World’s Best Awards 2022: Top Hotels and Resorts in Europe

The best city hotels and resorts in Europe, according to Travel + Leisure readers’ vote in the 2022 World’s Best Awards.

Courtesy of Hôtel Madame Rêve

By Travel+Leisure Editors

Jul 15, 2022

READERS COULDN’T WAIT TO RETURN to the Continent, where both flashy newcomers and more storied properties emerged victorious. Paris claimed the most spots on the region-wide city list, while Italy edged out Greece for the most resorts

Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L 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. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.

Below, find out which other city hotels and resorts readers chose as the best in Europe.

T — INDICATES A TRUE TIE
* — ON THE LIST FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS

TOP 15 EUROPE CITY HOTELS

THE CONTINENT REMAINS No. 1 in many Americans’ hearts, and the competition was stiff this year for best city hotels in Europe. On 2022’s list, extravagant grande-dame hotels and historic properties were heavily represented, with top-notch accommodations in beloved Paris, London, and Florence taking up most of the slots.

Three out of four London hotels this year are located in classic buildings — No. 12 the Connaught, No. 8 the Goring, and No. 15 the Lanesborough — with just the Shangri-La the Shard, London (No. 5) representing a modern skyscraper property.

In Paris, the iconic Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, landed in the 13th slot, thanks to its excellent staff and, as one reader describes it, being “the pinnacle of luxury.” Another historic property, La Réserve Paris, came in at No. 6 because voters appreciate its intimacy and exclusivity, with one calling it “one of the truly special boutique hotels in Paris, with exceptional design and attention to detail,” and another writing that it is “worth every penny.”

New to the list, and nabbing the only slot (No. 7) for Rome, Rocco Forte’s Hotel de la Ville breathed new life into an old structure in a prime location at the top of the Spanish Steps. “Amazing hotel with a great location and a fantastic refurbishment,” wrote one fan, while another added that it has “the best rooftop bar in the city.”

This year’s winner is also located inside a historic building, though its conversion to a hotel is recent. Keep reading to find out which property took top honors — and which other hotels readers chose as the best city hotels in Europe.

1. Hôtel Madame Rêve
Paris, France

Paris is chock full of posh hotels, but this newcomer, which opened last fall, is bringing style, service, and savvy to its in-the-know guests. Inside a historic building that once served as the city’s only 24-hour post office, the chic boutique hotel has sly references to the postal service, but what impressed guests the most were its exceptional views, two excellent restaurants, and a stunning 10,000-square-foot roof. “The Parisian place to go out with a breathtaking view of all Paris,” raved one voter, adding that, “the decoration is just amazing.” As another reader summarized, the hotel has an “excellent location and great ambiance and service.”

Score: 98.73
madamereve.com

2. Rosewood Villa Magna
Madrid, Spain

*Suite Salon, Rosewood Villa Magna, Madrid. Courtesy of Rosewood*

Score: 98.67
rosewoodhotels.com/en/villa-magna

3. Portrait Firenze
Florence, Italy

Prestige Suite River View, Portrait Firenze, Florence — *Prestige Suite River View. Courtesy of Portrait Firenze*

Score: 98.25
lungarnocollection.com

4. Raffles Istanbul
Turkey

Score: 98.25
raffles.com/istanbul

5. Shangri-La at the Shard
London, England

Score: 97.86
shangri-la.com/london/shangrila

6. La Réserve Paris – Hotel & Spa
Paris, France

*Courtesy of La Réserve Paris – Hotel & Spa*

Score: 97.26
lareserve-paris.com

7. Hotel de la Ville, a Rocco Forte Hotel
Rome, Italy

Superior Deluxe, Hotel de la Ville, a Rocco Forte Hotel — *Superior Deluxe. Courtesy of Hotel de la Ville, a Rocco Forte Hotel*

Score: 97.17
roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/hotel-de-la-ville

8. The Goring
London, England

Deluxe King Room, The Goring, London — *Deluxe King Room. Courtesy of The Goring, London*

Score: 96.55
thegoring.com

9. Hotel Savoy, a Rocco Forte Hotel
Florence, Italy

Grand View Suite, Hotel Savoy, a Rocco Forte Hotel, Rome — *Grand View Suite. Courtesy of Hotel Savoy, a Rocco Forte Hotel*

Score: 96.47
roccofortehotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/hotel-savoy

10. Le Bristol Paris, Oetker Collection
Paris, France

Score: 96.00
oetkercollection.com/hotels/le-bristol-paris

11. Shangri-La Bosphorus
Istanbul, Turkey

Facade Sea View, Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul — *Facade Sea View. Courtesy of Shangri-La Bosphorus*

Score: 95.90
shangri-la.com/en/istanbul/shangrila

12. The Connaught
London, England

The Apartment Room, The Connaught — *The Apartment. Courtesy of The Connaught*

Score: 95.79
the-connaught.co.uk

13. Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel
Paris, France

*Grands Appartements 401 Living Room, Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel . Courtesy of Rosewood*

Score: 95.66
rosewoodhotels.com/en/hotel-de-crillon

14. Helvetia & Bristol Firenze
Florence, Italy

Score: 95.60
collezione.starhotels.com

15. The Lanesborough, Oetker Collection
London, England

The Library Bar at The Lanesborough London — *The Library Bar. Courtesy of The Lanesborough, Oetker Collection*

Score: 95.50
oetkercollection.com/hotels/the-lanesborough

TOP 15 EUROPE RESORT HOTELS

WHILE EUROPE IS A LARGE continent with many countries, one destination continues to capture Travel + Leisure readers’ hearts: Italy. Travelers enthusiastically returned to its countryside and waterfront properties. In fact, six of the places on this list are hotels around Lake Como and on the Amalfi Coast.

What do the Italian properties on the list bring to the table? “A beautiful escape from reality,” a voter wrote of No. 10 Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como. “I truly felt transported and the most relaxed in my life.” Another fan called it “my favorite hotel on the planet.” Also on Lake Como, No. 13 Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni has incredible “views both from and of the property,” according to one T+L reader.

Villa Sant’Anna Exterior. Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco — *Villa Sant’Anna Exterior, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco. Courtesy of Rosewood*

Santorini, the volcanic gem in the southern Aegean Sea, nabbed three of Greece’s four spots this year, while France snagged two spots with Coquillade Provence Resort & Spa (No. 4) and Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa (No. 5). The former is a magical hilltop resort inside Luberon Regional Nature Park, with stunning views of the region of Provence, while the latter is the only luxury hotel in the beloved Champagne wine region.

Below, find out which other resorts readers chose as the best resorts in Europe.

1. Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco
Montalcino, Italy

Villa Chiusa Living Area. Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco — *Villa Chiusa Living Area, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco. Courtesy of Rosewood*

While nearly all of the other Italian properties on the list are on Lake Como or the Amalfi Coast, this centuries-old Tuscan estate snagged the top prize, with a near-perfect score to boot. Its guests have maximum privacy — the 5,000-acre property has just 42 suites and 11 villas — and find it hard to get bored: They can visit the Brunello di Montalcino winery or play the rolling 18-hole golf course or have a treatment at the lush spa in the estate’s former wine cellars or relax by a heated infinity pool with striking views of the countryside. Culinary offerings include two excellent restaurants, a cooking school, and a charming kitchen garden — plus a truffle-hunting excursion. Rooms are lavish, and service is impeccable, ensuring that any countryside-vacation dreams will come true.

Score: 99.25
rosewoodhotels.com/en/castiglion-del-bosco