Cape Town, South Africa
All stays
8,719
Vienna, Austria
The Amauris Vienna
Paestum, Italy
Tenuta Duca Marigliano Boutique Hotel
Obbürgen, Switzerland
Bürgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa
Toronto, Canada
Executive Hotel Cosmopolitan Toronto
Catskills & Hudson Valley, United States of America
Little Cat Lodge
Boston, United States of America
The Dagny Boston
Leogang, Austria
Hotel Krallerhof
San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina
Design Suites Bariloche
Bad Gastein, Austria
The Comodo Bad Gastein
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Le Méridien Seoul Myeongdong
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Novotel Bishkek City Center
Yufu, Japan
ENOWA Yufuin
San Diego, United States of America
Andaz San Diego
San Diego, United States of America
Tower 23
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Kingdom of the)
Suite Hotel Pincoffs Rotterdam
Santa Fe, United States of America
El Rey Court
San Francisco Bay Area, United States of America
W San Francisco
Binz, Germany
niXe Boutiquehotel & Spa
Newbury, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The Retreat Elcot Park
Berlin, Germany
Michelberger Hotel
Savannah, United States of America
Municipal Grand
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Andaz Capital Gate Abu Dhabi
London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Vintry and Mercer
The Complete Stay
How The World's Best reads a hotel
Four connected views keep the guest experience in focus while reading the property as a place, an operation and a current promise.
The Place
Architecture, landscape, stewardship and the clarity with which the property belongs to its setting.
Sense of place · Design and stewardship · Landscape · Destination relationshipThe Room
Sleep, privacy, proportion, light and the practical comfort that shapes the hours a guest spends alone.
Sleep and quiet · Privacy · Comfort and usability · ConditionThe Stay
Service, dining, wellbeing and the pace of the experience from arrival through departure.
Service and recovery · Dining · Wellbeing · Pace and consistencyThe Record
A current, coherent operation supported by evidence strong enough to carry every published claim.
Current operation · Continuity · Evidence · Integrity of claimsEditorial independence
How decisions are protected
Hotels cannot pay to enter, receive a GEM distinction, improve their editorial account or secure a Best 100 position.
01Commercial separation+
Hotels cannot buy directory inclusion, a GEM distinction, favourable editorial language or a place in the Best 100. Advertising, licensing and partnerships are agreed separately.
02Conflicts and recusal+
Editors and contributors disclose employment, ownership, consultancy, investment and close personal ties. A material conflict removes that person from the decision.
03No geographic quotas+
No country, city, brand, price point or property type receives a reserved place. Context matters, but it does not lower the standard.
04Current identity+
The record belongs to one property in one place. A change of address, concept, ownership, management or operating condition can require a fresh review.
05Corrections+
Substantiated factual errors are checked against the evidence file and corrected. A difference of editorial opinion is not treated as a factual error.
06Product separation+
Directory publication, a GEM rating and the annual Best 100 are separate decisions. No one result implies either of the others.
Every hotel is read against the same declared identity, evidence and publication rules.
Read the hotel framework