Editor’s note: Monthly ticket is a CNN travel series that highlights some of the most fascinating topics in the world of travel. This September, we celebrate superlatives as we take in some of the biggest, tallest and most expensive attractions and destinations in the world.
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It opened just over a year ago, but a luxurious 24-room Italian property has already been named the best hotel in the world.
Passalacqua, overlooking Lake Como, beat off tough competition to take first place in the first edition of the competition. The 50 best hotels in the world list, which was announced at an awards ceremony in the United Kingdom on Tuesday night.
Open since June 2022, the boutique hotel owned by the De Santis family – local hoteliers – was one of 21 European-based hotels included on the list, along with the Four Seasons Firenze in Florence, which came in ninth place.
Asia also fared well in the rankings, with 18 hotels from the region making the list, including second, third, fourth and fifth place, awarded to Rosewood Hong Kong, Four Seasons Bangkok on the Chao Phraya River, The Upper House in Hong Kong and Aman. Tokyo, respectively.
Courtesy of Capella Bangkok
Capello Bangkok ranked number 11 and was also named Best New Hotel.
At No. 25, Aman New York, another relatively new addition to the hotel scene, was the top entry in the United States, while the five-star Equinox New York hotel, located in Hudson Yards, came in at No. 48.
Host city London was well represented, with stalwarts such as Claridge’s (No. 16), The Connaught (No. 22) and The Savoy (No. 47) on the list, along with the more recent NoMad London (No. 46 ). the first international position of the NoMad Hotel brand.
Rosewood São Paulo, a former medical complex converted into a luxury hotel, was the only South American to make the list, coming in at number 27, while The Calile urban complex in Brisbane was the only Australian one at number 12.
The long-awaited list distinguished 50 hotels from 35 destinations around the world.
“It’s a great recognition,” Valentina De Santis, owner of the winning Passalacqua hotel, told CNN Travel at the ceremony, which was held at London’s historic Guildhall building.
“Because we are an independent, family-owned hotel. And we are quite small. “We just opened a year ago.”
Courtesy of the newt
The Newt, a 23-room property in the British county of Somerset, ranked 37th and also received the award for Best Boutique Hotel.
“It was really unexpected. And making it to the top of the top 25 was beyond our wildest dreams. So we couldn’t be more proud.”
The hotel’s general manager, Silvio Vettorello, said the prize was “the best gift.”
The De Santis family, which also owns the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como, purchased the 18th-century property, former home of composer Vincenzo Bellini, in 2018.
It opened last year after a three-year renovation and has earned rave reviews.
“It was a villa where a very noble family from Lake Como spent their holidays,” says De Santis, who describes Passalacqua as a “love story.”
“And this is what we want to bring to the guests. So the biggest compliment we can receive is that they feel at home (there).”
Courtesy of Singita Lodges
Singita Lodges in Kruger National Park, South Africa, known for its environmentally friendly hospitality, received the Eco Hotel award.
Several hotels received special awards, including two properties in the United Kingdom. Gleneagles (No.32), an 850-acre estate located in the heart of Scotland, received the Art of Hospitality award. The Newt in Bruton, Somerset, which came in 37th place, received the award for Best Boutique Hotel.
At number 11, The Capella Bangkok, located along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, was the highest-ranked hotel to open within the two-year voting period and subsequently received the Best New Hotel award.
The smallest property to make the list was Singita Lodges in Kruger National Park in South Africa, which came in at number 15 and also received the Eco Hotel award.
The Lodge at Blue Sky, a remote lodge in Utah’s Wasatch Mountain Range, was named “One To Watch,” an award given to hotels that the 50 Best organization believes have the potential to appear on the list in the future.
“After seeing the devastating impact of Covid-19 on the hospitality industry, it has been especially gratifying to see so many hoteliers from around the world come together in London to celebrate each other’s achievements under one roof at the first ever awards ceremony. The World’s 50. Best Hotels,” Tim Brooke-Webb, CEO of the World’s 50 Best Hotels, said in a statement.
“Our heartfelt congratulations go out to each and every hotel on the list, and we hope this list inspires travel lovers to book somewhere truly spectacular for their next trip.”
The list of the world’s best hotels is decided by the World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, made up of 580 hotel industry experts, including hoteliers and travel journalists, from around the world.
1. Passalacqua (Moltrasio, Italy)
2. Hong Kong Rosewood
3. Four Seasons Bangkok on Chao Phraya River
4. The Upper House (Hong Kong)
5. They love Tokyo
6. The Mamounia (Marrakesh, Morocco)
7. Soneva Fushi (Maldives)
8. Unique and exclusive mandarin (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
9. Four Seasons Florence (Florence, Italy)
10. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
eleven. Bangkok Chapel
12. The Calile (Brisbane, Australia)
13. Chable Yucatan (Chocholá, Mexico)
14. They love Venice
fifteen. Accommodation in Singita (Kruger National Park, South Africa)
sixteen. Claridge’s (London)
17. Singapore Raffles
18. nihi-sumba (Wanokaka, Indonesia)
19. Hotel Esencia (Tulum, Mexico)
twenty. The mermaid (Positano, Italy)
twenty-one. Borgo Egnazia (Savelletri, Italy)
22. The Connaught (London)
23. Royal Mansur (Marrakesh)
24. Four Seasons Madrid
25. They love New York
26. The Maybourne Riviera (Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France)
27. São Paulo Rosewood (São Paulo, Brazil)
28. Capella Singapore
29. Le Bristol Paris
30. Park Hyatt Kyoto (Kyoto, Japan)
31. The reserve (Paris)
32. Gleneagles (Auchterarder, Scotland)
33. Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc (Antibes, France)
3. 4. Cheval Blanc Paris
35. Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens
36. Soneva Jani (Maldives)
37. The Newt in Somerset (Bruton, United Kingdom)
38. amangala (Sri Lanka)
39. Hoshinoya Tokyo
40. Desa potato head (Seminyak, Bali)
41. Rock of Eden (San Bartolome)
42. Siam (Bangkok)
43. Badrutt Palace (Saint Moritz, Switzerland)
44. Atlantis the real (Dubai)
Four. Five. The Oberoi Amarvilas (Agra, India)
46. nomadic london
47. The Savoy (London)
48. New York Equinox
49. Six Senses Ibiza (Balearic Islands, Spain)
fifty. Crillon Hotel (Paris)
