A typical five-star hotel has all the bells and whistles: a prime location, a bougie day spa, an infinity pool and world-class dining (including 24-hour room service and buffet breakfast, obviously). But a handful of these properties are in a whole other league – the kind that make the World’s 50 Best Hotels list. And in 2025, two of these global winners can be found right here in Australia.
Much like their recently released Best Bars ranking, the World’s 50 Best Hotels celebrates luxury hospitality providers around the world that go above and beyond for their guests. Now in its third edition, the list is determined by votes from more than 800 anonymous experts, including hoteliers, travel journalists, educators and luxury travellers globally.
In 2025, Capella Sydney made its grand debut on the World’s 50 Best Hotels list, landing in a super impressive 12th spot. It was the highest-ranked hotel not only in Australia, but across the entire Oceania region.
Housed in the heritage-listed Department of Education building just steps from Sydney Harbour, this sandstone masterpiece features 192 thoughtfully designed guestrooms and suites, each with soaring ceilings, bespoke furnishings and a curated collection of Aussie artwork. What truly sets Capella Sydney apart, however, is its hyper-personalised service: dedicated Capella Culturists – concierge-butler extraordinaires – craft bespoke experiences and tailor every stay to the guest’s individual preferences. Time Out Australia’s Editor-in-Chief, Alice Ellis, can confirm: it’s the best hotel she’s ever stayed in.
For the third year running, Brisbane’s The Calile Hotel secured a spot in the top 50 – the only hotel in the Oceania region to be included every year since the awards began. It landed 34th in 2025, after placing 12th in 2023 and 25th in 2024.
Since opening in 2018, The Calile has become renowned for its laid-back luxe design, blending sub-tropical Aussie spirit with the buzzy energy of Palm Springs and Miami. Its sparkling 30-metre pool remains the centrepiece, but the hotel’s restaurants also draw plenty of acclaim, including Hellenika and SK Steak & Oyster.
This year, the World’s 50 Best went one step further, releasing a longlist of the 51-100 top hotels for the first time ever. Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge was the only Australian property to feature, landing 69th, while also taking home the new American Express Travel One To Watch Award. You can see the full list of winners here.