Here’s a fun topic that I’ll share my thoughts on, and then I’m curious to hear how OMAAT readers feel — what are the best luxury hotel brands in the world? It goes without saying that there’s no right answer as to what the best hotel groups are, given that it really is dependent on the specific property and what you’re into. There’s such a lack of consistency between hotels in many brand portfolios that it’s really hard to know how and what to judge.
Below I figured I’d share my overall impressions of major luxury hotel groups, and I’ll put them into three categories:
- Hotel groups that belong to major loyalty programs, which you can book with points
- Major hotel groups that you can’t book with points; while this is arbitrary, I’ll define “major” as hotel groups with 15 or more properties
- Boutique hotel groups that you can’t book with points; once again this is arbitrary, but I’ll define “boutique” as hotel groups with fewer than 15 properties (“boutique” is a tricky word in the hotel industry)
Why am I splitting up major and boutique hotel groups in this way? Well, because I think it’s difficult to compare the overall offerings of Four Seasons to Cheval Blanc, for example, since they have totally different footprints. I think many lists of “best” hotels, like The World’s 50 Best Hotels list, do too much to favor larger properties.
Hotel brand consistency is a problem
The challenge with ranking the world’s best luxury hotel groups is that there’s huge variance in terms of quality between properties. Generally speaking:
- A city hotel may offer a totally different experience than a secluded resort
- Geography can greatly impact hotel quality — hotels are better in Asia than in the United States, for example
- A hotel may be significantly different based on whether it’s a converted property from another brand, or a new build
- The competitiveness of a hotel market also impacts how hard some hotels choose to try
- Often you really see the quality of a hotel when things go wrong, in terms of how good they are at service recovery
Just to give an example, while the Four Seasons Miami Brickell is a perfectly nice city hotel…
…it would give you a very different impression of the brand than the Four Seasons Surfside, for example.
Before I share my rankings, let me also note that I’m only including brands I’ve stayed at. Admittedly even that makes it tough to rank hotels, since it’s possible I’ve stayed at the best hotel of a brand, or the worst hotel. But I’ll try to take a hybrid approach here, and rank based on my actual experience at a hotel, combined with my overall impression of the brand’s portfolio and service based on everything I know.
I should also mention that of course many of the world’s very best hotels are fully independent, so I’m by no means suggesting that this list would cover all of the world’s top hotels.
Best luxury hotel brands bookable with points
I have seven favorite luxury hotel brands that can be booked with points. Given the points angle here, I think it’s only fair to consider elite recognition and loyalty perks, since this can play a major role. With that in mind, below are my rankings. Let me mention that I haven’t stayed at a Raffles property, or else it might make my list, as I’ve heard great things (Raffles belongs to Accor Live Limitless, so it has a loyalty program, but sadly redemptions are all revenue based).
1. Park Hyatt
For me, Park Hyatt strikes the perfect balance between luxury and incredible loyalty participation (including great elite recognition). Not only do I love the (typically) minimalist decor of Park Hyatt properties, but you really get the best of both worlds thanks to World of Hyatt — as a Globalist member you can use a suite upgrade award to confirm an upgrade an advance, you receive complimentary breakfast, etc.
I’m always excited when I see there’s a Park Hyatt at the destination I’m traveling to. Admittedly not all Park Hyatts are created equal, as there’s a difference between the Park Hyatt Kyoto and Park Hyatt Doha. In general, Park Hyatt’s city hotels are better than the resorts, which is a downside of the brand, in my opinion. My main issue is that Park Hyatt’s pipeline of new properties isn’t terribly exciting, and it seems like the brand could use some more flagship properties.
If you’re booking a paid stay at a Park Hyatt, I’d recommend doing so through the Hyatt Privé program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
2. Waldorf Astoria
The Waldorf Astoria brand has really grown on me. This is Hilton Honors’ most premium brand, and I’ve had consistently exceptional experiences, from Amsterdam, to Beverly Hills, to Dubai, to Los Cabos, to the Maldives.
Best of all, as a Hilton Diamond elite or Hilton Gold elite member, all elite perks are honored at these properties. This status is also really easy to earn with credit cards. I also love how the Waldorf Astoria brand keeps growing, with new locations popping up in cities like London, New York, and Osaka.
If you’re booking a paid stay at a Waldorf Astoria, I’d recommend doing so through the Hilton for Luxury program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
3. St. Regis
St. Regis is my favorite luxury hotel brand belonging to Marriott Bonvoy. For the most part I’ve had excellent experiences at St. Regis properties, from resorts to city hotels. Best of all, St. Regis is the only “true” luxury Marriott brand where Marriott Platinum members receive perks like complimentary breakfast, and more. I’ll almost always seek out a St. Regis over a Ritz-Carlton, for example.
However, I definitely feel like the quality is slipping a bit with some of the new properties, reflecting Marriott’s desperation for room count growth, even in situations where a property may not meet historical St. Regis standards.
If you’re booking a paid stay at a St. Regis, I’d recommend doing so through the Marriott STARS program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
4. Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Ritz-Carlton Reserve is a distinct brand from Ritz-Carlton, and is on a completely different level. I’ve enjoyed my stays at Zadun, the Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Los Cabos, and Dorado Beach, the Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Puerto Rico. Best of all, it’s possible to earn and redeem Bonvoy points at Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties, and take advantage of select elite perks.
On the plus side, Ritz-Carlton Reserve might be the highest quality hotel group bookable with points. The catch is that redemption rates are high and elite perks are weak, so from a points hotel perspective, I have a hard time getting too excited. Furthermore, there’s definitely some inconsistency between properties. For example, Higashiyama Niseko Village, the Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Hokkaido, left a lot to be desired.
If you’re booking a paid stay at a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, I’d recommend doing so through the Marriott STARS program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
5. Alila
Alila is one of Hyatt’s smaller luxury hotel brands, with a focus on nature. So far Alila only has three properties in the United States (all in California), though I appreciate the World of Hyatt connection. Alila’s biggest market is Asia, and I look forward to checking out those properties over time.
The catch is that Alila isn’t a very consistent brand. For example, Alila Ventana Big Sur is incredible, while Alila Marea Encinitas is… confusing. Alila Jabal Akhdar has an amazing location but lackluster service, while Alila Hinu Bay has amazing service but an odd location.
If you’re booking a paid stay at an Alila, I’d recommend doing so through the Hyatt Privé program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
6. Ritz-Carlton
To me, Ritz-Carlton is a brand that has almost no standards. Many Ritz-Carltons outside the United States are phenomenal (like Hong Kong and Tokyo), though there’s also a lot I don’t like about Ritz-Carlton:
If you’re booking a paid stay at a Ritz-Carlton, I’d recommend doing so through the Marriott STARS program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
7. Marriott Luxury Collection
Most of the major hotel groups have a collection of luxury independent properties. Of those, Marriott’s Luxury Collection is the one that excites me most. Luxury Collection is an inconsistent brand, with some properties being really subpar, and some being phenomenal.
But to me it’s a brand that punches above its weight, with some really stellar properties, especially in Asia, Europe, etc. One thing I also love is that unlike Ritz-Carlton and EDITION, full elite benefits apply at Luxury Collection properties, so you can enjoy free elite breakfast, etc.
If you’re booking a paid stay at a Luxury Collection, I’d recommend doing so through the Marriott STARS program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
Best major non-points luxury hotel brands
I have seven favorite major luxury hotel brands that aren’t consistently bookable with major points currencies. This list is less about value, and more about which properties offer the all around best experiences, and deliver on their promises. Note that this list is limited to hotel groups with 15 or more properties. With that in mind, below are my favorite major luxury hotel groups.
1. Four Seasons
Four Seasons is brand that has grown on me a lot in recent years. It’s like a better version of Ritz-Carlton — sure, not all Four Seasons properties are amazing physically, but:
- Service is consistently exceptional, and you don’t deal with the annoyances you might experience at other hotel groups
- Four Seasons properties are consistently kids friendly and have very good gyms
- Four Seasons doesn’t nickel-and-dime; for example, Four Seasons’ Hawaii properties don’t have resort fees, Four Seasons properties often have complimentary coffee in the lobby in the morning, etc.
- Four Seasons is expanding at a fast pace, and has some beautifully restored historic properties with an amazing sense of place (like the Four Seasons Madrid), with many more amazing properties in the pipeline (like the Four Seasons Belize Caye Chapel)
For me the Four Seasons brand is very much trending upwards. If you’re booking a stay at a Four Seasons, I’d recommend doing so through the Four Seasons Preferred Partner program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
2. Rosewood
Rosewood is a brand to watch, as it’s growing at an extremely fast pace. Rosewood is not only doing an amazing job with its new city hotels, but it’s also opening some awesome resorts. I’d say Rosewood is quickly becoming Four Seasons’ biggest competitor.
My general take is that Rosewood’s portfolio might be a bit more interesting than Four Seasons’ in terms of property design. However, I think Four Seasons still has the edge when it comes to offering more consistent, polished service.
If you’re booking a stay at a Rosewood, I’d recommend doing so through the Rosewood Elite program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
3. Aman
Aman is a remarkable luxury hotel group, and back in the day, I’d rank it as my favorite in the world. Aman absolutely still has some amazing hotels. However, there’s no denying that it has changed a lot over the years, since the company was sold.
Aman used to open properties in the middle of nowhere, where other hotel brands wouldn’t dare build. It was truly a luxury brand that flew under the radar, with guests who were interesting in the destinations and a one-of-a-kind vibe, rather than just wanting to hang out at a “hotspot.” Aman has certainly evolved, with the most recent hotel openings being in Bangkok and New York, and upcoming openings being in Los Cabos and Miami.
So for those who were passionate fans of Aman, I think there are still hotels worth staying at. However, I have a hard time getting as excited about the brand as I used to.
If you’re booking a stay at an Aman, I’d recommend doing so through the Virtuoso program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
4. Mandarin Oriental
Mandarin Oriental is another brand that’s growing nicely. I’d say Mandarin Oriental is strongest with city hotels, and there are many cities where Mandarin Oriental (almost) unarguably has the best hotel. But the group also has some fantastic resorts.
The catch is that there’s a bit of inconsistency with Mandarin Oriental’s portfolio, so not all hotels are created equal. Then again, that’s just true with most brands.
If you’re booking a stay at a Mandarin Oriental, I’d recommend doing so through the Mandarin Oriental Fan Club, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more. This is generally a better deal than taking part in the Mandarin Oriental Fans of M.O. program.
5. Belmond
While the Belmond brand isn’t expanding as fast as some other luxury hotel groups, there’s no denying that Belmond has some incredible, historic, old-world properties. Belmond has properties in Europe, North America (including the Caribbean), Africa, and Asia. The brand’s most famous hotels are probably in Europe, and include properties like Hotel Cipriani, Hotel Splendido, Villa San Michele, and more. You won’t find luxury hotels with more charm and more of a sense of place than these.
If you’re booking a stay at a Belmond, I’d recommend doing so through the Belmond Bellini Club program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
6. Six Senses
Six Senses now belongs to IHG. While the brand is technically part of IHG One Rewards, in reality many properties in the portfolio still aren’t bookable with points, so I’m not including this as a points brand.
There’s a lot to love about Six Senses, as the group is opening hotels both in major cities where you’ll find other popular hotel groups, and in some cool, remote locations. In many ways, Six Senses’ current expansion reminds me of what Aman used to be. The brand is also all about nature, and in general that’s something I love.
If there were a downside to the brand, it’s that I personally don’t love the decor at some of the properties. I think the newer properties look super elegant, but some of the older hotels feel a bit too Flintstones-esque for my liking. But that’s a small price to pay for the places Six Senses has properties.
If you’re booking a stay at a Six Senses, I’d recommend doing so through the Virtuoso program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
7. Shangri-La
Shangri-La has some phenomenal flagship properties (like the Shangri-La Paris), while the brand also has a lot of mid-tier properties, many of which retail for well under $200 per night. So it’s hard to say that the chain on the whole can compete with some of other brands, but there are some great properties.
Some might note that Shangri-La has its own loyalty program, and it should be included under points hotels. While that’s indeed true, the reality is that Shangri-La has few partners, and there aren’t many avenues for earning these points. So for a vast majority of OMAAT readers, I think the points angle here isn’t too compelling.
If you’re booking a stay at a Shangri-La, I’d recommend doing so through the Shangri-La Luxury Circle program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
Best boutique luxury hotel brands
I have eight favorite boutique luxury hotel brands, which I’m defining as hotel groups with 15 or fewer properties. Just as above, this is less about value, and more about the overall experience offered. With that in mind, below are my favorite boutique luxury hotel groups.
1. Singita
I think a safari is one of the coolest trips you can take, and to this day my most memorable trip ever was taking my dad on a safari for his “big” birthday. Singita is known for being one of the best safari companies out there, and we’ve had amazing experiences at Singita Boulders Sabi Sands, Singita Lebombo, and Singita Pamushana.
What a perfect hospitality experience, and Singita has lodges in several African countries, so offers some varied experiences.
If you’re booking a stay at a Singita, I’d recommend doing so through the Virtuoso program, so you can receive perks like a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
2. Airelles
A few years ago I stayed at Les Airelles Courchevel, and ever since, I’ve been obsessed with this hotel group. Airelles is a French hospitality brand, with a strong focus on food, wine, and service. While Airelles hotels are expensive, they also deliver an incredible experience. Airelles has some pretty amazing other properties, like Airelles Château de Versailles, Airelles La Bastide de Gordes, Airelles Saint-Tropez Chateau de la Messardiere, and Airelles Val d’Isère.
If you’re booking a stay at Airelles, I’d recommend doing so through the Virtuoso program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
3. Capella
I recently stayed at my first Capella property, and now I’m obsessed with the brand. Capella has fewer than 10 properties, mostly in Asia, and I finally understand what makes them so interesting. For one, all of the brand’s properties have unique designs, some of which are truly quite “out there.”
What is consistent across properties, though, is the effort put into guest experience. For example, the hotels have the “living room” concept, which is essentially a club lounge for all guests, open over select hours. Capella properties also have excellent service, and an emphasis on offering activities that highlight local culture.
It’s a really well thought out brand, and I think the experience is differentiated enough so that it stands out from the competition. Best of all, Capella actually belongs to Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), a loyalty program that lets you earn and redeem points, and take advantage of elite perks. However, since it’s a lesser known program and not as well structured as some other programs, I’m still counting this as an independent property for these purposes.
If you’re booking a stay at Capella, I’d recommend doing so through the Virtuoso program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
4. Oetker Hotels
I don’t think there’s a boutique hotel group that packs quite the same punch as Oetker Hotels in terms of the caliber of its properties. The brand currently has fewer than a dozen hotels, including properties like Eden Rock St. Barts, Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Le Bristol Paris, L’Apogée Courchevel, and more.
Oetker Hotels is family owned, and the rumor is that the family doesn’t even care about turning a profit on their hotels, but rather it’s intended to be a highlight of the family’s business portfolio. Oetker Collection properties consistently have incredible design, a great sense of place, and history, so it’s quite the unique brand.
If you’re booking a stay at an Oetker Hotels property, I’d recommend doing so through the Oetker Collection Pearl Partner program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade at the time of booking, and more.
5. Cheval Blanc
Cheval Blanc is owned by LVMH, and offers both style and substance. Currently Cheval Blanc’s portfolio consists of six properties, and I’ve stayed at Cheval Blanc Paris, Cheval Blanc Maldives, and Cheval Blanc St. Barts, and all were great. What impresses me most about Cheval Blanc is the food & beverage focus, plus the incredible attention to detail with amenities.
If you’re booking a stay at Cheval Blanc, I’d recommend doing so through the Virtuoso program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
6. One&Only
One&Only is a hotel group with a loyal following, despite only having around a dozen properties. For the most part, One&Only excels with resorts, with well regarded properties in Mexico, Dubai, and even some safari camps in Africa.
What’s interesting is that One&Only is owned by Kerzner International, which also owns Atlantis. So while properties like Atlantis The Royal Dubai aren’t One&Only properties, they do have a similar commitment to service and luxury.
If you’re booking a stay at One&Only, I’d recommend doing so through the Virtuoso program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
7. Peninsula
Peninsula has roughly a dozen hotels, with half of them being in Asia, and the rest being equally distributed between Europe (Istanbul, London, and Paris) and the United States (Beverly Hills, Chicago, and New York). Peninsula is a great brand with an awesome flexible check-in and check-out policy that you won’t find at any other hotel brand.
If you’re booking a stay at Peninsula, I’d recommend doing so through the Peninsula PenClub program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
8. BVLGARI
Cheval Blanc isn’t the only luxury brand to get into the hotel industry, as there are also BVLGARI Hotels & Resorts. Much like Ritz-Carlton Reserve, these properties are bookable through Marriott channels. However, unlike Ritz-Carlton Reserve, they don’t belong to Marriott Bonvoy.
BVLGARI currently has nine properties, with a huge focus on design, plus great food and beverage outlets. I’ve enjoyed my stays at BVLGARI Dubai, BVLGARI Milan, and BVLGARI Rome.
If you’re booking a stay at BVLGARI, I’d recommend doing so through the Marriott STARS program, so you can receive perks like complimentary breakfast, a $100 hotel credit, a room upgrade, and more.
Bottom line
There’s no right or wrong answer as to what the world’s best hotel chain is, though the above are some of my favorites. I hope breaking it down by points hotels vs. non-points hotels, plus major hotel groups vs. boutique hotel groups, makes this information a bit easier to digest.
Of course this is highly subjective, since it’s based on the properties I’ve stayed at, and there are significant differences in terms of the quality of properties. Obviously this is a huge list, but I figured it would be fun to share my thoughts and hear how OMAAT readers feel.
What are your favorite luxury hotel groups?