Step into any guest room at The Ritz Paris, and you’ll find a space dripping in opulence. The Louis XIV-influenced décor features rich brocades, tasseled tapestries, chandeliers and bursts of gold. Inside the Italian marble bathroom, there are more lavish touches, like the gilded swan faucet—an original amenity of the 1898 hotel—and accompanying sink knobs bejeweled with red and blue crystals. And when you settle into the spacious accommodations, expect to receive a welcome treat, like lemon and apricot pastries on a silver multi-tiered tray. It’s no wonder why countless luminaries—from Coco Chanel to F. Scott Fitzgerald—chose to live here.
The Parisian grande dame is one of 41 hotels spanning 17 countries to earn a spot on Forbes Travel Guide’s 2019 list of the World’s Best Rooms, a compilation of the finest hotel accommodations around the globe—from Beverly Hills to Beijing.
To assess properties, incognito inspectors check into a hotel for two nights, paying their own way and posing as ordinary guests. During their stay, they evaluate up to 900 objective, exacting standards, including whether the spaces are properly soundproofed, the quality of the linens, and what types of snacks are stocked in the minibar. The 41 winners each achieved perfect scores on guest room and bathroom standards measuring luxury, comfort, and convenience—on top of being spotless and well-maintained.
Feast your eyes on the full list of the world’s best hotel rooms, and peek inside some of the most luxurious spaces below.