| Want to receive extra benefits for stays at virtually any luxury hotel brand, including a room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact [email protected] for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked. |
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.
In this post:
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:
- Ritz-Carltons don’t honor most Marriott Bonvoy elite perks, like complimentary breakfast
- I find that Ritz-Carltons in the US have borderline scripted service, and simply feel like luxury resort factories in terms of the experience
- There’s a difference between properties like the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo and the Ritz-Carlton Turks & Caicos, and I find that there’s a lack of consistent standards with the brand
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?
| Want to receive extra benefits for stays at virtually any luxury hotel brand, including a room upgrade, complimentary breakfast, a hotel credit, and more? Contact [email protected] for more details. He may even be able to help if you already have a stay booked. |
Every few weeks, the inimitable Ben gifts us yet anoher ranking of his “favourite luxury hotel brands.” And, like clockwork, it manages to be both highly confident and oddly detached from the realities of… actually staying in hotels.
For those unfamiliar with the his methodology, it’s quite straightforward. Step one: stay roughly 24 hours in a property (just enough time for a few carefully framed photos). Step two: ideally don’t pay for the room —...
Every few weeks, the inimitable Ben gifts us yet anoher ranking of his “favourite luxury hotel brands.” And, like clockwork, it manages to be both highly confident and oddly detached from the realities of… actually staying in hotels.
For those unfamiliar with the his methodology, it’s quite straightforward. Step one: stay roughly 24 hours in a property (just enough time for a few carefully framed photos). Step two: ideally don’t pay for the room — points from a rotating carousel of credit cards will do nicely. Step three: if points aren’t available, there’s always the helpful option of being invited. The result, naturally, is a body of expertise of remarkable… brevity.
This does create a slight methodological limitation. When you spend very little time in a hotel, and very rarely pay for it, your ability to assess service, consistency, operations or long-term guest experience becomes somewhat theoretical. But let’s not allow such details to get in the way of a ranking.
Predictably, Park Hyatt appears high on the list — historically one of the few “luxury” brands that remained conveniently accessible with fixed award pricing. Anyone who actually travels extensively will know that Park Hyatt properties vary wildly in quality, but that nuance rarely survives the points-optimisation lens.
Likewise, the usual suspects proclaim Ritz-Carlton as some sort of untouchable benchmark. Which is amusing if you’ve spent enough time in the brand to know how uneven it can be depending on ownership and geography. But again, nuance is inconvenient when you’re mostly reviewing redemption opportunities.
What makes the exercise even more entertaining is a quick glance at the actual number of properties Ben has stayed at within each brand. The sample sizes are often… modest. One could call this bold statistical confidence.
Then there is the conspicuous absence of Relais & Châteaux, one of the most emblematic networks of independent luxury hotels in the world. But of course, that would require two problematic things:
actually paying for the room, and
the inability to redeem points.
In other words, a tragedy.
On the bright side, this also means Relais & Châteaux guests are unlikely to be disturbed by the presence of bloggers optimising credit-card welcome bonuses. A reassuring thought.
Where things become genuinely funny, however, is OMAAT’s treatment of IHG luxury brands.
Because IHG luxury hotels are, inconveniently, expensive. And OMAAT’s status — typically Platinum via credit cards — does not deliver the sort of perks that make frequent paid stays attractive. Combine that with dynamic award pricing and suddenly the points wallet starts to look rather thin.
The predictable outcome? Entire brands quietly disappear from the “favourite luxury brands” discussion.
For instance, Regent — unsurprisingly absent.
And Six Senses, dismissed with the claim that the brand is “largely not bookable with points.”
Except that it is.
In reality, most Six Senses properties are currently integrated into IHG One Rewards and can be booked with points, including:
Six Senses Bhutan (Bhutan)
Six Senses Con Dao (Vietnam)
Six Senses Crans-Montana (Switzerland)
Six Senses Fiji (Fiji)
Six Senses Fort Barwara (India)
Six Senses Ibiza (Spain)
Six Senses Kanuhura (Maldives)
Six Senses Kaplankaya (Turkey)
Six Senses Kyoto (Japan)
Six Senses La Sagesse (Grenada)
Six Senses Laamu (Maldives)
Six Senses Ninh Van Bay (Vietnam)
Six Senses Residences Courchevel (France)
Six Senses Rome (Italy)
Six Senses Shaharut (Israel)
Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea (Saudi Arabia)
Six Senses Uluwatu, Bali (Indonesia)
Six Senses Vana (India)
Six Senses Yao Noi (Thailand)
Six Senses Zil Pasyon (Seychelles)
The number of non-participating properties is actually very small, mostly due to historical integration issues:
• Six Senses Douro Valley
• Six Senses Krabey Island
• Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain
• Six Senses Samui
• Six Senses Zighy Bay
In other words, the problem isn’t that Six Senses can’t be booked with points.
The problem is simply that they require quite a lot of them.
Which brings us back to the core analytical framework of Ben’s luxury rankings:
If I can redeem a credit-card bonus for it, it’s an outstanding luxury brand.
If I can’t… it probably isn’t worth mentioning.
A refreshingly efficient methodology.
One almost admires the consistency.
Of all of these brands, Luxury Collection is my favorite. I don’t really understand paying luxury prices for a hotel that is just high-end bland like a lot of these brands. Give me something with character, or I’ll just spend half the price for a slightly less generic hotel experience.
Terribly out of date photo for the Four Seasons Miami Brickell. New rooms are much better, much more competitive than before vs. Surfside.
Surprised to not see Auberge on here. Their property in Costa Rica and the two in Cabo are arguably the best in those regions. Then you have Etereo which is bar none the best in Riviera Maya. I could go on and on. Wildflower in upstate NY, perfection. Guess it’s personal preference.
Peninsula's complementary Pens and newspapers are top drawer . Yet they don't make up for the constant raising of prices , like elevators which only go up .
Have you ever heard of Langham Hotels? They're superior in every market.
Great Eagle Holdings, are worth a punt if you need to expand your portfolio.
Some of their hotels are most acceptable too …. however, be aware of those which are only franchised properties.
Langham is decent; I liked the one in Chicago. I just remember... lots of pink in the design theme.
Yep! Perhaps Great Eagle Holdings are appealing to the feminine side of your personality 1990Bot …. :-)
Only because it was called out in the article, is RC Tokyo that nice? I went up to the bar and while the views were okay and the food/service was good, the hard product looked like a Y2K construction styling that felt anything but contemporary.
This place was charging $1k / night before it was commonplace in Tokyo, so curious if it's really that premium.
I agree with a number of your points. I completely agree that I seek out St Regis over Ritz Carlton because of the benefits for members that are included there. I also agree regarding your comments that it depends proeprty by property and about the difference between the US or Asia and if it is a converted property or not.
However, I don't think you could compare the Marriott Luxury Collection which is really...
I agree with a number of your points. I completely agree that I seek out St Regis over Ritz Carlton because of the benefits for members that are included there. I also agree regarding your comments that it depends proeprty by property and about the difference between the US or Asia and if it is a converted property or not.
However, I don't think you could compare the Marriott Luxury Collection which is really a upper-middle brand similar to a JW Marriott to the St Regis or Ritz Carlton or Waldorf, etc. Further, the only big benefit of booking through the Stars or similar program for those that the breakfast is included for premium members is the $100 credit and often times the member rate is a lot cheaper.
I think your other lists of non-points and boutique luxury hotels are messy. Some are of the tier above big brand luxury such as Rosewood and Peninsula. Some are full brands of themselves that have lower and higher end hotels (e.g. Shangri-la). Some are niche brands within the big brands, etc. There are also other brands such as Raffles which surprisingly you did not mention.
wow...You are obsessed with so many things...
4Seasons definitely the way to go. I have never had a bad stay for over 15 years staying with the brand. They better not nickel and dime. Not at the prices they charge. Plus they are not Marriott anyhow, so...
Four Seasons Singapore turned me off the brand forever.
You always forget that Belmond has properties in South America too, like the iconic Belmond Copacabana Palace in Rio, and Belmond Catarata do Iguacu in Iguacu Falls.
How can you forget Little Saint James?
Many elite, powerful and wealthy enjoyed this resort southeast of St. Thomas.
Many more wanted to go but couldn't.
As the used condom collector EskimoBot, you must have been in your element surrounded by so many pedophiles on Epstein Island …. yes?
In most places in the world you could be taken to the cleaners with a libel suite for posting a comment that imputed that someone is a kiddy-fiddler. Grow up, mate.
Read my post again Pete, you might infer that which is not actually posted or implied.
LOL. Libel? For posting on a website? What is this... the United Kingdom?? This's 'merica!
I'm skeptical that there really could be a best luxury "brand"? The things I care about seem so much more related to the age and condition of the specific hotel. I'd like to think the luxury brands pay attention more, but I'm doubtful. Convince me I'm wrong! Because I'd love to know that if I were willing to pay more I could guarantee a room that isn't worn out, where you can't hear people walking...
I'm skeptical that there really could be a best luxury "brand"? The things I care about seem so much more related to the age and condition of the specific hotel. I'd like to think the luxury brands pay attention more, but I'm doubtful. Convince me I'm wrong! Because I'd love to know that if I were willing to pay more I could guarantee a room that isn't worn out, where you can't hear people walking down the hall and slamming doors, that doesn't have mold, that doesn't spill water everywhere when you take a shower, etc.
Hey Ben, you use the word “luxury” quite often, but this word means many different things to many different people. How about a post in which you outline your definition?
My list would be: Aman, &Beyond, Tswalu, Singita, Wilderness, Cheval Blanc, Four Seasons, Waldorf-Astoria, One&Only, Six Senses, Raffles, Rosewood, St. Regis, Park Hyatt, Baillie Lodges, Belmond, Mandarin Oriental, Shangri-La, Pendry, Barrière. Yes, somewhat location dependent; most good, newer better, some timeless, half-cash/half-points. Hope to try more and more. Keep traveling!
What, no love for Hyatt Place?
You meant, Holiday Inn Express! HIE!
Ben if you haven’t read the Four Seasons: The Story of a Business Philosophy book, you must! I’m reading it right now and it explains so much about why the brand is the way they are.
I thought Issy Sharp's book was a terrible disappointment -- boring and reflecting Sharp's complete lack of self-awareness. The only interesting bit was his bitchy comments about Aman. Jimmy Sherwood's book about the founding Orient Express is a much better read.
Putting Park Hyatt at the top is a bit surprising to me, maybe I haven't stayed at enough PHs. I always thought the WA, St Regis, Ritz had better services over Park Hyatts. Is it just me...?
It is all in the eye of the beholder, as they say. I think you will find more consistency in PHs than the other brands, which tend to have more variation amongst properties. Also coloring Ben’s ranking is Hyatt’s superior status recognition, especially for top tier Globalists, which, as a Globalist myself, I can say makes a big difference in your perception of the brand.
Park Hyatt is wildly overrated and very inconsistent. Service is generally below the level one would expect at a five-star hotel. Many hotels are point farms.
No glamping options?
He had Singita at #1 on the third section... lots of 'glamping' with them. Try Sabora Tented Camp.
A few thoughts from your list:
I would not consider Shangri-La or Marriott Luxury Collection as true luxury brands. They might have some properties that are true 5-star properties, but they average toward more 4.5-star premium then full luxury from my experience.
I think Raffles deserves a place in the best luxury hotels bookable with points category, certainly above St Regis or WA.
I was surprised to read your negative thoughts on Alila...
A few thoughts from your list:
I would not consider Shangri-La or Marriott Luxury Collection as true luxury brands. They might have some properties that are true 5-star properties, but they average toward more 4.5-star premium then full luxury from my experience.
I think Raffles deserves a place in the best luxury hotels bookable with points category, certainly above St Regis or WA.
I was surprised to read your negative thoughts on Alila Jabal Akhdar's service. I stayed there last year, my first and only Alila, and thought that the service was excellent. I felt that this was a 4.5-star hotel in terms of hard product, but operating with 5-star standard service (and of course an absolutely stunning location as you stated).
Would be great to hear your thoughts on the independent hotel marketing brands like LHW, Preferred LEGEND, SLH, Relais et Chateaux... I have found Preferred LEGEND's to be more consistently high-standard luxury than the others.
Agree on removing Shangri-La, but either Marriott Luxury Collection is included or both that and RC are removed - there is no difference in quality between them in practice (both are highly variable). I can name many places in Europe and Asia where I’d rather stay at the local Luxury Collection property than the RC.
Also surprised that Auberge Group and Dorchester Collection arent on this list. These are groups with amazing properties.
Surprised to not see Auberge on here. Their property in Costa Rica and the two in Cabo are arguably the best in those regions. Then you have Etereo which is bar none the best in Riviera Maya. I could go on and on. Wildflower in upstate NY, perfection. Guess it’s personal preference.
Should check out Rocco Forte Hotels. They have some great properties in Rome (Hotel de la Ville and de Russie, for starters).
100% agree. Adding to Italian fantastic boutique hotel brands, Baglioni, Lugarno and Egnazia.
Rocco Forte is an idiot. he destroyed the Trust House Forte brand years ago.
Not a comment on it's value for money but Shangri-La shouldn't be on this list. It competes more with Grand Hyatt or Hilton than it does with Park Hyatt or Waldorf Astoria.
Agree. I think some Shangri-La's might make 5-star, but plenty more are in line with Grand Hyatt, InterContinental, JW Marriott level.
Accor ALL?
Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, Sofitel legend, Orient Express, Banyan tree & some very very good M gallery properties
Have you looked into Shebara in Saudi Arabia?
(We might wanna wait just a little for a trip to the ME...)
Apparently Simon Wilson had a look just in time.
They got lucky on timing. Shebara does look pretty cool. Reminds me a little of what Ritz-Carlton Fari Islands was going for in Maldives (except, more like a UFO, shiny and chrome).
Looks amazing like Simon Wilson and Kara & Nate showed on Youtube, but seems like service needs to be more polished.
You should check the Fasano brand from Brazil. They are rapidly expanding internationally and they are extremely upscale. https://fasano.com.br/en/
Fantastic brand, but hard to put them on a list like this since they are so specific to Brazil (similar thoughts with Oberoi, for example). Yes, they are expanding internationally (some amazing properties in the pipeline), but given that bookings for NY are only open to members or approved/partner agencies, I agree with leaving them off.
Not saying it should be on the list but a brand for Ben to keep in mind. They will soon open properties in Miami, Sardegna, Portugal, London and they just bought an amazing palace in Milan that will become a hotel. BTW, way before Fasano was known for hotels, they were known for superb gastronomy so it is well known that their properties will have amazing restaurants. Highly recommend.
Appreciate you listing the difficulties with creating these lists (which ultimately shows how pointless they are). Totally agree - how do you compare a Singita to an Oetker (and why would you anyway). This is a good summary though, especially how you break them out. Still, so many terrific ones not listed that easily could be.
Looking at your second two lists, which "should" top the points list - I've had terrific through down...
Appreciate you listing the difficulties with creating these lists (which ultimately shows how pointless they are). Totally agree - how do you compare a Singita to an Oetker (and why would you anyway). This is a good summary though, especially how you break them out. Still, so many terrific ones not listed that easily could be.
Looking at your second two lists, which "should" top the points list - I've had terrific through down right bad stays very recently at several for them. Even the "boutiques" have consistency issues.
St. Regis Macao does not provide breakfast for platinum members and above.