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Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River Earns Coveted Spot on The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2023 List

The energetic urban resort was named the #3 hotel in the world at an award ceremony in London

September 19, 2023,
Bangkok, Thailand

Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok at Chao Phraya River has been named #3 in the inaugural The World's 50 Best Hotels list. The eagerly anticipated global ranking was unveiled at an awards ceremony held in London, showcasing exceptional hotels from 35 different locations across six continents worldwide.

The world of travel converged from every corner of the globe to celebrate each other’s achievements at the grand announcement of The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2023. Hosted at the historic Guildhall, the event spotlighted remarkable hotel experiences that will undoubtedly inspire the aspirations of consumers, travellers, and hoteliers worldwide.

Lubosh Barta, Regional Vice President and General Manager at Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, shares his excitement, saying, "We are profoundly honoured to be named among The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2023. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our exceptional team, who have consistently delivered unparalleled hospitality since our opening in December 2020."

Rising above the majestic Chao Phraya River in the heart of Bangkok’s Creative District, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok is designed by the legendary Jean-Michel Gathy. The energetic urban resort puts guests at the centre of Bangkok’s riverside Creative District, a coveted neighbourhood filled with galleries, boutiques and cafés. The Hotel’s airy indoor-outdoor layout is inspired by the rhythms of the river. The magic begins the moment one arrives, greeted by light-filled open spaces, cascading water pools and a succession of water and plant filled courtyards. Guests take in sweeping river views from the outdoor infinity pools, experience the best of wellness and fitness at the Urban Wellness Centre, discover innovative Thai artworks at the ART Space curated in partnership with the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Bangkok, and savour award-winning inventive gastronomy at the high-concept restaurants – from riverside Italian lunches to refined Michelin-starred Cantonese dining. BKK Social Club serves bespoke cocktails in a setting that echoes the legendary glamour of Buenos Aires and was featured on the 2022 World’s 50 Best Bars list at #14 and the 2023 Asia’s 50 Best Bars list at #3.

Commenting on the awards, Tim Brooke-Webb, Managing Director for The World’s 50 Best Hotels, said, “Our heartfelt congratulations go out to every hotel on the list, each of which has clearly made a lasting impression on our Academy of travel experts. After witnessing the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the hospitality industry, it’s been especially fulfilling to see so many hoteliers from around the world gather in London to celebrate each other’s achievements under one roof for the first-ever awards ceremony for The World’s 50 Best Hotels. We hope this list inspires travel lovers to book somewhere truly spectacular for their next trip.”

How the 50 Best Voting Works

The list is created from the votes of The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, which comprises 580 international well-travelled experts within the hotel and travel industry, with a 50/50 gender balance. The Academy is split into nine regions across the world, where each region is headed up by an Academy Chair. A minimum of 25% of the panel will be renewed each year. All voters, aside from the Academy Chairs, remain anonymous to eliminate the possibility of lobbying. At the point of voting, they are simply required to list the seven best hotels they have stayed in over the past 24 months in order of preference. Voting is carried out individually and strictly confidentially on a secure site and the results remain confidential until after the list announcement. Additional information is available on the 50 Best FAQs page here.

About The World’s 50 Best Hotels

Following the success of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and The World’s 50 Best Bars, 50 Best launched The World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2023, marking the brand’s first global launch since 2009. The World’s 50 Best Hotels list is created by The World’s 50 Best Hotels Academy, an influential group of more than 580 independent leaders, each selected for their expert opinion of the international hotel scene. The World’s 50 Best Hotels event program – including the awards ceremony and unveiling of the list – provides a unique opportunity to unite hoteliers, restaurateurs, bar owners, media, business travellers and luxury travellers at a captivating celebration of hospitality, passion and talent. The resulting list is the first ranking of its kind to inspire consumers to book stays at the finest 50 properties in the world. The inaugural awards ceremony was held on September 19, 2023.

About William Reed

The World’s 50 Best Hotels list is owned and organised by William Reed, which also publishes The World's 50 Best Restaurants, launched in 2002, Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants and Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (both launched in 2013), Middle East & North Africa’s 50 Best Restaurants (2022), as well as The World’s 50 Best Bars (2009), Asia’s 50 Best Bars (2016) and North America’s 50 Best Bars (2022). William Reed is entirely responsible for the organisation of the awards, the voting system and the list.

The launch of The World’s 50 Best Hotels is another step in 50 Best’s journey towards becoming the ultimate global reference point for the very best hospitality experiences across the world, encompassing restaurants, bars and now hotels.