2010 World’s Best Hotels: Hospitable Environments

The past 12 months have been a year to try investors’ souls. What began with hopes of a solid economic recovery, and occasionally offered a hint of something more, ended up producing as much disappointment as promise. The U.S. economy sputtered despite Helicopter Ben’s best efforts, Europe’s debt woes chewed up more of the periphery and began threatening the core, and politics took a bitter turn at the national and Group of 20 levels. That’s enough to make one say, “Get me out of here.”

For those so inclined it’s nice to know that the standards of hospitality in the five-star world remain as high as ever. Our ranking of the World’s Best Hotels features 100 establishments that stand out for their style, service and know-how. As Harun Özkan, head concierge at the Four Seasons at Sultanahmet in Istanbul, explains, “We try to understand [guests’] feelings and exceed their expectations.” Who could argue with that?

*Order determined by scores before rounding.