The Best Hotels and Resorts in Europe and the UK: The Gold List 2026

The finest location in St. Moritz, the most attentive service, the most dazzling guests, the most stunning lobby—Switzerland’s Badrutt’s Palace is one superlative after another. And 2026 will mark an impressive 130 years in operation. The property took a huge leap into the future with its new Serlas Wing, which opened across from the main hotel. The original and new buildings, as well as the Chesa Veglia restaurant, are now connected via underground passageways so that winter guests no longer have to slosh through slush. For the warmer months, when the hotel is typically less crowded, Badrutt’s has added a padel court and an ATP tennis court to the garden, and it continues to offer opportunities to hike, sail, and sunbathe. It’s a fairy tale with resort amenities in St. Moritz. From $1,079. —Dennis Braatz

A visit to the English countryside doesn’t get much more picturesque than at Beaverbrook. The hotel’s location in Surrey, as well as its heritage—the 470-acre estate dates back to 1866—makes for an iconic UK stay. Elements of its history are woven into the interiors of the main house, but this is a place that masterfully blends English worldliness with modern finesse. The spa is something of a marvel—all stained-glass ceiling and innovative experiences—and as I pad past the outdoor pool from the cabin-style massage hut, I know the treatments I’ve just had will live in my heart for years to come. We spent the night in the Village, a zippy buggy ride away from the original house. Its appeal lies primarily with families, as rooms are color-drenched and whimsical, and the restaurant there is a British-style eatery. Elsewhere, food options include a lauded Japanese restaurant and the Instagram-famous summer dining experience that takes place on the grounds under whimsical hot-air balloons. From $645. —Sarah Leigh Bannerman

Few hotels are more deserving of the sobriquet grande dame than the century-and-a-half-old Grand Hôtel Stockholm, where I slept in the Ingrid Bergman suite: Wandering around the cheerful, airy space I’d stop periodically to gaze at a black-and-white portrait of the legendary actor hung beside a window that framed a view of the Royal Palace; I was staying in close proximity to two flavors of royalty. The nearness to greatness applies not only to the hotel’s patrons but also to its extraordinary cuisine. The acclaimed Swedish chef Matthias Dhalgren operates two of its restaurants, including the two-year-old Michelin-starred Seafood Gastro, which focuses on Nordic flavors. I lost count of the number of courses, but the sheer bounty of beautifully plated confections involving fish maw and langoustine claw and other briny mysteries bordered on psychedelic. I still think too of the alfresco octopus salad and Sancerre I ate at Grand Soleil, and even the lovingly prepared overnight oats that room service brought me while I looked out at the bright waterfront beneath Bergman’s watchful gaze. From $420. —Jesse Ashlock

The 13th century Ca’ Da Mosto had stood neglected on the Grand Canal for decades when Alessandro Gallo and Francesca Rinaldo, modern merchants of Venice and founders of the wildly successful fashion brand Golden Goose, set about restoring the property to its former glory with a six-year restoration. The result, which opened in 2022, would have impressed Lord Byron on one of his many amorous visits to Venice: candlelit staircases, luxurious draperies, tall gothic windows overlooking the Grand Canal, stone passageways, spacious suites soothed by reflected light and the lap of water on stone outside the window—the sense of Venice as one of the world’s sexiest destinations. Art is part of the hotel’s DNA. Rooms showcase stunning contemporary pieces. Look for the work of artists of the Italian Arte Povera movement like Gilberto Zorio and Jannis Kounellis. On the quayside is Souvenir by Fabio Viale, a re-creation of Michelangelo’s Pieta with the Madonna and the limp Christ figure hauntingly separated. From $700. —Stanley Smith

Located on Mallorca, the Grand Hotel Son Net looks like a classic film set, with the Puig de Galatzó mountain, part of the Serra de Tramuntana, as a dramatic backdrop. The building’s history dates back to 1672 and showcases impressive Balearic architecture, like a terra-cotta exterior, a 17th-century courtyard, gardens, and a private chapel. In 2023 the founders of Finca Cortesin took over management of the property with the aim of regaining the brightness of its glory days. In and outside the main building, 31 suites, some as large as 1,615 square feet, give an idea of how intimate this place wants to be. Lorenzo Castillo has carefully restored the hotel’s original charm by adding elements like canopied beds and cozy furnishings. The extensive spa is a highlight, and the hotel’s cuisine reflects Mallorcan flavors with a subtle touch, emphasizing the idea that, even in a place where everything is more, less is more. From $635—David Moralejo

It may have been drawing such guests as Queen Victoria since 1812, but it wasn’t until the Roaring Twenties that Claridge’s really found its rhythm, constellating Bright Young Things around its jewel box interiors—glimmering Lalique panels, Art Deco mirrors, stained glass butterflies—like moths to a fabulous flame. A century on and this effervescent Jazz Age spirit is as alive as ever. Flower girls skitter across the lobby’s checkerboard floor; the foyer thrums with guests taking afternoon tea; and the dimly lit Fumoir Bar is a sultry backdrop for romance. But while Claridge’s may flirt with its past, recently hosting an Art Deco sleepover with Cecil Beaton cocktails and Charleston lessons, it’s by no means stuck there. The spa is an André Fu–designed subterranean gem; the Painter’s Room holds alternative afternoon teas; and there’s Claridge’s Bakery, which will open later this year. The actor Spencer Tracy said, “Not that I intend to die, but when I do, I don’t want to go to heaven. I want to go to Claridge’s.” And Claridge’s sparkles on. From $1,258. —Olivia Squire

Perched on the slopes of Monte Igueldo in San Sebastián, with the Bay of Biscay at its feet, Akelarre is home to one of Spain’s most iconic restaurants. Long before the hotel opened in 2017, Pedro Subijana’s kitchen had already earned three Michelin stars and a place in culinary history. Today his legacy flows into a serene five-star stay led by his daughter, Oihana: just 22 rooms, carved into the hillside, each with panoramic terraces and warm minimalist interiors that echo the raw beauty of the north. There are two restaurants: the three-Michelin-starred Akelarre, where every plate is a tribute to terroir and technique, and Espazio Oteiza, a more relaxed concept. The 8,611-square-foot wellness area, with its hydrotherapy pool, hammam, and treatments, invites deep pause. More than a hotel or a restaurant, Akelarre is a radical, slow vision of hospitality shaped by salt air, silence, and a reverence for place. From $525. —María Casbas

Nature dictates everything at this CO₂-neutral A-list hideaway in the Italian Dolomites. The site was chosen for its abundant sunshine, spring water, mountain air, and views of the jagged Odle massif, which is framed by picture windows in all 62 minimalist suites. The landscape is also woven into the biophilic architecture, Celtic wellness rituals, and intricate “forest cuisine.” After hiking or skiing in the Plose mountains, guests can recharge over a tasting menu in the amphitheatre restaurant as the sun sets with all the drama of Mount Doom. The history of the complex is similarly dramatic. It was conceived in 1912 as a sanatorium for Austro-Hungarian aristocrats but lay dormant for years. For its relaunch in 2020, Stefan and Teresa Hinteregger added three 12-story towers and an astonishing spa with a swim-in, swim-out pool. A villa for 10 followed in December 2024, and a concept restaurant, Yera, which celebrates the fruits of the forest around a firepit in a cave, arrived in June. From $992. —Lisa Johnson

The modernist white resort perches proudly on pine-scented hills, slowly revealing its geometric lines as one snakes from the dusty thrum of Athens to the glamour-drenched peninsula. Rooms continue the cool, clean palette, most with sweeping terrace views of the Aegean, and immaculately manicured olive trees frame sparkling swimming pools. Our favorite dinner is at the informal Taverna 37 for salt-baked sea bass, but daily tiradito from eatery Helios is a treat, especially as it’s opposite the wood-toy-packed kids club that keeps offspring amused between courses. We discover homegrown brands like Magoosh, Callista, and Zeus & Dione in the on-site boutique, and my daughter’s love affair with drawing comics begins with a brilliant hands-on lesson with an Athenian cartoonist. With a diet of daily tennis lessons, sweeping views, a just-the-right-side-of-glam crowd, and luscious sea swims, you can see why the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens ticks so many boxes for so many people. From $816. —Jemima Sissons

The first time I stayed at Verina Astra, in 2015, there were just seven rooms. The cliffside setting on the wild eastern coast of Sifnos, Greece, felt like a gamble. Upon opening, there was no restaurant, but breakfast was a celebration of Sifnian flavors—flaky pies, local cheeses, seasonal fruits—delivered to each suite in a straw basket, served in handmade ceramics crafted by the island’s potters. An infinity pool, added later on, created the illusion of floating on the unbroken horizon. The young owner-managers, Isidora Chandeli and Miltos Salemis, had recently fallen in love and had big dreams for their new venture. Fast-forward a decade and Verina Astra is one of the country’s most exceptional hotels. The 16 rooms and suites have better bathrooms and even bigger terraces than the initial seven but share the same back-to-nature aesthetic. Solicitous staff waft between the alfresco tapas bar and thatched cabanas of the Elemis spa. Chefs putter among the kitchen gardens, harvesting the ingredients for heirloom salads for Bostani, the hopelessly romantic field-to-fork restaurant. Isidora and Miltos are married now, and their hotel baby is all grown-up—but the laid-back vibe and sense of place are very much unchanged. From $348. —Rachel Howard

For 60 years Il Pellicano has been an icon of Italian hospitality. Opened on the wild slopes of Monte Argentario in 1965 by the English American couple Michael and Patsy Graham, it was purchased in 1979 by Roberto Sciò, who had been in love with the place ever since he first frequented it alongside the jet set of the time. The guest list has always been a strong point, but with the arrival of Roberto’s daughter Marie-Louise Sciò as new leadership, the hotel’s image has been refreshed thanks in large part to the book Hotel Il Pellicano, which contains photos by Juergen Teller (in addition to earlier ones by Slim Aarons). The volume has helped to attract a new generation of bohemians from all over the world. This corner of Tuscany is far from Positano; here, there are no designer boutiques. Instead, those who travel here do so because of its slightly magical atmosphere paired with impeccable service, meticulous design, a Michelin-starred restaurant, a new boat, and a boutique that wonderfully expresses the style of the hotel and, more broadly, a certain vision of an Italian holiday. From $700. —Sara Magro

The Fiorentino family might just have nabbed the finest corner of the Amalfi Coast when they built this grand-tour-era Grand Hotel, sequestered from Piazza Tasso by perfumed orange groves, in the 1830s. Today fifth-generation Fiorentinos have overseen renovations that restored the hotel’s shine with deference to its old-world elegance. Antique furniture and draping curtains secure a feeling of heritage. Some rooms have views over the lush gardens; the best have sunny terraces and boast a roll call of the hotel’s famous guests (Pavarotti, Caruso, Princess Margaret). Laid-back suppers at Terrazza Vittoria and all-night affairs at Michelin-starred Terrazza Bosquet make an art of Campanian produce; breakfast is taken under the frescoes at Ristorante Vittoria. From the pool, you can gaze at the classical buildings and daydream about the many lives the Vittoria has lived—although snoozing on the striped sun loungers is just as valid. Wherever you stand, this Amalfi landmark’s sense of occasion is as pertinent as ever. From $746. —Sarah James