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World’s ‘most beautiful airports’ named by prestigious architecture prize

Elizabeth Whitehead
The Prix Versailles architecture award is casting airports as attractions in their own right.

Airports are strange and liminal places. Endless epoxy floors. Yawning atriums that seem to swallow you up. And always with a perpetually distorted sense of time. When you’re travelling abroad, the aesthetics of the terminal you’re transiting through are probably the furthest thing from your mind. But the Prix Versailles, a prestigious architecture award presented in conjunction with UNESCO, is casting airport spaces in a new light with its World’s Most Beautiful Airports List 2025. As the Prix Versailles puts it, this prize category is about honouring beauty in everyday spaces.

“The mark left by airports stems chiefly from their ever-growing role in international exchanges," says Secretary General of the Prix Versailles, Jérôme Gouadain. “But [these facilities] can also be seen as works of art, or at least as things of beauty." Below, we break down the ‘laureate’ airports that have been named the most beautiful in the world.

Yantai Penglai International Airport (Terminal 2)

Yantai, China

Yantai, a port city in China’s Shandong province, unveiled its new 167,000-square-metre terminal in June 2024. Inspired by the nearby Kunyu Mountain, the terminal’s sweeping roofline mirrors the region’s undulating landscape, evoking a sense of flow and ease. A soft, foamy colour palette and fluid interior curves nod to the city’s coastal character, within a show-stopping diamond-scored dome crowning the atrium. Designed with both form and function in mind, the E-shaped layout optimises passenger movement while minimising disruption to the surrounding terrain.

Marseille Provence Airport (Terminal 1)

Marignane, France

Marseille Provence Airport is all glass and natural light, with its 22-metre windowed hall constructed from 70 per cent recycled steel. The minimalist architecture defers to the setting, framing views of the Provençal hinterland on one side and a shimmering maritime lagoon on the other. The airport in the south of France got a recent refresh, with a 22,000-square-metre extension designed by Foster + Partners.

Roland Garros Airport (Arrivals Terminal)

Réunion Island, France

Reunion Island is considered a tropical paradise by many. However, the island is subject to increasingly intense weather patterns, which necessitated a smart and sturdy design. The answer came in building a central ‘canyon’ that acts as a thermal chimney, enabling natural ventilation. This was delivered by the firm AIA Life Designers, which mostly worked with local businesses to achieve this blend of function and form.

Kansai International Airport (Terminal 1)

Osaka, Japan

Kansai Airport is already a design icon, known for its location on an artificial island and for being the longest airport terminal in the world. A recent 25 per cent expansion has further elevated its appeal, introducing a palette of natural materials that lend the space a distinctly Japanese sensibility.

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Portland International Airport (Main Terminal)

Portland, United States

If you didn’t know that Oregon was famed for its forests, then Portland International Airport makes that immediately clear; its statement mass timber roof extends over more than 36,000 square metres. The materials employed were sourced from local industry within a 500-kilometre radius of the airport. Designed by architecture firm ZGF, Portland Airport was inspired by walks in the forest, resulting in a calming, immersive experience for travellers.

portland airport
Portland’s new airport terminal pays homage to the forests and timber industry of the region.

San Francisco International Airport (Terminal 1)

San Francisco, United States

San Francisco has always been a destination for the creative and innovative. Perhaps that’s why San Francisco is the first airport in the world to have an accredited museum inside, with the SFO Museum providing robust exhibitions and artworks for the viewing pleasure of those in transit. Terminal 1 is a tribute to Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, who was a trailblazer in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.

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Elizabeth Whitehead

Elizabeth Whitehead

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5 things every hotel needs for a more restorative stay

    Kate Bettes Kate Bettes
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    Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

    The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

    1. Easy access to good food

    meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20
    Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

    One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

    In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

    In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

    Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

    At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

    While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

    It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

    2. Better sleep options

    Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room
    Sleep deeply with Novotel.

    There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

    For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

    The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

    3. More ways to move

    woman hiking around queenstown new zealand
    Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

    Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

    At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

    Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

    4. Better connections

    Novotel Sharm El Sheikh
    Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

    One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

    Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

    A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

    5. Location is everything

    Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld
    Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

    Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

    All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

    Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.