Only 2 U.S. Hotels Made The World’s 50 Best Hotels List

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By [Bailey Berg](https://www.forbes.com/sites/baileyberg/ "https://www.forbes.com/sites/baileyberg/"),

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Bailey Berg is a writer and editor who covers travel and the outdoors.

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Rosewood Hong Kong has been crowned the world's best hotel for an unprecedented second consecutive year in The 50 Best Hotels 2026 ranking. The 65-story Victoria Harbour property, lauded for its intimate service despite its grand scale, topped the list, followed by Capella Bangkok (No. 2) and Four Seasons Bangkok (No. 3). Asia secured 18 spots, while Europe led with 21, including Passalacqua (No. 5), last year's winner. Significant new entries include Casa Maria Luigia (No. 18) and Patina Osaka (No. 33, Best New Hotel). The U.S. saw only two properties recognized: San Ysidro Ranch (No. 22) and Amangiri (No. 45), chosen by over 800 global voters.


The Rosewood Hong Kong has taken the top prize two years running.

A hotel occupying part of a 65-story tower overlooking Victoria Harbour has been named the best hotel in the world—for the second year in a row.

[Rosewood Hong Kong](https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/hong-kong) landed at No. 1 on the newly released 2026 edition of [The 50 Best Hotels](https://www.the50.com/discovery/sitemap), taking the top spot for the second year running and becoming the first property to win the title twice. The ranking, formerly known as The World’s 50 Best Hotels, was announced September 15 in Paris and includes properties across six continents, from a 24-room villa on Lake Como to remote desert resorts and some of the world’s best-known grande dames.

Rosewood Hong Kong opened in 2019 in the 65-story Victoria Dockside development on Kowloon’s waterfront. Its scale makes the win particularly interesting: Along with those 419 rooms and suites, the hotel has 11 restaurants and bars, an Asaya Spa by Guerlain, and some 1,200 employees. The ranking’s organizers pointed to its ability to deliver the small, personalized details associated with much more intimate hotels despite its size.

Hong Kong wasn’t alone at the top. [Capella Bangkok](https://capellahotels.com/en/capella-bangkok/offers/riverside-escape?rt=google|paid_search|CBN01-Capella-Bangkok-Brand-ROW-21430-7434|capella%20bangkok&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16153373886&gbraid=0AAAAADok0-_YeJOYnjsjx-RclU6W6eCCE&gclid=CjwKCAjwn67VBhBnEiwAXUIN1ZPlvkDc_I0NGjU9VSt8bOXhSJaAvOgICqi_LDsNdlUHmIfd91o43RoCp9AQAvD_BwE) rose to No. 2, while [Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River](https://www.fourseasons.com/bangkok/) came in third. In all, 18 hotels in Asia made the top 50, including [Mandarin Oriental Qianmen](https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/beijing/qianmen) in Beijing at No. 7, [Upper House Hong Kong](https://www.upperhouse.com/en/hongkong/) at No. 8, [Mandarin Oriental Bangkok](https://www.mandarinoriental.com/en/bangkok/chao-phraya-river/offers?src=ps.brand.mobkk.ggl&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23878766109&gbraid=0AAAAApftVKlbyCgUTGSPDB2lNfMPSkCWI&gclid=CjwKCAjwn67VBhBnEiwAXUIN1WThjwZCyFGCtDhLmPPsJ-0lpea3ZVKZSfDJTfYDb1Puf5RXiJa3zBoC8lAQAvD_BwE) at No. 10, and [Aman Tokyo](https://www.aman.com/hotels/aman-tokyo) at No. 11.

Europe still had the greatest number of hotels on the list overall, with 21. Its highest-ranking property was [Passalacqua](https://www.passalacqua.it/en/), the 24-room villa on Lake Como that topped the inaugural ranking in 2023 and landed at No. 5 this year. [Four Seasons Firenze](https://www.fourseasons.com/florence/offers/florence-escape-15-off/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=saa-flo-hre-low-brd_hotel_low_sch_rsa_en_na-na&utm_content=na-na&utm_term=na&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=10222087579&gbraid=0AAAAAD9hWRueul-bnHrm9Gb0MI9x5Mks9&gclid=CjwKCAjwn67VBhBnEiwAXUIN1US3MNi98-LhuPkxmgEj67M_oAisZNKyUmXw7D0bVh2plg7LvmlpzhoCgy4QAvD_BwE) followed at No. 12, while Paris placed four hotels in the top 50: [Hôtel de Crillon](https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/hotel-de-crillon), [Le Bristol](https://www.oetkerhotels.com/hotels/le-bristol-paris/), [Cheval Blanc Paris](https://www.chevalblanc.com/en/maison/paris/), and [Plaza Athénée](https://www.dorchestercollection.com/paris/hotel-plaza-athenee).