• Mandarin Oriental takes the top spot for a second year
  • New entries – Bulgari, Dorchester Collection, COMO

Welcome to our annual World's Best Luxury Hotel Brands report.

This is not just another World's Best list. For the past 12 months, LTI—Luxury Travel Intelligence—has applied the perfect assessment process: a rigorously defined algorithm that measures the performance and values of luxury hotel brands.

Our algorithm has 130 touchpoints relevant to the luxury hotel sector. Each has its weighted score value with a total maximum accumulative score of 4663.

The touchpoints relate to overall brand performance, not the performance of individual properties. The focus is on a brand's ability to deliver on its passion, commitment, ethos, and values, together with the quality of its management and staff. Continuing investment and how it is utilised are also significant factors, particularly regarding new properties and the refurbishment of existing ones.

This year, we have extended the final list from 12 to 15, and brands must have at least eight properties to qualify (previously 10).

Here are this year's results, reflected as percentages, with last year's positions in brackets:

  1. Mandarin Oriental - 81.6% (1)
  2. Bulgari - 81.3% (New Entry)
  3. Oetker Collection - 80.7% (2)
  4. Six Senses - 80.2% (4)
  5. Aman - 78.1% (5)
  6. One&Only - 77.4% (8)
  7. Rocco Forte - 76.8% (9)
  8. Rosewood - 75.1% (10)
  9. Belmond - 73.9% (6)
  10. Auberge - 72.1% (3)
  11. Dorchester Collection - 71.8% (New Entry)
  12. Four Seasons - 71.5% (7)
  13. Peninsula - 70.1% (11)
  14. COMO - 69.7% (New Entry)
  15. Raffles - 69.4% (12)

About the World's Best Luxury Brands report

No other organisation connects with the global luxury hotel industry as LTI does. Our researchers engage with everyone from CEOs of the brands we have rated to thousands of management, staff, and guests. This is all part of the process for creating destination-led reports for our members, who are affluent, discerning travellers, and it also allows us to create this unique report.

The process starts again every year, so the results from previous years have no bearing on the following year. This inevitably leads to volatility in each year's results; however, this is a dynamic sector, and we want to reflect what is really happening.

Mandarin Oriental: World's Best Luxury Hotel Brand

This year, they have improved across several of our touchpoints, particularly with new openings, which are consistently impressive. It is an engaging brand with a loyal and growing following that appreciates its commitment to excellence.

New Entries

With the adjustment to the minimum number of required properties from ten to eight, Bulgari has made an impressive entry, securing second place, just 0.4 percent behind Mandarin Oriental. The Dorchester Collection also benefits from the adjustment, entering the list at 11. Additionally, COMO has made a deserving return at 14 after last being featured in 2022.

This year's increase in the number of brands featured, from 12 to 15, along with the reduction of the number of properties brands require to qualify, from ten to eight, has created an intriguing outcome. The inclusion of Bulgari is particularly prevalent as they are a very focused and well-managed organisation, with each property delivering a truly ultra-luxury guest experience. With ongoing senior management shifts across the brands, continued eye-watering investment levels, and the aggressive competition in chasing the growing High Net Worth travel spend, who knows what next year will bring? In the meantime, congratulations to all 15 brands; they fully deserve the recognition. Michael Crompton, Founder of LTI

About LTI – Luxury Travel Intelligence

We are a global, members-only organisation providing digital reporting for affluent travellers who wish to make informed travel decisions based on honest and highly detailed intelligence. We cover luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and nightlife in granular detail. We do not sell travel, have a booking engine, or carry advertising. Membership fees are our only revenue; we only answer to our members.

www.lti-members.com

Jane Lucas
LTI - Luxury Travel Intelligence