Oberoi Hotels & Resorts: A Legacy of Luxury

In 1922, 24-year-old Mohan Singh Oberoi landed a job as a hotel clerk at the Cecil in Simla, India. From that position, an empire grew. Oberoi rose to manager of the hotel’s sister property and persuaded the British owner to sell it to him, mortgaging his wife’s jewelry to finance the deal. In 1934, his company became known as Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. Still family-run, it now encompasses 30 luxury hotels—and for the second year in a row, has been named the best hotel brand in the world by iBestTravel voters.

World’s Best Awards Survey Insights

Every year, for the World’s Best Awards survey, readers share their travel experiences around the globe—offering opinions on top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated hotel brands on their locations, rooms/facilities, food, service, and overall value.

Specialty Hotel Brands Shine

Midsize, specialty hotel brands have consistently won big in the awards. Each of the top brands has found its niche in a crowded landscape:

• Oberoi Hotels & Resorts: Sumptuous palaces across India and the Middle East.
• Oetker Collection: A portfolio of nine grand hotels, including the Bristol in Paris and the Lanesborough in London.
• Aman: Minimalist havens in resort areas like Phuket and the Dominican Republic.
• One&Only: Five-star resorts ideal for family getaways and honeymoons.
• Leela: Opulent yet contemporary Indian hotels catering to both leisure and business travelers.

Moreover, larger, international hotel companies also shone—perhaps due to their global reputations, robust loyalty programs, and sheer convenience. Four Seasons has hotels in just about every corner of the globe, as do Langham and St. Regis. Readers appreciate the consistency, with one stating, “Four Seasons is truly the only brand that I know what I’m going to get regardless of the location—impeccable service with extremely comfortable rooms.”

Top Rankings: One&Only Resorts and Oberoi Hotels

No. 4: One&Only Resorts

Score: 94.17

No. 1: Oberoi Hotels & Resorts

Score: 95.84

The Indian-based brand takes the top honor for the second consecutive year. Oberoi, which boasts 30 hotels in India, Indonesia, Mauritius, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Dubai, has built its reputation on grand properties and attentive, yet unobtrusive service. One reader declared the hotels destination-worthy: “The service is superb, truly beyond belief. It’s because of Oberoi that I find myself longing to return to India yet again this year—the hotels are so good that I would travel across the world to stay in them again.”