Founded in 1991 by Singaporean entrepreneur Christina Ong, whose background in luxury fashion helped shape COMO's understated aesthetic.

The collection spans urban hotels in London and Bangkok, island retreats in the Maldives, a 12th-century castle in Tuscany, mountain lodges in the Alps and Bhutan, and beachfront escapes in Phuket and Bali.

The philosophy is quiet luxury. Central to every property is COMO Shambhala, the brand’s own wellness concept built around nutrition, restorative therapies, and yoga. At COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali, guests can follow programs of up to 14 days with a personal physician and nutritionist.

🛎️ Who it's for: Quiet luxury seekers, who prefer elegance, and thoughtful details. Wellness-minded travelers, who want to feel better when they return home, not just well rested.

Part of LVMH, the luxury group behind brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior and Belmond. While Belmond celebrates heritage and timeless journeys, Cheval Blanc brings the world of haute couture into hospitality.

The name comes from Château Cheval Blanc, the legendary Saint-Émilion estate owned by LVMH. The first Maison opened in Courchevel in 2006. Today there are six properties: Courchevel, St. Tropez, St. Barths, Maldives, Seychelles, Paris, and soon a private island retreat in Dubai.

Every Maison is designed by a different world-renowned architect and reflects the craftsmanship of the LVMH universe. Dior Spa, Guerlain treatments and Loro Piana interiors are part of the experience.

Cheval Blanc Paris, inside the restored La Samaritaine on the Seine, is home to the longest indoor pool in Paris and the three-Michelin-starred Plénitude, ranked among The World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2025.

🛎️ Who it's for: Style connoisseurs, who want every hotel to feel like a private couture house. Someone, who value fashion, art, craftsmanship, and impeccable service as much as the destination itself.

For most of its history, Maybourne remained quietly behind the scenes. The group owned three of London's most legendary hotels - Claridge's, The Connaught and The Berkeley - without promoting itself as a consumer-facing brand. No logo on the door, only the reputation of each individual hotel. These three hotels have been considered among the best hotels in the world for over a century.

Claridge's opened in 1856 and became the unofficial London residence of European royalty during World War II. The Connaught has stood on Carlos Place since 1897 and is home to one of London's most sought-after cocktail bars.

The Berkeley is known for its rooftop pool overlooking Hyde Park and its Prêt-à-Portea afternoon tea inspired by the world's leading fashion collections.

Today, the collection includes Maybourne Beverly Hills, Maybourne Riviera, and The Emory. In 2024, Maybourne also introduced its first consumer-facing identity built around the idea of "Stories of Distinction," giving a shared identity to hotels that had long been known primarily by their individual names.

Owned by Qatari investors since 2015.

🛎️ Who it's for: Insiders who want to stay somewhere exceptional, and who choose reputation over recognition. Who believe the world's greatest hotels don't need to introduce themselves.

Oetker Collection traces its hospitality heritage to 1872, with the origins of Brenners Park-Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden. The Oetker family's own journey into hospitality began in 1941, when Rudolf-August Oetker acquired the hotel. Rather than expanding rapidly, the company spent decades refining its approach to luxury hospitality.

Today, Oetker Collection includes just 12 Masterpiece Hotels, each chosen for its individuality rather than to fit a standardized brand model.

The portfolio is concentrated in Europe and the Caribbean, with icons such as Le Bristol Paris on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc on the French Riviera, The Lanesborough in London, Hotel La Palma in Capri, Eden Rock in St Barths, Palácio Tangará in São Paulo. In February 2026, The Vineta Hotel in Palm Beach became the brand’s first property in the United States.

There is no standardized visual formula. Each hotel retains its own history, architecture and sense of place, united by European hospitality, discretion and highly personalized service.

🛎️ Who it's for: connoisseurs, who value discretion, individuality and timeless European elegance. Who have stayed everywhere and still look for hotels that feel genuinely one of a kind.

Six Senses was founded in 1995 by British hoteliers Sonu and Eva Shivdasani, who met at the Monaco Grand Prix, married, and spent their honeymoon traveling through the world's best hotels. What they experienced inspired them to create a different kind of luxury hotel.

From the beginning, they embraced one idea: "No shoes, no news." Where other luxury hotels offered marble lobbies and formal service, Six Senses offered jungle paths, bicycles, and open-air showers. Sustainability and wellness were built into every detail before either word became a hospitality trend.

Today, as part of IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group), but the brand maintains its original philosophy and operates entirely on its own terms. Six Senses operates 27 properties across some of the world's most remote and beautiful locations like Bhutan, Fiji, Oman, Ibiza, Seychelles, and Grenada.

Wellness goes far beyond the spa, with personalized sleep programs, longevity and gut health treatments, and Earth Labs where guests explore sustainability through hands-on experiences. Local and organic food is part of everyday life.

🛎️ Who it's for: mindful travelers who care about what goes into their body and their impact on the planet. Who would rather wake up for a sunrise hike than stay out for cocktails.

Founded by the same couple who created Six Senses: Sonu and Eva Shivdasani. After selling Six Senses in 2012, they focused entirely on Soneva — a smaller, more uncompromising version of their original vision. Three properties, all in the Maldives, with prices that make most ultra-luxury hotels look accessible.

The philosophy is now called “Bare Luxury”: removing everything unnecessary so nature, privacy, and meaningful experiences become the true luxury. Private observatories at every resort, a marine biology center breeding heat-resistant super corals, a glass workshop that upcycles waste glass into art.

Soneva Fushi has been carbon neutral since 2012, long before sustainability became an industry standard.

🛎️ Who it's for: escapists who want to disconnect from the world without sacrificing comfort. Who believe silence, nature and privacy are the greatest luxuries.

The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai was built in 1903 by Jamsetji Tata, founder of the Tata Group, who wanted to create a world-class hotel open to all. It was India's first luxury hotel and remains the flagship of Taj, part of IHCL (Indian Hotels Company Limited)

At the heart of the brand is "Tajness" philosophy: warmth over formality, anticipation over procedure. For Taj, exceptional service has always been an expression of care rather than ceremony.

The Taj Hotels portfolio includes palaces, jungle safari lodges, city landmarks, and coastal resorts across India, with international properties in the UK, US, Middle East, Africa, and across Asia.

Some properties are in a category of their own: Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur, a white marble 18th-century palace built in the middle of a lake — accessible only by boat. Or Taj Falaknuma Palace in Hyderabad, the former residence of Mir Osman Ali Khan (Nizam of Hyderabad), once considered the wealthiest man in the world.

🛎️ Who it's for: culture seekers who want to experience Indian hospitality at its finest. Who value warmth and service that feels genuinely personal.

Founded in 2001 by Horst Schulze, the former president of Ritz-Carlton, who left to create a hotel brand that combined deeply personalised service with a stronger sense of place. Capella has been named Best Hotel Brand in the world by Travel + Leisure three consecutive years, 2023 through 2025.

Every property has a dedicated Culturist - a specialist who introduces guests to the art, history, cuisine and traditions of the destination through tailor-made experiences.

Most properties are located across Asia-Pacific, including Singapore, Bangkok, Hanoi, Shanghai, Taipei, Ubud and Sydney.

Capella Singapore became globally known as the venue for the 2018 Trump-Kim summit.

Capella Kyoto opens in 2026 and Capella Florence in 2027, marking the brand's first European properties.

🛎️ Who it's for: сulturists who value local heritage as much as beautiful design. Who believe the best hotels help you understand a destination more deeply.

When The Langham, London opened in 1865, it became Europe's first grand hotel and helped popularize the tradition of afternoon tea. Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, and Napoleon III were regulars here.

Today, Langham operates luxury hotels across Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. In 2027, The Langham, Venice will open in a 16th-century building on the island of Murano - the brand's first European property since London, more than 160 years later.

The philosophy is what Langham calls "comfortable luxury" - timeless elegance paired with warm, intuitive service. The brand's signature pink has become one of its defining symbols. During a 1987 renovation, restorers discovered the hotel's original pink wallpaper, which inspired the signature color used across the brand today.

T’ang Court at The Langham Hong Kong has held three Michelin stars for eleven years.

The brand is owned by Hong Kong-based Great Eagle Holdings, one of the few major luxury hotel groups that remains privately and independently owned.

🛎️ Who it's for: Classic Comfort Seekers who appreciate historic hotels, and outstanding restaurants with genuinely personal service. Who believe luxury should feel welcoming and effortless.

Jumeirah was founded in Dubai in 1997 with one goal: to build a hotel so visually extraordinary that it would define a city. The brand came to international attention with the opening of Burj Al Arab in 1999, that quickly became one of the most photographed hotels in the world. A sail-shaped tower on its own artificial island, with no standard rooms — only duplex suites starting at 170 square meters, a white Rolls-Royce fleet for airport transfers, and a helipad on the 28th floor.

The brand is owned by Dubai Holdings and now operates 29 hotels across 20 countries.

Beyond Burj Al Arab, the other famous hotels are Jumeirah Capri Palace on the island of Capri, home to the two-Michelin-starred L'Olivo restaurant, and Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab in Dubai, which was named one of The World's 50 Best Hotels shortly after opening.

The identity rests on two pillars: iconic architecture and Arabian hospitality. While Burj Al Arab remains the brand's defining symbol, Jumeirah continues to develop hotels designed to become landmarks in their own destinations.

The service philosophy draws on the Gulf Arab tradition of generous, unhurried welcome. The combination makes Jumeirah distinctive — one of the world's most visually recognizable hotel brands, paired with a deeply rooted tradition of Arabian hospitality.

🛎️ Who it's for: Icon Seekers who love staying somewhere that is as memorable as the destination itself. Who appreciate Arabian hospitality and don't mind being in a hotel designed to be noticed.

Founded in 1996 by Sir Rocco Forte and his sister Olga Polizzi, the brand was established after the Forte family lost the hotel empire created by their father, Lord Charles Forte. Rather than accepting the loss of the family business, Sir Rocco and Olga started over with a fresh vision of luxury.

Olga Polizzi became the brand's Director of Design and pioneered an approach of "a sense of place" that now feels familiar but was ahead of its time. Every hotel should reflect its destination: "Scotland should feel like Scotland, Rome should feel like Rome." She mixed antiques with contemporary art, vintage furniture with textiles woven by local artisans, and introduced the atmosphere of an elegant private home into hotel spaces.

Today, the group operates 16 hotels, almost all in Europe, including Brown's Hotel in London, Hotel de Russie and Hotel de la Ville in Rome, Villa Igiea in Palermo, Verdura Resort in Sicily, The Balmoral in Edinburgh, and The Carlton Milan, which opened in 2025.

Rather than expanding rapidly around the world, the group has focused on restoring and reimagining some of Europe's most historic hotels and landmark buildings.

In December 2023, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund acquired a 49% stake, valuing the business at £1.4 billion. The Forte family remains in control, with the third generation now involved in the business, including Lydia Forte and Irene Forte.

🛎️ Who it's for: Travelers who want every hotel to reflect the character of its destination. Who appreciate family-owned businesses with a strong vision.

The story begins in 1884 when Greek silversmith Sotirio Bulgari opened a shop on Via Sistina in Rome. Over a century later, the brand entered hospitality with a simple idea: a hotel as a piece of jewelry.

Bvlgari as a brand belongs to LVMH, while Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts is operated in partnership with Marriott International. Despite that, the hotels feel entirely separate from the Marriott universe.

Currently 9 hotels in Milan, London, Bali, Dubai, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Rome, and Paris. The Maldives is scheduled to open in 2026, followed by Miami Beach in 2027.

Every property is designed by the same architectural firm, ACPV Architects. Every hotel has Il Ristorante by chef Niko Romito and a spa with pools inspired by ancient Roman baths. The brand plans a maximum of 15 hotels worldwide.

🛎️ Who it's for: Collectors who appreciate exceptional craftsmanship, timeless design and beautiful objects. Who want a hotel that feels as a fine piece of jewelry.

I'm sure you'll have a lot of questions like - where's the Ritz-Carlton, Waldorf Astoria or Fairmont? These hotels are part of major hotel groups, and I will cover them in a separate article. Here's a quick preview:

Marriott group: Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, EDITION, The Luxury Collection, W hotels.
Hyatt Group: Park Hyatt, Alila, Miraval, Impression by Secrets, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt.
The Accor: Raffles, Fairmont, Orient Express, Sofitel, Banyan Tree.
Hilton: Waldorf Astoria.

Also, there's Independent hotels with a shared identity including Relais & Châteaux, Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH), Leading Hotels of the World (LHW), and One&Only Hotels.