World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026: Have the “Experts” Forgotten How to Travel? Yonder Speaks Out

A Boring "World's 50 Best Hotels" Ranking

Don’t ask me which hotels made the World’s 50 Best Hotels list. I don’t remember—I fell asleep. But I think the list is more or less the same as last year’s, which was itself similar to the one from the year before... I vaguely gathered that a hotel in Hong Kong took the top spot—a city where Yonder particularly appreciates The Upper House for its sophisticated architecture and design, as well as other more off-the-beaten-path properties. This “World’s 50 Best Hotels” ranking seems to be to the hospitality industry what Guy Lux’s “Intervilles” show was to 1980s television: a farce designed to numb the brain, maximizing airtime for brands, commercials, and other special awards that punctuated the evening.

What stands out most to me is that American Express loves Mandarin Oriental, Peninsula, and Rosewood—which, incidentally, host the judges of the World’s 50 Best Hotels—and that Nikka Japanese whiskies favor Aman, Four Seasons, and Raffles… or is it the other way around… It must be said that after a glass of Ferrari Italian sparkling wine and two hours spent in a garage (where Ferraris are parked?), we weren’t making much sense of anything anymore.

In short, in 2026, the obscure “World’s 50 Best Hotels” ranking was matched only by the darkness of the room in which we found ourselves. And yet the press release sounded enticing. It stated that the long-awaited selection had been compiled by “an influential group of more than 800 independent experts, chosen for their expertise”…Were we to understand that these “expert experts”—a sort of enhanced version of American journalists—were going to reveal to us their most unusual and must-visit hotels after having explored every nook and cranny of the planet? Or that, despite the help of generative AI, no less expert PR agencies are no longer able to proofread the press releases they churn out for their clients…?

Key Takeaways from the World's 50 Best Hotels Ranking

1/ Americans are familiar with the city of Nice and its hotels.

Perhaps because the aptly named city is pronounced “Naïsse”—an emphatic adjective that also means “very pretty” in Donald Trump’s language. At least 400 of the 800 highly knowledgeable experts must have stayed there in their quest for perfection… and hooray, they spotted the Hôtel du Couvent! That was pretty much the only surprise in the supersonic ranking audited by the very serious consulting firm (in every way—but in what exactly?) Deloitte. The Hôtel du Couvent in Nice ranks somewhere among the 50 most beautiful hotels in the world, and it’s surely well-deserved given its positioning as a boutique and design hotel.

2/ Passalacqua is ranked somewhere in the top 10. 

It’s unclear why this now-legendary hotel overlooking the shores of Lake Como has consistently been so highly regarded. Looking at the rankings, one gets the impression that this lakeside hotel has always been ranked in the top 5… and will remain there until the end of time? Passalacqua, the only surprise in the “50 Best Hotels” ranking, remains the Holy Grail of European hospitality…

The announcer tells us that the hotel is famous for its boat trips, its impeccably refined decor, and its five-star service. Having stayed there—though we don’t consider ourselves true experts in the hotel industry—we agree. We even love it. Yet when George Clooney goes on vacation in Umbria, he stays at Castello di Reschio. And when he’s at Lake Como, he stays at his own home….

In our eyes and according to our very French (bad?) taste, we much prefer—just like the iconic Nespresso star—to stay at Reschio rather than at Passalacqua. A perfectly renovated 11th-century feudal manor, Reschio is one of the five most beautiful hotels in the world where we’ve had the pleasure of staying—going truffle hunting with a forest ranger, fly-fish for trout on the shores of one of the estate’s seven lakes, ride one of Italy’s most beautiful Andalusian horses, play tennis like at Wimbledon, savor one of the 14 (exceptional) biodynamic vintages produced by this incredible hotel in the vineyards, savour indescribably delicious grilled meats, and marvel at the interior of these sublime suites, where every piece of furniture was designed, conceived, and crafted by the owner—a designer as renowned in Italy as Philippe Starck or Patrick Jouin…

At Passalacqua, as at Reschio, nothing is left to chance… except that chance has placed Passalacqua in the top 5 for the past three years, while Reschio ranks 95th. We don’t understand any of this… except that in our minds, Reschio clearly stands out above all the hotels in the current top 100 of the World’s 50 Best Hotels—perhaps because it is lived in and embodied by an owner family that infuses it with a vibrant spirit and instills a rare and precious sense of detail and perfection.

Certain major-brand establishments are, of course, equally competitive, thanks in particular to the commitment of their management, the quality of their staff, and their unique architecture or setting… For example, we absolutely loved the Four Seasons Taormina—also in Italy—which we rank on the same level of pure emotion and comfort as a place like Peretti della Rocca, near Figari, in Corsica.

3/ Villa la Coste, one of only two luxury hotels in Provence, is not included in the World’s 50 Best Hotels list… 

Fortunately, ridicule isn’t fatal. So here’s a little reminder for our friends across the Atlantic who might be willing to wait another century for France to become one of the world’s most attractive tourist destinations… and finally welcome more visitors than Las Vegas or the Mexican coast: Villa la Coste is indeed one of the most beautiful hotels in the world.

The contemporary-style suites offer panoramic views of the vineyards, the green valleys, and Mont Ventoux rising in the distance. At the restaurant, the talented chef Florent Pietravalle showcases the vegetables grown on-site in the organic garden like no other, brilliantly pairing them with the finest local produce (fish and meat). Here, guests can savor creative cuisine while admiring the works of Louise Bourgeois in a setting and decor unlike any other in the world. Surrounding the restaurant, a tour route and exhibition spaces (including one designed by Richard Rodgers, one of the architects of the Centre Pompidou) allow visitors to discover the collection of modern and contemporary art belonging to owner Patrick McKillen, renowned worldwide for his impeccable taste. From Tadao Ando to Alexander Calder, including Frank Gehry, Richard Orlinski, and Damien Hirst, all of humanity’s renowned and emerging artists are showcased here through exquisitely curated displays.

It’s easy to conclude that a hardworking American journalist—who is also an expert in the hospitality industry—probably doesn’t have time to take an interest in art, hotels in Provence, and fine dining… in which Colombia is well known to have become the continental leader, since *The World’s 50 Best Restaurants* named a Colombian bistro we’ve tried the “best restaurant in South America”…

4/ What about independent establishments?

It would seem that our favorite Americans have somewhat standardized tastes when they travel. In Japan, for example, only the city of Tokyo stands out from the crowd. Granted, the pool at Aman Tokyo is exceptional for the views it offers of the city. Of course, the one at the Park Hyatt, on the 46th floor, is sublime, and the hotel will always be featured in the movie *Lost in Translation*… but is the contemporary hotel scene in Paris really limited to La Réserve, Le Cheval Blanc, Le Crillon, The Ritz, and The Plaza Athénée? Oh my! What a thrill… nothing but surprises… what an invitation to dream, to originality, and to inspiration! At the World’s 50 Best Hotels ceremony, it feels like browsing the Lartisien brothers’ website.

In Japan, for example—where Tokyo, incidentally, was the least exciting stop on my last trip—we were incredibly moved by our stays at Beniya Mukayu, where the hotel owners are the custodians of a moving tea ceremony that they are eager to demonstratethemselves to visitors, or at Wanosato, where an elderly gentleman welcomes guests around a wood fire in the evening. He offers them skewers of grilled trout and warm sake, inviting them to sit cross-legged with him for a while. Simply chatting, putting away your phone, and connecting—eyes locked in each other’s gaze—trying to understand one another and communicate in this space with its meticulously crafted and authentic traditional decor. Outside, the river flows, and the green maple forests are home to abundant flora and fauna. It’s a unique, singular, and truly fulfilling experience. Just like at Shinmonzen in Kyoto—the “little brother” of Villa la Coste—where, in a Zen-inspired setting, you’ll find every comfort and works of art curated by “Paddy” McKillen.

As for our travels in France this year, in conjunction with the 2026 World’s 50 Best Hotels ranking, they were particularly marked by the following hotels:

• Les Hauts de Sancerre, offering a unique opportunity to truly stay in a château, sleeping in a feudal tower that witnessed the Hundred Years’ War and is home to one of the most beautiful hotel suites in France, after an exquisite meal prepared by Eddy and Arnaud Munster, with a view of the meandering Loire River, one of the most beautiful villages in France, and its vineyards…
  
  

• Le Mas des Prêcheurs: discover a bed-and-breakfast nestled within a farm practicing regenerative agriculture. Under the 16th-century pale stone vaults, by the fireplace, guests enjoy flexitarian dished prepared daily with organic vegetables from the garden, pick a perfectly ripe fig straight from the tree after swimming a few laps in the 17-meter-long pool, lined with palm trees and overlooking olive groves, in absolute silence. You can rent an electric mountain bike to explore the trails of La Montagnette, accessible right from the property... where you can unwind and recharge.

• A night at the Bus Palladium (for our experts, I should point out that this is a chic and very Parisian take on the American Hard Rock Café) with the speakers and sound system cranked up in rooms with ultra-sleek decor, where the bar is stocked with real bottles of alcohol, carefully sourced soft drinks, and a shaker. Rock ’n’ roll, basically! It feels like we’re staying at Lenny Kravitz’s place. Another unique experience…
  
  

  

• At Léo Troisgros in La Colline du Colombier, 30 km north of Roanne, where you can experience the French countryside with a touch of design and contemporary cuisine, all at reasonable prices, for a romantic getaway you’ll remember forever

• And we’re still just as crazy about Les Fermes de Marie in Megève and its Heidi-style atmosphere; we also absolutely love the Refuge Chez la Tante, tucked away in the mountains; every year, we make time to treat ourselves to a break at Loire Valley Lodges, where we can breathe in the fresh air and savor the forest like nowhere else; we make a pilgrimage to Le Chambard, run by Olivier Nasti, and to L’Oustau de Baumanière for the exceptional quality of their cuisine, which ranks among our top five dining memories (“in the world”), We also love to escape for a few days to Les Sources de Cheverny because we can admire the Loire Valley châteaux by bike and get lost in the forest there… Close to the Champs-Élysées, we enjoy a staycation at the truly superb boutique Hotel Vernet.
  
  

• And of course, we treated ourselves to a few luxury getaways—but in the ultra-comfortable tents of the Aman-I-Khas, one of Rajasthan’s most beautiful hotels—so we could explore the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve by jeep at dawn the next day; we climbed the foothills of Tibet to admire the town of Shangri-La from the Songtsam Lodge. It’s likely that our so-called experts haven’t experienced moments like these.
  
  

So, dear inspectors from the World’s 50 Best Hotels (renamed“The 50”this year—we really can’t make head or tail of it anymore), all of these places will probably never appear in your World’s 50 Best Hotels ranking—and that’s probably for the best.

Because that way we can keep visiting them without having to book six months in advance,

Because we’ll be able to keep writing about these places that are energizing the contemporary hospitality industry and changing the game,

Because in these other exceptional hotels, we’ll perhaps encounter more genuine enthusiasts than American “experts” who are so specialized that they remain—well, that’s just how it is—boring to death.