Best Hotels on the Gold List!
Let's examine some of the best hotels on the international gold list!
Ever Wonder What Some of the Best Hotels in Europe and Asia Really Are?
Well, wonder no more! Let’s dive in.
The Gold List is internationally agreed upon by Travel & Leisure, Travel World, yours truly, and more as a true “consensus of the best.” Let’s take a look at what some of the very best really are. These are 15 of the top properties on our collaborative list of 50.
1. CASTELFALFI, ITALY
Beauty, comfort, and a vibe of breezy ease are axiomatic at Castelfalfi. Ditto flattering lighting and delectable food. This whole-village resort sprawls over 2,700 acres and has 146 rooms. One main cobblestoned street leads down from the castle to a 13th-century church, a row of boutiques, gelaterias, pizzerias, and the two hotel buildings.
The older building—a repurposed 19th-century tobacco warehouse—sits opposite the low-slung main building constructed in the 1980s, which boasts sublime valley views. It houses the Bar Ecrù & Lounge, one of four restaurants, as well as the indoor pool and spa.
Along with outdoor pools and a Montessori children’s club, there’s a woodland adventure center, wine and olive oil tastings, and isolated farmhouses operating as villas and apartments with private pools. A key attraction is the activity program offering more than 40 experiences, from archery, beekeeping, truffle hunting, falconry, and cooking classes to Pilates and yoga.
Transformed by Milan design company Caberon Caroppi, the rooms are fragrant and understated, with a mix of textures—velvet, leather, marble—and a muted earthy palette, silky bed linens, and sculptural Paolo Castelli furnishings. Executive chef Davide De Simone ensures the partially farm-to-table menus include ingredients grown on the resort’s farms.
From $700 per night, base room rate.
2. COWORTH PARK, DORCHESTER COLLECTION, UK
This 18th-century estate near Windsor may be just 17 minutes from Heathrow Terminal 5, but it feels light-years away. Since 2010, Coworth Park has excelled as the Dorchester Collection’s countryside retreat—a perfectly polished London-adjacent micro-break with fresh air and minimal dirt on the wellies.
Its 240 acres of parkland include polo fields (complete with thrilling matches and a lively social scene), tennis courts, lakes, a sunken garden, a wildflower meadow, and a sleek spa that has recently undergone a makeover.
Add excellent dining—Michelin-starred Woven by Adam Smith represents British cuisine at its apex—and there are plenty of indulgences. In summer, the meadowland shines, with pink roses tumbling over the gazebo and striped deck chairs lining the croquet lawn. In winter, relaxation is best enjoyed in the warm, cocooning spa.
From $736 per night, base room rate.
3. BADRUTT’S PALACE, SWITZERLAND
The finest location in St. Moritz. The most attentive service. The most dazzling guests. The most stunning lobby. Switzerland’s Badrutt’s Palace is one superlative after another. In 2026, it will celebrate an impressive 130 years in operation.
The property took a bold leap into the future with the opening of the Serlas Wing across from the main hotel. The original and new buildings, along with the Chesa Veglia restaurant, are now connected via underground passageways so winter guests no longer have to trudge through slush.
During warmer months, when the hotel is less crowded, guests can enjoy a new padel court, an ATP tennis court, hiking, sailing, and sunbathing. It’s a fairy tale with full-scale resort amenities.
From $1,079 per night, base room rate.
4. BEAVERBROOK, UK
A visit to the English countryside doesn’t get more picturesque than Beaverbrook. Located in Surrey, the 470-acre estate dates back to 1866 and offers an iconic UK stay.
Historical elements are woven into the interiors of the main house, but the property masterfully blends English sophistication with modern finesse. The spa is a marvel—complete with a stained-glass ceiling and innovative treatments.
The Village, a short buggy ride from the original house, caters primarily to families with whimsical, color-drenched rooms and a British-style eatery. Elsewhere, dining includes a lauded Japanese restaurant and an Instagram-famous summer experience set beneath whimsical hot-air balloons.
From $645 per night, base room rate.
5. GRAND HÔTEL STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Few hotels are more deserving of the sobriquet Grande Dame than the century-and-a-half-old Grand Hôtel Stockholm.
I stayed in the Ingrid Bergman Suite, wandering through the cheerful, airy space and pausing to gaze at a black-and-white portrait of the legendary actor beside a window framing the Royal Palace. I was in close proximity to two forms of royalty.
The acclaimed Swedish chef Mathias Dahlgren operates two restaurants here, including the Michelin-starred Seafood Gastro, which focuses on Nordic flavors. The tasting menu bordered on psychedelic in its abundance—fish maw, langoustine claw, and other briny marvels—while even the overnight oats delivered by room service felt elevated.
From $420 per night, base room rate.
(Brooke’s note: Not a bad price—practically a steal, I must add.)
6. THE VENICE VENICE HOTEL, ITALY
The 13th-century Ca’ Da Mosto stood neglected on the Grand Canal for decades before Alessandro Gallo and Francesca Rinaldo restored it over six years. Opened in 2022, the result would have impressed Lord Byron: candlelit staircases, Gothic windows, reflected canal light, and an unmistakably sensual Venetian atmosphere.
Art defines the property. Rooms feature contemporary works, including pieces from Arte Povera artists like Gilberto Zorio and Jannis Kounellis. On the quayside stands Souvenir by Fabio Viale—a re-creation of Michelangelo’s Pietà, hauntingly separated.
From $700 per night, base room rate.
11. FOUR SEASONS ASTIR PALACE HOTEL, ATHENS, GREECE
No list of the best would be complete without the Four Seasons. From Hong Kong to San Francisco, London to New York, Tokyo to Berlin and Paris, the brand defines global luxury.
The modernist white resort perches on pine-scented hills overlooking the Aegean. Rooms continue the cool, clean palette, most with sweeping terrace views. Olive trees frame sparkling pools.
Dinner at Taverna 37—especially the salt-baked sea bass—is a highlight, while tiradito at Helios is perfect for a lighter bite. With tennis lessons, sea swims, and a crowd that strikes just the right balance of glamour, it’s easy to see why this property ticks so many boxes.
From $816 per night, base room rate.
(Brooke’s note: Average for a Four Seasons.)
12. VERINA ASTRA, GREECE
Originally opened in 2015 with just seven rooms on the wild eastern coast of Sifnos, Verina Astra felt like a gamble. There was no restaurant, but breakfast—flaky pies, local cheeses, seasonal fruit—arrived in straw baskets served on handmade ceramics.
Today, the property has 16 rooms and suites, larger terraces, and improved amenities while maintaining its back-to-nature aesthetic. An infinity pool creates the illusion of floating into the horizon.
Chefs harvest ingredients from kitchen gardens for Bostani, the field-to-fork restaurant. Staff glide between the alfresco tapas bar and the Elemis spa.
From $348 per night, base room rate.
(Brooke’s note: On par with a basic Marriott in the U.S.)
17. LILLY OF THE VALLEY, FRANCE
Located on a sun-drenched hilltop overlooking the French Riviera, Philippe Starck’s rustic-modernist vision feels tailor-made for this glamorous stretch of coast.
Two bright-blue pools, three Provençal restaurants, a high-tech spa, and a nearby beach club define the experience. I came for one of the signature wellness retreats and spent my days moving from reformer Pilates to TRX classes, indulging in surprisingly delicious “diet” dishes (caviar scrambled eggs included).
By the final day, I found myself in tears—proof that the stay was as much an emotional reset as a physical one. A balm for a London-fried soul, with a generous touch of Côte d’Azur indulgence.
From $640 per night, base room rate.
