The rest we have organized by geography for ease of reference. Unsurprisingly, there were many overlaps, with multiple properties receiving endorsements from several operators-these are the hotels which earned a spot in the top 10. We asked each of them for up to 10 properties which they vouch for, and regularly recommend to clients, explaining in detail what makes that hotel, resort or ranch a true standout. This brain trust of the travel industry’s five-star experts has first-hand knowledge of every need-to-know room around the world, so who better to tap for nominations. Our methodology for this list was rigorous but simple: Few specialists in the world are deft and connected enough to earn the endorsement of Robb Report just 21 of them, in fact, can be considered true Travel Masters, a mark of the caliber of their expertise and clients. Year in and year out, they’ve consistently earned accolades and loyalty in equal measure. Think of this rundown as a cheat sheet or shortcut to a guaranteed stellar trip: Every hotel, safari camp or resort endorsed here has been tried and tested, again and again, by the world’s pickiest travelers. For that reason, they are, inarguably, the World’s Greatest Hotels-and for the first time, Robb Report has compiled a list of the top 50 such properties across the globe. But they share one thing: a commitment to exemplifying the best in luxury hospitality. Those esteemed hotels vary wildly: They might be centuries old or have opened just a few years ago, city center hideaways or country estates, exemplars of bleeding-edge, contemporary design or reassuringly retro. Each of those new openings is hoping not only to make an impactful start, but also to ascend to a rarefied pantheon: the roster of classic hotels that transcends trends, properties with a permanent place on speed-dial for any discerning traveler. Candidates to spotlight in the annual Best of the Best must be splashy, five-star debuts that are instantly earmarked to be globetrotters’ staples.

Every year, Robb Report scours the world to unearth the best new luxury hotels from the last 12 months.

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