Just one Australian hotel makes World’s 50 Best list

One Australian hotel has been recognised in the coveted World’s 50 Best Hotels rankings for 2026, announced at an awards ceremony in Paris overnight.

Luxury sandstone property Capella Sydney, which Traveller awarded a perfect score, has ranked No.16 on the global list, while also claiming the prestigious honour of Best Hotel in Oceania.

Capella Sydney has been named Oceania’s Best Hotel 2026, and No.16 globally.Timothy KayeCapella Sydney’s Liberty Suite offers partial views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.Timothy KayeThe $300 million heritage restoration by Singapore-based Capella Hotels and Resorts group in Sydney’s CBD continues its impressive run on the world stage following its No.12 debut in 2025. The luxury property, housed in the early-1900s Edwardian baroque former NSW Department of Education building, features 192 contemporary rooms and suites, art-studded interiors, and a 20-metre indoor rooftop pool.

The 50 Best nod follows the opening of sister property, Lands by Capella, the brand’s dedicated events, retail and hospitality destination. The burgeoning precinct, housed in the Department of Lands building, just welcomed its latest venue, Italian restaurant Spezia, helmed by acclaimed executive chef Jae Bang, formerly of Michelin-starred Re-naa, Norway.

Capella Sydney’s 20-metre indoor rooftop pool on level six.Dominic LorrimerCapella Sydney’s inclusion as the only Australian hotel in the top-50 list marks a shift in the country’s representation, with Brisbane’s urban resort The Calile dropping out of the main list for the first time since the awards’ inception. It landed at No.83 on the extended top 100 longlist unveiled earlier this month.

The Calile previously held Oceania’s top ranking for two years running, placing No.12 in 2023, No.25 in 2024, and No.34 in 2025. Other local hopefuls, including Hobart’s The Tasman (No.49 in 2024) and South Australia’s rebuilt Southern Ocean Lodge (named the “One to Watch” in 2025), also failed to secure a top-50 placing.

Brisbane’s The Calile dropped out of the top-50 list in the World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026.AdvertisementHobart hopeful The Tasman failed to secure a top-50 placing.Global luxury powerhouse Rosewood Hong Kong secured the award’s top spot for the second consecutive year, retaining its title of World’s Best Hotel. The 413-room Victoria Harbour landmark was praised for its exemplary Asaya wellness offering and impressive spectrum of culinary venues, which includes 11 restaurants and bars.

Rosewood Hong Kong has been named the World’s Best Hotel for 2026.Europe dominated this year’s list with 21 properties, spearheaded by Italy’s Passalacqua on Lake Como at No.5 – a previous World’s Best Hotel winner. The property also clinched the Best Boutique Hotel award for a third consecutive year.

Asia was the second most-represented continent with 18 properties, sweeping the top three rankings. Behind Rosewood Hong Kong, Thailand excelled with entries from Capella Bangkok (No.2) and Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (No.3).

Capella Bangkok has taken out the No.2 ranking on the World’s 50 Best Hotels list for 2026.The 2026 rankings also welcomed 10 new entries spanning seven destinations, with Italy’s Casa Maria Luigia leading the newcomers at No.18, taking the Highest New Entry Award.

The extended 51-100 longlist – introduced in 2025 to highlight a broader spectrum of hospitality experiences and destinations beyond the main list – spanned 40 cities worldwide. France’s La Reserve Paris topped the extended rankings at No.51, while New Zealand’s historic Huka Lodge in Taupo joined The Calile as Oceania’s only other longlist inclusion at No.82 following a $25 million refurbishment in 2025.

Huka Lodge, New Zealand secured a No.82 placement on the extended longlist.AdvertisementFor the first time since the awards’ launch, the ceremony moved away from London to Les Salles du Carrousel in Paris.

The World’s 50 Best Hotels list faces ongoing criticism for favouring European properties and consistently platforming major hospitality brands over smaller independent stays. Critics maintain that allowing judges to accept free stays invites PR gaming, creating confusing, contradictory rankings for consumers compared to criteria-based rivals like Michelin.

Compiled by UK-based William Reed Business Media – the organisation behind the global top restaurant and bar guides –the rankings are determined by the 800-strong World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy.

Comprising hoteliers, travel journalists, educators, and luxury travellers across 13 regions, panel members submit seven votes based on stays experienced over a strict three-year voting window, with the final results independently audited by Deloitte.

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