Fifty More Hotels Just Joined the World's 50 Best List, and Italy Took Nine Spots

The World's 50 Best Hotels released its extended 51-100 ranking this week, two weeks ahead of the main list, which will be announced in Paris on 15 September. Italy claimed nine of the 50 places, more than any other country.

Italy's run began with Il San Pietro di Positano at No. 58, the highest-placed independent hotel anywhere on the list, and continued with Splendido in Portofino at 60, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco at 62, Forestis Dolomites at 68, Borgo Egnazia at 88 and Castello di Reschio at 95.

Japan was next with seven. Janu Tokyo led them at 52, ahead of Park Hyatt Tokyo at 53, Palace Hotel Tokyo at 73, Hoshinoya Tokyo at 85, Hotel The Mitsui Kyoto at 79 and Waldorf Astoria Osaka at 89. Asia as a whole took 20 of the 50 slots, against 16 for Europe.

North America placed nine, five of them in the United States. Hotel Bel-Air was the region's highest at 57, ahead of The Beverly Hills Hotel at 65 and Aman New York at 87. Mexico contributed three: Hotel Esencia at 64, Montage Los Cabos at 67 and Four Seasons Tamarindo at 74.

What the extended list is good for

The 51-100 tier was added in 2025, and it functions as a leading indicator: it is where properties tend to surface before they climb into the top 50. Ten independents made this year's extended list, which is a useful check on the assumption that the ranking's 800-plus anonymous voters simply recite the major brands.

Other entries worth noting include Soneva Fushi at 55, Rosewood London at 56, Rosewood Bangkok at 70, Amangalla in Galle at 71, La Mamounia in Marrakech at 75, Capella Hanoi at 81, The Oberoi Udaivilas at 98 and Gleneagles closing the list at 100.