New list identifies world's top 100 most luxurious hotels

From a luxurious island hotel perched on stilts in the remote, easternmost reach of Canada to a Paris hotel that boasts five Michelin stars, a new list of the top 100 most opulent hotels has been released for the world's most demanding guests.

Published by Elite Traveler, an in-flight lifestyle magazine distributed in the seatbacks of private jets, the list of Top 100 Hotels in the World 2018 is aimed at wealthy jetsetting globetrotters and, perhaps, those with small budgets but big dreams.

Winners were selected by the magazine's editors. This year's list features 14 new entries. 

Here are a few highlights: 

Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland, Canada 

Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland, Canada. Photo: AFP

Set on the jagged rocks of Canada's easternmost reaches, Fogo Island Inn brings modern luxury to an offshore, isolated island that's said to experience seven seasons and envelop guests inside a blanket of North Atlantic silence. Held up on stilts, the striking, contemporary building has 29 guest rooms that offer floor-to-ceiling views of their dramatic island surroundings and feature hand-crafted quilts, as well as some wood-burning stoves. 

 

The Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris 

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris. Photo: AFP

After earning new Michelin stars for their restaurants Le George and L'Orangerie last year, The Four Seasons Hotel George V became the first hotel in Europe to boast Michelin stars for all its eateries. The property's flagship restaurant Le Cinq also boasts all three stars. 

Plaza New York City, New York

Set within a beautiful Beaux-Arts style building, The Plaza's interior takes its inspiration from Louis XV interiors, with the Royal Suite featuring a grand piano and a personal library curated by Prosper Assouline, whose publishing house specializes in luxury coffee table books on subjects like architecture, art, design, fashion, gastronomy and photography. 

Clayoquot Wilderness Reserve, British Columbia, Canada 

Clayoquot Wilderness Reserve, British Columbia, Canada. Photo: AFP

A seaplane ride from Tofino, guests at this wilderness resort sleep in safari-style luxury tents, complete with electricity, antique furnishings and wooden beds. For the ultimate experience, guests can sign up to be helicoptered 4,500 feet above sea level to the top of Ursus Mountain for sky-high yoga,  hiking and gourmet picnics.

Four Seasons, Hangzhou, China

Set within a lakeside village on the shores of West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Four Seasons, Hangzhou stands as a blend of the traditional Chinese pagoda with contemporary design. Rooms are billed as the biggest in Hangzhou. Most of the accommodations open to a terrace conservatory and offer stunning views of the forest glade and traditional Chinese gardens. 

For the full list, visit www.elitetraveler.com/category/top-100-hotels-in-the-world