Dubai Dominates The Middle East In The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026

Atlantis The Royal ranks fourth globally and is named The Best Hotel in the Middle East, while Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab also secures a place in the top 20.

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Dubai’s hotel scene has scored another international win. The World’s 50 Best Hotels has unveiled its 2026 ranking, and the emirate is responsible for both of the Middle Eastern properties to make the prestigious global list.

Leading the regional charge is Atlantis The Royal, which ranks at number four in the world. The Palm Jumeirah resort has also been named The Best Hotel in the Middle East and received the Best Beach Hotel Award, giving Dubai one of the strongest performances of any destination represented.

Atlantis The Royal has become one of Dubai’s most recognisable hotels since its high-profile opening in 2023. The resort made international headlines with its Grand Reveal Weekend, which included a headline performance from Beyoncé, and quickly established itself as a major name in the city’s luxury hospitality landscape.

The sprawling property features 795 rooms, suites and signature penthouses, alongside dramatic sky pools, fire and water features and a substantial collection of restaurants. Its culinary line-up includes concepts associated with some of the world’s best-known chefs, reinforcing Dubai’s reputation as a destination where hotels and dining increasingly go hand in hand.

Atlantis The Royal’s 2026 result also continues an impressive run in The World’s 50 Best Hotels. In the 2024 ranking, the resort placed ninth after climbing 35 positions. Two years later, it has reached number four globally and sits behind only Rosewood Hong Kong, Capella Bangkok and Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River.

Dubai’s second entry is Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, which ranks at number 15 after climbing five places. Its inclusion means Dubai has two hotels inside the global top 15. The result marks a notable change from previous editions. In 2024, Atlantis The Royal was joined by The Lana – Dorchester Collection in Dubai and Six Senses Zighy Bay in Oman among the region’s leading properties.

Globally, Rosewood Hong Kong retained the number one position for a second consecutive year, having ranked third in 2024 before taking the top spot in 2025. The hotel was also named The Best Hotel in Asia. Capella Bangkok, which topped the ranking in 2024, places second this year, while Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River takes third. Italy’s Passalacqua completes the top five behind Atlantis The Royal.

Four hotels represented the United Kingdom. London claimed three spots, with Claridge’s rising to number 13, Raffles London at The OWO ranking at number 28 and The Connaught at number 49. Outside the capital, Estelle Manor in Witney climbed four positions to number 43. Singapore also makes the list, with Raffles Singapore securing the number 17 spot in the global ranking.

The 2026 edition marks the fourth year of The World’s 50 Best Hotels. For the first time, the awards ceremony moved outside London and was held at Les Salles du Carrousel in Paris. This year’s ranking spans 22 territories across six continents, with Europe accounting for 21 hotels and Asia following with 18.

Alongside Dubai’s success, the ceremony handed out a series of special awards. Passalacqua won the Best Boutique Hotel Award for a third consecutive year, while Mexico’s Chablé Yucatán received the Bombay Sapphire Eco Hotel Award. Patina Osaka took the Nikka Best New Hotel Award, Rosewood received the Ferrari Trento Most Admired Hotel Group Award and Nihi Hotels co-founder James McBride was presented with the SevenRooms Icon Award.

The ranking is decided by an Academy of more than 800 voters across 13 geographical regions. The panel includes hoteliers, travel journalists, hotel educators, business travellers and experienced travellers, with members voting for hotels they have stayed at during the previous three years.

Contact: www.theworlds50best.com