Wanderlust is a feeling that rarely ceases, and when you travel to a hotel that really impresses, that impression lasts. As the world looked for respite from the pandemic, hotels were the institutions keeping smiles on guests’ faces. It is this level of service and attention to detail that gets hotels noticed. From the Caribbean to Southeast Asia, Africa and South America, an array of properties from across the globe stood out in this year’s list thanks to their unwavering dedication to the art of hospitality at its pinnacle.
Spanning city skyscrapers, tented glam camps in the jungle, beachside retreats, palatial resorts and ultra-luxe safari lodges, the winners are diverse as the locations they find themselves in. The hotels are rated on an array of factors including facilities, location, service, food, and overall value.
In 2021, India has the highest inclusions per country with 12 hotels included in the top 100. Other notable mentions include Mexico and the Caribbean, which both had 7 properties each in the list. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to leave a lasting impact on travellers, with 13 hotels represented from the region as part of the winners. For the first time ever, Kenya nabbed the top spot, with Mahali Mzuri being voted as the top hotel in the world for 2021.
The top 10 are listed below. To see the full list, visit Travel + Leisure’s website here.
- Mahali Mzuri, Masai Mara, Kenya
- Nayara Tented Camp, Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica
- The Opposite House, Beijing
- Capella, Bangkok
- Capella Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
- Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection, Santorini, Greece
- Kamalame Cay, Andros Island, Bahamas
- The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India
- The Temple House, Chengdu, China
- The Oberoi, New Delhi
Image 1 courtesy Mahali Mzuri, Virgin Limited Edition; image 2 courtesy Nayara Tented Camp; image 3 courtesy Capella Bangkok