The world’s 50 best hotels for 2023 named: A luxury Italian property is No.1, Claridge’s in London flies the flag for the UK and Aman New York is America’s top entry

Passalacqua, a luxury boutique hotel on the shores of Lake Como in Italy has been named the best hotel in the world for 2023.

It tops the first-ever World’s 50 Best Hotels list, with the towering Rosewood Hong Kong, set in the city’s Victoria Dockside arts and design district with stunning views over the harbour, taking second place.

Twenty-one of the winning properties are in Europe, with London ‘solidifying its reputation as a global travel hub’, according to the awards, as it boasts four hotels on the list – Claridge’s (No.16), The Connaught (No.22), NoMad London (No.46) and The Savoy (No.47).

Two other UK properties are also winners: Gleneagles in Scotland (No.32) – recipient of the Art of Hospitality Award, announced in August – and The Newt in Bruton, Somerset (No.37), which has been awarded the Carlo Alberto Best Boutique Hotel Award.

The top-ranked U.S property is Aman New York, which MailOnline Travel reviewed in glowing terms last year. It ranks 25th on the list, way ahead of the next U.S entry – Equinox New York, which comes 48th.

Passalacqua (above), a luxury boutique hotel on the shores of Lake Como in Italy has been named the best hotel in the world for 2023

Passalacqua is located in an 18th-century villa, explains the awards, with ‘spectacular terraced gardens running down to the water’

Flying the flag for Australia is The Calile in Brisbane, which comes 12th.

Winner Passalacqua is located in an 18th-century villa, explains the awards, with ‘spectacular terraced gardens running down to the water’. There are 24 rooms at the ‘exquisite’ property, which the judges say ‘has the feel of a private home’.

Tim Brooke-Webb, Managing Director for The World’s 50 Best Hotels, comments: ‘Huge congratulations to Passalacqua for the achievement of making it to No.1, just two years after opening. It’s a true testament to the vision of the De Santis family, who has created this sublime sanctuary for guests with painstaking devotion to design detail, exquisite hospitality and distinctive magic, which has clearly made a lasting impression on our Academy of expert voters.’

THE WORLD’S 50 BEST HOTELS FOR 2023 NAMED

1 Passalacqua – Moltrasio, Italy

2 Rosewood Hong Kong

3 Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River – Bangkok

4 The Upper House – Hong Kong

5 Aman Tokyo – Tokyo

6 La Mamounia – Marrakech

7 Soneva Fushi – Maldives

8 One&Only Mandarina – Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

9 Four Seasons Firenze – Florence

10 Mandarin Oriental Bangkok – Bangkok

11 Capella Bangkok – Bangkok

12 The Calile – Brisbane

13 Chablé Yucatán – Chocholá, Mexico

14 Aman Venice – Venice

15 Singita Lodges – Kruger National Park

16 Claridge’s – London

17 Raffles Singapore – Singapore

18 Nihi Sumba – Wanokaka, Indonesia

19 Hotel Esencia – Tulum, Mexico

20 Le Sirenuse – Positano, Italy

21 Borgo Egnazia – Savelletri, Italy

22 The Connaught – London

23 Royal Mansour – Marrakech

24 Four Seasons Madrid

25 Aman New York

26 The Maybourne Riviera – Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France

27 Rosewood Sao Paulo – Sao Paulo

28 Capella Singapore – Singapore

29 Le Bristol – Paris

30 Park Hyatt Kyoto – Kyoto

31 La Réserve – Paris

32 Gleneagles – Auchterarder, Scotland

33 Hotel Du Cap-Eden-Roc – Antibes

34 Cheval Blanc Paris

35 Four Seasons Astir Palace – Athens

36 Soneva Jani – Maldives

37 The Newt – Bruton

38 Amangalla – Galle, Sri Lanka

39 Hoshinoya Tokyo

40 Desa Potato Head – Seminyak, Bali

41 Eden Rock – St. Barths, Caribbean

42 The Siam – Bangkok

43 Badrutt’s Palace – St. Moritz, Switzerland

44 Atlantis The Royal – Dubai

45 The Oberoi Amarvilas – Agra

46 NoMad London – London

47 The Savoy – London

48 Equinox New York – New York City

49 Six Senses Ibiza – Portinatx

50 Hotel de Crillon – Paris

The towering Rosewood Hong Kong, set in the city’s Victoria Dockside arts and design district with stunning views over the harbour, takes second place

Claridge’s in London is 16th on the list, one of four London properties in the top 50

The top-ranked U.S property is Aman New York, which MailOnline Travel reviewed in glowing terms last year

The Newt in Bruton, Somerset (No.37), has been awarded the Carlo Alberto Best Boutique Hotel Award

Mexican marvel: At No.8 on the list is One&Only Mandarina

Meanwhile, Asia is home to 18 of The World’s 50 Best Hotels, including four properties at the top end of the list. After Rosewood Hong Kong in second place comes the Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (No.3), The Upper House in Hong Kong (No.4) and Aman Tokyo (No.5).

Within 20 metres of a beach, Soneva Fushi (No.7), in the Maldives, is also named the Lost Explorer Best Beach Hotel.

Singita Lodges in the Kruger National Park in South Africa, the smallest property on the list with just 18 rooms, takes the No.15 spot, as well as the Flor de Cana Eco Hotel Award.

At No.20 on the list is this lavish hotel in Positano, Italy – Le Sirenuse

NoMad London is forty-sixth in the first-ever World’s 50 Best Hotels ranking

Flying the flag for Australia is The Calile in Brisbane, which comes 12th

Six Senses Ibiza – this eye-catching hotel comes 49th in the ranking

The awards says: ‘Known for their environmentally conscious hospitality, the lodges are located within 33,000 acres of pristine wilderness where a unique wildlife population thrives across four distinct ecological zones, offering travellers an exciting and luxurious way of experiencing African wildlife, without disturbing the environment.’

The gongs were handed out tonight at an awards ceremony at the historic Guildhall in London.

The list is created from the votes of The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, which comprises 580 international ‘well-travelled experts’ within the hotel and travel industry, with a 50-50 gender balance.