Mexico just crushed the US when it comes to luxury hotels

At the start of November, the World's 50 Best ranking authority published its annual list of the most luxurious hotels around the world.

The Rosewood Hong Kong, a shining jewel and flagship property of the wider Rosewood company's portfolio of luxury hotels, took the top spot after landing in the top three for the last three years in a row.

A 65-story building overlooking the city's famous Victoria Harbour, the Rosewood was recognized for world-class service that will set travelers back $650 a night outside of peak periods.

"Opened in 2019 as the flagship property of the ever-expanding Asian hotel group, the hotel has become a beacon of modern Asian minimalist hospitality thanks primarily to one key factor: scale," the ranking's representatives summarize.

"While Hong Kong is no stranger to ultra-luxury accommodation, none can match Rosewood's ability to deliver all-out hospitality for as many guests concurrently, with the hotel comprising more than 400 rooms starting at 53 square meters."

The best luxury hotel in North America is in Mexico this year

While the implementation of what constitutes "best" is left up to discretion, the annual ranking asks over 800 travel industry to cast votes on which single hotel in the world they would classify as such.

The high value that many Asian cultures place on hospitality was likely what pushed the voting body made up of travel journalists, hoteliers, and individual travelers to vote for hotels on this continent above any other.

The Cappella Bangkok and Four Seasons Bangkok hotels both follow the Rosewood in second and third place, while a total of 10 of the 50 selected hotels are in Asia.

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Mexico also scored well as a country, with four luxury hotels landing among the top 50: the Chablé Yucatán in Chocholá in eighth place, the Maroma in Riviera Maya in 33th, the One&Only Mandarina in Riviera Nayarit in 39th, and Las Ventanas al Paraíso in Los Cabos in 44th.

"Pure relaxation is the name of the game here, achieved through its serene, palm-lined grounds and extensive range of Mayan treatment programmes [British spelling]," World's 50 Best writes of the Chablé.

"For a second year, it is named The Best Hotel in North America."

Four other Mexican hotels, but only two U.S. ones, named in World's Best 50

The United States, meanwhile, has had just two hotels on the list — the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles in 42nd place, and The Mark in New York City in 43rd — and none in the top 10.

While the ranking's representatives generally avoid commenting on why some countries see more of their hotels voted in than others, some insiders have pointed to the boost in luxury hotel construction that Mexico has been seeing in recent years.

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With much competition, new hotels aim to stand out from others in the five-star space by working in their surrounding environment and local culture.

"Mexico and much of Latin America are building properties that tell a story where the architecture has a strong sense of place, and the service feels like friendship, not protocol," Costa Rican Vacations CEO Casey Halloran said to British outlet The Independent.

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