Best hotels around the world: my top 10 list!

I’ve traveled a lot during the last few years, and I think I’ve been to around 50 countries. I’m not counting, but I’ve stayed at many hotels, guesthouses, and bungalows and slept some nights in tents and some other times under the stars. And these are the ten best hotels around the world that have an extraordinary place in my heart.

My top 10 best hotels around the world

1. Creag Mhor Lodge, Scotland

View of a lake and mountain from one best hotels — The view of the lake from my bedroom

Creag Mhor Lodge close to Glencoe in Scotland is a place very, very close to my heart, not only because the view is breathtaking or because the owners are super sweet people, or because I’ve slept like a baby there, but mainly because that’s the place I fell in love with Scotland. If you want to explore Scotland, I highly recommend to sleep in this best hotels and doing a road trip in Scotland by yourself, just like I did.

2. Almonds and Corals Lodge, Costa Rica

Two green bungalows in the jungle — Entrance of the bungalow

I still remember the sound of the jungle, how the rain dropped on the roof of my bungalow, how the howler monkeys had some dispute above my head, and how the wind rushed through the trees. This is the main reason why this hotel made it in my top 10 best hotels to sleep around the world. I sat on the stairs of my bungalow that night and recorded all the sounds so I could listen to them anytime I couldn’t fall asleep. The sound of the jungle is still one of my favorite bedtime stories.

Almonds and Corals Lodge is perfect for experiencing jungle AND beach; just a two-minute walk from your bungalow, you’ll find this gorgeous beach where sloths hang from the trees.

Beach across the jungle — The beach right in front of the hotel

3. Delano South Beach, Miami Beach

Woman with tattoo on her back sitting on an hotel bed

The Delano South Beach is a hotel where I could easily spend a week. The pool has so much glamour, the hotel’s art-deco style, and the chance to see one or two celebrities there… enough stuff that would engage me for a week. And then THE ROOMS. Initially designed by Philippe Starck, it is all white in white – a dream. It’s definitely one of the sexiest hotels I’ve ever stayed at, hence why on the list of best hotels.

4. B Ocean, Fort Lauderdale

Hotel room view of the sea with a bed and chair — Ocean view from the bedroom

If you would like to watch the sunrise from bed, you HAVE to stay at least one night at the B Ocean in Fort Lauderdale. The view is already pretty breathtaking during the day, but if your jetlag wakes you up way too early, you’ll be rewarded with that view.

5. Nabucco, Borneo (Kalimantan)

Jungle island in the middle of the sea — Nunukan island

My trip to Kalimantan (Borneo) is still one of my favorite trips ever, not only because I slept like a baby on a dirty mattress somewhere in the middle of the jungle but also because I learned how to dive on the two islands Nunukan and Nabucco. Both islands are paradise. Nunukan offers some fancy accommodation and best hotels, and Nabucco has beautiful wooden bungalows. It takes forever to get there, but it’s worth it.

6. Tent/Yurt, Mongolia

View of a rock from inside a yellow tent — What a dream waking up to this view!

I love being in nature somewhere in the middle of nowhere, and Mongolia is perfect for this. Most of the time, we’ve stayed in tents and, now and then, in yurts. So no best hotels to recommend, but it’s one the great places to stay. And I do remember especially two nights. One was in a tent in front of the flaming cliffs, and the other one was in a yurt with three kittens cuddling with me while the fire cracked in the oven, and I slowly fell asleep. Moments I will never forget.

7. InterContinental Le Grand Hotel, Paris

Historical buildings in a square — Enjoying Paris at night

What I do like about myself is that I feel comfortable in a tent in Mongolia just as much as I do in best hotels, like the InterContinental Le Grand in Paris. It’s next to the opera, a house full of history. When it opened in 1862, it was known as the best hotel in the world because most of the rooms already had ensuite bathrooms, and the elevators were running up AND down. Imagine how that must have been back then…

8. Ottmanngut Suite & Breakfast, Merano

White building entrance with palm trees — LA style entrance of this Italian hotel

The Ottmangut is more than just a hotel for me; it’s a kind of home, too. Mainly because the owner, Martin, and the whole team will make you feel like staying with friends. All rooms are individually decorated, and you can expect a three-course menu for breakfast. Amazing!

9. Wild Orchid Villa, Bangkok

Woman eating at a table in a cafe — Enjoying breakfast before out check-in

The first time I went to Bangkok was in 2010 with the lovely Susi, back when we both weren’t travel bloggers yet and had no idea what kind of adventures were awaiting us when we checked in to the Wild Orchid for our first night in Bangkok. Because of this, this place has an extraordinary meaning for me. It might not be the best guesthouse in Bangkok, but every time I’m in town, I HAVE to stay there at least for one night. It feels like coming home every time.

10. Namib Dune Star Camp, Namibia

Bed on a balcony in front of desert — Sleeping on a comfy bed under the stars in the Namib desert

I’ve slept more than once under starry heavens, but never like in the desert of Namib. At the Namib Dune Star Camp, you can roll your bed out of the room onto your terrace, and through this, you’ll get a very special experience under the open sky. The most extraordinary sleeping experience was during my road trip to Namibia.