20 best luxury hotels in the world

1/21
Best luxury hotels
Although the world has many fine hotels, this year you'll find the best of the best in Dubai, Bali, Shanghai, Paris, and Las Vegas. (The one above happens to be in Big Sur, California.) Click next for No. 20 on the list, a moodily lit designer hotel in the heart of Milan.
2/21
Best luxury hotels: Bulgari Hotel Milano
20. BULGARI HOTELS & RESORTS MILANO
Milan, Lombardy, Italy
$735 per night | KIWI SCORE 92

In the midst of busy Milan, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts Milano provides a quiet sanctuary where your stolen moments are as precious and as incomparably beautiful as the hotel brand's namesake watch.

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Set within the leafy green harbor of its own private park, bordering Milan's Botanical Gardens, Bulgari Hotels & Resorts Milano offers travelers a stylish haven secluded from the flurry of Italy's most fashionable city. Common areas are a feast for the senses, decorated with an inspired use of rare and precious materials, while the Bulgari's luxurious guestrooms feature teak and oak detailing and glossy Italian wood furniture, with large windows that overlook the tranquil gardens below. Each bathroom is a work of art with modern lines and sleek surfaces. Carved from a block of Turkish Bihara stone, you'll be tempted to float away in the tub.

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3/21
Best luxury hotels: Wentworth Mansion Charleston
19. WENTWORTH MANSION
Charleston, South Carolina, United States
$426 per night | KIWI SCORE 92

Built in 1886 and designed in the Second Empire style as an opulent private residence for a wealthy cotton merchant, the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston is now one of the world's finest inns. Step back in time from the moment you enter the graceful and refined Wentworth Mansion to an epoque of high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, hand-carved marble, and Tiffany stained glass windows.

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This grand residence hosts 21 spacious rooms with elegant European linens and whirlpool tubs. A rooftop cupola allows a 360° panorama view of the city of Charleston and of the historic Charleston peninsula, a great place to scope out the territory before heading off on foot to explore this historic city.

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4/21
Best luxury hotels: Mnemba Island Lodge Zanzibar
18. MNEMBA ISLAND LODGE
Zanzibar, Zanzibar Archipelago, Tanzania
$2290 per night | KIWI SCORE 92

The most amazing sites at Mnemba Island Lodge can be found in the water. And that's saying something, because the land part is amazing too. Off the coast of Zanzibar, this exclusive island (yes, that means it's just you, a few other guests, and the staff) is a romantic paradise of palm trees and white sand, surrounded by coral reefs and the bath-warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

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The island is a protected nesting place for green turtles, so they abound in the surrounding waters. Humpback whales roam offshore, along with dolphins and whale sharks. All that, and hundreds of species of coral reef fish, and you've got a scuba and snorkel paradise. Of course, the swimming, fishing, and romantic walks along the beach aren't bad either.

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5/21
Best luxury hotels: W Retreat & Spa Bali
17. W RETREAT & SPA, BALI
Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
$312 per night | KIWI SCORE 92

Trending high for those in search of new playgrounds suiting the well heeled, Seminyak was past due for a chic chain like W to take root. Luckily, W Retreat & Spa Bali - Seminyak has arrived. Phew.

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Right on the coast, W Retreat & Spa Bali - Seminyak offers more than just a happening vibe (which in fact, would be enough). 237 rooms and villas provide either breathtaking views or ultimate privacy proving the best of both scenes. Inside, a pillow menu and 350-thread-count sheets keep things cozy, while rain showers and iPod docks make waking up fresh and funky. Some villas even offer private pools, perfect for a morning cool-off and/or cannonball.

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6/21
Best luxury hotels: Post Ranch Inn Big Sur
16. POST RANCH INN
Big Sur, California, United States
$619 per night | KIWI SCORE 93

Understated, serene, and exclusive, Post Ranch Inn is the ultimate romantic getaway. Clinging to the cliffs of Big Sur, the inn's architecture is in perfect harmony with the stunning location. Post Ranch is a modern, streamlined haven of natural stone and wood, with glass everywhere so nothing impedes the magnificent views of the Pacific Ocean. From treehouses perched in the redwoods, to cottages with earth roofs dotted with wildflowers, each of the 40 unique guestrooms and three private houses shows an extraordinary attention to detail and sensitivity to its surroundings.

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7/21
Best luxury hotels: Al Maha Dubai
15. AL MAHA, A LUXURY COLLECTION DESERT RESORT & SPA, DUBAI
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
$956 per night | KIWI SCORE 93

Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai is an opulent oasis of serene comfort and Arabian style in the middle of the Al Maha desert. Bedouin tents become lavishly-appointed guest suites with their own private chilled pools and spectacular views as vast and far as the eye can see.

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Elegant social areas abound, including a comfortable and inviting library of deep rich wooden tones, an open and airy hotel lounge filled with traditional artifacts that makes for the ideal convening post before and after the day's activities, and an intimate and leisurely bar for a late afternoon respite from the desert heat.

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8/21
Best luxury hotels Amanruya Turkey
14. AMANRUYA
Golturkbuku, Aegean Region, Turkey
$1526 per night | KIWI SCORE 93

Luxurious but classy… elegance without opulence… impeccably pristine… these are the kinds of things you have learned to look for in a hotel. So when word reached you of the Aman Group’s newest addition on the Bodrum Peninsula, your bags were practically packed already.

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Nestled just north of Bodrum, Amanruya smells like the natural bounty surrounding it: a Mediterranean pine forest and ancient olive groves. Your hillside vantage point of the sea makes its waves seem close enough to touch… yet far enough away to catch your attention as they wink and wander.

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9/21
Rosewood Tucker's Point Bermuda
Rosewood Tucker's Point Bermuda
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10/21
Best luxury hotels: Le Royal Monceau Paris
12. LE ROYAL MONCEAU, RAFFLES PARIS
Paris, France
$943 per night | KIWI SCORE 93

The palaces of France were designed to be incredible and timeless from the start. But a little renovation never hurt anyone. For that matter, neither does collaborating with one Mr. Philippe Starck. His vision for Le Royal Monceau - Raffles Paris comes in contrasting ideals. In common spaces such as the airy Grande Salon Le Bar Long, bold color, sparkling chandeliers, and spaces to lounge and chat are theatrical and almost fairytale-like. On the other hand, 85 rooms, 64 suites including three Presidential suites are designed to feel homey, inviting, and almost lived-in.

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11/21
Best luxury hotels: Peninsula Shangha
11. THE PENINSULA SHANGHAI
Shanghai, China
$391 per night | KIWI SCORE 94

A trip to Shanghai is awe-inspiring at any time, and a stay at The Peninsula Shanghai will only enhance your experience in this magnificent city. Opened in 2009, the hotel offers a Utopian level of luxury; with 235 guest rooms and suites to choose from, you'll find accommodations as simple and elegant, or as complex and opulent, as you desire. Inspired by the Art Deco period and the Golden Age, the rooms recall a time when Shanghai was the Paris of the East, and the finer things in life sat in easy reach.

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Offering views of the historic Bund, the Huangpu River, Pudong, and the gardens of the former British Consulate, the hotel's landmark neighbors tempt you to visit. Then again, with five restaurants, banquet facilities, a full Peninsula Spa, a swimming pool, retail arcade, and boundless hospitality, why leave at all?

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12/21
Best luxury hotels: Dolder Grand Zurich
10. THE DOLDER GRAND
Zurich, Switzerland
$586 per night | KIWI SCORE 94

The Dolder Grand wasn't just re-opened in 2008. It was re-invented. This landmark 1898 building has transformed into a luxury property that merges ultra modern styling with classic European design. Located just outside Zurich, this icon has stunning views, and features a Two Michelin Star restaurant and one of Europe's nicest spas.

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The Dolder manages to be ultra modern and classically European at the same time. Make a point of booking one of the Dolder Grand's four luxury suites, each one individually inspired by illustrious former guests. A suggestion? Stay in the Carezza Suite, inspired by Swiss artist Alberto Giacometti. The floor-to-ceiling windows and sculpturally inspired fittings and furnishings feel like Giacometti himself had a hand in their creation.

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13/21
Best luxury hotels: Royal Mansour Morocco
9. ROYAL MANSOUR
Marrakech, Morocco
$1429 per night | KIWI SCORE 94

Private Riads courtesy of the King of Morocco himself await travellers in the mysterious and stunning city of Marrakech. Search through courtyards and winding alleyways to discover what lies inside. As the sun sets in Marrakech, the low light creates drastic shadows and warm colors on buildings and ancient squares. Within the old walls of the city, diverse aromas perfume the air, and candlelight flickers from small windows. The atmosphere is enthralling and intoxicating, and seems to have been bottled in its purest form at Royal Mansour Marrakech.

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53 Riads are arranged in what can only be described as a private village. Each is beset with silks, gleaming tile work, handmade furniture, and traditional Moroccan lamps. From the lower bar and open-air courtyard, to the cooling private pool upon the roof, each Riad has been built out to an obsessive level of fit and finish.

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14/21
Best luxury hotels: Encore Wynn Las Vegas
8. ENCORE AT WYNN LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
$197 per night | KIWI SCORE 94

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but that won't stop you from bragging about your palatial Salon Suite. At 2,261 sq. ft., it has its own wet bar, powder room, and massage room - the latter for treatments from the hotel's vast spa and salon. And like all 2,034 rooms and suites at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, it's decked out in opulent modern style and offers dazzling downtown views through its floor-to-ceiling windows.

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This place already feels like home, but you came to Las Vegas to live a little. In and around Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, you'll find a wealth of entertainment choices, from the see-and-be-seen club XS, to the grin-inducing retail therapy of the Esplanade. Even if you don't hit the jackpot at the casino, you can't lose with any of the hotel's five restaurants. Sinatra features smartly updated Italian cooking, Wazuzu takes diners on an Asian tour, and Switch Steakhouse serves impeccable steaks and seafood.

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15/21
Best luxury hotels: Wynn Las Vegas
7. WYNN LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
$186 per night | KIWI SCORE 94

The five-star elegance of the extravagant Wynn Las Vegas stands out amidst the bright lights and flashy neon of the famed Las Vegas Strip. Wynn Las Vegas is decadence in every sense, from the beautifully-appointed super-sized rooms with remote-controlled drapes to the Tom Fazio and Steve Wynn designed 18-hole, par 70 golf course.
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Hungry after a hectic day of working your way through the high-end, brand name shopping boutiques in the Wynn Las Vegas Esplanade? With nine premier restaurants of varying international cuisines, one thing is certain - you won't be at a loss for dinner plans during your stay. Keep it simple with a bone-in rib eye at SW Steakhouse, enjoy classic American cuisine turned on its ear at Lakeside, or sample the spicy Szechuan notes of Wing Lei. Just make sure you're well-fed for a long night of gambling or dancing at one of the hotel's pulsating nightclubs.

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16/21
Best luxury hotels: Como Shambhala Bali
6. COMO SHAMBHALA ESTATE
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
$463 per night | KIWI SCORE 95

You believe in holistic health and the healing properties of meditation. You are inspired by the Indonesian landscape and its natural forests. True? Then, you belong at COMO Shambhala Estate at Begawan Village. Take advantage of this place of beauty to detoxify, meditate, and recharge.

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Spend your mornings walking along the peaceful riverbank, practicing pilates, or participating in a restorative yoga class. A variety of daytime wellness treatments and cooking demonstrations will keep you occupied between nights relaxing in your private and spacious accommodation. Each suite is different from the next, with subtle shifts in mood, view, and spirit.

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17/21
Best luxury hotels: Park Hyatt Shanghai
5. PARK HYATT SHANGHAI
Shanghai, China
$374 per night | KIWI SCORE 95

Park Hyatt Shanghai occupies the 79th to 93rd floors of the Shanghai World Financial Center, and as such is located directly within the heart of Shanghai's business epicenter. It's the perfect location for the savvy business traveler, but that doesn't mean that a stay at Park Hyatt Shanghai has to be all work and no play. Shanghai street life is as diverse and eclectic as the city itself and can only be fully-appreciated by foot, so take to the road and work your way through markets, shops, and art galleries.
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In the mood for something a little different? Why not learn Tai Chi at early morning classes held at the Water's Edge Courtyard on the 85th Floor? Or better yet, join the hotel's General Manager one morning as he strolls the flower market, carefully choosing just the right blooms to adorn the social rooms of this uniquely elegant hotel.

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18/21
Best luxury hotels: Armani Hotel Dubai
4. ARMANI HOTEL DUBAI
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
$538 per night | KIWI SCORE 95

Wish you could live inside Armani's sultry style? Armani Hotel Dubai gives you your chance. Where to find it? Just look for the tallest building in the world. Can't miss it.

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Under-lit hallways clad in glass-smooth, dark wood show only slight seams where doors are. Starkly visible are white room-and-suite numbers, showing off the simple perfection of Helvetica. Opening one of the 160 doors, the seam widens, streaming light into the austere hall. Inside, curved walls, Italian leather accents, and luscious fabrics mix as if thrown about by Armani models in a fit of post-show lust. If you've opted for the Armani Executive suite, grab a drink from the minibar and head to the window for views of the over-the-top Dubai Fountain.

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19/21
Best luxury hotels: Laucala Island
3. LAUCALA ISLAND
Laucala Island, Tavenuni, Fiji
$3955 per night | KIWI SCORE 96

Off the northeast coast of Taveuni lies the tiny private retreat that is Laucala Island. Originally created by a British scholar in the late 1900's, Laucala Island still stays true to its authentic Fijian roots by using island-created products, materials, fruits, vegetables, and livestock as often as possible.

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Tennis, sport fishing, yoga, or just swimming are all simple pastimes available at this luxury island resort, but they're just the beginning. The lagoon pool meshes with lap pool, and is dotted with organic-shaped islands for sunbathing. Take out a quad bike, or go naturally across the sands on horseback.

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20/21
Best luxury hotels: North Island
2. NORTH ISLAND
Mahe, Seychelles
$2694 per night | KIWI SCORE 96

North Island's 11 handcrafted villas, spread out along the main beach of the Ile Du Nord eco-reserve in the Seychelles, showcase Seychellois and African craftsmanship and gel harmoniously with their natural surroundings.

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Raised off the ground to catch the cooling Indian Ocean breezes, North Island's villas open up onto your private garden and the beach. Plunge pools and outdoor showers provide the finishing touches to your private sanctuary. All activities at North Island are included (with the exception of the Spa), making it a great opportunity to go scuba diving on the coral reefs, take a sunset cruise to Silhouette Island, or partake in some of the acclaimed deep-sea fishing.

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21/21
Best luxury hotels: Burj Al Arab Dubai
1. BURJ AL ARAB
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
$1500 per night | KIWI SCORE 97

A glittering architectural marvel in the middle of the Arabian Gulf, Dubai's Burj Al Arab is a bastion of luxury in the new Middle East. Emblematic of Dubai's futuristic architectural feats, sail-shaped Burj Al Arab soars high above the aquarmaine Arabian Gulf, making it the second tallest hotel in the world. Even its tenacious perch on an artificial island off the famous Jumeirah Beach is a testament to its no-holds-barred opulence.

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Luxury doesn't begin to describe the pampering you'll receive in every one of Burj Al Arab's oversized rooms. Glide between the two floors of your suite along a marble staircase, and soothe your soul in your spa-like bathroom with Jacuzzi, mosaic floor, and full-size Hermes products. Hungry? Choose from six scintillating restaurants, including Al Mahara, only accessible by simulated submarine voyage. Or simply call room service for caviar, champagne, and strawberries.

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