The Best Hotel in New York

Out of the myriad hotels to choose from in New York City, readers of Conde Nast Traveler overwhelmingly chose The Ritz-Carlton New York, NoMad as their favorite for 2024. 

The all-glass, 50-story property is "walkable to many of the top tourist attractions, and to local-first neighborhoods, all while adding its own sleek contribution to the NoMad area. The rooms are spacious and the service impeccable, but it’s the design and F&B that makes this property shine with the style-set," CN Traveler's critics say. 

"The sun-soaked interiors are dramatic and textured—concierge desks in the grayscale lobby are made of almost zebra-print granite. A leafy, book-lined bar just off it leads to the excellent Spanish-Japanese fusion restaurant The Bazaar from José Andrés upstairs with its plush upholstery, coffee-and-plum palette, and scenery-chewing jamón Ibéerico centerpiece (Andrés’s group also designed the complimentary menu in the very worth-it club level)."

Thailand's Three-Key Club

Like the Michelin Stars for restaurants, the Michelin Keys recognize the world's most outstanding hotels. According to the organization, "these are places that significantly add to your experience as a traveler, each vetted and judged excellent in five categories: architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and a significant contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting."

In Thailand, Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, was one of only eight properties in 2024 to earn Michelin's highest hotel honor — the exclusive Three Key distinction. 

"One of the most straightforward ways to stand out in the crowded field of Thai luxury hospitality is to simply create one of the most luxurious resorts anywhere, and that’s the path chosen by Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. What sets it even further apart from the norm is its exquisite tastefulness, from the traditional-style welcome pavilion to the thoughtfully localized interiors of the hotel’s villas and pavilions. An extravagant spa is present as a matter of course, as are a handful of restaurants serving everything from fresh seafood and Thai favorites to elevated Mediterranean classics." 

Dubai's Crown Jewel

When Forbes Travel Guide’s expert inspectors visit a property, they anonymously test it based on hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service. Only the best of the best achieve the coveted Five Star, the organization's highest rating, and in 2024, The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai was one of the lucky few. 

"You may not think 'serene' when you envision a family-friendly beach resort, but with 294 extra-spacious rooms, landscaped gardens and a private stretch of sand, The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai is poised to please," the experts at Forbes say. "Situated along the shopping and dining promenade at The Walk at JBR, this Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star stay offers the best of a beach vacation while keeping you close to the city sights.

Six sparkling swimming pools, nine restaurants and bars, four tennis courts and an array of water sports in the Arabian Gulf allow you to enjoy the best of sun, sea and sand with the promise of a sumptuous bed to collapse in at the end of your day of adventure."

A Serene Sanctuary

A mainstay on the Conde Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Award lists for nearly 10 years, Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is a lush paradise on Puerto Rico's stunning north shore. Initially developed as a hotel and nature preserve by Laurance Rockefeller in 1958, today the property plays host to three golf courses; the five-acre Spa Botanico, a paradise unto itself with treatment treehouses; the 11-mile Rockefeller Nature Trail, a haven for hikers, joggers, and cyclists (with free bikes provided by the property); the Watermill aquatic playground for kids; tennis courts; two pools; and various watersports.

"Rooms are bookended by beach-facing terraces and outdoor showers, and museum-quality art is scattered on tree branches," the CN Traveler editors says. "But it’s the Spa Botánico, a tropical wonderland that’s much more than the usual cluster of treatment rooms, that really sticks to Rockefeller’s approach. After visiting, you’ll remember the 95-year-old ficus at the entrance most clearly. That or the tree house in the canopy where you had the greatest massage of your life." 

One of Europe's Finest

Recognized as the top hotel in Turkey in the 2024 Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards, The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul seamlessly integrates European style with Turkish tradition. Set on the banks of the Bosphorus, this five-star hotel is just 15 minutes' drive from the famous historical old town attractions of Sultanahmet, Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar.

"Elegantly decorated, all units at The Ritz-Carlton feature luxury furniture including a plush armchair in the seating area and ornate chest of drawers," according to CN Traveler. "The full marble bathroom comes with separate rainforest shower, soaking bathtub, exclusive Asprey bath amenities and plush terry cloth bathrobes and slippers. You can prepare your coffee with the in-room Nespresso machine while reading complimentary daily newspapers and enjoying the views." 

The Magic of Mexico

At Zadun, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, guests can connect with nature in their own way, from a desert walk that ends at a hidden waterfall to observing the moon and stars over a romantic dinner. It's that bespoke approach to the guest experience that helped the resort earn two Michelin Keys in 2024, placing it among a select group of Mexico's most luxurious destinations.

"Not every Ritz-Carlton is a neoclassical palace — Zadún, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, like the other Reserves, takes its cues from its setting: in this case San Jose del Cabo, on Mexico’s Baja California coast," the experts at Michelin say. "The architecture is decidedly modern, while the décor in the rooms, suites, and villas incorporates local design motifs in a tasteful way, and everywhere you’re treated to the typically luxe Ritz-Carlton experience, which means top-notch comforts and service. The Spa Alkemia, naturally, does brisk business, and the restaurants and bars are carefully tailored to Los Cabos’ local culinary culture, albeit with a high-end sheen."