The List, World´s 50 Best 2024

Zeal at 4am in Taipei, I rarely stay up but make an exception for the hoteliers I truly admire. The announcement of the world’s 50 best hotels, or the Oscar awards of the hospitality industry, deserves my precious time as the chairs of the academy and recognized hoteliers gather in London, and impatiently wait for the result. The list of 2024 indeed reflects the post-COVID frenzy for luxury travel and accommodations and also delivers a clear view about the developmental trend and prospect in hospitality.

#1-25 

Urban locality and unparalleled leisure hotel experiences outweigh destination resorts in the leading hot zone of the list, particularly the top 10 best hotels. Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Tokyo retain the honor of best hospitality cities. Paris, London, and Singapore follow behind with eminent hotels and urban resorts to lure all the discerning travelers. Emerging Asian hotel brand – Capella, and polished vintage and regional brands – Rosewood and Raffles, obviously attract the droves of hotel junkies and critics.

Capella Bangkok@50best_hotels

Capella Bangkok, Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, and Fourseasons Bangkok are the Crown Jewels of the mighty Chao Phraya. The triumvirate is expected to be present on the list for long even if I believe other distinguished southern eastern Asian hotels are potent candidates for the list. Rosewood Hong Kong and the Upper House remain the beaconing tower above Victoria Harbor and continue to define urban retreat and service excellence.

Winners of individual awards are also noticeable and can be indicative of ranking forecast. To my amusement, most of the first-generation Aman resorts are still climbing the stairs to enter the list while downtown Aman hotels retain the favorable ranking or at least stay on the list under the aura of Ferrari Trento Most Admired Hotel Group Award 2024.

Bvlgari Tokyo marks the entry of Marriott pinnacle into the list and deserves the Nikka Best New Hotel Award 2024 yet might be unlikely to follow the path of her predecessor, Capella Bangkok, the winner of 2023. Lastly, American Express Travel One To Watch Award 2024 comforts the Peninsula junkies.

#26-50

The total number of individual hotels and resorts increased in the second half of the list led by the Siam, a visionary boutique resort enjoying my favoritism. The Siam is accoladed for its poetic surroundings and intuitive services hence the raison d’être to be listed permanently on the list. (Read more: The Siam – an Imaginarium of High Design and Service Excellence) The prominent leap in ranking marks a moment of both triumph and concern as the fellow accoladed Bangkok hotels remain in the top 15 zones.

排名 26-50 

二十六強與其後，由曼谷暹羅酒店領銜；小型獨立酒店與新晉酒店多落於此區間，數量更勝去年。曼谷暹羅酒店長期受品味旅客推崇青睞，優美與設計導向酒店環境與優異服務確有其獨到之處（相關閱讀：曼谷The Siam——暹羅旖夢，湄水幻景）。筆者雖因其名次進步深感與有榮焉，但卻也不免擔憂是否愛店永遠是曼谷最末，畢竟另外三家湄水明珠都名列前茅。

小型獨立酒店運營不易，傑出者絕不遜於杜拜超奢或是協和貴婦。筆者雖鐘情並長期支持各種特色精品旅宿，卻依然無法自免於某些酒店硬件設施與服務軟件，力有未殆的失落，好比迷你吧永遠沒有辦法替換成心水最愛，或是房門硬件報修不及等情事。艱途如斯，仍殷切企盼小型獨立酒店與度假村酒店人與團隊，能戮力不懈，化限制為神奇。畢竟難得下榻，終究希望是不朽情誼與過人體驗能並存而非失衡，更不樂見這一些鳳毛麟角酒店，從清單上消失。

至於大型品牌酒店連續兩年落於此區間，筆者只能感嘆，三春去後諸芳盡，各自須尋各自門。過人美感永垂不朽，豪華設施令人流連，而真摯服務卻是銘感五內，酒店迷終究仍是旅客，點滴自知。

影響

年度最佳酒店人獎，今年頒與瑰麗集團主席鄭志雯 (Sonia Cheng)，完全展現了世界五十酒店獎超群格調與視角，並更加鼓勵酒店行業應打造多元、性別與文化更加友善的工作環境與文化。

於筆者而言，此年清單與近期米其林指南酒店評鑒與The Telegraph世界最佳五十酒店推薦清單相比，更具有產業意義。但仍舊期許來年清單，學會與評審能為廣大旅客，發掘探索更多珠玉，並引領產業往前邁進。

@50best_hotels