Rosewood Hong Kong claims the top spot in The World’s Best Hotels 2025

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A new year, a new hotel is named the world’s best in an awards ceremony deemed the “Oscars of the hotel industry”.

Rosewood Hong Kong has officially taken the crown as The World’s Best Hotel 2025 — an incredible achievement for a property that only opened its doors in 2019. Taking pride of place on Victoria Harbour, the 65-storey, 413-key hotel rose two spots from last year to claim the number one title. The announcement was unveiled in a live ceremony hosted by Amol Rajan on October 30 at Old Billingsgate in London, a historic building formerly the world’s largest fish market.

“Thank you to Sonia Cheng who had the vision, and everyone on the team who worked hard for this,” said Angus Pitkethley, Complex Director of Sales and Marketing, who received the award on behalf of the brand. Having been in the top 3 since The World’s 50 Best List first came out in 2023, it’s not surprising that Rosewood Hong Kong finally clinched the prize.

“Rosewood Hong Kong’s positioning as No.1 further consolidates Asia as a leading luxury travel destination for both business and leisure travellers. This year’s list is a true celebration of the very best properties from 22 destinations across six continents, and we look forward to watching and championing the continued growth and success of The World’s 50 Best Hotels in the future,” said Emma Sleight, head of content for The World’s 50 Best Hotels.

Two Bangkok hotels on the Chao Phraya river complete the top three: Four Seasons Bangkok was named the runner up, while last year’s winner, Capella Bangkok, followed at third. “The phone never stopped ringing since we got number one in 2024,” said Antonio Saponara, general manager. “It shows just how influential the list is.”

Standing at fourth is Passalacqua in Italy’s Lake Como, which was the inaugural winner of The World’s 50 Best Hotels. The independent, family-owned property maintains its dominance by also receiving two awards this year: the Best Boutique Hotel and Best Hotel in Europe. Rounding up the top five is the celebrated Raffles Singapore, which climbed one spot from last year to be the single hotel from the Lion City to secure a spot on the list.

This year’s ranking reaffirms Asia’s position as the centre of global hospitality. Twenty properties from the region made the cut, with six placing in the top ten including Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (No. 7) and The Upper House, Hong Kong (No. 10).

In terms of cities, Tokyo continues to shine as a hospitality powerhouse with four hotels breaking into the list: Bulgari Tokyo (No. 15), Aman Tokyo (No. 25), Janu Tokyo (No. 37), and The Tokyo Edition, Toranomon (No. 45). The Asian region also welcomed eight new entries this year, among them The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai (No. 38), Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Bali (No. 50), and Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong (No. 41).

Now in its third year, The World’s 50 Best Hotels list is the newest addition to the 50 Best family created by William Reed, which also publishes the annual The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Bars. This year’s top 50 was notable for the number of new arrivals — 20 in total — including longstanding properties like Hotel Il Pellicano in Italy (No. 26) and The Mark in New York (No. 43) earning well-deserved spots.

Proving that the 50 Best list is a marker of currency and relevance, new openings including the likes of Capella Sydney (No. 12), Hôtel du Couvent, (No. 27) and The Emory in London (No. 32) joined the top ranks.

This year they also unveiled the 51-100 list for the first time, creating a more comprehensive round-up spanning properties in 24 territories in 40 cities. Asia and Europe lead the pack in the extended list, each featuring 16 and 17 properties respectively. The Asian hotels were a colourful mix of classic luxury properties like the Peninsula Hong Kong and The Datai Langkawi in Malaysia, forward-thinking independent players like Nihi Sumba, and fresh arrivals like Aman Nai Lert in Bangkok, which only opened its doors in April.

What makes the best hotel, you ask? Unlike traditional awards, 50 Best famously has no fixed criteria. Its ranking is determined by anonymous votes from an 800-plus-strong Academy — a global collective of seasoned travellers, hoteliers, educators, and journalists, selected by 13 regional Academy Chairs who ensure diversity and a 50/50 gender balance.

A CELEBRATION OF THE HUMAN CONNECTION

Beyond the rankings, The World’s 50 Best Hotels is really about the heartbeat behind the hotels — the people bring the properties to life. “It’s not just about ballrooms or suites, but the ones who create the experience," said Sleight during the live ceremony. “We exist to shine a spotlight on them”. As we firmly enter the AI era, there is a growing need for human connection and hotels are well-placed to respond to this desire.

Alongside the main ranking, nine special awards spotlighted excellence across distinct categories. Celebrating the art of service, Soneva Fushi in the Maldives (No. 28) received the SeiBellissimi Art of Hospitality Award, while Four Seasons earned the Ferrari Trento Most Admired Hotel Group Award, proving its indelible influence on global hospitality.

Sustainability also took centre stage: Desa Potato Head in Bali (No. 18) won the Eco Hotel Award for achieving 0.5 landfill waste (a near zero waste status) and progressive initiatives like a furniture line made from waste.

In terms of hotels making waves, Mandarin Oriental Qianmen in Beijing (No.14) received the Nikka Best New Hotel Award — a remarkable property in the heart of a traditional hutong neighbourhood boasting 42 courtyard houses adapted for modern life. One of the four hotels that garnered double awards is Belmond’s Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro (No. 11), which was honoured with the Lavazza Highest New Entry Award as well as the Best Hotel in South America. The Royal Mansour Marrakech earned the WhistlePig Highest Climber Award, soaring to 13th place in a single year; it is also the Best Hotel in Africa. The last of the double winners is Dubai’s Atlantis The Royal (No. 6), which received The Lost Explorer Best Beach Hotel Award and the Best Hotel in the Middle East.

Moving down under, the newly rebuilt Southern Ocean Lodge on Australia’s Kangaroo Island got the American Express Travel One to Watch Award, recognised as the property deemed by insiders as most likely to enter the main list. A new category introduced in 2025 — the Johnnie Walker Art of Design Award — went to Singita Kruger National Park (No. 40) for its exceptional integration of nature and architecture.

And finally, the legendary Ian Schrager was honoured with the SevenRooms Icon Award, the list’s sole individual accolade. It’s an acknowledgment that scarcely needs explanation for a man who single handedly invented the boutique hotel category and continues to innovate with brands such as EDITION and Public.

If the 2025 list reveals anything, it’s that hospitality has staged a huge comeback in just five years since the pandemic. What makes a best hotel in this ranking is not necessarily defined by designer hardware or heritage, but by hotels that understand culture, place, and purpose. These are not just places to spend the night, but foster a strong sense of belonging.

These are the properties that made it to The World’s Best Hotels 2025 list.

1. Rosewood Hong Kong, Hong Kong

2. Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Bangkok

3. Capella Bangkok, Bangkok

4. Passalacqua, Lake Como

5. Raffles Singapore, Singapore

6. Atlantis The Royal, Dubai

7. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Bangkok

8. Chable Yucatan, Chochola

9. Four Seasons Firenze, Florence

10. Upper House Hong Kong, Hong Kong