World's Best The Top 15 European Resort Hotels By Devorah Lev-Tov Devorah Lev-Tov Instagram Twitter Website Devorah Lev-Tov has been a travel, food, and drinks journalist for more than a decade, with bylines in publications like The New York Times, Vogue, and Bon Appétit, in addition to Travel + Leisure. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on September 8, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email This year's World's Best Awards survey was open for voting January 11 through May 10, 2021, as destinations around the world were lifting COVID-19 restrictions. Survey rules have always allowed readers to reflect on their travel experiences over a three-year period. We hope that this year's honorees will inspire your own travels as you get back out into the world. The shores of the Continent always beckon. Still, travelers are as discerning as ever when it comes to determining the best resorts in Europe. As usual, Greece and Italy make a strong showing, but a smattering of properties in the U.K., Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal round out the far-reaching list, proving that the countryside is just as adored as the waterfront. 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. Hotels were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city or resort based on their locations and amenities. After zero presence on the 2020 list, the U.K. captured a spot this year with Chewton Glen in the English countryside at No. 14. Ireland's famed Ballyfin came in at No. 12, which was described by one respondent as having "elegance and luxury, with the feel of a country home." Portugal managed to nab one spot again, but with a different property this year. Lauded as a "beautiful hotel near Sintra with a great golf course," Penha Longa Resort secured the eighth spot on the list. Courtesy of Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection Hotels in Italy made a strong showing. Scoring highest was Il Sereno Lago di Como in Torno, Italy, which claimed spot No. 2. According to one voter, the modern property is "a breath of fresh air in old Lake Como." Another admirer wrote, "The rooms are beautifully crafted, and each element has been carefully thought through to pamper the guest." (Perhaps feedback like this is what inspired the hotel to debut a shoppable suite this past summer that lets guests purchase the products they've fallen for?) But rivaling Italy for clout on this year's list is Greece, which has four hotels on the list, including the Santorini oasis that secured No. 1. Keep reading to find out what made it such a standout, and see the rest of the winners. 1. Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection, Imerovigli, Greece Courtesy of Grace Hotel, Auberge Resorts Collection Moving up from the last spot on last year's list, this cliff-top retreat on the quieter side of Santorini captured readers' hearts in a big way. The stunning white-washed resort offers sweeping views of both the Aegean Sea and the surrounding blue and white buildings. (Elegant rooms echo the color scheme, which gives a seamless look and feel to the resort.) The minimalism continues throughout the modern restaurant, fitness center, and outdoor spaces, with only the massive infinity pool diverting attention from the sea. Guests obsessed over the "best sunset views on the whole island," and one reviewer wrote simply that "the resort is magical and the food is divine." Score: 99.18More information: aubergeresorts.com 2. Il Sereno Lago di Como, Torno, Italy Courtesy of Il Sereno Lago di Como Score: 98.50More information: serenohotels.com 3. Canaves Oia Epitome, Santorini, Greece Christos Drazos/Courtesy of Canaves Oia Epitome Score: 98.44More information: canaves.com 4. Hotel Il Pellicano, Porto Ercole, Italy Courtesy of Hotel Il Pellicano Score: 98.32More information: hotelilpellicano.com 5. Katikies Mykonos, Mykonos, Greece Courtesy of Katikies Mykonos Score: 97.87More information: katikiesmykonos.com 6. Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, Sorrento, Italy Courtesy of Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria Score: 97.71More information: exvitt.it 7. Hotel Crillon le Brave, Crillon-le-Brave, France Mr. Tripper/Courtesy of Crillon le Brave Score: 97.00More information: crillonlebrave.com 8. Penha Longa Resort, Sintra, Portugal Courtesy of Penha Longa Resort Score: 96.94More information: penhalonga.com 9. Canaves Oia Boutique Hotel, Santorini, Greece Christos Drazos/Courtesy of Canaves Oia Score: 96.69More information: canaves.com 10. Badrutt's Palace Hotel, St. Moritz, Switzerland Courtesy of Badrutt's Palace Hotel Score: 96.67More information: badruttspalace.com 11. Finca Cortesin Hotel Golf & Spa, Málaga, Spain Courtesy of Finca Cortesin/The Azalea Group Score: 96.63More information: fincacortesin.com 12. Ballyfin, County Laois, Ireland Courtesy of Ballyfin Score: 96.42More information: ballyfin.com 13. Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como, Lake Como, Italy Courtesy of Mandarin Oriental Score: 96.24More information: mandarinoriental.com 14. Chewton Glen Hotel & Spa, New Milton, England Courtesy of Chewton Glen Score: 96.00More information: chewtonglen.com 15. Caruso, a Belmond Hotel, Ravello, Italy Courtesy of Belmond Score: 95.98More information: belmond.com See all of our readers' favorite hotels, cities, airlines, cruise lines, and more in the World's Best Awards for 2021. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit