Ever wondered what it feels like to live like an aristocrat? Our global edit of the world’s most beautiful hotels has a clear winner, and it comes complete with Irish wolfhounds greeting you at the gatehouse.
Ireland’s legendary Ashford Castle has snatched the prize for the most beautiful place to stay on the planet, topping ’s ranking of the 33 best-looking hotels on Earth.
This 350-acre fairytale estate comes complete with private cinema and secret gardens. You can read ’s full review of Ashford Castle here.
When we say these are the most spectacular spots, we mean it. Our global experts have spent time in each one, from the coast of California to the jungle of Costa Rica. That firsthand experience is why Ashford Castle secured our Best Heritage Hotel title. The 350-acre estate has been welcoming illustrious guests including Oscar Wilde and the Guinness family since 1228. Now a beautifully restored luxury resort, it features a grand labyrinth of corridors, Donegal crystal chandeliers and a spa pool ringed with seashells.
The castle’s layout is so intricate that the team will personally walk you to your room when you check in (you’ll still want to memorise the way back for later). Inside, the bedrooms go heavy on bold colours and most have views of Lough Corrib straight from your pillow. Catch it in autumn when the lake mist rises and the leaves turn golden. You can read ’s full review of Ashford Castle here.
The Irish castle stay saw off some serious competition for the top spot, too. Japan’s Hiramatsu Karuizawa Miyota took second place for its show-stopping Nagano scenery, while Florence’s Four Seasons claimed the title for most beautiful gardens. Malta’s Phoenicia scooped best pool and London’s 1 Hotel Mayfair and Paris’s Le Pavillon de la Reine also made the cut, alongside wild entries like an underground viewing tunnel in South Africa and a Costa Rican eco-lodge overlooking one of the world’s four tropical fjords.
✨Check out the complete list of the world’s 33 most beautiful hotels.
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