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The world’s most beautiful hotels for 2026 have been unveiled, highlighting extraordinary places to stay everywhere from historic estates to striking contemporary escapes for your next trip.
Chosen by a panel of expert reviewers, this year’s selection features regal UK retreats, exceptional properties in Japan and Morocco, and characterful boutique hotels across Europe and further afield.
A total of 33 properties have earned recognition among the year’s most beautiful stays in Time Out’s latest ranking.
The diverse line-up offers something for every kind of traveller, spanning an adventure-focused hotel in Iceland, a clifftop Bali resort and Cape Town’s storied ‘Pink Lady’ hotel.
Here is the guide to the world’s most spectacular hotels for 2026…
1. Ashford Castle, Ireland
Ashford Castle, once the home of the Guinness family, has no shortage of reasons to impress: magnificent grounds, 83 opulently appointed rooms and sweeping lakeside scenery among them.
Its story reaches back to the 13th century, when it began life as a medieval stronghold before becoming the grand retreat it is today. Over the centuries, it has welcomed royalty, aristocrats and other notable guests.
Guests can visit Ireland’s Best Hotel Spa 2025, go horseback riding or even handle a Harris hawk, making this a stay designed for anyone wanting a glimpse of aristocratic life.
Five-star Ashford Castle in County Mayo was formerly home to the Guinness family
2. The Hiramatsu Karuizawa Miyota, Japan
Located at the foot of Mount Asama, in Kitasaku-gun, the Hiramatsu Karuizawa Miyota is a stay like no other in Japan.
Food is very much the crown jewel here in this ‘gourmet’s paradise’ situated within a forest.
Indeed, the hotel’s motto is ‘One Stay, One Full Course,’ and you can enjoy modern French and Italian cuisine alongside incredible mountain views and a hot spring.
3. Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, Italy
The 11‑acre Giardino della Gherardesca on the grounds of Four Seasons Hotel Firenze is one of the largest private gardens in Florence – making it a unique oasis in the heart of one of Italy’s best cities for an art- and culture-fuelled weekend away.
The hotel blends Renaissance grandeur with authentic Italian hospitality, and last year reopened its Palazzo del Nero, an intimate historic palace pairing with Palazzo della Gherardesca inside the hotel.
Within its walls, Onde, a glamorous seafood osteria, and Bar Berni, a vermouth-inspired cocktail bar, are top choices for a classy night out.
4. Jackalope Hotel, Australia
A luxury winery in Victoria, Jackalope Hotel is incredibly swish: expect rooms with vineyard views, an infinity pool, spa and modern furnishings.
The concept – unique and somewhat bizarre – stems from a mythological creature born from jackrabbits and antelope.
‘This concept became intrinsically tied to Jackalope, the creature’s own duality forming the foundation for the architecture of the hotel – bold, monolithic, avant-garde, and completely out of place on what is considered a traditional vineyard location,’ the hotel website explains.
5. Fifth Avenue Hotel, New York
Stepping into Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue Hotel truly feels like stepping back in time into the Gilded Age.
The Mansion itself was built in 1907 by McKim, Mead & White, one of the last private homes of its kind in this part of Manhattan, and it still carries the curiosities of that era.
It is filled with whimsical interiors, jewel tones, patterned marble beneath fingertips, velvet, expensive-looking surfaces and a simultaneously homely and highly elevated feel.
The rooms of Fith Avenue Hotel are filled with whimsical interiors and patterned marble
6. Ritz-Carlton Abama, Tenerife
Located on the volcanic shores of Tenerife, The Ritz-Carlton Tenerife, Abama is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Mount Teide and lush gardens – so it’s already won the jackpot here.
It boasts 459 rooms, suites and penthouses and is organised into distinct environments: the Citadel, the lively heart of dining and social life, the Retreat, offering privacy for adults and families, and the Penthouses Collection, blending residential comfort with sophistication.
The hotel features Michelin-starred dining as well as a spa, beach and entertainment for children.
7. ION Adventure Hotel, Iceland
Few Iceland hotels are as indisputably cool as this.
ION Adventure Hotel juts out of a mountain, and has just 45 rooms for guests seeking an immersive, luxurious and very much ‘in the middle of nature’ hotel stay.
Here, you can explore the nearby surroundings: enjoy a horseback riding tour in the beautiful surroundings of the Ölfus area in South Iceland, hike inside a dormant volcano and snorkel in the icy waters of Silfra.
It is situated on Mount Hengill, 18km from UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park.
8. Le Jardin des Douars, Morocco
A Morocco break as it should be done: located in the heart of the hills of beach town Essaouira, the Jardin des Douars is a boutique hotel that truly blends into the landscape.
With orange stone buildings, lush greenery and a real ‘hidden gem’ feel, you’ll avoid the tourist traps of Marrakech here and enjoy a stay that draws upon authentic Moroccan style, design and hospitality.
Hammam, massages, body treatments and rituals inspired by Moroccan traditions are also available to enhance your time away.
9. The Phoenicia, Valletta
Opened in 1947, The Phoenicia Malta is Malta’s first five-star hotel, located at the entrance to Valletta – last year named the Best City in the World by Condé Nast Traveller’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Awards.
Steps away from Valletta, the hotel offers seven acres of private gardens and blends centuries-old limestone with modern amenities.
You can also enjoy the Phoenicia Spa & Wellness, taste Mediterranean flavours at Contessa restaurant and stroll from the Art Deco lobby straight into the heart of Valletta.
10. Mount Nelson, Cape Town
Cape Town has long been an ‘it’ destination – and Mount Nelson the most chic of all.
Right next to the iconic Table Mountain, the ‘Pink Lady’ hotel has stood since 1899, with gorgeous gardens and an all-star guest list: the hotel has welcomed everyone from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to John Lennon, Marlene Dietrich and the Dalai Lama.
The rose-tinted hotel also has standout South African food, with seafood-inspired cuisine at Amura by Chef Angel Leon to a classic afternoon tea.
Cape Town has long been an ‘it’ destination – and Mount Nelson the most chic of all
Right next to the iconic Table Mountain, the ‘Pink Lady’ hotel has stood since 1899
11. The Ungasan Clifftop Resort, Bali
Bali, home to jungle-inspired hotels with infinity pools and views that extend for miles, is full of beautiful places to stay – but this hotel is next level.
The Ungasan Clifftop Resort, perched above the Indian Ocean, has luxurious villas and suites with everything you could want from a Bali holiday.
Some of the villas sleep more than 10 guests, such as the glamorous Villa Santai Sorga, with 2500 sqm of colonial charm, manicured tropical gardens and clifftop ocean setting.
12. 1 Hotel Mayfair, London
Sustainability is the order of the day at 1 Hotel Mayfair.
Greenery is everywhere you look – the hotel boasts 1,300 individual plants, shrubs and trees, and offers a full electric vehicle to take you around in (eco-friendly) style.
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Plus, the building’s roof rainwater is used to keep the plants hydrated. Pretty and good for the planet.
13. Le Pavillon de La Reine, Paris
Located directly on the historic Place des Vosges in the heart of the Marais district of Paris, few addresses in the French capital are quite as coveted as this one.
Le Pavillon de La Reine features 17th-century fireplaces and antiques, a hidden garden retreat and picturesque ivy-covered walls.
‘This was one of the best hotels I’ve stayed at in the world and by far the best I’ve stayed at in Paris,’ one guest wrote.
‘I can’t say enough good things about this place and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Paris. I look forward to staying here again in the future.’
14. Gleneagles, Scotland
In Scotland, The Gleneagles Hotel is perhaps one of the best-known and most coveted hotel stays you can find.
For more than a century, the hotel has hosted visitors seeking to explore lochs, glens and golf courses, as well as the spa and Michelin-starred dining.
Rooms are tastefully decorated, with a classy and elevated feel – perfect for an elevated family holiday.
15. Madonna Inn, California
Rounding out the top 15 most beautiful hotels is the Madonna Inn in California, a pink and whimsical hotel perfect for anyone seeking something slightly out of the ordinary.
The hotel has 110 uniquely themed rooms, from a ‘caveman’ room to garish and bright suites, Victorian-style bedrooms and a San Francisco room.
‘The Madonna Inn never disappoints. We recently stayed in the Old English room and loved how spacious and uniquely themed it was,’ one visitor wrote.
‘The whole hotel is a visual treat, and we had the best time exploring the grounds and gift shops. A huge bonus for families: the pool area is incredible!’
California’s Madonna Inn is a rather more pink and garish choice than others on the list