This Indian Hotel Makes It to the List of the World’s Most Beautiful Hotels of 2025

Each year, the Prix Versailles, a globally recognized architecture and design award series endorsed by UNESCO, spotlights hotels that go beyond luxury. Their annual list celebrates hospitality spaces that represent a thoughtful fusion of beauty, sustainability, cultural identity, and architectural innovation. For 2025, the jury has selected 16 hotels across five continents that not only wow with their design but also reflect strong local roots and environmentally aware craftsmanship.

And this year, India proudly claims a spot on this prestigious list. The restored heritage hotel Ran Baas, The Palace in Patiala, Punjab, has earned its place among the world’s finest. Once a forgotten royal fort, it now stands as a shining example of cultural preservation and luxury hospitality.

Here’s a closer look at all 16 properties that have made the cut for 2025:

1. Ran Baas The Palace — Patiala, India

After decades of abandonment, Ran Baas has been magnificently revived within the historic Qila Mubarak complex. Led by conservation architect Abha Narain Lambah and backed by Priya Paul of Park Hotels, this regal restoration keeps the fort’s Sikh and Mughal architecture intact while incorporating modern indulgences. Highlights include a luxurious spa where the royal kitchens once stood, and elegant dining spaces set within the old throne room. This is Punjab’s first palace hotel—rich in legacy and designed for the modern traveller.

2. Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab — Dubai, UAE

Inspired by Dubai’s deep ties to the sea, this hotel feels like a floating palace. Designed by Killa Design, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab resembles a cruise liner, with cascading levels that reflect the form of ship decks. It’s the final piece in a trilogy alongside the Burj Al Arab and Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The architectural flow is futuristic, offering a complete and opulent escape right by the Arabian Gulf.

3. Mandarin Oriental Qianmen — Beijing, China

Nestled in the traditional hutongs near the Forbidden City, this hotel reimagines historic Beijing through a luxury lens. Comprising 42 restored courtyard residences, the Mandarin Oriental Qianmen offers private sanctuaries that blend old-world charm with contemporary elegance. Interiors by Cheng Chung Design balance quiet luxury with cultural reverence, creating a deeply immersive guest experience.

4. Rosewood Munich — Munich, Germany

This hotel spans two historic buildings in Munich’s heart—one a former state bank, the other an aristocratic residence. Rosewood Munich, with interiors by Tara Bernerd & Partners, is full of refined touches: soft colour palettes, a peaceful spa, and Rococo flourishes that subtly whisper its past. It feels less like a hotel and more like a tranquil retreat tucked into the city’s old-world charm.

5. Al Moudira — Luxor, Egypt

An oasis overlooking the Valley of the Kings, Al Moudira is a unique blend of Arab aesthetics and desert serenity. Originally opened in 2002 and expanded in 2024, the hotel is a maze of intimate courtyards, with hand-painted frescoes and traditional Middle Eastern latticework. The design draws from cities like Alexandria and Beirut, resulting in a warm, evocative retreat steeped in heritage.

6. Hotel du Couvent — Nice, France

A former 17th-century convent in Old Nice is now home to Hotel du Couvent, a peaceful escape infused with history. Valery Grego and Festen Architecture led its careful transformation, maintaining the original monastic calm. A bakery, herbal apothecary, and refined restaurant now occupy spaces once used for prayer and quiet reflection, making the hotel feel timeless and meditative.

7. Hotel Hana — Paris, France

Paris’s Little Tokyo neighbourhood gets its own zen-inspired haven with Hotel Hana. Architect Laura Gonzalez crafts a delicate harmony between Japanese minimalism and Belle Époque decadence. With custom-designed interiors and tranquil terraces, this hotel offers a rare, artistic stillness in the middle of a buzzing city.

8. Mandarin Oriental Mayfair — London, UK

Located in Hanover Square, this new London property is where heritage meets high design. Architects RSHP, along with Studio Indigo and Curiosity, have created a sleek, Asian-influenced interior. Think green marble lobbies, spa treatments steeped in ritual, and culinary experiences helmed by Chef Akira Back. A luxurious base in one of the capital’s most iconic squares.

9. Palazzo Talia — Rome, Italy

Step into a world of Renaissance elegance at Palazzo Talia. Once home to a cardinal and a humanist scholar, this early 16th-century property now features 26 richly decorated rooms and common areas, including a pool and a bar beneath stunning frescoed ceilings. Restored by Studio Luca Guadagnino, the hotel is a marriage of intellectual history and baroque beauty.

10. Romeo Roma — Rome, Italy

In another Roman marvel, Romeo Roma merges the ancient and the avant-garde. Zaha Hadid Architects have brought their signature fluid design to this renovated 16th-century palazzo. With a transparent pool revealing archaeological treasures beneath and even a centuries-old olive tree nestled into a quiet terrace, the hotel is a futuristic ode to timelessness.

11. MGallery Sosei Sapporo — Sapporo, Japan

Built on the former site of the Kaitakushi Brewery, this hotel is a tribute to Japan’s Meiji-era modernization. MGallery Sosei Sapporo combines industrial exteriors with minimalist, warm interiors designed by Studio Crowe. The result is a stylish fusion of East and West that nods to Hokkaido’s past while embracing its creative future.

12. Todos Santos Boutique Hotel — Baja California Sur, Mexico

Once a historic schoolhouse, this hotel now pulses with colour and character. Todos Santos Boutique Hotel in Mexico’s Baja California Sur retains original frescoes and bullet-marked walls while adding handcrafted murals in every room. Architect Alejandra Sarmiento Legorreta transforms it into a living gallery, steeped in local legend and artistry.

13. Shebara — Sheybarah Island, Saudi Arabia

Part of the Red Sea’s sustainable tourism project, Shebara is a fully off-grid eco-luxury retreat. Floating villas—designed by Killa Design—mirror pearls on water, powered by solar and supported by desalination systems. Surrounded by coral reefs and mangroves, this resort blends sci-fi aesthetics with a deep ecological conscience.

14. Raffles Sentosa Singapore — Singapore

Just a short drive from Singapore’s city centre, Raffles Sentosa offers a tropical escape on Sentosa Island. With villa-only accommodation and lush landscaping by Yabu Pushelberg, this tranquil hideaway features floral chandeliers, footpaths winding through ancient ficus trees, and a rare sense of stillness—just minutes from the city skyline.

15. The Manner — New York City, USA

In SoHo, The Manner captures the gritty romance of New York’s art scene. Designed by Hannes Peer, each room is a sensory journey with hand-crafted furniture, saturated colours, and murals by Elvira Solana. The hotel celebrates both Milanese elegance and New York’s nostalgic, creative spirit.

16. Namia River Retreat — Hoi An, Vietnam

Nestled beside a tranquil river in Hoi An, Namia River Retreat redefines eco-luxury. Designed by T3 Architects, the stilted timber villas preserve local ecology while offering wellness experiences like herbal therapies, boat rides, and craft workshops. It’s a destination that soothes the body and soul while honouring Vietnamese tradition.

The 2025 Prix Versailles list is a vivid reminder that hotels are more than just places to stay—they are stories carved in stone, glass, and tradition. This year’s selections reflect a growing global desire for beauty with purpose: where history, sustainability, and design intersect. Whether it’s a desert oasis in Egypt or a reimagined Sikh palace in Punjab, these hotels aren’t just beautiful—they’re meaningful.