Capella Bangkok did not have the easiest start. It opened in 2020, the first year of a global pandemic that had brought the hospitality industry to its knees. Yet just four years later, this retreat overlooking the Chao Phraya River took the top spot in the second edition of The World’s 50 Best Hotels in the World list, which was announced at an awards ceremony by The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy through a 50/50 gender-balanced vote among 600 expert and anonymous travellers in London on Tuesday night.
All 101 of the hotel’s rooms are spacious and light-filled, but the riverside villas, all with private gardens and pools, are the distinguishing feature of this five-star hotel in Charoenkrung, Thailand’s oldest neighbourhood.
Capella Bangkok marketing director Josephine Png told CNN Travel that her favourite spot at the hotel is “on the terrace by the river under the trees”. By day, it’s “super calm,” she said, but at night, the river comes alive with the sight of passing party boats.
Asian success
Capella Bangkok was one of four hotels in Thailand’s capital to make the Top 50, with Mandarin Oriental Bangkok and Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River appearing at No. 12 and No. 14 on the list respectively, while The Siam was at No. 26.
This was largely an Asian “win”, with seven of the top 10 hotels coming from the region.
Hong Kong was represented by Rosewood at No. 3 and The Upper House at No. 5, while the 137-year-old Raffles Singapore – birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail – came in at No. 6.
In eighth place, Soneva Fushi in the Maldives was also a winner of the Lost Explorer Best Beach Hotel Award 2024. After all, this is a resort so dedicated to the luxury of being barefoot that guests hand over their shoes on arrival and don’t return them until it’s time to leave.
The 45-storey Bulgari Tokyo skyscraper, at number 22, won the Nikka Best New Hotel Award 2024.
Major hotels from the rest of the world
Last year’s winner, the 24-key Italian hotel Passalacqua, overlooking Lake Como, came in second place this year.
The $3,000-per-night Cheval Blanc in Paris moved up to fourth place on the list this year, and the City of Light was also represented by the imposing Hôtel de Crillon at No. 15 and Le Bristol at No. 40.
The host city, London, was also well represented, with established classics Claridge’s and The Connaught at No. 11 and No. 46 respectively and Raffles London at The OWO (No. 13) taking the Lavazza Highest New Entry Award.
Dubai behemoth Atlantis The Royal rose to ninth place this year, winning the Highest Climber Award, while The Lana, at No. 23, was another success story from the emirate.
The Mexican Chablé Yucatán, built around a sacred Mayan lake, ranked No. 16 and was named the best hotel in North America.
The Calile, an elegant and airy urban resort in the bustling James Street area of Brisbane, Australia, was named the best hotel in Oceania, ranking 25th. Last year it was Australia’s sole representative, but in 2024 it was joined by the Tasman in Hobart at No. 49.
The top two, African entries were both from Marrakech: theLa Mamounia at No. 31 and the Royal Mansour at No. 38.
Although the full list of the top 50 hotels was revealed on 17 September, the Royal Mansour was already announced as the “world’s most welcoming hotel” last month as a precursor to the awards ceremony.
The Peninsula Istanbul, which opened on the banks of the Bosphorus just last year, won the American Express One to Watch award.
The 50 Best Hotels in the World
1. Capella Bangkok
2. Passalacqua (Moltrazzo, Italy)
3. Rosewood Hong Kong
4. Cheval Blanc Paris
5 The Upper House (Hong Kong)
6. Raffles Singapore
7. Aman Tokyo
8. Soneva Fushi (Maldives)
9. Atlantis The Royal (Dubai)
10. Nihi Sumba (Wanokka, Indonesia)
11. Claridge’s (London)
12. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok
13. Raffles London at The OWO
14. Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River
15. Hôtel de Crillon (Paris)
16. Chablé Yucatán (Chochola, Mexico)
17. Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc (Antip, France)
18. Maroma, A Belmond Hotel (Riviera Maya, Mexico)
19. Four Seasons Firenze (Florence, Italy)
20. Borgo Santandrea (Amalfi, Italy)
21. Desa Potato Head (Seminyak, Bali)
22. Bulgari Tokyo
23. the Lana (Dubai)
24. Rosewood São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil)
25. The Calile (Brisbane, Australia)
26. The Siam (Bangkok)
27. Park Hyatt Kyoto (Kyoto, Japan)
28. Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel (Cape Town, South Africa)
29, One&Only Mandarina (Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)
30, The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel (New York)
31. La Mamounia (Marrakech, Morocco)
32. Four Seasons Madrid
33. Capella Singapore
34. Four Seasons at the Surf Club (Surfside, Miami)
35. Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles)
36. Eden Rock (St. Bartholomew)
37. Aman New York
38. Royal Mansour (Marrakech, Morocco)
39. Amangalla (Sri Lanka)
40. Le Bristol Paris
41. Gleneagles (Auchterarder, Scotland)
42. Castello di Reschio (Umbria, Italy)
43. Suján Jawai (Rajasthan, India)
44. Singita Lodges (Kruger National Park, South Africa)
45. Six Senses Zighy Bay (Oman)
46. The Connaught (London)
47. The Brando (French Polynesia)
48. Hotel Esencia (Touloum, Mexico)
49. The Tasman (Hobart, Australia)
50. Kokomo Private Island (Fiji)
