping into its second wind. It’s all about gathering with others at this social stay, whether you’re vibing with fellow guests at the jewel box sound stage Live at The Sun Rose or toasting on the rooftop at the Moët Bubbles Bar.
George Papadakishotel10. The Godfrey Hotel Chicago
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2024, 2025The cubist-inspired building housing The Godfrey stands out in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. That same edgy vibe shows up in the hotel’s starkly marbled lobby and slick rooms with contrasting textiles, like velvety purple couches and leather benches. For a crowd and a scene in summer, look no further than the 10,000-square-foot I|O Godfrey—one of the largest indoor-outdoor rooftop spaces in the city. Within the hotel’s 16-story cubist framework are 194 guest rooms and 27 one-bedroom suites. The property is located in the River North neighborhood, which is the heart of Chicago’s arts scene. Its marble-clad, elliptical lobby and fourth-floor lounge area are equipped with custom-designed, digital touchscreen concierge boards, which allow guests to access up-to-the-minute information on weather, flight information, dining, shopping, and local happenings—all delivered directly to the guest’s cell phone at the push of a button.
%255B1%255D.jpg)
Çırağan Palace Kempinskihotel9. Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
$$$ | Gold List 2024 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025There are certain hotels that look like they have been lifted straight from a film set, and this one—with its vast, marble-floored lobby, regal palm trees, and flawlessly uniformed bellhops—has a serious Wes Anderson feel. Originally built by a 17th-century sultan, the Çirağan Palace Kempinski is an Ottoman-era imperial palace overlooking the glistening Bosphorus. Weave through winding corridors to delve into rooms complete with four-poster beds, tulip-patterned headboards, velvet armchairs, marble bathrooms, and red-and-cream-striped wallpaper. The palace’s other areas are similarly decadent: There’s riverside fine dining with magnificent Turkish dishes at Tuğra, a centuries-old Ottoman arch, and the original palace hammam, tucked away behind a large wooden door with floor-to-ceiling marble and ornate carvings. As well as being an imperial residence, the hotel also hosted parliamentary procedures, royal courts, and beauty pageants; it even served as a playing field for the Beşiktaş football team. All in all, it’s a blissful, storied escape in the middle of one of the world’s most historical cities.
%255B1%255D.jpg)
Nick Simonite/Hotel Saint Ceciliahotel8. Hotel Saint Cecilia — Austin
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2025This Victorian-era mansion is partially obscured by an ivy-covered fence, and that's intentional: The ultra-private hotel can only be accessed by hotel guests and members. Record label execs, artists, musicians, writers—everyone has been told about this hotel by a friend with good taste. A few local scenesters, who are granted access via exclusive membership, regularly patronize the bar. Each of the 20 rooms has distinct decor and personality; the ones in the main house, just off the lobby lounge, have ornate crown molding and original fireplaces. But the beds in each room—six-figure Hästens mattresses—are reason alone to book this hotel.
Alexi Hobbs/Courtesy Auberge du Vieux Porthotel7. Auberge du Vieux-Port — Montreal
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2020, 2022, 2024, 2025Auberge du Vieux-Port is the only hotel on the St. Lawrence River, and it's set a few feet from where Montreal was founded. With its 18th-century buildings and cobblestones, rue de la Commune feels like the Rive Droite in Paris—except instead of a rivulet, the water is the size of a sea. From this spot on the waterfront, you'll be perfectly positioned for a long walk westward from Old Montreal along the Lachine Canal to the Atwater Market in St-Henri. The decor has a loft vibe, thanks to the bamboo floor, exposed brick or stone wall, and large windows you can open. In summer, the International des Feux festival sets off fireworks nearby over the St. Lawrence, and the rooftop terrace here is the perfect place to watch.
Paddy Barryhotel6. Fogo Island Inn — Newfoundland, Canada
$$$ | Gold List 2025 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025For anyone who has bemoaned the flattening of cultures everywhere, Fogo Island offers a beacon of hope. On this remote island off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador that’s slammed by wind and waves, cod-fishing communities hold on to their distinctive settler history—and accents—despite mounting pressures. But a dwindling community, no matter how beautiful or historic, offers little financial value. Armed with this belief, local-born entrepreneur Zita Cobb dreamed up Fogo Island Inn as a community-owned hospitality business that could improve the island’s economic resilience by plugging it into a wider world. Since it flung open its doors in 2013, those utopian founding principles have lured purpose-driven luxury travelers to the 29-room inn—as have its dramatic views, daily changing menus, and wilderness excursions featuring geological hikes and forest boil-ups (a traditional meal warmed over a fire in the great outdoors). But its greatest distinction remains the islanders themselves, whose wellsprings of warmth define your stay. These boat builders, quilters, and storytellers welcome you into their sheds for singalongs and salted cod, allowing you to really understand this place—and how everything knits together.
Courtesy Shangri-La Bosphorushotel5. Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul
$$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025Well-situated along the European side of the Bosphorus Strait, this Turkish outpost of this Hong Kong–based luxury brand occupies a former tobacco warehouse built in the 1930s. The rooms are done up in a sumptuous palette of grays and neutrals, with a whimsical treat on your bedside table: a copy of James Hilton's 1933 novel Lost Horizon, which introduced to the world the mythical paradise that gave the chain its name. The hotel's Cantonese restaurant, Shang Palace, sets the standard for Istanbul fine-dining, with chefs hand-pulling noodles table-side and preparing Peking duck that's served over two elaborate courses. And at CHI, The Spa, the Turkish bath experience is elevated with experiences like full body moisturization with milk and honey.
©2016 Andrea Behrendshotel4. Thompson Nashville
$$ | Hot List 2017 Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025The Thompson Nashville is a sleek, but not sterile, high-rise in the heart of The Gulch, supported by an ethos of quiet luxury. Rest on Sferra linens in a dark, cozy room, and when refreshed, you can head out to hear music and drink Tennessee whiskey at the rooftop bar or in the surrounding vibrant neighborhood. Most of your Music City wishes can be answered by the concierge staff, be it tickets to a concert or a backstage experience. When hungry or thirsty, many of the city’s most popular restaurants are right outside your door, but you don’t even have to leave the hotel, thanks to the experiences provided by Marsh House and the rooftop bar L.A. Jackson, both onsite and well executed.
.jpg)
WINTER PARK/Hyatt Regency Milwaukeehotel3. Hyatt Regency Milwaukee
$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2024, 2025Milwaukee is one of the US’s cities to watch, as we noted in last year’s Readers’ Choice Awards—from having a festival in town nearly every weekend, to hosting the last season of Top Chef, to the scattered nods to Frank Lloyd Wright and Frederick Law Olmstead throughout its different parks and residential areas, it’s safe to say Milwaukee is on the rise. And the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee is one of the best stays to experience what the city has to offer, with the Historic Third Ward, the Public Market, and the Marcus Performing Arts Center all within a two mile radius from the hotel. Bring a furry friend for a stay, work comfortably, and lounge at craft-cocktail bar Julep where the “brew” in Brew City comes to life.
.jpg)
The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMadhotel2. The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad
$$$ | Hot List 2023 Readers' Choice Awards 2023, 2024, 2025When the Ritz-Carlton flung open the doors of its new Manhattan flagship at West 28th Street and Broadway in 2022, the classic brand was making a bit of a daring declaration as to its direction. Moody and modish, the property is a far cry from the (splendidly) prim and proper Central Park location some 30 blocks north. There’s glass everywhere, for one thing, with the 50-story sleek slice of skyscraper designed in part to make the most of that killer location’s downtown views and light. The sun-soaked interiors are dramatic and textured—concierge desks in the grayscale lobby are made of almost zebra-print granite. A leafy, book-lined bar just off it leads to the excellent Spanish-Japanese fusion restaurant The Bazaar from José Andrés upstairs with its plush upholstery, coffee-and-plum palette, and scenery-chewing jamón Ibéerico centerpiece (Andrés’s group also designed the complimentary menu in the very worth-it club level). Rooftop bar Nubeluz is a jewel-toned wonderland of wallpaper; highlights include the pleated emerald fabric of the elevator vestibule and the feathered Schumacher number that hugs each booth. Wrapped from floor to ceiling in blond wood, my suite on the 36th floor, with its deep, deep sofa of chocolatey crushed velvet, offers grand views of Manhattan; I could even see all the way down to the World Trade Center. All of this style would matter little, however, were the service anything less than superlative. It absolutely is. Despite bookings being full to the brim most nights, there’s no indication that the staff have eyes for anybody but you from check-in to checkout.
Caitlin Atkinsonhotel1. The Lodge at Bodega Bay — Calif.
$$ | Readers' Choice Awards 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023, 2024, 2025Snuggled into a bluff in the vineyard-peppered Sonoma coast, the Lodge at Bodega Bay is a laid-back getaway. In the mornings, in-house restaurant Drakes Sonoma Coast serves their own spin on the classics from french toast topped with fresh, seasonal compote, to the lodge’s own signature breakfast sandwich packed with all the fixings. During the day, the secluded beaches are free to roam, and local wine tastings are plenty. As the sun begins to set, there’s no better way to wrap the day than retiring in the fireside lounge surrounded by views of the Pacific Ocean. Guest rooms and suites themed with creams and nautical blues punctuated with dark wood accents feel as though they really are a home away from home, from Ocean Shell Massages at the spa to the in-room jacuzzi accommodations to the small details snuck into every corner of the lodge like the binoculars placed on every room’s windowsill that bring the breathtaking balcony views into high-definition.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.