The best hotels in the world revealed, as named by the experts

Sydney Morning Herald

22-05-2025

The first thing I do after entering a hotel room is to just take it in. I also check out the minibar and bathroom amenities.
Room service is a complete and utter indulgence.
Minibars are lovely to look at, but I don't use them. Capella Sydney has the most magnificent minibar, from the cabinet that it's in to what's inside it.
Big or boutique? It doesn't make a difference – it's the way it makes you feel.
The hotel I'm dreaming about visiting is Villa d'Este in Lake Como, and I'd love to do the Amankora Journey in Bhutan.
If I ran a hotel, the first thing I'd do is meet the staff and find out what's working and what's not.
Lisa Pile is vice-president sales and general manager, Asia Pacific, of Regent Seven Seas Cruises. She previously worked for the Raffles and Kempinski hotel brands. www.rssc.com
The aviation writer – Chris Chamberlin
What makes a truly great hotel are the little things – that the air-conditioning and the TV, including Chromecast, works and the coffee isn't just drinkable but good.
The best hotel I've stayed in is The Ritz-Carlton, Melbourne. Make time for the pool deck – there's nothing else like it in Melbourne. The InterContinental Tashkent was also a wonderful surprise as my first taste of Uzbekistan, with the best in-room hot chocolate ever.
The worst thing that's happened to me at a hotel is changing rooms at 1am in a bathrobe. Who thought to build a new hotel in the middle of Auckland's nightlife district without any real sound insulation?
The best thing that's ever happened to me at a hotel is a surprise free upgrade to the presidential suite. I can thank my Accor Live Limitless Platinum status for that one.
My three hotel pet peeves are when the room isn't ready at the advertised check-in time (I ask the front desk how much they'll be refunding me to reflect that I'm not getting the service I'm paying for and things move amazingly quickly after that); when the room isn't as advertised, such as when I booked a 'harbour view' room in Sydney and the room had a view of the roadway with no water in sight; and when a late checkout isn't properly recorded in the system, and I'm disturbed by housekeeping.
The surest way to get a room upgrade is to be a member of the hotel's loyalty program and book direct, not through an online travel agency.
The first thing I do after entering a hotel room is head straight for the windows to admire the view, with a stop via the air-conditioning panel to get things cool.
Room service is a godsend on a busy trip. There's no way I'm losing an hour of sleep just to drag myself down to the breakfast buffet for a croissant and coffee. I'll schedule a meal to arrive just after I plan to wake up.
Minibars are great with company if you just want to stay in. Nothing kills a mood faster than saying: 'Honey, I'll just put my shoes on and go find a bottle shop – the wine there is probably $20 cheaper.'
Big or boutique? I like hotels with brand standards that know how to meet travellers' expectations and have a good loyalty program, but I also don't want to be waiting 10 minutes for a lift.
The hotel I'm dreaming about visiting is an overwater bungalow in the Maldives.
If I ran a hotel, the first thing I'd do is make sure everything just works. I shouldn't need to have my keys re-coded mid-stay, or be discovering that the shampoo pump is empty after I'm in the shower. Attention to detail matters.
Chris Chamberlin is the news editor at Point Hacks. In 2024, he stayed in 30 cities around the world.
pointhacks.com.au
The interior designer – Rosina Di Maria
What makes a truly great hotel is personality, attention to detail, specificity to local context and a warm gesture of welcome.
The best hotel I've stayed in on an island is Kokomo Private Island Resort, Fiji; the best city hotel, Raffles Singapore; for best Continental charm is Italy's Capri Tiberio Palace and Borgo Egnazia because it's in Puglia, home of my ancestors, a place of family gathering and where I hosted my 40th birthday.
The worst thing that's happened to me at a hotel was at a luxury London hotel. I was put in a room next to the main air-conditioning plant. It was noisy and devoid of a view.
The best thing that's happened to me at a hotel is when I was 16, my family checked in to The Beverly Hilton, which was hosting the Golden Globes. Our arrival coincided with the red carpet event, so my first LA experience was christened in true Hollywood style. From there, I thought of hotels as delivering magical experiences.
My three hotel pet peeves are master light switches that don't turn off all the lights, which is especially annoying when you're jet-lagged; poor soundproofing – there's nothing worse than being woken early by the alarm from the next room; and tiny room-entry cards that are easily lost.
The surest way to get a room upgrade is on a wing and a prayer. I don't think there's ever a sure way.
The first thing I do after entering a hotel room is to go to the window and orient myself. I love connecting with the place I'm visiting, and your hotel room is your reference point.
Room service is convenient when I'm travelling on holiday with my two school-aged daughters.
Minibars are dangerous.
Big or boutique? Boutique. They're responsive, contextual and specific to place. I love staying at our recently opened StandardX in Melbourne. It's part of the fabric of its neighbourhood, and you feel immediately immersed in an authentic experience of place.
The hotel I'm dreaming about visiting is Journey Beyond's new Platinum Sleeper. It's essentially a moving luxury hotel, and will be rolled out [in 2026] across Australia's fleet of iconic train journeys. It will be the quintessence of Australian luxury, with an understated aesthetic, heritage-driven detail and an adventurous spirit. Other designers will empathise, but waking up in your own design is always a mixture of pride and panic – we're our own toughest critics.
If I ran a hotel, the first thing I'd do is invite the locals over and build lasting friendships. The key to a good hotel is to be a good neighbour.
The festival director – Nashen Moodley
What makes a truly great hotel is service that is extremely hospitable and kind; a room that feels comfortable and comforting – both the room and the entire hotel need to make sense.
The best hotel I've stayed in is La Mamounia in Marrakesh. I stayed as a guest of the Marrakesh Film Festival. I don't know how they do it, but there's a vast retinue of staff and, after a day of your being there, they all address you by name. Another is the Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai. I was reading a book and left it open on my table and, when I came back, there was a Taj bookmark in it. I still have it somewhere – it says: 'The best place to be, is in the middle of a good book.'
The worst thing that's happened to me at a hotel is I was 20 and visiting India with friends. We were in a town where there was a conference and a shortage of hotel rooms, and we shared a room that didn't have a window – there was an opening where a pane of glass should have been – so it was mosquito-feasting time.
The best thing that's ever happened to me at a hotel is nice things happen to me in hotels all the time because I try to be nice to people.
My three hotel pet peeves are a lack of electrical sockets in appropriate places; a lighting system that you can't figure out; and when you're disturbed unnecessarily by housekeeping.
The surest way to get a room upgrade is being nice from the outset.
The first thing I do after entering a hotel room is look around for where I can charge things.
Room service is essential.
Minibars are not worthwhile.
Big or boutique? Generally boutique. Often I'm going to film screenings so it's nice to be able to get in and out of the hotel quickly and not waiting for lifts that take forever.
The hotel I'm dreaming about visiting is the hotels in all three seasons of The White Lotus. I've also had my eye on a hotel in Chiang Mai called Rachamankha – it looks beautifully done.
If I ran a hotel, the first thing I'd do is employ really great people who are hospitable and welcoming.
Nashen Moodley is director of the Sydney Film Festival (June 4-15) and spends about three months of the year travelling. See sff.org.au
The travel professional – Dean Long
What makes a truly great hotel is one that makes the place in which it's operating better.
The best hotel I've ever stayed in is the St Regis Langkawi in Malaysia. It was for my honeymoon and just had an amazing vibe that my wife and I have never forgotten.
The worst thing that's happened to me at a hotel is staying at a two-star hotel in Beijing where everything smelled of cigarette smoke. I remember boiling the kettle to disinfect the shower.
The best thing that's happened to me at a hotel is how the Kurrajong Hotel in Canberra was, for so many years for me, like coming home. They always remembered my name and were always ready for me. That's what a hotel should be like.
My three hotel pet peeves are having no storage space for clothes and no proper clothes hangers; check-in desks where you fill in a piece of paper with details I've already provided; and the room without a kettle, tea and coffee, and some milk.
The surest way to get a room upgrade is to pay for it. It also costs nothing to be nice. You'd be amazed what a good check-in person can do with regard to looking at what's available.
The first thing I do after entering a hotel room is unpack and put everything away, so my room becomes my home while I'm there.
Room service is fantastic. It's just a fun experience.
Minibars are optional.
Big or boutique? When travelling a lot for work, I find comfort in the consistency, yet regional nuance, of big brands.
The hotel I'm dreaming about visiting is the Four Seasons in the Maldives.
If I ran a hotel, the first thing I'd do is get rid of the check-in experience. That part of the hotel is ripe for innovation. I'd spend good money to make it customer-centric and not process-centric.
Dean Long is chief executive of the Australian Travel Industry Association and former chief executive and executive director of the Australian Accommodation Association. See atia.travel
The architect – Adam Haddow
What makes a truly great hotel is one that talks to place and is not a generic experience. It should amplify the cultural context that you're in.
The best hotel I've stayed in is Singita Boulders Lodge in Sabi Sands, a nature reserve next to Kruger National Park in South Africa. It was the best experience I've ever had in my life. The hotel is amazing, staff were phenomenal, and the experience was just divine.
The worst thing that's happened to me at a hotel is turning up and it pretended it didn't have my booking.
The best thing that's ever happened to me at a hotel is in Prague. I went for a run and, as I was coming back to the hotel, the doorman handed me a bottle of water and a towel. It was the best service ever.
My three hotel pet peeves are generic design; noise from the food and beverage or entertainment coming into the room because they haven't dealt with the acoustics; and when I have to move the furniture around, which I do all the time.
The surest way to get a room upgrade is pay for it.
The first thing I do after entering a hotel room is open the window.
Room service is overpriced.
Minibars are equally overpriced.
Big or boutique? Definitely boutique.
The hotel I'm dreaming about visiting is architect David Chipperfield's Hotel Cafe Royal. It's in the middle of London, just off Piccadilly Circus, within these palatial curved buildings. It's a contemporary hotel experience within a heritage environment.
If I ran a hotel, the first thing I'd do is hire a great doorman.
The former hotelier – Rowina Thomas
What makes a truly great hotel is happy staff. If they love what they do, it improves your stay.
The best hotel I've stayed in is Claridge's in London because it's a clever mix of authenticity and grandeur. It's not intimidating – it's very welcoming.
The worst thing that's happened to me at a hotel is I was allocated a room at a hotel on the Amalfi Coast under the kitchen, with the clanging of pots all night. Fortunately, we were relocated to a gorgeous room.
The best thing that's happened to me at a hotel is at Le Bristol Paris. I'd put a silky nightdress in the bedside drawer and when I returned after turndown, the attendant had thoughtfully placed it on the bed complete with a waistline as if for a fashion shoot. I've also never forgotten being in Monaco at the Hotel de Paris' Le Bar Americain one night when the band asked Frank Sinatra, who had been discreetly seated in a back corner, to come up and sing a few songs.
My three hotel pet peeves are an open wardrobe in the bedroom; complicated room technology; and poor and badly positioned lighting.
The surest way to get a room upgrade is to start a relationship with the hotel before your stay, either by communicating with the hotel directly – you can ring up and say 'I want fluffy pillows' – or booking through your travel agent, who may already have a relationship with the hotel. They can get you VIP-ed.
The first thing I do after entering a hotel room is check the room is as I requested.
Room service is a must.
Minibars are great if thoughtfully curated and not overpriced.
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Big or boutique? I love the intimacy of boutique hotels and their individual personalities, but I admire big hotels that can make each guest feel special. I've learned a lot from big hotels, especially when it comes to creating spaces that invite the locals and public to come in as well. Large hotels can create destinations within themselves.
The hotel I'm dreaming about visiting is Il Sereno, Lake Como.
If I ran a hotel, the first thing I'd do is make it functional in all aspects of operations, including the staff's alignment with the vision.
Should you join club sandwich? The pros and cons of this signature hotel offering
The verdict on the staple sandwich of hotels: three layers of toasted bread, cut into quarters and filled with chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, and held together with cocktail sticks.
Dean Long Absolutely yes, with thick-cut chips. The best club sandwiches are by Langham Hotels – there's one in Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast and all three have perfected it.
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Chris Chamberlin Why would I want bread in bed? I can do that at home.
Rosina Di Maria Yes. They're an iconic hotel staple and a time-tested hospitality essential.
Nashen Moodley Yes. When made reasonably well, they're satisfying and comforting.
Rowina Thomas Yes with capital letters. It suits all times of day, and it's pretty balanced.
Adam Haddow It's a no from me, but my husband judges a hotel by its club sandwich.