The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026 was announced in Paris last night, and it was a particularly good evening for Asia. Rosewood Hong Kong retained the top spot for a second consecutive year, while 18 Asian hotels made the global top 50.
Hong Kong has another reason to feel rather pleased with its hotel scene. Rosewood Hong Kong was named The World’s Best Hotel 2026 last night, holding onto the No.1 position it first claimed in 2025. It was also, naturally, named The Best Hotel in Asia.
The results were announced at Les Salles du Carrousel in Paris on 15 September, marking the first time The World’s 50 Best Hotels ceremony has taken place outside London. Now in its fourth year, the ranking is decided by an academy of more than 800 hoteliers, travel journalists, industry professionals and experienced travellers.
Asia had a strong night. Eighteen of this year’s top 50 hotels are in the region and, more strikingly, the top three are all Asian. Capella Bangkok took second place, followed by Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River at No.3. Mandarin Oriental Qianmen in Beijing came in at No.7, Upper House Hong Kong at No.8 and Mandarin Oriental Bangkok at No.10.
For Hong Kong, Rosewood’s win is made more notable by the company it keeps. Upper House is now the eighth-best hotel in the world, while The Peninsula Hong Kong enters the top 50 at No.46. Further down the newly announced 51–100 list, Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong sits at No.59 and Four Seasons Hong Kong at No.86. In other words, five Hong Kong hotels now appear in the world’s top 100.
Rosewood Hong Kong has only been open since 2019, but its rise through the ranking has been quick: No.3 in 2024, No.1 in 2025 and now No.1 again. The Tony Chi-designed hotel occupies 65 storeys above Victoria Harbour, with 413 rooms and suites, 11 restaurants and bars and its Asaya wellness concept. Rosewood also picked up the Most Admired Hotel Group Award this year.
Elsewhere in Asia, Japan secured four places in the top 50, led by Aman Tokyo at No.11. Bulgari Tokyo followed at No.24, while newcomer Patina Osaka entered at No.33 and was named Best New Hotel. Park Hyatt Kyoto returned to the list at No.37. Singapore’s Raffles took No.17, Bali’s Desa Potato Head No.21, The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai No.30 and Nihi Sumba No.35.
Bangkok deserves particular mention. Along with Capella and Four Seasons taking second and third place, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok reached No.10 and the recently opened Aman Nai Lert entered at No.48. Four hotels in one city is quite a showing.
But for once, Bangkok didn’t get the last word. That belongs to Hong Kong — and to a hotel on the Kowloon waterfront that, for the second year running, sits at the top of the world.
