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Time Out
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
These are Asia's most beautiful hotels in 2025, according to the prestigious Prix Versailles
From an intimate retreat in bustling Bangkok to a remote private island resort in Cambodia, 2025 has been a good year for hotel openings in Asia. Among them, the cream of the crop – properties so beautiful that they've been given a nod by the prestigious architectural award, Prix Versailles. Every year, the Prix Versailles crowns gorgeous venues around the world: hotels, airports, passenger stations, and more. This May, they recognised two Asian museums among the world's most beautiful. For the World's Most Beautiful Hotels 2025 list, Prix Versailles considered not only visual appeal but also the blend of innovation, heritage, and sustainability in each property's design. Out of the 16 newly opened or reopened hotels recognised as the most beautiful this year, Prix Versailles chose five standouts from Asia. Picks range from Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, consisting of refined hutong courtyard houses in Beijing, to Namia River Retreat, a wellness getaway on a peaceful islet near Hoi An, Vietnam. One notable laureate is Ran Baas The Palace, which reopened in November 2024 within the oldest Sikh fort. It's Punjab's first luxury palace hotel – "a masterclass in heritage restoration – and a joyful celebration of Punjabi culture and heritage", says Time Out travel editor Grace Beard. She was lucky enough to check into the property this year – read her full review of Ran Baas the Palace here. Another cool addition to the list is MGallery Sosei Sapporo. The hotel is located in Sapporo Factory, a mega shopping and entertainment complex that was once Kaitakushi Brewery. The location is significant, harking back to the beginnings of Western trade and industrialisation on Hokkaido during the Meiji era. Prix Versailles describes it as "a dazzling world of contrasts", with Western-style salons and Japanese living quarters ensconced in an industrial exterior. And if you ask us, the MGallery hotel collection is one to watch out for – our travel contributor recently visited Legacy Yen Tu MGallery in northern Vietnam and found a wholly unexpected wellness escape. We'd be remiss not to call out one more laureate: Raffles Sentosa Singapore. It's only been three months since its grand opening, so it must be pretty impressive to make the Prix Versailles list. The Raffles brand is immediately noteworthy thanks to the iconic five-star Raffles Hotel Singapore, but its second property different creature entirely. For one, it feels a world away from Singapore's city centre (while being a mere 15-minute ride from it), set in a leafy 100,000 square metre compound on Sentosa Island. Here, "meandering footpaths lead to dining spaces and hidden nooks, all the way down to the seashore". Find out more about Raffles Sentosa Singapore here. That's plenty to choose from for your next holiday – but if you'd like more inspiration across Asia, here's our round-up of the best hotels in the region right now. Asia's most beautiful hotels, as recognised by Prix Versailles 2025: Mandarin Oriental Qianmen – Beijing, China Ran Baas The Palace – Patiala, India MGallery Sosei Sapporo – Sapporo, Japan Raffles Sentosa Singapore – Singapore Namia River Retreat – Hoi An, Vietnam
Time Out
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time Out
New luxury hotel at Sentosa makes the Prix Versailles World's Most Beautiful list just 3 months post-opening
It's only been three months since Raffles Sentosa Singapore first opened its grand doors to guests, but this new hotel is already making an impressive impact. Expectations do begin at a certain level just because of its association with the original heritage-rich Raffles Hotel Singapore in town – undeniably one of the best hotels in the city – but it's safe to say that this new resort with romantic sea views holds its own. Its recognition in the Prix Versailles World's Most Beautiful Hotels List for 2025 is clear proof of that, if nothing else. First started in 2015, Prix Versailles is a prestigious annual architectural and design award that puts the spotlight on the best and most stunning buildings from all over the world – including museums, stadiums, school campuses and airports. One could say it's akin to the architectural version of the esteemed La Liste food awards. This year's Prix Versailles award-winners list names a total of 16 hotels, of which only five are from Asia: Mandarin Oriental Qianmen from Beijing, China; MGallery Sosei Sapporo from Japan; Ran Baas The Palace from Patiala, India; Namia River Retreat from Hoi An, Vietnam; and our very own new entrant Raffles Sentosa Singapore, the sole winner from Singapore on the list. The list does not come with any particular sort of ranking. Being an all-villa establishment where every sprawling residence comes with its own private pool, terrace and garden, this hotel near Palawan Beach will have you lounging in the lap of luxury throughout – whether you're basking in your poolside cabana, dining at one of its swanky in-house restaurants, or getting a much-deserved massage at the spa. Of course, such extravagance comes at a price. Rates start from around $1,620 for a one-bedroom villa, inclusive of taxes and fees. That said, when divided amongst the maximum capacity of four occupants, we'd say this nightly rate of around $400 per person is very reasonable – considering the fact that you're sure to be in for an unforgettable getaway with signature Raffles hospitality.
