What truly makes a hotel the "best"? In an industry as diverse as hospitality, the concept of ranking hotels seems methodically flawed. In reality, what constitutes the “best” hotel is deeply subjective to each individual. For some, it may be a beachfront villa with panoramic ocean views like Soneva Jani, while for others, it could be a boutique property tucked away in a quaint city with impeccable service like Portrait Florence. The one-size-fits-all approach that many hotel rankings adopt fails to reflect the complexity of personal travel preferences that can make or break an experience.

In the recent list shared by “50 Best”, iconic properties like Laucala, North Island, and Cheval Blanc Randheli are astonishingly missing, along with world-class safari lodges such as Mombo and Aman-i-Khas. Even Royal Mansour is ranked lower than La Mamounia, a decision that doesn’t quite reflect its opulence. In another list shared by Travel and Leisure’s Best Awards 2024, their rankings completely overlooked the nuances of true luxury. Ranking the Maldives as the world’s best island feels outdated—Mallorca, one of the largest of the Balearic Islands is definitely topping our charts for a more vibrant experience.

The cruise category heavily favours brand recognition, with Viking dominating the awards. While Viking is a solid choice, bespoke luxury providers like Silversea and Quark Expeditions are redefining intimate, high-end travel experiences and deserve more recognition for their innovative approach to luxury cruising.

Another concern is how PR and pay-to-play tactics heavily influence which hotels and brands make it to the list. Most of the rankings are swayed by brands with colossal budgets in marketing campaigns, pushing other exceptionally phenomenal hotels on the sidelines. As a result, some truly special, lesser-known properties, safe to be called hidden gems offering bespoke experiences, don’t often make it to these glorified lists. 

Concerningly so, the majority of rankings are dominated by top city hotels, especially in popular destinations like New York, Paris, and Bangkok. Meanwhile, incredible resorts, safari lodges, and luxury camps across Africa, South America, and the Pacific barely get the attention they truly deserve.

Ultimately, I believe the “best” hotel should be what resonates with your personal style of travelling. It could be a swanky overwater villa or a ruggedly beautiful camp surrounded by lush rainforests or wilderness. While rankings can enhance your general knowledge, they shouldn’t be your go-to guide when planning your itineraries, especially when it’s for a milestone event like a special birthday, anniversary or honeymoon.

Working with a trusted, well-rounded agency like PureLuxe ensures personalised recommendations that reflect your unique style and preferences, steering you away from generic lists that miss the full point of travelling, in the first place. Our focus is not to give more sales to one brand over the other but for our members to have experiences like no other.