World’s 50 Best Hotels returns with new Art of Design Award

Want to know which hotels are the best in the world? Stay tuned, because the World’s 50 Best Hotels awards ceremony is all set to return to London, for its third year, on 30 October 2025.

Last year, two prominent hotels from Dubai, The Lana Dubai and Atlantis The Royal made it to the list.

The World’s 50 Best Hotels is an annual ranking of the best venues across the globe. The list is compiled through secret voting by the World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, a group of 800 industry experts ranging from hoteliers and travel writers to educators and high-end travellers.

The awards are not 'pay to play'. This means a hotel cannot pay to be included in the list, ensuring that only the best in the industry get recognised. 

Celebrating design

Among the best new introductions for 2025 is the Johnnie Walker Art of Design Award. This exclusive award is created to showcase how hotel design is much more than buildings. It recognises the creation of a multi-sensorial experience for visitors, one that truly shapes the guest's journey.

Every hotel ranked on both the 1-50 list and the inaugural extended 51-100 list will have the opportunity to apply for this award. Entrants will be judged on key design criteria including innovation, sensorial immersion, experience curation, ecological longevity, and all-encompassing aesthetics. A panel of industry experts and senior 50 Best team members will judge applications, with the winner announced live at the awards ceremony in London.

Extended list of best hotels

This year, the World’s 50 Best Hotels will recognise more properties, with the inaugural announcement of hotels ranked between 51st and 100th place.

This extended list will be revealed in the weeks leading up to the main awards ceremony, showcasing more remarkable destinations and hotels on the global stage.

The schedule also includes a 'Welcome to London' and an Opening Banquet, where the hoteliers of the top 100 hotels can meet.

Back for the second year after its sell-out debut, the #50BestTalks: Unpacked event will provide a stage for the hoteliers and travel insiders to exchange thrilling industry trends. The schedule culminates with the awards ceremony at Old Billingsgate, including red-carpet arrivals and the electrifying Top 10 countdown.

GCC hotels shine worldwide

In 2024, the GCC made its mark on The World's 50 Best Hotels list with three big names.

Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman was ranked at No. 45. The Lana Dubai, part of the Dorchester Collection, debuted into the list at No. 23.

The standout of the region was Atlantis The Royal, Dubai. It received the coveted Highest Climber Award, climbing from No. 44 in 2023 to an impressive No. 9 in 2024.

Visit: theworlds50best.com