The 5 Best Luxury Hotels of 2023 — and Why They're Worth the Price

If we thought 2023 would be a year of normal travel after a prolonged period of disruption and uncertainty, boy, were we wrong. Still, amid all of this year's natural disasters, social unrest and geopolitical conflicts, hotels reclaimed their ability to serve as beacons of pure comfort: They largely overcame the labor and supply chain crises and returned to full-service operations. They again became capable of making us feel pampered and truly cared for during challenging times. And in fact, with 2023 also seeing the first-ever editions of the World's 50 Best hotels list and a similar ranking by La Liste — each recognizing the industry's global hospitality standard bearers — discussions about hotels this year were often celebratory. We certainly paid a pretty penny for that service, as nightly rates continued to soar to previously unthinkable heights. Here are the top five places I stayed this year — and the details that made them worth the (sometimes eye-popping) price tags. I think it's no surprise that my top two were the ones I got to share with both of my kids: Family always makes a place that much sweeter. (The author is Bloomberg News' travel czar and earlier spent seven years as its travel editor.) Image: Adobe Stock

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