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Best hotels in the world, as picked by CNT | The Gold List 2022

By Condé Nast Traveller

For the first time in India, Condé Nast Traveller presents The Gold List 2022, a selection of the world’s finest hotels, personally chosen by our editors across the world. There are two great lists annually in Condé Nast Traveller India: the Readers’ Travel Awards , which you, our beloved audience, select, and the Hot List , which compiles the new and notable openings of the previous year. This year, CNT India collaborated with teams, working in locations from California to Beijing, to put out this list of our favorite hotels and resorts in the world. The Gold List is made by humans for other humans—something we need more than ever in this day and age. Here are our favorite hotels and resorts in the world.

UMAID BHAWAN PALACE JODHPUR, INDIA

The golden sandstone façade seems sharpened by the Jodhpur sun—peeking across groomed gardens to the city’s sky-coloured houses from a plum position on a hill just outside. Umaid Bhawan is part of one of the world’s largest private residences, and still the occasional home of Jodhpur’s former royal family, so few hotels are as vast and unashamedly regal. Finished in 1943, the palace is a glorious blend of aesthetics: Partly inspired by Angkor Wat, its Rajasthani style was injected with notes of Art Deco by Polish artist turned interior designer Stefan Norblin, a famed illustrator in his home country who painted the striking frescoes as interpretations of Hindu mythology. But for all that its huge, pillared central dome can seem intimidating, as can those portraits of former maharajas, I have always felt at home here. That’s largely down to the warm staff in bright turbans, who make me feel entirely deserving of the Champagne breakfasts, raw-milk baths, and folk performances in the marble-columned pavilion. It isn’t, in the end, a place in which to be overawed—but to be embraced, and very happily spoiled. SMITHA MENON  Doubles from about £520/ Rs.52,640; Website

JW MARRIOTT MUSSOORIE WALNUT GROVE RESORT AND SPA INDIA

Picture an afternoon tea party in a setting inspired by the Garhwali village tradition of kachdi or chai with conversations. I drink piping hot tea with roasted bhutta under ancient walnut trees; a gentle mist rolls in on cue. This, I realise, is just one of the many ways to sit back and enjoy the majestic mountains that once made Mussoorie a colonial summer favourite. Today, JW Marriott Mussoorie Walnut Grove Resort and Spa is that perfect retreat from the bustle of the main town. The five-acre property has in its sprawl walnut and apple trees and a profusion of flowers. A leisurely trek to the nearby pine forest yields more beauty than I thought possible and just like that I exit into an absurdly perfect forest clearing where I sit back and enjoy a picnic for one without any thought of saving it for the gram. One of my favourite things about this property is that all the common spaces have tall floor-to-ceiling windows that offer a perfect frame for the mountains beyond. And then there is the magical breakfast in a stream where a buffet is set out in the open and a clear brook flows by my feet. The greenhouse with its flowers, plants and fresh herbs is another delightful spot to curl up and enjoy a special detox drink. I am spoilt for choice with the curated al-fresco dining experiences that offer everything from Garhwali to Italian fare. Mussoorie offers plenty for travellers from the plains, but ensconced in this private grove, I have enough to refresh my city-weary bones. RIAAN GEORGE Doubles from about Rs.25,600; Website

ITC SONAR KOLKATA, INDIA

By Arundhati Ail

By Charlie Hobbs

The gondhoraj lebu is everywhere—in the citrussy perfume that wafts around the hotel, on the trees in the sprawling gardens, in the oils at the Kaya Kalp Spa and as the aromatic extra across restaurant menus. It is an olfactory GI tag that immediately identifies the place as Kolkata. At ITC Sonar, being rooted in the soil matters and is about earth and ethos. This reclaimed land with its errant PH levels has been regenerated into an oasis. The gardens channel Bengal’s natural bounty and it is not just the gondhoraj but fragrant shiuli (night jasmine) trees, coconut palms and contiguous water bodies dotted with pink and white water lilies. The design of this luxury business resort is inspired by the Bengali bhadralok’s bagan bari or garden house and everything I experience brings me home to the city. Shamshad Akhtar at Dum Pukht recites original Urdu couplets as he serves kakori kebabs made per Imitiaz Qureshi’s legendary recipe. Yet, his Awadh is rooted in the biryanis and mushairas in Kolkata’s Metiabruz ineighbourhood—Wajid Ali Shah’s erstwhile kingdom in exile. I dig through the layers of lau chingri, a traditional dish presented as an Italian tiella, and marvel at the East-West confluence that has defined Bengal since its Renaissance. The sculptures in my expansive suite are inspired by the art of the Pala era. The complimentary mishti is made of seasonal nolen gur. I wake to the song of the elusive kokil and a golden vision of the city distilled in a hotel. DIYA KOHLI Doubles from Rs. 7000; Website

THE LEELA PALACE NEW DELHI, INDIA

I remember the first time I walked into the lobby of the then-new Leela Palace New Delhi, in 2011. The gilded furniture, the twinkling chandeliers, the silver tchotchkes—they overwhelmed the senses. Since then, though, I’ve discovered what is truly golden about this hotel. The thoughtful, old-school hospitality, like transfers straight from the baggage carousel (save your judgments until after you have battled crowds at Delhi’s airport); the fact that they will leave the rooftop pool open for you should you need to get in some laps after hours; and the easy vegetarian hits on Megu’s menu, like a delicate cured-tofu sashimi that’s to die for and a heavenly chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries. This winter a garden-side izakaya is set to open. Call it an attempt to attract a younger audience, but the Library Bar will curate a range of music—traditional Sufi to EDM— and turn itself into a gin-focused cocktail bar. Ten years on and under new management, The Leela’s glitter game is still strong. PRASAD RAMAMURTHY Doubles from Rs. 18,700; Website

THE OBEROI AMARVILAS AGRA, INDIA

This hotel is a dream within a Mughal dream. In a city that’s home to the world’s most famous monument, the hotel itself feels like one. My journey into the heart begins from the moment I step inside the luxuriously vast Robert Burns suite with its teak wood floorings, ruby red and green carpets and fresh roses. And then I spot the whitedomed marble beauty—the Taj Mahal on the other side of the French windows, and for a moment I forget to breathe. It’s hard not to think of the impossible power of love as I look at it every waking moment of the day—from my bed, my balcony and even the bathtub set inside a splendidly romantic bathroom. Romance is a theme that continues through the rest of my stay whether I’m driven in a buggy to the Taj (which is just 600m away), served a sublime Italian meal surrounded by a thousand lamps, or treated to an evening performance of kathak and santoor by the cobalt-blue pool. The architecture is a nod to the city’s Mughal heritage with intricate marble latticework, gold leaf frescoes, arched doorways and sprawling Mughal gardens. Traditions from that era are observed to such an extent that they don’t play Western music or display bottles of alcohol (the Mughals drank discreetly) and even the house phones are concealed. It’s all so evocative of the Mughal ethos that I feel I’ve travelled back in time. And then there is the luscious Awadhi cuisine at Esphahan that makes you feel like royalty. Most people return to Agra for the Taj but I feel it’s the Amarvilas I’ll be returning for. SHUNALI KHULLAR SHROFF Doubles from Rs. 24,000; Website

QASR AL SARAB BY ANANTARA ABU DHABI, UAE

Deep within Abu Dhabi’s remote Empty Quarter, Qasr Al Sarab materialises from the sands like a fever dream—one I’d happily return to again and again. I always feel a little thrill on seeing the fort-like compound, with its crenellated walls, faux watchtowers and horseshoe arches, emerge at the end of a slick ribbon of tarmac that snakes through dunes the colour of Earl Grey tea. I eye the date palms shading its formidable perimeter, and marvel at the small canals modelled on ancient Arabian falaj irrigation systems, which carry cooling water between courtyards. Inside, the details give just enough of a sense of place — Moroccan-style lanterns and intricate mashrabiya screens, and even the odd Bedouin artefact, such as a dagger or a brass coffee pot—which feels purposeful rather than hokey. Sienna-walled guest rooms are kitted out with wooden chests and plush-patterned rugs that offer tactile warmth in a desolate place. But the most 0intriguing aspect is that activity and idleness are in equal supply here. I can just as easily spend a day hopping over the dunes on a fat bike or camel as linger on the premises, perhaps being immersed in a sound bath. Every trip ends with a climb along the dunes. I’ve seen some of the most mesmerising sunsets of my life from this vantage point—the ocean-like sands constantly shifting as the winds carve waves into their surface; impermanent but, just for a moment, perfectly wrought. NICOLA CHILTON Doubles from about £350/ Rs.35,330; Website

SONEVA FUSHI MALDIVES

The things that bring you here are never the ones you remember most. So not the slide that whooshes from the top floor of your overwater villa straight into the Indian Ocean, or the ice-cream room or the floating breakfast in your private pool. Of course, they’re fantastic—but the elements that draw people back to Soneva year after year, despite the steady stream of Maldives openings, seem less sexy on Instagram. First, there’s as much tropical greenery as there is unending expanse of blue sky and sea. Then there are the little discoveries you make, such as the rabbits who come out for scraps and sit in the sand at your feet. Even more unforgettable is Soneva’s commitment to sustainability, which started way before it became a buzzword. Today, 90 per cent of the island’s waste is recycled or reused. Artists and chefs are invited to transform scraps into works of wonder. You will dine at its plant-based restaurant, rooted in its organic garden, and leave with a great understanding of what lies beneath the waves (through its marine conservation programme) and above (with an astronomy session). It feels like a place to see the bigger picture; the wind, waves and clouds a reminder of how we are all connected to the earth. This is perhaps Soneva’s greatest message: that even in the most indulgent environment it’s possible—no, essential—for there to be a mission. Of all the places I am dreaming of returning to, this is top of the list. DIVIA THANI Villas from about £1,510/ Rs.1,52,710; Website

MANDARIN ORIENTAL, HONG KONG CHINA

When I was a child, my mother would take me for afternoon tea at the Mandarin Oriental as a treat. We would sit in the Clipper Lounge, on the mezzanine floor overlooking the lobby, smearing rose-petal jam on plump scones delivered by waiters in white tunics—all amid a caravanserai of taipans and politicians, celebrities and royals, tourists and cheong-sam-clad ladies. Forty years later, I continue the ritual with my niece. The Mandarin (as it’s affectionately known to all who’ve stayed) is an institution. Not the stuffy kind. No, this hotel has always been fun—a celebration of Hong Kong’s identity. A place that zips along with the same energy as the horses that gallop around the Happy Valley racecourse—and not even 20 months of border closures have slowed its pace. There’s a terrific new bar, The Aubrey, an izakaya which pokes gentle fun at the 19th-century European trend for Japonisme with its wonderfully opulent design: dark wood panelling, jewel-toned velvets, walls of gilt-framed paintings and trailing ferns above a puzzle of snugs and banquettes. And while Cantonese restaurant Man Wah has occupied the same spot overlooking the former Supreme Court since 1968, it’s been theatrically updated with China-blue walls, brass birdcage lamps and calligraphy artwork (the dim sum remains divine). For the first time in its history, the hotel now also has a club lounge with cocktail hours and afternoon tea. But what really matters is that the Mandarin Oriental remains a beloved symbol of the city’s cosmopolitan history. LEE COBAJ Doubles from £250/ Rs.25,285; Website

BULGARI HOTEL BEIJING, CHINA

There aren’t many cities as intense as Beijing, with its ring roads like clogged arteries; where even its imperial core—the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Drum and Bell Towers—hums with frantic life. I’ve always found it a city to attack and then retreat from, which is why the Bulgari Hotel is such a joy. Hugging the Liangma river, gently removed from the embassies and expat buzz of Sanlitun, it spills onto a manicured garden by Swedish landscape designer Enzo Enea—a splash of soft green zen in a city of sharp greys. Inside, there are Asian nods, but mostly it has a certain luxuriant smoothness: crisp blacks and golds, with black marble floors, archival photographs and folding copper screens. I usually ask for a south-facing room, as high as possible, looking through floor-to-ceiling windows not just to the sun but to the wonky New China skyline across the river. Everything within is smoothly tactile, from leather-panelled walls to sliding wooden screens, fringed Bulgari-branded bedspreads and velveteen sofas. Regional Abruzzo dishes such as wagyu tagliata and oyster risotto come from the imagination of award-winning chef Niko Romito, and are served under great geometric Murano chandeliers. The spa, with its pool seemingly hewn from black marble, was partly inspired by Rome’s ancient Baths of Caracalla. Beijing may be rushing outside; inside, a very Italian smoothness reigns. VINCENT WANG Doubles from £430/ Rs. 43,480; Website

SHINTA MANI WILD KIRIROM NATIONAL PARK, CAMBODIA

There aren’t many hotel designers whose creations have genuinely made my face hurt from smiling. I first came across the work of Bangkok-based American Bill Bensley when I stayed at the Capella Ubud in Bali, a joyous feat of maximalist storytelling in the jungle. Shinta Mani Wild is an even deeper immersion into nature— specifically, the lush wilderness of south-western Cambodia. To me, the most thrilling thing about the place isn’t that you arrive by army four-wheel-drive and then zipwire over the forest canopy, to be met – grinning madly—with a botanical Khmer G&T beside the rushing river. No, it’s the fact that Bensley bought an 865-acre swathe of magical, orchid-rich rainforest between three national parks to protect it from logging, mining and poaching. This meant I could properly enjoy one of the decadent, whimsically themed tents along the river, and the house-made herbal tonics in the thatched spa, against the happy background hum of the Raging Sister waterfall. I could thrill in the snappily dressed staff ushering me to take a river safari or eat wonderful foraged food in the main tent. Among scores of river- and forest-based adventures, the most fulfilling was joining an anti-poaching patrol team, whose sheer love for the minutiae of the jungle belied the AK-47s slung across their shoulders. Shinta Mani Wild is no airy piece of greenwashing. For all its grin-inducing whimsy, this is the real thing. JULIET KINSMAN Doubles from about £690/ Rs. 69,715 all inclusive (minimum three nights); Website

FOUR SEASONS RESORT DUBAI AT JUMEIRAH BEACH UAE

There aren’t too many places that can offer a true beach and city break—but this elegant compound on Jumeirah’s crispwhite shores manages to feel like part of Dubai while also being gently removed from it. Mostly, the hotel sits on the serene side of Middle Eastern opulence, with marble, Murano chandeliers and gold-leaf ceilings cut through with calming, earthy tones inspired by the desert and Arabian Gulf. Staff around the curving, shadow-draped lagoon pools seem ever-ready with citrus shooters and blueberry muffins, and there’s often a procession of couples heading towards the orb-like sculpture by the beach, fire-lit as the sun goes down. The spa has treatments designed by Swiss anti-ageing guru Pauline Burgener, and much of the food runs fresh—from detox salads at vegetarian Folia to yellowtail ceviche at Sea Fu. But this is still Dubai, so there’s also room for the flash of Nusr-Et, the steakhouse created by divisive Turkish showman Salt Bae. Jumeirah is the closest beach to Downtown, and the Burj Al Arab and Burj Khalifa still loom large, best viewed from the rooftop Mercury Lounge, with its Arabian archways framing the twinkling city. I can’t think of a better way to see and do Dubai. ALICE HOLTHAM  Doubles from about £405/Rs. 40,906; Website

SIX SENSES YAO NOI PHUKET, THAILAND

It begins with a subtle shift from indigo to violet, starlight fading in the night sky. Silhouettes of dragons appear on the horizon; the jagged limestone karsts of Phang Nga Bay. The Andaman Sea is seemingly lit from beneath in a preternatural shade of cerulean. In a flash of scarlet and flame orange, the day arrives, greeted by the unfurling of lotus flowers and the calls of hornbills, kingfishers and coucals. I’m not an early riser but I would change the habits of a lifetime if every morning looked like those at Six Senses Yao Noi. The sunrises are just one of the reasons I’m always angling to return to this tropical island resort off the coast of Phuket. Others include the breezy villas with their driftwood canopied beds, sunken sea-view bathtubs and decks large enough to cartwheel across; the sunny staff who make guests feel only-child special; and the communal half-moon infinity pool set high in the hills, forming a crescent above the bay. Then there’s the spa, cleaved into the jungle and offering lemongrass teas, hot herbal massages and wellness rituals (my favourite is the Signature Yao Noi Journey, featuring a coconut scrub and steam) which last for hours and leave me glassy eyed, in a good way. The food mostly comes from local fishermen, or the hotel’s gardens, mushroom hut and chicken coop—poached Phuket lobster in coconut broth, perhaps, or hot-and-sour grouper curry. To spend time here is a joy—a reminder of the beauty of nature and the possibilities that arrive with each new dawn. LC Doubles from about £505/Rs. 51,045; Website

AMAN TOKYO JAPAN

Japan’s capital is many things—sprawling, neon lit, nocturnal – but one word not often used to describe it is relaxing. I registered this dissonance approximately an hour after I last checked into Aman Tokyo. More precisely, while floating 34 floors above ground, inhaling and exhaling with a meditation teacher in a white space, distracted only by vivid sunset views. Aman has, of course, long been a byword for a certain kind of crisp zen wellness. Yet there’s something extra special about discovering it among the skyscrapers of a megalopolis, surrounded by the impeccable geometry of late Australian architect Kerry Hill, who was long inspired by Japanese design and considered this one of his finest works. Aman destinations have tended to focus on nature and heritage, so transplanting the concept to the big city in 2014 was a bolder move than it seems now. The lobby still turns heads, with its towering ceiling, abstract blooms and kimono-clad musician plucking the strings of a koto. The bedrooms always seem to me more akin to mindfulness spaces, with their aromatic hinokiwood, sliding screens and staggered levels. The food and the service are impeccable—of course they are—but the spa is the real scenestealer, a place of complete sensory purity that hovers unperturbed over the fizzing city. The latest treatments cover everything from Shinto purification rituals to iaido sword training. But really it’s a form of therapy just being here, as Tokyo glimmers and growls below. DANIELLE DEMETRIOU Doubles from £730/Rs. 73,780; Website

GROOTBOS PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA

For a long time, lodges in South Africa tended to be geared towards the Big Five. Grootbos, on the fynbos slopes near Walker Bay, south of Cape Town, is different. This 2,500-hectare private reserve is about treasuring the smaller, finer things. With 889 plant species, seven of which are newly discovered, it is first and foremost a rare botanical treasure trove, in which owner Michael Lutzeyer has employed some of the Cape’s leading botanists and entomologists. The lodges are glassy and contemporary, but there’s a constant call outdoors—from the outside showers to tracking elusive aardvark and Cape leopard, or having lantern-lit dinners in a 1,000-year-old milkwood forest, all fairy-tale tangles. I’ve ridden horses across the sands, past ancient sea caves; been on flower safaris, tree-planting expeditions and whale-watching flights to see the calving southern right whales that migrate inshore between July and December. Most of the food on the carbon-negative reserve is grown on-site, and nothing comes from more than 30 miles away, with many of the staff graduates of the in-house hospitality academy. But the main takeaway of Grootbos is that just stopping and looking—at the interconnectedness and mad beauty of life—is the most mesmerising thing of all. JANE BROUGHTON Doubles from about £760/ Rs.76,710; Website

LA MAMOUNIA MARRAKECH, MOROCCO

There’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 watercolour 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 over-zealous 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, around which I find the peoplewatching 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. DAVID MORALEJO Doubles from about £450/ Rs. 45,505; Website

LEWA WILDERNESS LAIKIPIA, KENYA

Within a few hours of beginning my first game drive at this safari lodge and conservancy near the foot of Mount Kenya, I had seen the “Big Six”, as my guide Johnson Gilishe called them—the usual Big Five of buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard and rhino, plus a cheetah sunning on a termite mound. I’d also spotted crowned cranes, kingfishers and endangered Grevy’s zebras, whose numbers in the wildlife sanctuary comprise a sixth of the species’s global population. Founded 50 years ago by former cattle ranchers as an adventure camp, Lewa has become one of the most successful community conservancies, a model emulated throughout Africa and by the USA’s National Park Service. It’s also an extraordinarily pleasant place to stay, from the rustic thatched cottages with fireplaces overlooking the Western Marania Valley to the communal outdoor meals prepared with ingredients from the conservancy’s small farm, plus a pool, clay tennis court and comfortable sitting room in which to tell stories at the end of the day. Lewa owner Will Craig will take guests up in his rebuilt open-air Thirties biplane—spot Anthony Bourdain in it during one of the final episodes of his TV series Parts Unknown (“Better than sex,” he is reported to have said). There’s also horseand camel-riding, birding and archaeology walks. But nothing beats the game drives, or the crisp taste of a G&T, looking out over some of the most beautiful landscapes and creatures on the planet. JESSE ASHLOCK  Cottages from about £1,440/Rs. 1.45,440; Website

THE ST REGIS FLORENCE ITALY

There’s no shortage of elegant hotels in Florence, but something about The St Regis keeps me coming back year after year. It might be that, for a palazzo of 15th-century frescoes and crystal chandeliers, it is just so cosy; full of stained-glass-lit nooks in which to disappear for hours with a copy of La Repubblica. Of course, the Renaissance never feels far away. Filippo Brunelleschi, the brains behind the Duomo, designed the original palazzo in the early 1400s, and it became a hotel in 1866. If the exquisitely detailed cherubs on the ceiling of the Salone delle Feste ballroom could talk, they might tell tales that the wonderful staff here are mostly too tactful to divulge: of Botticelli and Amerigo Vespucci (the explorer who gave America its name), but also of Madonna and Keith Richards. Still, it’s not just the great and the good who are treated exquisitely: my clothes have been magically unpacked and ironed while I’ve been given tickets that skip the queues for the Diocesan Museum or Santa Maria del Fiore’s dome. Rooms, all brocades and canopied beds, mostly have views of the River Arno, while the Winter Garden restaurant is at the reverential end of Italian cooking, with dishes served under a great glass ceiling. Still, this is also a hotel that can let its hair down. Last Christmas, during the nightly Champagne ritual that kicks off with a waiter popping a bottle with a sabre, I found myself saying “Cin cin” to a giant teddy bear given pride of place by the fire. This is a hotel where the royal treatment is for everyone. SARA MAGRO Doubles from about £410/Rs.41,430; Website

BELMOND SPLENDIDO MARE PORTOFINO, ITALY

I’ve been travelling to the Gulf of Tigullio since I was a child—so when I learned that the Splendido Mare in Portofino was reopening after a renovation in 2021, I booked a room immediately. This is the more intimate offshoot of Belmond’s Splendido, a hillside hideout that started life as a Benedictine monastery before becoming a hotel in 1901, then a magnet for movie stars (Elizabeth Taylor had four honeymoons there). The Splendido Mare, once a fishermen’s guesthouse, is its 14-room harbourside sister, which first opened in 1998. Its makeover, by in-demand Parisians Charlotte de Tonnac and Hugo Sauzay, is exquisite—local terracotta tiles and nautical nods, such as the knots woven into headboards in quietly lavish rooms, with Gio Ponti armchairs and rich Loro Piana fabrics. Everything is done subtly, and there’s a deceptive simplicity to the cooking of brothers Enrico and Roberto Cerea. Their restaurant in Bergamo has three Michelin stars, but here they stick mostly to seafood and Ligurian classics, including a sublime pesto trofie. This is Portofino, after all, which is above all discreet—a place where the actors and the aperitivo-sipping locals don’t much bother each other. I was happiest at the Cereas’ breakfast banquet on the terrace, overlooking the emerald bay, watching Italy’s most civilised corner come languidly to life. SM Doubles from £490/Rs.49,630; Website

ANASSA CYPRUS

There is a reason that Anassa has so many ”superloyals”, as they call them on the front desk—guests who return on the same week, year after year. Life feels supremely comfortable in this series of immaculate white buildings tumbling down the hillside to the coffeecoloured beach below. Still owned by the Cypriot Michaelides family, the 23-year-old hillside estate has always been classic, even after a renovation in 2016, when Parisian interior designer Joelle Pleot stuck largely to elegant creams and Hamptons nautical stripes. The spa—including a midnight blue, glass-roofed thalassotherapy pool that stopped me in my sliders—is sensational. But the reason I really understand all those repeat guests is the seemingly effortless multi-generational appeal. On a recent post-lockdown visit, we were given beach baskets brimming with toys, and left our son to pottery lessons and treasure hunts at the brilliant kids’ club as we sauntered off for local rosé at the cavernous, adults-only Basiliko restaurant, with its sunken terrace. Anassa also offers babysitting services and a family photographer, yet none of it feels twee or forced. Instead, this is a place to dangle one’s feet over the edge of a sun-warmed pool, or wander through fragrant gardens against a soundtrack of crickets, wood pigeons and gently lapping sea. It is a place, in other words, to keep coming back to. BECKY LUCAS Doubles from about £405/ Rs. 41,010; Website

LE BRISTOL PARIS FRANCE

Yes, Le Bristol is grand—the polished marble, the Louis XVI armchairs, the boiserie panelled walls—but it has never felt cold or stuffy. I tend to go for Paris Fashion Week, and any sense of froideur is eliminated with one stroke of Fa-raon, the fluffy white Burmese cat and unofficial hotel mascot (he’s since had a son and heir, called Socrate)—usually impeccably clad in a dickie bow, and draped over the concierge’s desk. Le Bristol has had a stylish insouciance ever since it opened on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in 1925, and it held onto its gilded soul after a six-year facelift that was unveiled in 2018 by owners the Oetker Collection. Suites are about chandeliers, Pierre Frey fabrics and a very pure devotion to comfort. My favourites overlook the wonderfully serene enclosed garden by Arabella Lennox-Boyd, with its geometric lawns, fountains and osmanthus topiaries. Eric Fréchon’s macaroni with black truffle and duck foie gras at three-Michelin-starred Epicure is a thing of wonder, but I’m as happy at Café Antonia, where the fashion crowd all seem to order the green bean, artichoke and hazelnut salad. The spa by La Prairie does possibly the best massage in Paris, and I even love the quirky old pool, styled like a Twenties cruise ship. It is wholly indicative of Le Bristol, which plays by its own timeless rules, and is all the more elegant for it. MARTHA WARD Doubles from about £1,265/ Rs.1,26,850; Website

COTTON HOUSE HOTEL BARCELONA, SPAIN

Smart hotels in this city often hew to a certain mod-minimal, design-agency template. The Cotton House in Eixample, though, is very different—a riot of neoclassical joy in a 19th-century cotton guild, which makes me smile every time. Interior designer Lázaro Rosa-Violán is well known for his designs across Barcelona, including the Edition—but it’s hard to think he’s ever had more fun than with the Belle Epoque features here, from its old parquet floors to the wood-panelled ceilings and grand spiralling staircases. The cotton theme runs through the orb-shaped chandeliers, like cotton flowers; the 300-thread Egyptian- cotton sheets in the more minimal rooms; and the fact that guests can order candy-coloured, hand-stitched shirts from the very sharp concierge desk, which is known as the Gossypium (the Latin name for the genus of plants that produce cotton). The style is grown-up, but a chintzy wink is never far away. In the bar, which spills out onto a lushly foliaged terrace, the house Gossypium cocktail with Pisco and blue Curaçao gleefully throws out the prevailing vogue for Savoy classics. It is a reminder that hotels can grandly mine the past—but do it without taking themselves too seriously. DM Doubles from about £210/ Rs.21,065; Website

THE RITZ-CARLTON, ABAMA TENERIFE, SPAIN

Some large hotels can seem impersonal and lacking in character. Instead, The Ritz-Carlton Abama—a monumental vision of faintly surreal, multi-layered Moorish pink—feels more like a curious labyrinthine village; a place to get happily lost in, amid all those palm trees, curving walkways and aquamarine pools with sharp, dissonant angles. The sense of a total escape is helped by the fact that the hotel is a world unto itself: with views beyond the white-sand beach to the neighbouring island of La Gomera, it is mostly surrounded by its own golf course, beyond which the volcanic Mount Teide looms ominously large. Flying and flopping may be unfashionable, but I can’t think of a better place to do just that of a European winter (Tenerife is T-shirt-warm all year round). The 10 restaurants include Michelin-starred Basque and Japanese fusion; the kids’ club, with art walls and DJ booths, is one of the biggest in Europe; and the spa takes opulent inspiration from Roman baths. But the joy here is just being: hiking along the rugged coast or floating from pool to pool, as the sun casts lines of shadows over pink stucco walls and eventually settles over the peaks of La Gomera. DM Doubles from about £380/ Rs.38,432; Wesbite

HOTEL DU CAP-EDEN-ROC CAP D’ANTIBES, FRANCE

Life isn’t perfect. That’s why we have places like Hotel du CapEden-Roc, where the world’s most glamorous people descend every summer to live on what feels like an impeccably styled film set. The last day of my most recent stay here—the one I had reserved to spend entirely by its swimming pool, cut into rocks overlooking a glittering blue Mediterranean Sea—turned out to be grey and overcast. By this time, I had already experienced the other attractions: the rose garden, the tennis courts, the private cabanas where I enjoyed a massage, the restaurants that manage to feel casually chic in the day and all dressed up at night, and the Manolo Valdes exhibition on its perfectly manicured lawns, where pine trees are being carefully planted to eventually replace the imposing ones standing now. This is a place where nostalgia is kept alive, where corridors are filled with photographs of its most famous guests from the past 150 years, where golden sunshine infuses everyone and everything with an air of romance, so that your time here feels lengthened and expanded, and etched in memory no matter how short your visit actually is. You will leave so well taken care of, so well fed, so intoxicated by the heady, fragrant summer breeze, that even a cold final day on the French Riviera will not taint your mood. Instead, it seems like just a little twist in the plot, enough to make you believe that the rest of your life is pretty perfect after all. DT Doubles from about £555/ Rs. 56,115; Website

THE VASILICOS SANTORINI, GREECE

Almost every building overlooking Santorini’s sunken caldera has been converted into a luxury hotel. I’ve stayed at dozens of them, but surprisingly few live up to those famous views. The Vasilicos is a cut above the crowded competition for several reasons. All seven suites are spacious and secluded, their terraces cascading down the hillside with wide-open views of the infinite blue. Even when the island seems to be sinking under the weight of its popularity, serenity reigns at this former summer house. Designed for gatherings with family and friends, it was built in the 1980s by Vassilis Valambous, a Greek art collector and bon viveur, from a cluster of collapsed yposkafa – the island’s unique cave houses. The atmosphere still has the warmth, intimacy and personality of a home. From the capsule library (curated by legendary local shop Atlantis Books) to the custom-made beach towels, every thoughtful detail bears the personal touch of the elegantly understated owner, Daphne Valambous. Her brother Yannis has transformed the vineyards he inherited from their father into Vassaltis, one of the most exciting wineries on Santorini. If I’m travelling solo, I like to pop a bottle of its sparkling pet nat to toast the sunset, an almost otherworldly experience that is never the same twice (the wines can also be paired with a personalised tasting menu at the sublime two-table restaurant). Open since 2015, The Vasilicos is already a timeless classic. I’d almost prefer to keep this very private hideaway hush-hush. RACHEL HOWARD Doubles from about £315/Rs. 31,795; Website

THE CONNAUGHT LONDON, UK

Some places just have magic in their bones: the whiff of a vast Cire Trudon candle in the lobby; the gleam of 200-year-old oak bannisters; or the hum from a perfectly low-lit bar, where a Martini trolley is being wheeled from table to table. The Connaught is a place where the original lifts still creak elegantly, rain patters on the roof and solid walls make it feel like, whatever troubles befall the world, all will be well within. The setting is just right, too: spotless Mount Street, with its mustard-bright awnings, high heels click-clacking on the pavement and line of shiny black taxis with yellow lights winking. Removed from the traffic but pin-sharp in the heart of Mayfair’s thrills, it is first and foremost a cocooning retreat, enveloping and deeply comfortable. But there’s also a buzz in spaces such as the new Red Room, a sly speakeasy hidden beyond a velvet-curtained doorway, and a sense that things are happening in some nook somewhere. For all that it does elevated Michelin dining, there’s also a corner to dive into for a late-night hamburger and frites. Bathrooms are wall-to-wall marble; some beds, such as the carved four-poster in the Prince’s Lodge, are so high off the ground they need steps to climb into. Everything is immaculate, spoiling and just so damn smart. It is a very London grande dame, and I can’t think of a better place to spend a night. ISSY VON SIMSON Doubles from £620/Rs. 62,630; Website

FINCA CORTESIN ANDALUCIA, SPAIN

Marbella has grown up a little since it was a small town frequented by in-the-know Sixties regulars such as Prince Rainier, Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart. As the money rolled in, it became more Costa del Oro than Sol—and for a certain clientele, where you stayed was just as important a signifier as the Tesla model you had valet-parked or the handbag you took to the pool. Finca Cortesin lies a little aloof from all this, though, between Marbella and the superyachts of Sotogrande, in the foothills of Sierra Bermeja. The labels aren’t exactly high street, but they’re worn understatedly; I think of it less as a place to see and be seen than a place simply to be. It’s the epitome of an Andalucian country house, designed by the late Duarte Pinto Coelho, with doors salvaged from a castle and oil paintings and palatial antiques from around Spain, Portugal and Morocco—though bright pops of colour and neon artworks in the bedrooms and pretty fabric-covered walls prevent it from ever getting too serious. And the team here, led by Rene Zimmer, make you feel very much at home. There’s a real sense of intimacy despite its size— technically it is a golf hotel (its greens are hosting the women’s Solheim Cup tournament in 2023) but I’d never describe it as one. Of the restaurants, El Jardin de Lutz is a favourite for its authentic takes on Spanish classics, with the lawns and olive-filled gardens just outside to walk in afterwards. It’s a happy place for me. DM Doubles from about £470/Rs. 47,510; Website

HECKFIELD PLACE HAMPSHIRE, UK

There’s a reassuring seamlessness to Heckfield Place, a renovation of a stout Georgian manor house that is true to its red-brick bones, yet somehow perfectly modern. Even getting here is relatively frictionless from London. The first time I came, I was eight months pregnant and anxious, but we’d barely finished The Archers omnibus when we glided into Heckfield’s 438 acres of pasture and woodland, with its arboretum and ornamental lake, installed in the 19th century by Viscount Eversley, speaker of the House of Commons. For all that the restoration itself was a trial—Boston-based billionaire Gerald Chan endured more than a decade of painstaking works before its eventual opening in 2018—the end result is proof that Georgian needn’t feel stiff or chintzy. Designer Ben Thompson went big on earthy tones and textures, “editing” the grand house (his words) with greenery and leaving forest-green, ochre or rose-coloured walls elegantly unadorned. There’s a constant sense of the outside creeping in—sometimes literally, in the case of the biodynamic farm on the estate that supplies two wonderful restaurants overseen by seasonal-eating pioneer Skye Gyngell. Activities include trail running, wild swimming and rowing on the lake with tuck boxes in tow. A new spa, The Bothy, will open this year with a focus on nature and mindfulness. But I’m just as happy in my light-bathed room, clad in a chenille robe and quietly perusing the pocket library. Like the place itself, life here feels entirely unforced. JO RODGERS Doubles from £350/Rs. 35,380; Website

BORGO SANTO PIETRO TUSCANY, ITALY

Some trips are about escape, while others are about reconnection. Last autumn—desperate for a sanctuary from having a newborn in locked-down Brooklyn—I somehow found an Edenic combination of both at Borgo Santo Pietro. The sprawling 300-acre estate is in Maremma, on the more rugged side of Tuscany, and feels like a microcosm of the region itself—where the ricotta at dinner comes from the sheep spied on long rambles through farms and forests; where the fields of lavender and marigold feed straight into the face oils and beauty masks in the spa. None of this is to say that Borgo Santo Pietro isn’t smart. The manicured gardens and landscaped pool; the staff who will appear with a Spritz and silver tray of truffled chips simply because they thought you needed it (I did)—everything is done with a very Italian elegance, including the farm-to-plate Trattoria sull’Albero, dissected by a thick oak tree. During harvest season, guests can pluck and stomp grapes at Borgo’s tumbles of vineyards. There is a six-feet-deep swimming hole, in the middle of a rushing stream on the grounds. Closer to the guest villas is a tall canopied wall beside the vegetable gardens, along which pilgrims would trek to the nearby Abbey of San Galgano during the Middle Ages. Unlike at some hotels, visitors to Borgo Santo Pietro don’t lock out the rest of the destination once they check in. For me, it was a chance to explore a pocket of wild southern Tuscany, thrillingly alone and free, without needing to backtrack through those great gates. ERIN FLORIO Doubles from about £560/Rs. 56,575; Website

PARK HYATT SYDNEY AUSTRALIA

Sometimes, the job of a hotel is not to overwhelm or overpower, but to smoothly facilitate. This, to me, is what the Park Hyatt Sydney has always done. Tucked beneath the Harbour Bridge, its sandstone exterior is unassuming, almost austere. But inside, the whole thing makes sense: everything is geared towards the Sydney Opera House, the glinting bay and those green-and-mustard ferries lolling into Circular Quay. None of the rooms and suites is smaller than 40 square metres, and each feels like the smartest waterfront apartment, with mirrors and deftly angled walls emphasising space and pure Australian sunshine. The mosaic rooftop pool—almost unnoticeable from ground level—is one of the city’s great spots, and I’ve spied Bruce Springsteen reclining in the jet pool. For food, I tend to go for the more casual dining option, The Living Room, with cinematic views beyond Kirribilli Point, where a plate of local rock oysters and a Hunter Valley Chardonnay is all that’s required. Service is wonderful, in that crisply unforced Australian way, but really the Park Hyatt is about what’s outside. It is an eminently happy bubble, where it almost feels like I am floating on that shimmering ocean.KH  Doubles from about £580/Rs. 58,650; Website

THE FARM AT CAPE KIDNAPPERS HAWKE’S BAY, NEW ZEALAND

A half-hour drive along the North Island’s Pacific coast from the Art Deco town of Napier, this place feels very special. It’s a 6,000-acre working farm in a rolling coastal landscape, but also a golf course, a wildlife sanctuary and one of the most invigorating stays in New Zealand. Benedict Cumberbatch spent lockdown hidden away in a neighbouring house, and there’s a sense of being let in on a beautiful secret as you climb a forested hill towards the farm’s lofty timberand-stone lodge. There are soaring ceilings and agricultural tools in the main building, smart black-and-white photographs of animals in the 22 cottages with fireplaces—but the overall impression is of a crisply modern take on farmhouse style. That feeling extends to the stunning, globally acclaimed golf course, where sheep wander across the fairways towards steep white cliffs over Hawke’s Bay. This is also a sanctuary for endangered species such as the kiwi and the ancient, lizard-like tuatara and, as I discover on an off-road jaunt to the estate’s sea cliffs, a breeding ground for seabirds and seals. There are miles of hiking and mountain-biking trails across the glacial landscapes, and you always have the option to take picnic hampers to the beach. The Farm is one of those places where you meet other people—ruddy-cheeked over moonshell clams and local lamb—after a day’s adventures. At this hideaway, as the gulls cry and clouds roll in, I sleep better than almost anywhere else on the planet. KENDALL HILL Doubles from about £935/ Rs.94,675; Website

North America

THE CARLYLE, A ROSEWOOD HOTEL NEW YORK CITY, USA

Just saying the words “Meet me at Bemelmans for a drink” makes me feel instantly more sophisticated. There are few acts that so encapsulate a certain sepia-tinted version of New York City as sitting in that dimly lit bar at The Carlyle (preferably on a rainy night), sipping a Martini with a twist while listening to Earl Rose bring home “Begin the Beguine” on the piano. Since it opened in 1930, this hotel has been different. Even its location on the quiet corner of 76th and Madison, just off Central Park and a short walk from the Met, is a solid 20 blocks north of the competition and the transactional hubbub of Midtown. But while it has always been a class act, The Carlyle has never felt uptight. Take Ludwig Bemelmans’ whimsical murals on the walls of his namesake bar, which depict Central Park and Madeline from his beloved children’s books. This place has seen ebullient Alan Cumming performances and intimate Debbie Harry gigs. Mick Jagger allegedly still keeps a residence for when he’s in town. The Carlyle probably could have happily kept on as it was, but in late 2021, 155 of the 189 rooms and suites were redone, and beautifully so. There’s lots of texture and shine—mirrored hallways, brass and black-lacquer wall panellings—but butterfly-shaped door knobs and boucle-upholstered armchairs channel a certain spirit. The hotel also recently debuted a restaurant, Dowling’s, that throws back to the 1940s with dishes such as steak Diane, as well as a spa by Valmont. The great legends don’t fade away, they evolve. REBECCA MISNER Doubles from about £475/ Rs.48,100; Website

EDEN ROCK ST BARTH’S

From the small plane that flies you to the Caribbean island, the red roofs of Eden Rock in the middle of St Jean beach resemble butterflies clustering on a rock. St Barth’s is French, legally and spiritually, and a relaxed insouciance infuses every part of the hotel, shifting it romantically from the Americanised luxury nooks of other Antilles. You drift between the stepped levels: first the amber glow of Remy’s Bar, then the pastels of the open-sided Sand Bar restaurant, where wicker monkeys hang from the ceiling. And then, finally, the glorious beach with its red-and-white loungers. The rocky setting means the bedrooms are forced into variety—some slick and glittery, with plunge pools and vast bathrooms; others calm, in sand-coloured rattan, with original art. Eden Rock was reborn after being smashed by Hurricane Irma in 2017, yet the hazy afterglow of a golden age remains—that air of debauched sophistication instilled by its founder, the roguish smuggler-adventurer Remy de Haenen, and wafted by regulars such as Greta Garbo and Robert Mitchum. I love the breakfasts of perfect French toast, the lunchtime truffle croque monsieurs, the evening ginger margaritas. And there are the parties, of course, when Eden Rock twirls at the heart of the island’s social scene. But I prefer the spaces in between, flitting like a butterfly myself from a sunbed to a bar stool, watched over by Fabrice Moizan, perhaps the slickest hotelier in the Caribbean. This is a French expressionist work of light, water and raffish hedonism. RUARIDH NICOLL Doubles from about £1,100/ Rs.1,11,285; Website

ONE&ONLY PALMILLA SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO

Arriving at this spot on the very tip of the Baja Peninsula always feels like coming home. Many of the staff are third-generation employees who not only remember your name, but whether you prefer your Margarita made with tequila or mezcal (and which brand), and where you like your yoga mat to be set up in your room. And those rooms. White-washed hacienda-style architecture brightened with hand-embroidered textiles, plus perks such as private butlers and, in the case of Villa Cortez, an exclusive fitness suite, spa room and beach cabana, reflect Cabo’s emergence as Latin America’s latest luxury hotspot. There is no shortage of glitzy new five-stars, but as the area’s first proper hotel, Palmilla has a serious advantage: real estate. Its secluded location on one of Cabo’s only swimmable beaches is unbeatable. In the 1950s, Hollywood’s elite flocked here, and today a fresh generation of A-listers do the same. A commitment to discretion and glamour in an age of social-media noise, as well as constant reinvention (new wellness offerings from spiritual healer Alicia Kanxoc) have allowed Baja’s big hitter to continue holding court. JEN MURPHY Doubles from about £1,000/Rs. 1,01,040; Website  

HOTEL BEL-AIR LOS ANGELES, USA

There’s something about walking the long footbridge across the Bel-Air’s Swan Lake (yes, there are actual swans gliding around) as the larks chirp among the fig trees, palms and bougainvillaea. That sense of the whole sprawling megalopolis melting into the Santa Monica foothills, to be replaced by a very quiet sort of glamour. Some hotels are scenes, while others are escapes. The Bel-Air has always been the latter; a pastel-hued, Mediterranean-influenced refuge for Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe, who did a nude Vogue shoot here six weeks before her death. If the appeal is about mainlining a certain sepia view of Hollywood among the archways and tinkling fountains, the Bel-Air is no fusty heirloom. A 2012 revamp by New York designer Alexandra Champalimaud gave the place a very intentional but somehow apt mid-century brightness. Rooms—all creams, peaches and ochres in the hotel’s Spanish colonial style—now come with heated bathroom floors and private terraces with hot tubs and fire pits. Chef Wolfgang Puck has been involved since the late 1980s, and an arched alcove overlooking the lake is the right setting for a 34-ounce prime porterhouse. My favourite spot is the Bar, watched over by blown-up black-and-whites of Tina Turner, Steve Jobs and the rest by rock’n’roll photographer Norman Seeff. Chiming with the barrel-aged bourbons and the old standards on the grand piano, it is lived-in and eminently grown-up. Like the rest of the Bel-Air, to pitch up here is to happen upon a more serene world. KRISTA SIMMONS Doubles from about £670/Rs. 67,740; Website

South America

EXPLORA VALLE SAGRADO PERU

There are many ways to experience this minimalist adventure focused lodge on a former corn plantation in the mountain stronghold of the Incas. I was lucky enough to sample two of them on a recent visit: first, I was a solo traveller, and then with a group of my oldest friends, who joined me after completing the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Alone, I hiked with a chatty local guide: past old Inca retaining walls and agricultural terraces on a pleasant trail near the town of Ollantaytambo, and then on the more arduous Cinco Lagunas trek, up into the mist at 15,000 feet. When my friends arrived, we went single-track mountain biking from Moray, one of the Sacred Valley’s signature Inca sites, to Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. My room had no Wi-Fi, minibar or screens, but did have a magnificent bed, a lovely hot tub and hot water left for muña tea—made from a mint-like Andean herb, helpful for combatting altitude sickness and which imparts a wonderfully tranquil feeling at bedtime. The menu, by acclaimed Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez, is exceptional, as are the addictive Urubamba corn-kernel snacks from the nearby fields, which I consumed while drinking Pisco Sours. The building—low, simple and unobtrusively modern—was designed by Jose Cruz Ovalle to exist in conversation with nature. Explora ultimately isn’t about gazing: it’s about getting out there, into a land that’s still pure and elemental. JA Doubles from about £560/ Rs. 56,575 all inclusive (minimum three nights); Website

NAYARA TENTED CAMP COSTA RICA

Rising with the sun is something I only do on holiday. At Nayara Tented Camp, I woke each day as the golden light stirred a technicolour swathe of jungle, with the smoking top of the mighty Arenal Volcano as the backdrop. The private plunge pool and the mug of steaming Costan Rican coffee help, but that view is enough to induce the earliest wake-ups. This is the third and most luxurious of Nayara’s trifecta of eco retreats in central Costa Rica. Its hot-spring pools are carved non-invasively into the wild landscapes, and not a single tree was felled to make space for its 29 tented rooms, which take design cues from safari outfitters in Botswana. Reforestation is a cornerstone at Nayara, with an ongoing mission to plant fresh habitats for Costa Rica’s three-toed sloths. It means that you will spy these sluggish little guys all over the place, including Tony, the camp’s unofficial greeter, whose favourite spot during my stay was on the telephone pole by the entrance. The hotel grounds are also a sanctuary for jungle toads and morpho butterflies, which you’ll see on guided night walks. By day, Nayara is all about volcano-hiking, bird-watching in the thick rainforest and getting up close with the grin-inducing creatures at the sloth sanctuary. The steak and Malbec at the wine bar tasted even better than they should—but the ultimate spot for a nightcap was back on my terrace, where the croaks of the tree frogs lulled me into a deep sleep, like nature’s own white noise. EF  Doubles from about £880/ Rs. 89,113; Website

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About explora

Destinations, conservation reserves.

• Echo Society
• Patagonia National Park
• Torres del Paine
• A journey to Tierra del Fuego

Sacred Valley of the Incas

• Sacred Valley

Desert & Altiplano

• Atacama & Uyuni
• Easter Island
• Puritama Conservation Reserve
• Torres del Paine Conservation Reserve
• why explora
• Our commitment
• Explora Experts

Hot List 2022 Condé Nast Traveler: Explora El Chaltén

South america’s pioneering luxury lodge operator explora brings its model of all-inclusive adventures to argentinian patagonia with this modular 20-room property. reviewed by mark johanson at www.cntraveler.com.

The remote wilderness of  Patagonia  can so often feel inaccessible to the casual visitor. Not so at this excursion-based adventure lodge, which makes Patagonia not only accessible but approachable from a comfortable base in El Chaltén, the youthful resort town at the northern end of Argentina’s glacier-packed Los Glaciares National Park.

Set the scene

The hotel is set within the private 14,000-acre Los Huemules Conservation Reserve, which lies just ten miles north of El Chaltén but takes about 45 minutes to reach thanks to bumpy gravel roads. No matter: The view once you arrive is the kind you’d hike hours to see: a huge hunk of ice, the Marconi Glacier, glistens out of every window at the end of the sharply-hewn Eléctrico Valley. Constructed in the  wine region of Mendoza , the hotel was literally trucked down to Patagonia in 117 pieces and assembled on stilts to reduce its environmental impact. The result is a modular building that prizes soothing earth tones, clean lines, and “the luxury of the essential.” It’s a place where couples in Arc’teryx jackets gather each evening over maps to choose the next day’s guided adventure, swapping tales at the bar of mountains summited and rivers crossed before crashing early to do it all again the next day.

The backstory

Explora has become the gold standard in South America for high-end, action-packed vacations ever since it opened its first all-inclusive adventure lodge in Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park in 1993. Its hotels place visitors right in the heart of some of the continent’s most spectacular landscapes (including the Sacred Valley of Peru, Rapa Nui, and the Atacama Desert) with the goal of providing a comfortable base to return to after strenuous outings. Explora El Chaltén is the Chilean brand’s first hotel in Argentina, and it picked a stunner of a spot for it in the nation’s longtime trekking capital, which had, until now, lacked an upmarket lodge with spa services, fine dining, and multilingual guides. Like all Explora properties, it preaches the gospel of sustainability and sources nearly all of its products locally. That includes the earthen ceramics, which are made with stones from Tierra del Fuego, and the bath products, which were crafted with the citrusy Patagonian herb paramela.

Explora likes to keep it simple when it comes to the rooms, which some guests can find underwhelming. I felt that way at first about the stripped-back design, but then I understood the reason: It’s meant to keep your eyes focused on the view out your window, not some evocative painting, playful textile, or other distraction. (Note: the best views are on the upper level of the hotel; rooms down below have to compete with some southern beech trees.) After a full day hiking under the summer sun, the simple layout, wood-paneled walls, and calming earth tones of the 17 standards and three suites set your mind at ease. Of course, Explora splurges where it counts with plush king-sized beds, strong showers, and ample space to store your hiking gear. There are also fun mood-setting amenities like an insulated canteen of hot water for tea, which let me pretend I was actually roughing it out in the woods on a camping trip.

Food and drink

Pablo Jesús Rivero, owner of the award-winning Argentinian steakhouse  Don Julio  in Buenos Aires, helped craft the menu for the on-site restaurant—which, like everywhere else in the hotel, has a thoroughly engrossing view of the Eléctrico Valley. There is always a vegetarian option, but this really is a place for ardent carnivores, who are encouraged each evening to watch as Patagonian lambs (or other regional produce) are cooked over an open fire in a smoky room by the kitchen. The flow of the meal service can become a bit confusing as plates of roasted meats and veggies come out to the table unannounced (there’s no written menu), leaving you unsure which wines—all from the northern Patagonian regions of Rio Negro and Neuquen—would be best for pairing. What you can expect is that every meal will begin with a piping hot empanada baked in a mud oven, which might be filled with cheese and greens or meat and potatoes. Over at the adjacent bar, house cocktails pair the local Gin Pascasio (from nearby El Calafate) with a tincture of calafate berries for a G&T with the flavor of the land. During full-day outings, the restaurant team prepares sandwiches or grain bowls for box lunches, which I found a bit underwhelming (and small) after working up an appetite on the trail. Then again, there are always more snacks (and craft beers) waiting in the van that takes you back to the lodge.

Explora focuses on getting you away from the hotel more than it does on keeping you around. If you’re willing to forego an outing, however, the simple spa is a good reason to do so. There are five open-air hot tubs with calming views of the ñirre forest, as well as two indoor saunas and a small relaxation lounge. The reason I came to the spa was for a massage after a strenuous ascent, which helped smooth out those sore muscles and prep me for another outing the following day. While hard-core wellness folks might find it underwhelming, it serves its purpose as an area for decompression after moments of high energy.

I’d assumed that the Los Huemules Conservation Reserve would be a pretty, if wholly inferior park to the neighboring (and much more famous) Los Glaciares National Park. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Just a mile away from the lodge are two Andean lagoons with wowing views of Mount Fitz Roy, the castle-like 11,171-foot peak on the logo of the Patagonia clothing brand. You can also hike to two glaciers that slide down from the Southern Patagonian Ice Field or search for the park’s namesake huemul deer, an endangered species. The best part is that you begin and end these hikes from the hotel and only share the trails with a handful of other hikers. Meanwhile, popular trails like Laguna de los Tres in Los Glaciares National Park can feel like a stampede at the height of summer.

The service

Your trip to Explora really begins at the airport in El Calafate nearly four hours away. Included transfers stop at the historic roadhouse of La Leóna halfway and then again for the pictures you’ll no doubt request to take on the road into El Chaltén when Mount Fitz Roy looms large over the Patagonian steppe. At the hotel itself, it’s the expedition team (almost all of whom are female) who truly shine, answering questions before you can even think of them and effortlessly switching languages to assist different travelers. They help you not only navigate difficult landscapes, but also understand them better. Service from the hotel staff is cordial and casual (sometimes a bit too casual), though they try to address any needs that can be realistically met in this remote location.

Explora is a Certified B (or B Corp) company that works to address climate change, stimulate the local workforce, and provide benefits to the community by sourcing most of its products locally. Beyond being carbon neutral, it’s also working to retroactively compensate for historical carbon emissions all the way back to its founding in 1991. The Los Huemules Conservation Reserve is not only the setting of its latest hotel, but also one of the many conservation projects in South America for which Explora is a stakeholder.

Anything left to mention?

As fantastic as the expedition team is—and really, they are some of the best guides I’ve encountered—they aren’t actually the ones who decide what’s possible and what isn’t. The weather determines everything in these southerly latitudes of Patagonia. It’s not uncommon for wind gusts here to reach hurricane strength, making it impossible to do some of the longer and higher-altitude hikes. Sure, you might get a great weather window where you’re able to tackle everything you’d hoped to do. But you may just as easily be rerouted onto smaller, more protected trails for your own safety. I stayed four nights, but I think five is the minimum you really need to see the whole region and bank some blue-sky days.

Review by Mark Johanson 

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The Best Places to Stay Near Acadia National Park

By Emily Pennington

Whether your visit to Acadia National Park is motivated by the famous lobster rolls or the miles of craggy Maine coastline, one thing’s for certain—this northeastern corner of the United States feels like it’s at the edge of the world. Home to historic alabaster lighthouses, rain-fed lagoons, and tree-topped rolling hills that stretch for miles, Acadia is arguably the most striking of the East Coast national parks .

As such, it’s incredibly popular during the summer, and again in the fall when the crowds witness its spectacular, colorful foliage. For these reasons, finding a great place to stay that pleases everyone in your crew can be a challenge, even for the most seasoned travelers. Luckily, we’ve done some of the grunt work for you, asking the experts and scouring the web for the best places to stay near Acadia. From adorable seaside cottages to glamping retreats and stately hotel rooms, we’ve got you covered.

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Under Canvas Acadia Arrow

Bed & bath: Varies by accommodation (two-tent suites available) Top amenities: Private decks, complimentary s’mores, locally-sourced cuisine Best for: Adventurous couples and families looking to “rough it” in comfort

Under Canvas has quickly become the go-to brand for discerning glampers looking for impeccable design, delicious on-site dining, and unparalleled locations while exploring America’s national parks . Their Acadia location , opened in May 2021, boasts many of the luxuries we’ve come to know and love—stocked organic bath products, complimentary morning yoga, and chic West Elm furnishings—all set against a backdrop of 100 acres of breathtaking Atlantic coastline.

Luxury Treehouse near Bar Harbor

Bed and bath: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths Top amenities: Sauna, whirlpool, fireplace, outdoor shower Best for: Friends and families looking for a unique experience

This upscale, pet-friendly home—lofted on stilts in the trees—has got to be one of the most fun vacation rentals we’ve found near Acadia. Situated roughly 30 minutes from the park’s entrance, this 900-square-foot home feels surprisingly roomy and modern for a woodsy escape. Plus, it’s tucked away in a shady grove of trees for ultimate seclusion from the outside world. Cuddle up in front of the fireplace and enjoy a family movie night on the flatscreen TV, dine alfresco around the shaded picnic table, or unwind after a long day in the park in the house’s whirlpool tub and infrared sauna. No matter which you choose, you’ll be surrounded by Maine ’s tranquil deciduous forest.

The Bayview Hotel

Bed & bath: 1 bedroom, 1 bath Top amenities: Complimentary breakfast, pet-friendly, elegant on-site cocktail lounge Best for: Water-loving friends and couples traveling with Fido

The Bayview Hotel is the epitome of modern boutique luxury, and it’s right in the heart of Bar Harbor. With whimsical bursts of color, tufted headboards, and original art, each of the site’s 26 guest rooms features spectacular ocean views a stone’s throw away from the national park. For sunset, head down to the property’s seaside Rusticator Lounge for craft cocktails and small plates on their Fido-friendly patio.

Bar Harbor Inn Arrow

Bed and bath: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom Top amenities: Fitness center, complimentary breakfast, infinity pool with hot tubs Best for: Couples interested in luxury and relaxation

First opened in 1887, the elegant Bar Harbor Inn is a living slice of Maine’s history that’s been lovingly updated to offer incredible amenities and stately rooms to discerning travelers. Luxury suites and ocean-view rooms are both available, spaced across the property’s three different buildings. When you aren’t visiting Jordan Pond House or hiking the Beehive Loop, book yourself an Earth & Sea Scrub at the on-site spa , float around in the infinity pool , or enjoy waterfront dining and locally sourced seafood at the Reading Room Restaurant , helmed by Chef Zach Dallesandro.

Jessica Puckett

Olivia Morelli

Steph Koyfman

Dog-friendly farmhouse cottage with private beach

Bed & bath: 1 bedroom, 1 bath Top amenities: Covered porch, pet-friendly, private beach, fast Wi-Fi Best for: Active couples who don’t mind sleeping away from Bar Harbor’s bustle

Full of modern amenities (think air conditioning, a full kitchen with an air fryer and juicer, and ultra-fast internet), this wooden farmhouse-style one-bedroom sits in the quiet community of Blue Hill, 40 minutes from the action of Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. As such, it’s an excellent place for couples who want to get away from it all to sprawl out and relax. Kayak or paddleboard directly from the private, rocky beach, sip a Negroni on the covered outdoor deck, or simply sleep in on the cozy memory foam-topped king-size bed.

The Claremont Hotel Arrow

Bed & bath: Varies by accommodation (1-4 bedrooms available) Top amenities: Heated pool, ocean views, sumptuous spa, fitness cottage Best for: Families and couples who don’t mind splurging for the best-of-the-best

As one of the very few luxury hotels on Mount Desert Island, The Claremont has high expectations to meet. With its bright, beachy decor (featuring fabrics by William Morris and Pierre Frey), Matouk bath towels, and ultra-soft Cuddledown pillows, it more than lives up to them. Located in Southwest Harbor, the quieter side of the isle, the property features immaculately restored historic guest rooms, cozy woodland cottages, and idyllic oceanside bungalows for those truly seeking solitude.

Terramor Outdoor Resort

Bed & bath: Varies by accommodation (1-2 bedrooms available), 1 bath Top amenities: Live music events, locally-sourced menus, hot tub and pool Best for: Active families and couples looking to glamp and socialize

Delightfully furnished tents for up to five beckon nature-loving travelers at Terramor, a glamping resort set in a woodsy wonderland, just a short drive from Bar Harbor and Acadia. Each of the property’s five tent types combines thoughtful amenities (think modern sitting areas, cozy Pendleton blankets, flush toilets, and hot showers) and private, spacious outdoor areas with wooden decks, firepits, and chairs for stargazing. When you aren’t getting to know the national park, soak in the shared hot tub or sip on an Espresso S’more Martini from The Lodge .

The Boathouse Bass Harbor

Bed & bath: 1 bedroom, 1 bath Top amenities: Expansive waterfront views, Keurig machine, fast Wi-Fi, picnic table Best for: Solo travelers and couples dreaming of ocean breezes

Immerse yourself in “the full Maine experience” at this seaside chalet overlooking the lucrative lobster village of Bass Harbor. Situated on 175 feet of private, rocky beach, this sunny one-bedroom cottage is a blissful basecamp for exploring Acadia. Watch for seabirds and bald eagles while sipping your morning tea, cozy up with one of the host’s favorite Maine books on the couch, or sit and enjoy the sunset from the dockside Adirondack chairs when your day of hiking is done.

The Pathmaker Hotel

Bed and bath: 1 bedroom, 1 bath Top amenities: Breakfast included, Ethan Allen furnishings, smart TVs Best for: Solo travelers and couples interested in location, location, location

Not quite open yet, but set to take bookings in late 2024, this centrally located boutique Bar Harbor hotel feels like a posh 1940s movie set, situated mere steps from the ocean. After enjoying a good night’s rest in one of the property’s pillow-top beds, enjoy a tasty complimentary breakfast at the on-site restaurant, then stroll the shop-lined streets of downtown, right out the front door. Location is key here, as the beach , Bar Island trail, and bike rentals (at Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop) are all just one block away. All booked up? Check out the brand’s sister property– Little Fig Hotel .

Sleek, wooden cabin with ultra-modern design

Bed & bath: 3 bedrooms, 1 bath Top amenities: Hot tub, firepit, fast Wi-Fi, full kitchen Best for: Friend groups and families who want to unwind in the sunshine after park-going

An hour away from the main attractions of Acadia, this architectural marvel is filled to the brim with stylish details. Guests at this three-bedroom home have space to spread out on the L-shaped couch surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, or fix up a feast in the house’s full kitchen. In the evening, warm your hands in front of the deck’s firepit while gazing up at the vast Milky Way before tucking into a cozy, lofted bed.

Salt Cottages Bar Harbor

Bed and bath: Varies by accommodation Top amenities: Ocean views, kitchenettes, private decks Best for: Solo travelers and couples in need of a seaside vacation

These delightful casitas are brimming with fabulously beachy, 1920s-style decor (think bright whites and red accents). Each free-standing unit (studios, one-bedrooms, and two-bedrooms are available) is designed to be a stand-alone vacation house but with the added amenities of a larger resort. So, go ahead and swap stories with your fellow travelers in the heated community pool or around the shared firepit and its Adirondack chairs, knowing full well that you’ve got a light-soaked cottage with a kitchenette and extra-plush bedding awaiting you at day’s end.

Cozy Winter Harbor home

Bed and bath: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath Top amenities: Full kitchen, pet-friendly, large outdoor space Best for: Families and friends interested in the quieter side of Acadia

Set in the quaint fishing village of Winter Harbor, a few minutes from Acadia’s quieter, tidepool-filled Schoodic Peninsula, this budget-friendly two-bedroom home is full of hand-selected artworks, warm pops of color, and cozy spaces to hang out. Eat while watching the sunset around the outdoor dining table and chiminea or fix up a post-hike feast in the fully-equipped kitchen and dine indoors. Board games, a TV, and several reading nooks are also on hand, should the weather outside get frightful.

Queen Anne’s Revenge Inn and Suites

Bed & bath: Varies by accommodation (1-4 bedrooms available) Top amenities: On-site bar, fireplaces, plush linens Best for: Fun-loving couples who want to stay in the center of Bar Harbor

New to the scene is quirkily-named Queen Anne’s Revenge (an eponym taken from Captain Blackbeard’s famous pirate ship), which opened in June 2022. Expect to find just the right amount of humor and nautical-themed décor at this three-star stunner (think Kraken paintings, tall ship decals, and bold accent walls), plus an on-site bar appropriately named Black Spot Tavern, which serves a variety of rum, wine, and beer, with a side of shuffleboard.

Whitetail Cottage with Jordan River views

Bed & bath: 1 bedroom, 1 bath Top amenities: Firepit, full kitchen, walk-in shower, farm views Best for: Cabin couples seeking romance and privacy

Situated a mere ten-minute drive from Acadia, Whitetail Cottage was lovingly designed as a couples’ escape, with loads of nearby nature to unwind in after a day spent hiking in the park. Recently upgraded to include an outdoor stone firepit (snuggles and stargazing, anyone?) and Wi-Fi, this quaint little cabin goes big on amenities like a shaded wooden swing, covered porch, gas fireplace, and plush queen bed with sunset views of farmlands and apple trees.

West Street Hotel Arrow

Bed & bath: Varies by accommodation (1-4 bedrooms available) Top amenities: Private balconies with water views, on-site spa, rooftop pool Best for: A romantic weekend getaway for couples of all ages

Tucked into the waterfront of the beloved oceanside town of Bar Harbor, West Street Hotel boasts lavish guest rooms with striking views of meandering sailboats and the craggy Atlantic coast. Rich nautical blues and dark wood Lexington furnishings make for an elegant and refined look. (Plus, a few rooms are pet-friendly). Outside, enjoy Maine’s only rooftop pool and bask in the sun while taking in views of shimmering Frenchman’s Bay.

Downtown Bar Harbor oasis

Bed & bath: 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths Top amenities: Washer and dryer, covered deck with grill, walk-in shower Best for: Families who want to stroll Bar Harbor’s streets as much as hike

Location, location, location. From this adorable Bar Harbor home, guests will be able to access not only the famous Bar Island Trail, but also take in the sunrise from the town’s Shore Path while sipping a morning cup of joe. Plus, the three-bedroom cottage is just steps away from the funky pubs and restaurants that make the area so memorable. After a day of exploring the island, sit back on a leather recliner and watch the glow of the fireplace, or enjoy the outdoor deck and propane grill with your crew.

Chic cottage in Seal Harbor

Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath Top amenities: Full kitchen, plush linens, walking distance to the park Best for: Friends or relaxing couples’ retreats on the doorstep of Acadia

Listen for loon calls and walk to historic Jordan Pond from this adorable shingled house that’s full of sunshine and clean modern design. Homey touches like bedside lanterns, local Maine reads, and a Keurig coffee maker make it easy to settle in, while out back, guests can grill and dine alfresco in the forest. After a day of hiking, kick back and sip a local craft brew around the gas-powered backyard firepit.

Stylish oceanfront home

Bed & bath: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath Top amenities: Outdoor dining area, record player, bike path access unparalleled water views Best for: Crowd-free park explorers on the Schoodic Peninsula

If you’re looking to visit Acadia and really get away, the park’s less-trammeled Schoodic Peninsula is your best bet for escaping crowds while still enjoying the salt-sprayed conifers, mesmerizing tide pools, and rocky coastline that make the area so special. This two-bedroom oceanfront villa sits right off Schoodic’s scenic drive and is thoughtfully bedecked with homey touches like mid-century furnishings, vintage octopus wallpaper, and one-of-a-kind art. The hour-long car ride to more-touristed Bar Harbor is a small price to pay for accommodations and solitude as good as this.

The Mighty Oaks modern Bar Harbor oasis

Bed & bath: 5 bedrooms, 3 baths Top amenities: In-home movie theater, spacious dining room, hot tub Best for: Large friend gatherings or family reunions on Mount Desert Island

Nestled in the fragrant conifers of historic Mount Desert Island, this massive five-bedroom home is so full of luxe amenities that you’ll never want to leave. When you aren’t trekking the Beehive Trail or winding your vehicle around Ocean Drive (the park is a short 7-minute trip away), indulge in a movie night in the downstairs entertainment center, grill and dine alfresco on the shaded deck, or kick back and sip your coffee in an Adirondack chair while grazing deer calmly pass by.

Historic village home

Bed & bath: 5 bedrooms, 4 baths Top amenities: Clawfoot bathtub, private garden and porch, fireplace Best for: Friend groups and families with older children seeking a truly unique town stay

With close proximity to the quaint shops, delectable lobster cafes of Bar Harbor, and space for the whole family , this five-bedroom, shingle-style home harks back to the Victorian days of Mount Desert Island, when elegant east coasters would vacation in large cottages while visiting the stunning nature that would soon become Acadia National Park. Baileard maintains many of its historic originals, like clawfoot tubs and molded fireplaces, while providing modern amenities like air conditioning, Wi-Fi, custom artwork, and plush bedding in every room.

Oceanfront house on Somes Sound

Bed & bath: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths Top amenities: Wraparound deck, beach access, bunk beds, full kitchen Best for: Families traveling to Mount Desert island to fully immerse in the great outdoors

It’ll be hard to ever want to leave this seaside stunner for nearby Acadia, even though it’s only eight minutes away by car. Floor-to-ceiling windows with phenomenal coastal views greet guests from nearly every room, and when you aren’t cooking a five-star meal in the cottagecore kitchen, kick back in front of the wood-burning fireplace or sunbathe in a chaise lounge on the wraparound deck.

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The world's 50 best restaurants in 2024: who will take the top spot?

By Sarah James

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants will, in a matter of weeks, crown ‘The World’s Best Restaurant’ as part of the prestigious annual awards ceremony on Wednesday 5 June 2024. The ceremony this year takes place in Las Vegas and will see chefs and restaurateurs from all over the globe come together to discover which team have ascended to the much-coveted top spot. The list is decided by a panel of experts, and there are a few rules: those on the panel can’t vote for any restaurant they have an economic interest in, and they must have eaten at restaurants that win their votes in the previous 19 months.

It's also important to note that a restaurant which has previously bagged the top spot can not win for a second time. Instead, previous winners move onto the ‘Best of the Best’ list, which includes Noma, Osteria Francescana and Mirazur. This means that the 2023 winner, Central in Lima, will take its place on the ‘Best of the Best’ list – making way for a new winner to claim the top spot.

While there are still a few weeks until the full list is announced (check back here on the night to find out the new winner), on Wednesday, 22 May 2024, the panel announced the restaurants that have placed 51-100 in this year's list. Find 51-100 below, and keep scrolling to read the 50 best from 2023.

Which restaurants places 51-100 in The World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2024?

100. Fauna, Valle De Guadalupe, Mexico 99. Cosme, New York, USA 98. Saint Peter, Sydney, Australia 97. Core by Clare Smyth, London, UK 96. Onjium, Seoul, South Korea 95. Meta, Singapore 94. Mountain, London, UK 93. Sazenka, Tokyo, Japan 92. Labyrinth, Singapore 91. Neolokal, Istanbul, Turkey 90. Smyth, Chicago, USA 89. Indian Accent, New Delhi, India 88. Tantris, Munich, Germany 87. Lyle's, London, UK 86. Mosu, Seoul, South Korea 85. Ceto, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France 84. Restaurant Jan, Munich, Germany 83. Willem Hiele, Oudenburg, Belgium 82. Sud 777, Mexico City, Mexico 81. Mugaritz, San Sebastián, Spain 80. The Clove Club, London, UK 79. Alléno Paris Au Pavillon Ledoyen, Paris, France 78. Masque, Mumbai, India 77. La Grenouillère, La Madelaine-sous-Montreuil, France 76. Flocons de Sel, Megève, France 75. Ernst, Berlin, Germany 74. Nusara, Bangkok, Thailand 73. Mil, Cusco, Peru 72. Aponiente, El Puerto de Santa María, Spain 71. Le Bernardin, New York, USA 70. Le Doyenné, Saint-Vrain, France 69. Fu He Hui, Shanghai, China 68. Burnt Ends, Singapore 67. Alcalde, Guadalajara, Mexico 66. La Cime, Osaka, Japan 65. Brat, London, UK 64. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai, UAE 63. Bozar, Brussels, Belgium 62. Coda, Berlin, Germany 61. Nuema, Quito, Ecuador 60. Fyn, Cape Town, South Africa 59. Enigma, Barcelona, Spain 58. Lasai, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 57. Potong, Bangkok, Thailand 56. Narisawa, Tokyo, Japan 55. Mérito, Lima, Peru 54. Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark 53. Leo, Bogotá, Colombia 52. Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler, Brunico, Italy 51. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy

Central, Lima, Peru

Which restaurants made the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023?

50. The Chairman, Hong Kong 49. Rosetta, Mexico City, Mexico 48. La Grenouillère, Montreuil-sur-Mer, France 47. Mayta, Lima, Peru 46. Orfali Bros Bistro, Dubai, UAE 45. Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Berlin, Germany 44. Le Bernardin, New York, USA 43. Leo, Bogata, Colombia 42. Piazza Duomo, Alba, Italy 41. Le Calandre, Rubano, Italy 40. Restaurant Tim Raue, Berlin, Germany 39. The Jane, Antwerp, Belgium 38. The Clove Club, London, UK 37. Sezanne, Tokyo, Japan 36. Plenitude, Paris, France 35. Ikoyi, London, UK 34. Uliassi, Senigallia, Italy  33. El Chato, Bogota, Colombia 32. Hiša Franko, Kobarid, Slovenia 31. Mugaritz, San Sebastian, Spain 30. Frantzen, Stockholm, Sweden 29. Boragó, Santiago, Chile 28. Kjolle, Lima, Peru 27. Florilege, Tokyo, Japan 26. Schloss Schanuenstein, Fürstenau, Switzerland 25. Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal 24. Septime, Paris, France 23. Kol, London, UK 22. Elkano, Getaria, Spain 21. Den, Tokyo, Japan 20. Restaurante Quique Dacosta, Alicante, Spain 19. Don Julio, Buenos Aires, Argentina 18. Steirereck, Vienna, Austria 17. Gaggan Anand, Bangkok, Thailand 16. Reale, Castel del Sangro, Italy  15. Le Du, Bangkok, Thailand 14. Odette, Singapore 13. Pujol, Mexico City, Mexico 12. A Casa do Porco, São Paulo, Brazil 11. Tresind Studio, Dubai, UAE 10. Table, Paris, France 9. Quintonil, Mexico City, Mexico 8. Atomix, New York 7. Lido 84, Gardone Riviera, Italy 6. Maido, Lima, Peru 5. Alechmist, Copenhagen, Denmark 4. Asador Extebarri, Bizkaia, Spain 3. DiverXO, Madrid, Spain 2. Disfrutar, Barcelona, Spain 1. Central, Lima, Peru

The highest ranking restaurants in each continent were given a special mention. The best restaurant in Africa and the Middle East was Tresind Studio in Dubai. Pujol in Mexico City was the highest ranking restaurant in North America . The highest ranking restaurant in Asia was Odette in Singapore. The best restaurant in Europe in 2023 is Disfrutar from Barcelona. The best restaurant in South America is Central in Lima, Peru.

Three restaurants in the UK were named on the list. All are in London – Ikyoi in St. James, Kol in Marylebone and The Clove Club in Shoreditch.

Individual awards included the Highest Climber Award (which goes to the restaurant which has risen the most spots in the ranking since the previous list) went to Atomix in New York (number 8).