The fourth annual 'The 50 Best Hotels' awards saw Asia dominate the rankings, with seven of the top 10 hotels located on the continent. The wider list featured 18 Asian properties, or 16 when excluding two in Dubai.
The awards are based on votes from an anonymous panel of 800 travel journalists, hoteliers, and travellers. This year's compilation reportedly leaned towards city hotels.
Global brands such as Four Seasons, Rosewood, Raffles, Aman, and Mandarin Oriental hold multiple spots on the list. Rosewood Hong Kong has secured the title of the world's best hotel for two years in a row, following Capella Bangkok's win in 2024.
The hospitality in East and Southeast Asia is described as being in a league of its own, characterised by intense personalisation, efficiency, and deep-rooted respect. Examples include Aman Tokyo, which practices the Japanese concept of omotenashi, and The Upper House Hong Kong, where staff reportedly use facial recognition technology for returning guests.