The Best Hotels and Resorts in the World: The Gold List 2026 | Condé Nast Traveler

"Ask my seven-year-old his favorite hotel, and he’ll tell you it’s the Island Shangri-La in Hong Kong, home to an entire family floor with a toy train chugging through the hallway and suites with secret slides and spaceship beds straight out of Howl’s Moving Castle. These OTT accommodations are part of a top-to-toe revamp of the 30-year-old grande dame that blends its old-world opulence with a modern edge. Other fresh touches include the reimagined Shangri-La Suite, a maze of glossy marble and hand-painted walls; a botanical-heavy spa; and modern Hokkien-style diner Ming Pavilion. Luckily the classics remain unchanged: Service is still unparalleled, and chichi Cantonese mainstay Summer Palace continues to dole out the shrimp dumplings that have earned it a loyal following. From $520. —Chris Schalkx" - CNT Editors