travel

The world’s best hotel for 2025 is a waterfront skyscraper

It’s only been open for six years, but Rosewood Hong Kong has quickly become a distinguished feature of Hong Kong’s iconic skyline, as well as a force to be reckoned with in the luxury hotel scene.

And after landing in the top three of the World’s 50 Best Hotels list twice, the 65-storey property came in first place this year.

Designed by global architecture firm KPF, with interiors from Taiwanese designer Tony Chi, the contemporary 413-room hotel beat out last year’s winner, Capella Bangkok, in the highly anticipated list from the global hospitality brand 50 Best, announced at an awards ceremony in London last night.

Angus Pitkethley, complex director of sales and marketing for Rosewood Hong Kong, told the crowd at the Old Billingsgate events venue that it was a “real surprise and a real honor” to come out on top this year.

World-class service

What an emotional night here in London…” Pitkethley added. “Just a huge amount of pride and gratitude to be recognized with this award.”

When asked what he believed was the secret to the Rosewood Hong Kong’s success, Pitkethley credited the staff at the $650-a-night hotel, which is located on the Kowloon waterfront in Hong Kong.

“We have an incredible team back at the hotel, who are not only passionate about hospitality, but really passionate about Hong Kong,” he said.

Describing this year’s list as “a true celebration of the very best properties from 22 destinations across six continents,” Emma Sleight, head of content for The World’s 50 Best Hotels, was full of praise for the Rosewood Hong Kong, which opened in 2019.

“This exceptional hotel offers world-class service and sensational guest experiences in the heart of one of the world’s most bustling and dynamic destinations,” said Sleight.

“Rosewood Hong Kong’s positioning as No.1 further consolidates Asia as a leading luxury travel destination for both business and leisure travelers.”

Asia dominates

Meanwhile, Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, a 299-room retreat located in the center of the Thai capital’s creative district, came in second place, closely followed by Capella Bangkok, which took third place on the list, which was heavily dominated by Asian hotels.

In fact, Passalacqua, a boutique hotel located in Italy’s Lake Como was the only non-Asian hotel in the top five. The 18th-century villa took fourth place this year, making it the highest ranked European hotel, and was also named the Best Boutique Hotel.

Historic hotel Raffles Singapore, the birthplace of the Singapore Sling cocktail, rounded out the top five.

Other hotels in the Asian region featured on the list included Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (No.7), Upper House Hong Kong (No.10), Bulgari Tokyo (No.15), Aman Tokyo (No.25), Janu Tokyo (No.37), Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong (No.41), and The Tokyo Edition Toranomon (No.45).

Very best properties

The highest ranked hotel in North America was Chablé Yucatán (No. 8), one of four Mexican hotels featured. A former 19th-century hacienda, nestled in the Mayan jungle, Chablé Yucatán is “inspired by nature, culture, and human connection,” said Diego Gutiérrez, CEO of Chablé Hotels, in a press release. The Mark in New York was a new entry this year, placing at No.43 and Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles ranked at No.42.

Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro, which also won the Lavazza Highest New Entry Award, and Rosewood São Paulo were the only South American hotels on the list, placing at No.11 and No.24 respectively.

Dubai’s Atlantis The Royal, No.6, was the highest ranked hotel in the Middle East, while Capella Sydney, No.12, beat out the competition for the Oceana region. At No.13, Marrakech’s Royal Mansour was the highest ranked hotel in Africa.

The World’s Best Hotel list is decided by the World’s 50 Best Hotel Academy, which is made up of 800 hotel industry experts, including hoteliers and travel journalists, spread across 13 destinations around the globe.

The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025

1. Rosewood Hong Kong

2. Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (Thailand)

3. Capella Bangkok (Thailand)

4. Passalacqua (Italy)

5. Raffles Singapore

6. Atlantis The Royal (Dubai)

7. Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (Thailand)

8. Chablé Yucatán (Chocholá, Mexico)

9. Four Seasons Firenze (Florence, Italy)

10. Upper House Hong Kong

11. Copacabana Palace (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

12. Capella Sydney (Australia)

13. Royal Mansour (Marrakech, Morocco)

14. Mandarin Oriental Qianmen (Beijing, China)

15. Bulgari Tokyo (Japan)

16. Claridge’s (London)

17. Four Seasons Astir Palace (Athens, Greece)

18. Desa Potato Head (Seminyak, Bali)

19. Le Bristol (France)

20. Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab (Dubai)

21. Cheval Blanc Paris (France)

22. Bulgari Roma (Italy)

23. Hôtel de Crillon (France)

24. Rosewood São Paulo (Brazil)

25. Aman Tokyo (Japan)

26. Hotel Il Pellicano (Porto Ercole, Italy)

27. Hôtel du Couvent (Nice, France)

28. Soneva Fushi (Maldives)

29. The Connaught (London)

30. La Mamounia (Marrakech, Morocco)

31. Raffles London at The OWO

32. The Emory (London)

33. Maroma (Riviera Maya, Mexico)

34. The Calile (Brisbane, Australia)

35. The Lana (Dubai)

36. Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo (Monaco, France)

37. Janu Tokyo (Japan)

38. The Taj Mahal Palace (Mumbai, India)

39. One&Only Mandarina (Riviera Nayarit, Mexico)

40. Singita (Kruger National Park, South Africa)

41. Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong

42. Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles)

43. The Mark (New York)

44. Las Ventanas al Paraíso (Los Cabos, Mexico)

45. The Tokyo Edition Toranomon (Japan)

46. Hotel The Mitsui (Kyoto, Japan)

47. Estelle Manor (Witney, United Kingdom)

48. Grand Park Hotel Rovinj (Croatia)

49. Hotel Sacher Vienna (Austria)

50. Mandapa (Bali)

travel

Top 10 countries with the highest Schengen visa rejection

While thousands of UAE residents are currently scrambling to lock in travel plans ahead of the upcoming two-month school summer holiday, a smooth European getaway is far from a guarantee. In fact, choosing the wrong diplomatic mission right now could completely derail your vacation before it even begins.

The latest visa statistics from the European Commission reveal a stark reality for local holidaymakers: while some European nations welcome travellers with open arms, including giving them multiple-entry Schengen visas, a select group of consulates inside the UAE are proving to be major brick walls.

Surge in applications

Globally, the EU and Schengen-associated consulates received nearly 12 million applications for short-stay visas in 2025, a 1.8 percent increase from 2024 (11.7 million) and a 15.5 percent rise from 2023 (10.3 million). However, overall demand remained well below the 17 million applications recorded in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.

10 million visas

Over 10 million visas were issued globally in 2025, a 3 percent increase from 2024 (9.7 million). While the global refusal rate held steady at 14.8 percent, rejection rates inside the UAE tell a wildly different story for certain destinations, with several consulates turning away more than a third — and in some cases, over half — of all local applicants.

Highest rejection rates

Data reveals that Bulgaria is statistically the hardest Schengen visa to secure in the UAE. The country maintains a staggering official rejection rate of 58.2 percent, turning away 2,473 applicants out of 4,494 requests.

Luxembourg follows closely as the second-hardest destination, with a 48.5 percent rejection rate, meaning nearly one out of every two UAE applicants is denied. Estonia takes the third spot with a refusal rate of 46.4 percent across its 468 applications.

The high-volume traps

While smaller European states often see high percentages due to lower application volumes, several massive, mainstream holiday destinations in the UAE are operating as major rejection traps for unsuspecting holidaymakers.

Malta rejected 45.9 percent of its 7,079 applicants in the UAE, while Croatia denied 42.6 percent of the 2,092 people who applied. Meanwhile, Nordic favourite Sweden maintained a strict barrier, rejecting 40.7 percent of its 6,312 local applicants.

Popular Eastern European hub Hungary crossed the 10,000-application milestone in the UAE but proved to be highly exclusive, turning down 35.2 percent (3,636 applicants) of its total pool. Poland also sits high on the refusal leaderboard at 32.5 percent.

Rounding out the top 10 hardest states are Denmark and Slovakia. Denmark processed a massive 17,288 applications from the UAE but handed out rejections to 31.8 percent of them, while Slovakia refused 31.5 percent of its 1,110 applicants.

Smart travel strategy

The data indicates that instead of gambling on boutique destinations or strict Nordic states, smart UAE travellers should anchor their summer holiday itineraries with diplomatic heavyweights like Spain, France, or Germany, all of which boast significantly higher pure approval rates locally.

Gulf news

travel

Saudi Arabia bans in-flight power bank charging

operating at the Kingdom’s airports, updating regulations governing the carriage of portable chargers, commonly known as power banks, and other electronic devices onboard aircraft.

The authority announced the updated rules on social media, saying the measures are aimed at enhancing aviation safety and aligning with international standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization.

Charging power banks onboard banned

Under the new regulations, passengers and cabin crew are prohibited from recharging portable power banks during flights.

The authority said the measures are intended to strengthen aviation safety and security across all flights operating in the Kingdom.

Power banks allowed only in cabin baggage

The updated rules also state that power banks must be carried only in hand luggage inside the aircraft cabin and are strictly prohibited in checked baggage.

Passengers will be allowed to carry a maximum of two portable chargers each onboard.

As an added precautionary measure, the authority further recommended avoiding the use of power banks to charge electronic devices during flights.

travel

UAE restores normal air traffic operations

The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has announced that air traffic in the UAE’s airspace has returned to normal operations, with temporary precautionary measures lifted.

The authority said the decision followed a comprehensive assessment of operational and security conditions, carried out in coordination with relevant entities. It stressed that real-time monitoring will continue to ensure the highest levels of aviation safety.

The GCAA also expressed its appreciation for the cooperation of passengers and airlines during the recent period, reaffirming the readiness of its technical and operational teams to respond to any potential developments.

It urged the public to rely on official sources for information.