One big name has fallen down the ranks, while another has topped them for the fourth consecutive year.
There are luxury hotels, and then there are luxury hotels. The kind where crisp, Egyptian cotton sheets are turned down while you’re at dinner, lobbies are infused with custom scents and bone-dry martinis with a twist of Amalfi lemon – just how you like it – materialise by your pool lounger thanks to telepathy-like service.
But which hotel brands truly deliver on the fantasy? Luxury Travel Intelligence (LTI) – a global members-only, ad-free organisation that delivers honest reporting for affluent travellers – has revealed the world’s 20 best luxury hotel brands for 2026, based on research spanning 134 touchpoints across the hospitality sector. And the results prove luxury comes at a price.
Mandarin Oriental has claimed the top spot for the fourth consecutive year, recognised for its high-end, Asian-inspired approach to hospitality. Oetker Collection followed closely in second place, with Bulgari and Four Seasons rounding out the top four.
Aman is known for its understated design and quiet sense of luxury, seen here at Amangiri in Utah.
Find total privacy at COMO Parrot Cay in the Turks and Caicos.
Find elevated spaces and legendary service at Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing.
Meanwhile, Aman – known for its serene, ultra-private retreats and devoted following of self-proclaimed ‘Aman junkies’ – has taken a hit compared to last year, plunging seven places from second to ninth. The reason? A significant and unaddressed client data breach, which occurred in April. Reportedly, the brand was targeted in a pay-or-leak extortion campaign by the cybercriminal group ShinyHunters, resulting in an estimated 200,000-plus unique guest records leaked. Not the kind of exposure our famously discreet Aman junkies signed up for. Though personally, I’d gladly surrender my email address and phone number for a stay; the resorts are that stunning.
There were also several fresh faces in this year’s ranking, with LTI expanding its list from 15 brands to 20. Capella made an impressive debut at eighth place, while French luxury hotel group Airelles entered at 10th. COMO, Jumeirah and Ritz-Carlton also joined the line-up for the first time.
The best luxury hotel brands for 2026
Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo in Mexico exemplifies the brand's wow-factor.
Four Seasons Hotel Firenze features frescoes and antique furnishings.
Poolside serenity in the desert at Amangiri.
Below are LTI’s rankings of the world’s best luxury hotel brands for 2026, along with last year’s rankings in parentheses for comparison.
Mandarin Oriental 81.1% (1)
Oetker 80.6% (4)
Bulgari 80.2% (3)
Four Seasons 78.7% (6)
Rosewood 78.0% (5)
Dorchester Collection 76.9% (12)
Belmond 76.6% (11)
Capella 76.1% (new entry)
Aman 75.5% (2)
Airelles 75.2% (new entry)
Auberge Collection 73.2% (8)
Rocco Forte 72.9% (9)
Six Senses 71.8% (7)
Raffles 70.0% (15)
One&Only 69.3% (10)
Peninsula 68.6% (13)
COMO 68.3% (new entry)
Jumeirah 68.2% (new entry)
Ritz-Carlton 68.0% (new entry)
Banyan Tree 67.4% (14)
How were the rankings decided?
Capella Bangkok is the height of luxury.
To assess brand performance comprehensively, LTI uses an algorithm covering 134 key touchpoints relevant to the luxury hotel sector. These include a brand’s ability to uphold its values and commitments, the quality of its management and staff, and how effectively its investments are used to improve the guest experience.
LTI researchers engage with a wide range of stakeholders, from CEOs of rated brands to thousands of management personnel, staff and guests. Every year the research starts from scratch, meaning results from previous years do not influence the current year’s findings.
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Eleanor Edström is International Traveller’s Associate Editor. El began her career writing for national magazines including Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel, and has since developed a soft spot for wild landscapes, thoughtful design and the human stories that bring them to life. She holds an honours degree in English and philosophy from the University of Sydney, and has lived abroad in both Switzerland and France – ostensibly to sharpen her French, though the pastries made a strong supporting case. One day, she hopes to swim with humpback whales off the coast of Mo'orea.
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
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
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
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
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.
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.
