India’s Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts have been named the world’s best Hotel Brand in the world by Travel + Leisure in its this year’s readership survey. Another Indian hotel group Oberoi is at number 3 in the world and Taj Hotels make it India’s third position in the top 10 by ranked at no 8 in the top 25 Best Hotel Brands in the world.
Leela Palace has just nine properties, but it managed to leap from the No. 10 spot in 2019 to take this year’s No. 1 position. Perhaps Leela’s focus is one of its greatest strengths. “I love small brands like these,” wrote one reader. “They can consistently give you high-quality accommodations and service.” Of course, the allure of India might also have played a role, as travelers have long felt drawn to places like Delhi’s Red Fort and Udaipur’s Lake Pichola. Multiple people enthused that Leela’s properties are in “the best locations,” which include many of India’s major tourism hubs. Two of the Leela Group’s hotels also secured spots on this year’s list of top 100 hotels in the world- the Leela Palace New Delhi at No. 32 and the iconic Leela Palace Udaipur at No. 19, which was also crowned this year’s top resort in India.
The best hotel brands in the world share several qualities, but chief among them is sterling service — specifically, the ability to intuit guests’ needs and desires, then execute on them flawlessly to create a truly unforgettable stay. And as luxury travelers continue to crave destination-driven experiences, T+L readers also prioritize brands whose properties marry setting, architecture, and décor into a deep sense of place.
Every year for the World’s Best Awards survey, Travel + Leisure asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated hotel brands on their locations, rooms/facilities, food, service, and overall value. This year’s World’s Best Awards survey closed on March 2, just before widespread stay-at-home orders were implemented across the world as a result of COVID-19. The results reflect readers’ experiences before the pandemic, but their opinions still hold big. This year’s winner Leela Group wrested the top spot from last year’s repeat winner — Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, which now sits at No. 7 — through a combination of consistently irreproachable service and sumptuous accommodations.
Besides the top hotel brands, this year’s list of the top 100 hotels in the world span six continents and include everything from safari lodges in the Serengeti, and Indian palaces in Rajasthan to glittering high-rise retreats in London and Tokyo. What they all have in common is a commitment to excellent service, great locations, and amenities that stand out from the pack.
it was another of those enchanting Southeast Asian resorts that captured the coveted No. 1 spot this year- Capella Ubud in Bali. Asia made a strong showing again this year, and Southeast Asia was particularly well represented. Other Indonesian properties in the top 100 included No. 4 Ritz-Carlton, Bali, and No. 23 Belmond Jimbaran Puri. In Thailand, No. 22 Anantara Chiang Mai Resort & Spa and No. 37 the Sukhothai Bangkok both had lots of fans.
India has six hotels among the top 100 of best hotels. Directly on tranquil Lake Pichola, the Leela Palace Udaipur, ranked no 19, feels like a floating world all its own. Guests arrive by boat, then check in to one of 80 rooms and suites, each of which have magical views of the water and the spectacular mountains beyond.
Ranked at 24th position is another of Rajasthan’s hotel. Wellness seekers will appreciate the treatments at the spa at Oberoi Raj Vilas at Jaipur, which includes chakra balancing and massages using hot Himalayan stones. There are also yoga, meditation, and singing-bowl sessions at this atmospheric hotel in the equally atmospheric Pink City.
Oberoi Mumbai is at 28th spot. With an enviable location along Mumbai’s architecturally significant Marine Drive, the Oberoi has become a destination for great dining experiences, with no less than six restaurants. Ziya is the place to be for contemporary spins on classic Indian dishes; the lobby-level Champagne Lounge is the go-to for afternoon tea.
At no 32 is Leela Palace, Delhi. Rooms start at a generous 548 square feet at this five-star hotel in Delhi’s diplomatic enclave. The rooftop infinity pool is reason enough to book — especially on sweltering summer days — with views that stretch for miles.
Making place for another entry from Rajasthan at no 43 is The Indian Hotels Company Ltd owned Rambagh Palace. A former hunting lodge and royal residence set on 47 pristine acres, Rambagh Palace is fit for a queen. Rooms are filled with antiques and mahogany furnishings, while service is over-the-top accommodating — beginning with arrival, when guests are greeted with a shower of flower petals.
Oberoi group’s third property in top 50 is Oberoi Amar Vilas in Agra at 45th spot. A stone’s throw from the Taj Mahal, this 102-room Oberoi property is defined by its palatial, Mughal-Moorish architecture, with terraced gardens and serene reflecting pools. Rooms make generous use of marble, teak, and Indian silk — and all of them have views of the iconic monument that draws visitors here in the first place.
One major miss from India’s point of view is Taj Lake Palace and Oberoi Udai Vilas, both at Lake City Udaipur. Both of these hotels had been consistently ranking among the top in all major surveys all along the years.
(All images courtesy respective Hotel Groups)