Capella Hotel Group has placed three properties in The 50 Best Hotels 2026, led by Capella Bangkok at No.2.
Capella Sydney took No.16 and retained its Best Hotel in Oceania title for a second year, while Patina Osaka entered at No.33 and received the Nikka Best New Hotel Award. Capella Hanoi and Capella Singapore also reached the extended 51–100 ranking, at No.81 and No.97 respectively.
The results were announced on 15 September at Les Salles du Carrousel in Paris, the first time the awards ceremony has been held in the French capital. The fourth edition covers hotels across 22 territories and six continents, based on votes from more than 800 members of The 50 Best Hotels Academy.
Rosewood Hong Kong retained the No.1 position for a second consecutive year. Capella Bangkok finished immediately ahead of Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, which placed third.
Capella Bangkok returns to No.2
Set on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, Capella Bangkok is a 101-key waterfront hotel shaped around expansive river views and its historic Charoenkrung neighbourhood.
Its suites and villas have floor-to-ceiling windows, while 17 accommodations include private terrace jacuzzi plunge pools. Lush gardens surround the hotel beside one of Bangkok’s busiest waterways.
The No.2 result continues a strong run for the property. Capella Bangkok won the global ranking in 2024, when it was also named Best Hotel in Asia, before moving to No.3 in 2025. Its return to second place puts it among four Bangkok hotels in the 2026 top 50.
Mandarin Oriental Bangkok reached No.10 and Aman Nai Lert entered at No.48, reinforcing the Thai capital’s presence near the top of the list.
Capella Sydney retains its Oceania title
Located in Sydney’s Sandstone Precinct, Capella Sydney is a 192-room heritage hotel occupying the restored former Department of Education building designed by NSW Government Architect George McRae.
The property opened in 2023 as Capella’s first Australian hotel. Its historic stone exterior now frames contemporary interiors and a collection of more than 1,400 artworks while retaining the building’s institutional character.
Capella Sydney’s facilities include Auriga Spa and a 20-metre heated swimming pool. Brasserie 1930 occupies an elegant dining room, while McRae Bar and the light-filled Aperture offer two distinct settings within the restored building.
Its No.16 finish marks a second consecutive appearance in the global ranking. The Best Hotel in Oceania award also remains with Capella Sydney for a second year, making it the region’s sole representative in the 2026 top 50.
Patina Osaka wins Best New Hotel
Facing Osaka Castle Park and Naniwa Palace Ruins Park, Patina Osaka is a 20-storey contemporary hotel with 221 rooms and some of the city’s most compelling castle views.
The property opened on 1 May 2025 as the first Japanese hotel from Patina Hotels & Resorts. Its debut at No.33 came around 16 months later, accompanied by the Nikka Best New Hotel Award for properties launched during the preceding year.
Guest rooms begin at 50 square metres, while the largest Patina Suite spans 233 square metres. Expansive windows draw the surrounding greenery and changing seasons into interiors shaped by natural wood, a reflection of kisetsukan, the Japanese awareness of seasonal change.
Music also plays a central role in the hotel’s identity. The reception area on the 20th floor includes a DJ booth, a record collection and an art wall assembled from vintage speakers. The Listening Room by OJAS hosts the hotel’s music programme, while scheduled DJ sets take place at Sonata Bar & Lounge.
The wellness facilities include an indoor heated pool overlooking Osaka Castle, alongside treatments incorporating contemporary HealthTech. Dining venues include P72, IÑAKI, Maai, Nijiri and Sonata Bar & Lounge, with the hotel placing an emphasis on reducing waste.
Patina Osaka’s latest award follows several other distinctions. The property was named the No.1 hotel globally and No.1 City Hotel in Asia in Travel + Leisure’s 2026 awards, while the Michelin Guide awarded it One Michelin Key in 2025. It also holds Bronze EarthCheck Certification.
The hotel recently marked its Travel + Leisure success through a limited collection with Osaka-born artist VERDY, who has served as its creative partner since launch.
“Patina Osaka’s debut on this list, just over a year after opening, tells us how quickly Patina has found its home in a vibrant city like Osaka,” Capella Hotel Group president Roland Fasel said.
Japan secured four places in the 2026 top 50. Alongside Patina Osaka, Aman Tokyo placed No.11, Bulgari Tokyo reached No.24 and Park Hyatt Kyoto took No.37.
Capella Hanoi makes its extended-list debut
In Hanoi’s central Hoàn Kiếm district, Capella Hanoi is an intimate 47-room hotel designed by architect Bill Bensley around the glamour of the Roaring Twenties and Vietnamese opera.
Its No.81 position is the hotel’s first appearance in the extended 51–100 ranking. The theatrical interiors draw on the imagined lives of opera artists and performers at the small-scale property close to the Hanoi Opera House.
Dining is led by Hibana by Koki, a Michelin-starred restaurant focused on teppanyaki, while Auriga Spa provides the hotel’s principal wellness space.
Capella Singapore returns at No.97
Spread across 30 acres on Sentosa Island, Capella Singapore is a resort overlooking the South China Sea, where restored colonial buildings sit alongside contemporary architecture.
The property returned to the extended ranking at No.97. Its grounds and Tanah Merah heritage distinguish it from Singapore’s urban hotels, offering a secluded setting within reach of the city centre.
Capella Singapore and Capella Bangkok both appeared in the inaugural hotel ranking in 2023. The Singapore resort’s latest inclusion brings the group’s total representation across the top 100 to five properties.
How The 50 Best Hotels voting works
The 2026 ranking was determined by more than 800 anonymous voters drawn from the international hotel industry and luxury travel community. The Academy’s 13 geographic regions are represented by experienced luxury travellers, business travellers, educators, travel journalists and hoteliers.
Each voter submits seven ranked choices based on stays at hotels over the three-year voting period. Hotels cannot apply, nominate themselves or pay to enter, and voters can select properties outside their home regions. At least a quarter of the panel is renewed annually, while Deloitte independently adjudicates the process.
Europe secured 21 places in the 2026 top 50, followed by Asia with 18 and North America with six. South America and Africa each had two hotels, with Capella Sydney representing Oceania.
Further openings include Patina Tianjin, which is due to introduce the Patina brand to China by the end of 2026, and the David Chipperfield-designed Capella Nanjing, which will become Capella’s third hotel in the country. Capella Diriyah in Riyadh is scheduled to bring the brand to the Middle East in 2027.
