This is the 21st time the online travel portal has published rankings of the best hotels, according to a variety of categories as well as a long list of other top global restaurants and adventures determined by travelers’ reviews that were made throughout the year in 2022. It’s no surprise that a number of hotels, restaurants and experiences in Türkiye have secured top spots in the rankings, with some categories even listing multiple venues and adventures in Türkiye among the globe’s top finalists in the world’s leading travel website results.
While The Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, India secured first place with the highest rating of "excellent" (5.0) reviews, and rightly so as this former palace-turned-luxurious hotel dubbed “The Jewel of Jaipur” is revered for its opulence, historic suites, high tea experiences, and its legendary polo bar; from Türkiye, not one but two hotels made it to the top 20 on the list chosen amongst 1.5 million hotels and determined by the positive reviews received from customers.
Romance Hotel, located in the historical Sirkeci district and just a stone’s throw from Istanbul’s most iconic landmarks, took the seventh place among the ranking citing the Ottoman influence in the decor and the authentic Turkish bath in the hotel’s Allure Spa. This year’s spot was actually a step down for the hotel, which has occupied first through fourth place(s) in the world, and was named the second top-rated hotel in Europe in last year’s rankings.
Next on the list at the 13th spot is Voyage Sorgun, an all-inclusive luxury resort on Antalya’s Side, making for a great opportunity to enjoy the nearby beach as well as take a day trip to the Manavgat waterfalls less than 10 kilometers (6 miles) away. The variety of upscale and international cuisine restaurants, and the beachside venues, including a disco and patisserie, pools with waterslides, and a spa were all part of the big draw in visitor reviews.
There are 10 subcategories in the ranking of the “Best of the Best” of TripAdvisor Hotels and therefore many venues were placed multiple times, such as Voyage Sorgun occupying the fourth place as the world’s best all-inclusive hotel. In fact, Türkiye had a great showing in this category, with three resorts making it into the top five with the third spot being given to Rixos Premium Belek and its access to The Land of Legends theme park; and in the fifth place, Voyage Belek Golf & Spa. The Rixos Premium and The Land of Legends experience was rated second in the world in the “family-friendly" category, with Voyage Sorgun and Voyage Belek following in third and fourth places. Voyage Sorgun and the Rixos Premium also ranked 12th and 13th in the list of the world’s most luxurious hotels. Voyage Belek Golf & Spa ranked seventh for the best spa in the world, while the Swissotel Bosphorus rounded out the list as 25th, making it the best spa hotel in Istanbul.
Where Türkiye truly shined is in the “Small Hotels” category, securing the top spot with the White House Hotel located in the heart of the historical peninsula with opulent Ottoman-reminiscent rooms and a rooftop terrace from which to gaze out. The more modern and neighboring Aprilis Gold Hotel ranked fifth for its comfort and accessibility to the city’s historical spots coupled with a relaxing spa.
The Demiray Hotel in Istanbul, which has a pool, spa and rooftop bar, also located in the historical part of the city, came in 19th as the top-ranked “Hottest New Hotels,” while the Mirada Exclusive in Bodrum’s Gumbet closed out the list with the 25th spot.
Aren Cave Hotel and Art House in Göreme came in second for the world’s most “Out-of-the-Ordinary” place to stay and is a boutique hotel that is of course located within one of the caves of this out-of-this-world region of underground cities and fairy chimneys.
As for the world’s highest-ranking dining experiences, Mivan Restaurant, a trendy spot serving traditional Turkish cuisine and grilled kebabs came in sixth in a list of “Hidden Gem” restaurants in the world. Also serving classic Turkish fare in the heart of the old city and ranking 11th among a list of the world’s top “Hidden Gem” restaurants is Three Partners. Meanwhile, the most luxurious restaurant in the world was the top-rated The Old Stamp in the U.K.’s Ambleside.
While Istanbul ranked 10th as the world’s most popular destination, Marmaris also made it to the list of top places to visit in the 22nd spot of the most “trending” places in the world, citing its restored castle once belonging to Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and the cobblestoned old quarter as well as the coves dotting the Datça peninsula behind the region’s newfound popularity. A category where Türkiye always stands out is “Things to Do,” with three adventures ranking in the top 25.
Namely, the Cappadocia balloon ride was 13th in the top “Overall Experiences” in the category of “Things to Do,” while a guided Istanbul tour was 19th and paragliding in Ölüdeniz made it to the 24th spot on the same list. The iconic hot air balloon ride overlooking the fairy chimneys of Cappadocia was listed as the fourth top-rated bucket list adventure in the world.
