Best hotels 2022: full list of Tripadvisor UK and global winners from B&Bs, small, luxury and romantic stays

Tripadvisor has announced its 2022 Travellers’ Choice ‘Best of the Best Hotels’, revealing the top accommodation across the UK and around the world.

The world’s largest travel website unveiled its most-loved hotels across 11 different categories including three that are brand new to the award.

The UK has come out on top with the world’s number one B&B - and it also boasts five of the world’s top 25.

Let’s take a look at how the awards are finalised, and what the best hotels are in the UK and globally.

What is the Tripadvisor award for best hotel?

The 2022 Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Awards are based on the quality and quantity of reviews and ratings posted by travellers on the site over a 12-month period between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2021.

There are 11 categories altogether which are: Top Hotels, Best B&B, Most Romantic Hotels, Best All-Inclusive, Best Small Stays, Hottest New Hotels, Out of the Ordinary, Best Hotels on the Water, Best Mountain Lodges, Best Luxury Hotels and Best Family-Friendly Hotels.

The three new categories this year are: Out of the Ordinary, Hotels on the Water and Mountain Lodges & Resorts. 

Commenting on the awards, Kanika Soni, Tripadvisor’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We know that travel is not a one-size-fits-all approach, so the Travellers’ Choice Awards have you covered – no matter what type of trip you’re planning.

“Winners for 2022 span six continents and 90 countries, ranging from cave hotels to overwater bungalows to castles and even family-owned B&Bs.”

What UK hotels are the best in the world?

For the second year running, Scarborough B&B Toulson Court has been named number one in the world.

The B&B has over 1,700 ‘excellent’ reviews on Tripadvisor and is a short walk from Scarborough Beach.

Toulson Court is described as “a little gem” by one recent reviewer - and is one of two UK bed and breakfasts to make it into the global top five B&B ranking.

It is run by husband-and-wife team Angela and James Rusden.

Fifth place goes to previous multiple winner, The 25 Boutique B&B, in Torquay, Devon.

Meanwhile Coombe House in Bourton-on-the-water, The Elmdene and The Somerville, both located in Torquay, also made it into the top 25 best B&Bs in the world.

The Haytor Hotel in Torquay also made it onto the global ranking for the most romantic hotel at 18th place in the world - and was rated seventh in Europe and best in the UK.

In the Small Stays category, Ivybank Lodge in Blairgowrie, Scotland was placed 11th in the world, third in Europe and best in the UK.

The Perth and Kinross hotel also features in the Luxury Hotels category, taking 13th in Europe and second place in the UK.

Trelawney Hotel in Torquay is 20th in the world’s Small Stays list, eighth in Europe and second in the UK.

What are the best hotels, B&Bs and small stays in the UK?

Tripadvisor best hotel overall in the UK

The Resident Covent Garden - London

Location: 51 Bedford Street, London WC2E 9HA England

Tripadvisor rating: 5.0

Number of ‘excellent’ Tripadvisor reviews: 973

One guest left this review on Tripadvisor after their stay: "Our stay in The Resident was fantastic, the hotel is superbly situated and the staff were some of the most friendly and professional I have ever encountered. My thanks to all of them for a memorable stay in Covent Garden."

Book a stay via the Tripadvisor website.

Tripadvisor best small stay in the UK

Ivybank Lodge - Blairgowrie, Perth and Kinross

Location: Boat Brae Rattray, Blairgowrie PH10 7BH Scotland

Tripadvisor rating: 5.0

Number of ‘excellent’ Tripadvisor reviews: 328

One guest left this review on Tripadvisor after their stay: "We stayed for one night and were so impressed by the decor, evening meal, breakfast and comfort of the room that we will definitely visit again. The hosts were so friendly and helpful too. Highly recommend you go!"

Book a stay via the Tripadvisor website

Tripadvisor best B&B in the UK and the world

The Toulson Court - Scarborough, Yorkshire

Location: 100 Columbus Ravine, Scarborough YO12 7QZ England

Tripadvisor rating: 5.0

Number of ‘excellent’ Tripadvisor reviews: 1734

One guest left this review on Tripadvisor after their stay: "We discovered this gem many years ago and on every occasion of our return to Scarborough we have stayed here. There is always a warm welcome from the proprietors Angela and James. This B&B has an amazing history of 5 star reviews and earned best B&B in the world last year. It is easy to see why..."

Book a stay via the Tripadvisor website.

Tripadvisor best luxury hotel in the UK

Cedar Manor - Windermere, Cumbria

Location: Ambleside Road, Windermere LA23 1AX England

Tripadvisor rating: 5.0

Number of ‘excellent’ Tripadvisor reviews: 1337

One guest left this review on Tripadvisor after their stay: "We started our visit with a cream tea which was the best we had ever had. The owners and staff are excellent. The garden is beautiful and the room was lovely. The whole experience was wonderful with very good food quality breakfasts and a fine choice of different types of breakfast.”

Book a stay via the Tripadvisor website.

What is the most romantic hotel in the UK?

Haytor Hotel - Torquay, Devon

Location: Meadfoot Road, Torquay TQ1 2JP England

Tripadvisor rating: 5.0

Number of ‘excellent’ Tripadvisor reviews: 1182

One guest left this review on Tripadvisor after their stay: "This hotel is brilliant. It’s literally less than a 5 minute walk to the harbour, bars and eateries. It has a good sized car park and a beautiful terrace and garden - perfect for early evening drinks or mid-afternoon refreshments.”

Book a stay via the Tripadvisor website.

What is the best hotel overall in the world?

Tulemar Bungalows & Villas in Costa Rica was ranked the top hotel in the world.

It is a jungle resort perched on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean - one guest commented after a visit that they had an “amazing stay in paradise”.

The runner-up in the global ‘Top Hotel’ category is Hotel Colline de France in Brazil, while Ikos Aria on the Greek isle of Kefalos (a hotel that performs well in several categories) lands third.

Also ranking highly is Turkey’s Romance Istanbul Hotel (fourth) and The Omnia in Zermatt, Switzerland (fifth).

Awards have also been handed out to The Mark Hotel in New York which was named the top hotel in the U.S.

Meanwhile Mount Lofty House Adelaide Hills on the outskirts of Adelaide, has been revealed as Australia’s best hotel.

What is the most romantic hotel in the world?

Brazil‘s Hotel Valle D’Incanto was named the world’s most romantic hotel, followed by Rancho Pacifico in Costa Rica and Australia’s The Falls Montville in third place.

Portugal’s Quinta Jardins do Lago came fourth and Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort Aruba in the Caribbean landed in fifth place.

What are the best new hotels in 2022?

Indonesia’s Adiwana Suweta hotel emerged as the best new hotel in the world for 2022.

It is located in the trendy, culture-rich town of Ubud, Bali, with the resort facing a lush green jungle and overlooking tropical trees.

Tripadvisor calls it “an idyllic slice of paradise”.

Brazil’s Hotel Carrocao landed in second place meanwhile the Demo Hotel Design Emotion in Rimini, Italy came third.

Best global all-inclusive resorts?

In the ‘All-inclusive Resorts’ category Ikos Aria, which has over 1,300 ‘excellent’ ratings and was dubbed ‘outstanding’ by a recent guest, came first.

It’s tailed by Belize’s Coco Plum Island Resort in second place and the Saffire Freycinet in Tasmania, Australia in third.

The Maldivian resorts Emerald Maldives Resort & Spa was ranked in fourth place.

What hotels won the new categories?

The first new category, ‘Out of the Ordinary Hotels’, spots the unique places that are “sure to wow”.

The hotel that secured the top spot was the Kayakapi Premium Caves in Cappadocia, Turkey.

Another new category is ‘Mountain Lodges & Resorts’ which rounds up  “the perfect places to escape in the mountains”.

The overall winner for this category was the Tulemar Bungalows & Villas in Costa Rica.

And the final new category is ‘Hotels on the Water’, ranking properties that are “all about those waterfront views”.

After bagging the top spot in other categories, Ikos Aria once again scoops the top prize.