The Top 20 Hotel Brands in the World in 2018
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated hotel brands on their locations, rooms/facilities, food, service, and overall value.
Related: The 2018 World's Best Awards
Though this year’s top 20 hotel brands range in location — Oberoi Hotels & Resorts (No. 4), the Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts (No. 7), and Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris (No. 15) focus on palatial properties in India, while companies like Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts (No. 19) and Rosewood Hotels & Resorts (No. 6) cover all corners of the globe, from Paris to Beijing — one thing holds true throughout: exemplary service. “Stayed at several Leelas in India,” wrote one reader. “Their service is breathtaking along with the rooms, which defy any other chain.” Of Rosewood, one fan said: “Our go-to hotel chain. The service is always superior and friendly.”
Closer to home, Montage Hotels & Resorts (No. 14) is a boutique brand of six properties in South Carolina, California, Utah, Hawaii,and Mexico. (Montage Kapalua Bay, in Maui, took home the No. 1 resort hotel in the state). For this brand, both sense of place — another thing resonating with today’s travelers — and service stood out: “Luxury at its best. Great locations and staff.”
This year’s list has a newcomer in the No. 2 spot: family-run Red Carnation Hotel Collection, which has Ireland’s Ashford Castle (a perennial World’s Best favorite) and Hotel 41 in London in its portfolio. The No. 1 hotel brand in the world? A rapidly expanding company with forthcoming properties in Bhutan, Bali and Israel. Read on for more on this repeat, wellness-centric winner — and see how the other brands scored with our readers.
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20. Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
Score: 89.26
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19. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
Score: 89.53
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18. St. Regis Hotels & Resorts
Score: 89.84
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17. Thompson Hotels
Score: 89.88
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16. Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts
Score: 90.64
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15. Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris
Score: 91.25
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14. Montage Hotels & Resorts
Score: 91.33
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13. Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas
Score: 91.44
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12. COMO Hotels & Resorts
Score: 91.48
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11. Aman
Score: 91.57
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10. Auberge Resorts Collection
Score: 91.64
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9. Alila Hotels & Resorts
Score: 91.81
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8. The Peninsula Hotels
Score: 92.04
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7. The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts
Score: 92.13
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6. Rosewood Hotels & Resorts
Score: 93.38
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5. One&Only Resorts
Score: 93.88
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4. Oberoi Hotels & Resorts
Score: 94.51
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3. Oetker Collection
Score: 94.80
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2. Red Carnation Hotel Collection
Score: 95.33
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1. Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas
Score: 96.77
"Perfect marriage between luxury and sustainability," said one reader of this 14-resort brand, with properties in Thailand, Vietnam, Oman, and Portugal, among other locations. For example, Six Senses has banned the use of plastic water bottles. Another core tenet is wellness: sleep and nutrition consultants help guide guests toward a healthier path (though they can still kick back with a cocktail on the beach). "Grow With Six Senses," the kids’ program, engages the littlest guests. At Six Senses Yao Noi, which is No. 1 in Southeast Asia this year, they can try aerial yoga, while at the new property in Fiji, they can cook using a solar oven. “There isn’t anything else like Six Senses,” raved one fan. "I cannot even put it into words."
See all of our readers' favorite hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2018.