EVER wondered where the rich and famous stay on holiday? Well we’ve been given an insight into their absolute favourite hotels around the world and they are pretty spectacular.

Paces with the most unforgettable food, cutting-edge design, and immersive experiences have been awarded a place on Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Best Hotels list for 2024.

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These are the top eight hotels on the list:

1. The Lodge at Bodego Bay, California

A relaxed hotel along California’s Sonoma coast, guests here like to take day trips to local vineyards and stroll the empty beaches. 

The property came in for high praise for its ocean shell massages, signature breakfast sandwich and thoughtful details like a pair of binoculars in every room for guests to take in the ocean views. 

2. The Ritz-Carlton, Doha

Qatar’s newish Ritz Carlton was number two on the list thanks to its sea view gym, indoor tennis courts and luxury hammam spa. 

But also for the jaw-dropping flashiness in the interior, including the largest chandelier in the Middle East. 

3. Hermann Bungalows, Palm Springs, California

This chic Mid Century ‘hotel within a hotel’ was described as being ultra-luxe and uber stylish.

The stunning resort in the desert also has mountain views while you’re lounging by the pool.

4. The Thief, Oslo

This chic hotel in the Norwegian capital was loved by guests for its super fancy taste in art, with pieces from heavyweights like Antony Gormley and Andy Warhol lining the rooms and corridors.

Also a highlight was the secret underground tunnel leading to the hotel’s gym and spa.

5. The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto

Clearly the Ritz Carlton knows how to impress guests – the second of the brand’s hotels on the list ended up there thanks to its exceptional views of the Kamogawa River and Higashiyama mountains. 

It has its own Japanese Zen Garden, naturally, and is known for its extra touches like the handmade soaps and Imabari bathrobes.

Meanwhile in Britain…

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The first London hotel to make the cut was Raffles London at The OWO – one of the most talked about hotels in London this century, according to Conde Naste Traveler.

From 1906 to 1964 the hotel’s building served as the War Office where D-Day was planned.

Influential political and military leaders of the time walked the corridors, and spies, notoriously, had their own entrance.

In 2016, Mumbai-based Hinduja Group purchased the building’s lease and invested almost £1.6 billion in refurbishments. They also brought Raffles on board.

Refurbishments took seven years, but there’s now 120 rooms and suites, four restaurants, three bars, a Guerlain spa, and a 65-foot subterranean pool.

State offices have now become suites, which all honour the building’s Edwardian heritage.

Rooms are adorned with marble fireplaces, chandeliers and geometric carpets.

The Haldane Suite used to be Churchill’s former office.

Argentine chef Mauro Colagreco heads up three of the restaurants – one for fine dining, one with a private table option, and Saison by Mauro Colagreco, which is a space that offers Mediterranean cuisine.

The Guard’s Bar, the hotel’s main bar, offers sixteen signature drinks that pay homage to British ingredients, local producers or international influences in a nod to the Raffles locations found across the globe.

There’s also a tiny Spy Bar, which occupies old MI5 and MI6 interrogation rooms in the basement.

Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, was a regular visitor to the Old War Office building, which is where he conjured the idea for 007.

The Spy Bar is located in two rooms that were numbered 006 and 007 in the early 20th century.

They acted as high security storage vaults for identity papers and mission reports of MI5 and MI6 agents. 

Guests can head to the speakeasy-style bar for a nightcap and to marvel at an Aston Martin DB5 mounted on the wall.

It seems there’s a price for luxury, as room rates at the hotel don’t come cheap.

For a one night stay in a room for two adults, you’re looking to pay around just shy of £3,500.

The hotel placed 33rd on the list out of a list of 50.

On the World’s 50 Best Hotels list, it was placed at 13.

A HOTEL in Scotland is one of the best budget breaks in the world, with “wallet-friendly prices that don’t come at the cost of style or substance”.

House of Gods in Edinburgh is one of the best low-cost getaways globally, according to National Geographic Traveller UK.

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The hotel is known for its extravagant decor that blends a clash of styles and broken rules.

Rooms are individually designed and feature dark colours, velvet, fake fur, and mood lighting.

Zebra-print four-poster beds, copper bathtubs and walk in showers are the norm, with past guests likening the rooms to Orient Express-style cabins. 

The hotel’s bar, Lilith’s Lounge, is a plush cocktail bar with a rock’n’roll-inspired menu.

Expect to see classic cocktails like Espresso Martini next to hotel-themed ones, such as House of Gods No.5, which pays homage to the iconic perfume Chanel No.5, and each drink comes with its own little story on the menu.

Other features at House of Gods include a cosy outdoor space and no room phones – the hotel uses WhatsApp for communication with guests.

And its location, in Edinburgh’s Cowgate, is close to major landmarks and minutes away from the city’s bars, restaurants, and shopping centres.

What really makes this 4-star hotel stand out though, is the price.

Rooms are available from £108 and to give you an idea of value, a quick search online shows that Travelodge rooms in Edinburgh are available from £109 currently.

Yes, you absolutely can get a much cheaper room at Travelodge if you plan ahead, but it’s very impressive nonetheless.

So what’s it really like to stay at the House of Gods? The Sun’s Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski checked in:

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If neat, simple and practical hotels are your thing, then House of Gods Hotel isn’t for you – this place is anything but boring.

Its opulent, velvet decor is what makes this spot so much more than just a room for the night, so it’s no surprise to me that it’s made it on to Condé Nast’s Best Hotels list for 2024.

The dark and extravagant bedrooms may not be to everyones taste, but there’s no arguing that it’s location is ideal, less than a five-minute walk from Edinburghs famous Royal Mile.

The whole experience of staying here is fun from start to finish, with bedrooms hidden in a maze of winding corridors and rouge curtains and in-room buttons for late night butler service.

Daylight is almost utterly shut out from the moment you enter the hotel’s unassuming front door, and we were ushered through a winding rabbit warren of rouge curtains and mirrors, eventually reaching Room 212. 

Had we left the room again that night, I’m not convinced we would have been able to find it by ourselves, but rooms have been designed not to be left for hours, maybe even days.

We booked the indulgent Treat Me Like I’m Famous package, and our bed was decorated with gold balloons and rose petals, accompanied by with a bottle of bubbles and two flutes.

The package also includes cocktails delivered to your door, a £40 bar tab, a midnight feast of milk and cookies and a breakfast hamper of bagels and juice.

Fuelled by the booze, we had a great night’s sleep and an unplanned lie-in, as we were blissfully unaware that morning had broken in our windowless boudoir, totally shut off from the outside world.

What do the other guests say?

One hotel guest who stayed in August this year for their anniversary described their stay as “10/10”.

Why wrote on Tripadvisor: “This hotel goes above and beyond and you will have one of the best experiences staying here.

“This was the perfect choice for our wedding anniversary and I wish we had stayed longer as one night wasn’t enough!

“The staff cannot do enough, the rooms are unreal and the cocktails are some of the best I’ve seen. We will be back! Thank you for making our anniversary one to remember.”

Prices for bed and breakfast at House of Gods start from £102.

As part of National Geographic Traveller UK’s annual hotel awards, House of Gods was announced as a runner-up in the Best Budget Breaks category.

The winner was INNSiDE by Meliá Bangkok Sukhumvit, with its rooftop infinity pool and open living lobby inspired by Bangkok’s temples, and room rates starting from £88.

Another runner-up in the Budget Breaks category was Interno Marche in Italy.

The design hotel pays tribute to the history of Italian design and the legacy of Italian fashion designer Franco Moschini, with prices for rooms starting from £140,

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The World’s 50 Best Hotels were recently announced with three English hotels making the list.

One of these was Raffles London at The OWO, which has only been open since September last year.