Where are the world’s best hotels?

CNN Staff
2 minute read
Updated 2:16 PM EST, Fri January 2, 2015
Scoring high marks for affordability, Hoi An, Vietnam, is the 10th best hotel destination on Agoda.com's recent Travel Smarts study, based on 7 million customer reviews. Travelers scored hotels on a scale of 0 to 10 in six categories.
Best hotel destinations: 10. Hoi An —
Scoring high marks for affordability, Hoi An, Vietnam, is the 10th best hotel destination on Agoda.com's recent Travel Smarts study, based on 7 million customer reviews. Travelers scored hotels on a scale of 0 to 10 in six categories.
HOANG DINH NAM/AFP/Getty Images
With outstanding museums and Baltic beaches, Gdansk scored an 8.1 to rank as the ninth best hotel destination. Only destinations with more than 100 hotels were considered for the study.
9. Gdansk (Poland) —
With outstanding museums and Baltic beaches, Gdansk scored an 8.1 to rank as the ninth best hotel destination. Only destinations with more than 100 hotels were considered for the study.
PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/GettyImages
Bruges, Belgium, ranks highest in the category of food and dining. The city is eighth overall on Agoda's list of best hotels.
8. Bruges (Belgium) —
Bruges, Belgium, ranks highest in the category of food and dining. The city is eighth overall on Agoda's list of best hotels.
Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Image
Santorini's pristine buildings overlooking a flooded volcano caldera are a perennial attraction. With a score of 8.14, the Greek destination ranks seventh on the Agoda list.
7. Santorini (Greece) —
Santorini's pristine buildings overlooking a flooded volcano caldera are a perennial attraction. With a score of 8.14, the Greek destination ranks seventh on the Agoda list.
istockphoto
Hotels for less than $100 per night are the norm in the Hungarian city of Budapest, earning top spot in the value for money category.
6. Budapest (Hungary) —
Hotels for less than $100 per night are the norm in the Hungarian city of Budapest, earning top spot in the value for money category.
Moyan Brenn
Fine hospitality puts the African beach destination of Seychelles at fifth (score: 8.21) on Agoda.com's best hotel destinations list.
5. Seychelles —
Fine hospitality puts the African beach destination of Seychelles at fifth (score: 8.21) on Agoda.com's best hotel destinations list.
Hilton Seychelles La Briz Garden Villas
Set on New Zealand's longest lake, Queenstown placed fourth on the best hotels list, earning a score of 8.28.
4. Queenstown (New Zealand) —
Set on New Zealand's longest lake, Queenstown placed fourth on the best hotels list, earning a score of 8.28.
PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images
Zermatt, in the Swiss Alps, ranked highest in the hotel conditions and cleanliness category. It's third overall on Agoda's list.
3. Zermatt (Switzerland) —
Zermatt, in the Swiss Alps, ranked highest in the hotel conditions and cleanliness category. It's third overall on Agoda's list.
Courtesy Leander Wenger/zermatt.ch
The Maldives came in second with an average hotel review score of 8.33. Hotels in the honeymoon hotspot are known to be pricey, but offer spectacular views.
2. Maldives —
The Maldives came in second with an average hotel review score of 8.33. Hotels in the honeymoon hotspot are known to be pricey, but offer spectacular views.
Courtesy Jumeirah Dhevanafushi
With an 8.43 overall review score, Cape Town secured the top spot on the Travel Smarts study. The city's hotels scored high marks for service and room comfort. Most of the top rated hotels are inexpensive B&Bs and small boutique hotels, says Agoda.
1. Cape Town (South Africa) —
With an 8.43 overall review score, Cape Town secured the top spot on the Travel Smarts study. The city's hotels scored high marks for service and room comfort. Most of the top rated hotels are inexpensive B&Bs and small boutique hotels, says Agoda.
Courtesy Cape Town Tourism
Where are the world's best hotels?

Story highlights

Agoda.com analyzed 7 million hotel reviews to determine which destinations have the highest-rated accommodations

Only destinations with more than 100 hotels included in the study

Cape Town, South Africa, takes the number one spot, scoring an average of 8.43 out of 10

In terms of value, Budapest, Hungary, has the top rating from Agoda.com reviewers

CNN  — 

As the new year approaches, many travelers are looking for inspiration on where to head in 2015.

This list might help.

Global hotel booking site Agoda.com has just released the results of its Travel Smarts study, which looks at destinations with the highest-rated hotels in the world based on nearly 7 million customer reviews.

Overall, the site says Cape Town, South Africa, is number one, scoring an average of 8.43 out of a possible 10.

The Maldives came in second with an 8.33 average hotel review score.

Zermatt, the skiing village in the Swiss Alps at the base of the Matterhorn, grabbed the number three spot with an average of 8.29.

After every stay Agoda.com users can submit reviews and are asked to score hotels on a scale of 0 to 10 in six categories.

A hotel’s total score is an average of those numbers, which the site used to compile its recent list.

Only destinations with more than 100 hotels were included.

Here are the top 25 destinations:

1. Cape Town, South Africa

2. Maldives

3. Zermatt, Switzerland

4. Queenstown, New Zealand

5. Seychelles

6. Budapest, Hungary

7. Santorini, Greece

8. Bruges, Belgium

9. Gdansk, Poland

10. Hoi An, Vietnam

11. Sofia, Bulgaria

12. Crete, Greece

13. Verona, Italy

14. Rotorua, New Zealand

15. Khao Lak, Thailand

16. Hualien, Taiwan

17. Sunshine Coast, Australia

18. Edinburgh, Scotland

19. Cuzco, Peru

20. Chicago

21. Krakow, Poland

22. Nagano, Japan

23. Durban, South Africa

24. Granada, Spain

25. Marrakech, Morocco

The top destinations by review category and their scores:

Value for money: Budapest, Hungary (8.5).

Location: Sunshine Coast, Australia (8.75).

Staff performance: Cape Town, South Africa (8.6).

Hotel condition/cleanliness: Zermatt, Switzerland (8.79).

Room comfort/standard: Cape Town, South Africa (8.54).

Food/dining: Bruges, Belgium (7.87).

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