Thailand

Capella Bangkok best hotel news: The Chao Phraya riverside luxury hotel has climbed ten places from 2023 to take top spot (No.1) in the The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2024 awards.

Hotels in Asia feature prominently in the ranking (19), followed by Europe (13), North America (9), Africa (4), Oceania (4) and South America (1).

The list was announced at a glittering awards ceremony in London and includes industry-defining hotels from across the globe.

Hosted at the historic Guildhall, the unveiling highlights outstanding hotel experiences across the world in a list that will shape the aspirations of consumers, travellers and hoteliers globally.

Bangkok solidifies its reputation as a global travel hub, boasting four hotels on the list, also including: Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (No.12), Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (No.14) and The Siam (No.26).

Capella Bangkok, (No.1) also clinches The Best Hotel in Asia 2024 title. Opened in 2020, the contemporary Capella Bangkok is surrounded by lush gardens and exudes the elegance of a grand dame property combined with the intimacy of a boutique hotel. The dramatic, layered architecture ensures all 101 rooms face the water, while riverside villas and suites also include their own private pool. The renowned Auriga spa is an enclave of relaxation whilst ‘Capella Culturalists’ – personal butlers with a direct line to the city’s finest and most diverse activities – are on hand to help guests get under the skin of the destination.

Emma Sleight, Head of Content for The World’s 50 Best Hotels, comments: “It gives us enormous pleasure to share the list of The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2024 and to celebrate Capella Bangkok’s ranking as No.1. This extraordinary hotel is a rare oasis in the middle of Thailand’s bustling capital, offering world-class service while retaining the intimacy and personality of a boutique hotel – making it a worthy winner of the top prize. This year’s dynamic list underscores the appetite for a range of experiences, from busy city breaks to far-flung escapes, and honours the dedication and passion of the staff who make these exceptional experiences possible, while highlighting the remarkable breadth of talent in the industry worldwide. We look forward to the continued evolution of The World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2024 and beyond.”

Asia leads the way in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2024 with 19 ranked hotels in total.

Hong Kong and Indonesia each have two hotels listed which include Rosewood Hong Kong (No.3) and Nihi Sumba (No.10) in Indonesia. Raffles Singapore is ranked as No. 6, while Capella Singapore is ranked No. 33.

The Aman brand wins the Ferrari Trento Most Admired Hotel Group. Independently voted for as a special award as part of the overall voting process, this accolade honours an exceptional hotel group which has implemented extraordinary measures, innovations or improvements over the past 18 months that have demonstrably and meaningfully impacted the hospitality sector. Aman is recognised for ensuring that its global locations work to integrate into local cultures and heritage. The group’s holistic sustainability practices are also highlighted, such as a circular approach to reducing waste employed at many of its properties.

Placed highest on the list and within 20 metres of a beach, Soneva Fushi (No.8) in the Maldives is named winner of the Lost Explorer Best Beach Hotel Award for the second year in a row.

How the 50 Best voting works
The nine Academy Chairs each select a voting panel from their region, ensuring a balance of hoteliers, travel journalists and seasoned luxury travellers. Each Academy member can vote for any hotel they have stayed in around the world, irrespective of their home region. Each voter casts seven votes for hotels in order of preference based on stays experienced in the 18-month voting period. Voting is carried out individually and strictly confidentially on a secure site and remains confidential before the list announcement. Academy Chairs are not privy to, nor have any knowledge of, the votes cast by the voters in their respective regions; furthermore, they are not official spokespeople for the 50 Best brand.

The Academy is the mechanism used to create The World’s 50 Best Hotels list. None of the employees of 50 Best or any sponsors associated with the awards are able to vote, nor do they have any influence over the results. To ensure the 600-voter-strong Academy provides a fair representation of the global hotel scene, the Academy Chairs are split across nine geographical regions, with each Chair selected as an expert on the travel scene in their region, with outstanding hotel sector contacts. A minimum of 25% of the panel will be renewed each year. All voters, aside from the Academy Chairs, will remain anonymous to eliminate the possibility of lobbying.

About The World’s 50 Best Hotels
Following the success of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars, 50 Best launched The World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023, marking the brand’s first global launch since 2009. The World’s 50 Best Hotels list is created by The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, an influential group of more than 600 independent leaders, each selected for their expert opinion of the international hotel scene. The World’s 50 Best Hotels event programme – including the awards ceremony and unveiling of the list – provides a unique opportunity to unite hoteliers, restaurateurs, bar owners, media, business travellers and luxury travellers at a captivating celebration of hospitality, passion and talent. The inaugural awards ceremony was held in London, UK, in September 2023.