I like hotels for different reasons. Some feel like home, because I am there so often. Something seems beautiful and different. Some have decades of history. Some epitomise luxury. This is a mixed list. Judged on objective standards, they may not be the best hotels in each destination. But they are the ones I enjoyed staying at the most this year. Also read | The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: Revisiting Amsterdam with a newfound appreciation
The Taj Lake Palace
Possibly the most stunning hotel in the world, this medieval palace has been restored to its glory days by Puneet Chhatwal and its owner Lakshyaraj Singh, the Maharana of Mewar. There is no hotel like it anywhere in the world.
Anantara, Layan (Thailand)
This may be the most luxurious property you don’t know enough about. Half an hour from Phuket airport, it combines luxury villas with large sprawling houses, in a beautiful seaside setting. A sort of 21 century update on Amanpuri.
Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona (Spain)
Easily the top hotel in the city, the centrally located MO brings Asian standards of hospitality to one of Europe’s great cities.
The Oberoi, Mumbai
In the ‘feels like home’ category, this modern hotel has such excellent, personalized service that you may miss the stunning sea views if you are distracted by the pampering. The food’s very good too.
Four Seasons LG, The Maldives
New hotels keep being built in the Maldives, but this is part of the holy trinity of the best hotels (along with Cheval Blanc and Soneva Fushi) which will always beat every newcomer. There is a great new health program and as you would expect from a hotel run by Armando Kraenzlin, food and service standards are almost impossibly high.
ITC Gardenia, Bangalore
Judged on objective criteria the ITC Grand Chola has more to recommend it but I love the Gardenia because it captures the pace of the new Bangalore just as its sister property ITC Windsor reflects old world Bangalore.
Hotel de’l Europe, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)
Awarded three keys, the highest honor by Michelin this family-owned property has been the city’s top hotel for decades and is one of the stars in the Leading Hotels of the World portfolio. Everything a grand hotel should be.
Ritz Carlton, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)
It seems like just another busy city hotel until you get inside and recognize how elegantly and efficiently it is run with lovely rooms and very good food. You can’t beat the location or the graciousness of the service.
Four Seasons Samui (Thailand)
Now world famous as the hotel where the last season of The White Lotus was set, this is a timeless property built into the hills overlooking a beach. It has the most elegant villas I have ever stayed in with service to match. Also read | The Taste by Vir Sanghvi: Exploring the legacy of fermented fish from ancient Rome to modern kitchens
Taj, Dubai
This may sound a little like cheating, but I am including two hotels here. The Taj in the city is smart, efficient and flawlessly run by Navrose Arora. The Taj at the end of the Palm is a little far out but it overlooks the bay with its glorious sun sets and it has large luxurious rooms and outstanding Malayali food should you want it which I usually do!
ITC Royal Bengal
I should prefer the smaller, more aesthetic ITC Sonar in the same complex, but I always opt for huge Royal Bengal because of the excellence of the food, the state-of-the-art rooms and the superlative service overseen by Gaurav Soneja.
Capella, Bangkok (Thailand)
This was the best hotel in the world according to last year’s 50 Best Hotels list and it is certainly the best hotel that I have stayed at in Bangkok (and God knows I have stayed at most of them!) Refined luxury at its best.
51 Buckingham Gate, London (UK)
Even when I go for work and have the opportunity of staying at London’s best hotels I usually opt for this Taj-run apartment/hotel complex where I have been staying since 1987 because it really does feel like home. It’s had its ups and downs, but it’s never been better than it is now.
Atlantis the Royal, Dubai
A regular on lists of the world’s best hotels this more sophisticated counterpart to Atlantis combines luxury accommodation with restaurants by the world’s best chefs. A destination by itself.
Park Hyatt, Saigon (Vietnam)
When I spent New Year in Saigon in 2017, this was the best hotel in town. And though Saigon has now exploded with hotels, this is still the top place to stay because it mixes modernity with tradition.
Borgo Egnazia, Puglia (Italy)
Christina Mason of Leading Hotels told me about this hotel. Designed like a luxury village in Puglia it includes rooms and villas. At first, I was leery; why stay somewhere new when so much of Italy is authentically old? Having stayed there even though I am a convert. It is tasty, well run and has very good food.
ITC Ratnadipa, Colombo (Sri Lanka)
This is, as far as I know, ITC’s first overseas hotel, built in response to the Indian government’s request to invest in Sri Lanka. ITC has made India proud. This is already Colombo’s top hotel, gets the best rates and demonstrates that Indian hospitality can be the best.
Four Seasons, Milan (Italy)
Some of the best Four Seasons properties are in Italy including the stunning FS Florence and the San Domenico in Taormina which featured in the second season of The White Lotus.
The Milan property sometimes gets lost in all the raves about Taormina and Florence but it is, for my money, the best hotel in Milan. Now we will have to wait for the Four Seasons Venice to open when the group finishes renovating the legendary Danieli.
Burj al Arab, Dubai
It’s a big claim to make so I hesitate to say it, but this may be the most outrageously luxurious hotel I have ever stayed at. The hotel is a Dubai icon because of its architecture (it is shaped like a giant sail) but it also has luxurious if over-the-top interiors, service that pampers you and a real extravagant warmth of spirit. If you like luxury hotels, you might want to splash out on this property at least once to see what it’s like.
Aman Nai Laert
The most expensive and most exciting hotel in Bangkok. The Aman group was launched in Thailand and has finally come home with this super cool, super exclusive hotel in a leafy street in the center of town. Could this be the shape of global luxury hoteliering to come?
