When it comes to lodging, luxury hotels are more than just a place to sleep. They connect guests with local communities and offer the kind of memory-making activities that make a trip more than just a vacation. But finding the best hotel for you can be daunting, especially if you’re not sure where to begin. That’s where we come in. To help you find the perfect accommodation for your next getaway, we’ve rounded up 22 of the world’s most breathtaking hotels. From glamping in the Caribbean to witnessing wildlife on the Serengeti, these hotels are more than just a bed to rest your head—they’re places that will give you memories for a lifetime.
In this era of fake online reviews, it’s hard to trust anything that you read. And that’s particularly true when it comes to hotel reviews. The fact is, tens of millions of reviews on TripAdvisor, and similar sites, are written by people who have an agenda of some sort. Whether it’s a disgruntled former employee who wants to eviscerate their old employer or someone who uses fake names to post reviews about restaurants and hotels they’ve never actually visited, the problem is serious. It’s also a huge disservice to would-be hotel guests who can be misled by these false or biased opinions.
A recent study conducted by CivicScience confirmed what many of us already suspected: None of the top review sites were trusted by respondents. In fact, the majority of people said they didn’t trust any of them at all. That’s a shame, because good hotel reviews are essential for helping people find the best places to stay. And it’s even more important now that so many travelers are looking for the most authentic, trustworthy information before making a booking decision.
The hotel rankings on this site are based on the evaluations of more than 500 professional inspectors. They assess a variety of factors, including facility evaluations and anonymous service evaluations that last one to two hours; on-site inspections of four-and five-diamond properties; and data from the hotel industry. The site also offers an array of other trip-planning tools, such as a list of restaurants (with consumer ratings) and last-minute travel deals.
If you want to book a hotel in New York City, the options are almost endless. From new and swanky to historic grande dames, the Big Apple has a hotel for every taste. But our favorite new hotel is the snazziest of them all, The Ritz-Carlton New York, which opened this year in NoMad and delivers everything you’d expect from the brand that brings maximalism to Manhattan. The gorgeous hotel offers extraordinary downtown views and the kind of in-room amenities that will make you feel like royalty. For a real treat, sip a cocktail beneath a 10-by-8-foot Maxfield Parrish mural in The Clocktower bar and order the beef Wellington with bone-marrow gravy, ale-battered fish and chips, or tandoori chicken. And if you’re staying for more than one night, be sure to leave room in your budget to enjoy the spectacular rooftop restaurant, where you can dine with sweeping Empire State Building and Brooklyn Bridge views.
