24. Claridge’s in London, England
Claridge’s landed on both Conde Nast Traveler’s Gold List 2026 and U.S. News’ top five hotels in Europe for 2026, a double endorsement for the Mayfair institution that has hosted royalty since Queen Victoria’s reign. Rebuilt in 1898 and transformed by its celebrated Art Deco makeover in the 1920s, the hotel treats its heritage as a living thing: the foyer’s afternoon tea remains one of London’s great performances, and the suites are unusually vast for the city. Rates start around $1,700 a night. During the Second World War, exiled European royals ran governments from its rooms. Today’s guests settle for running the world’s best-dressed lobby.