Dubai's Atlantis The Royal ranks 4th in 50 Best Hotels 2026, wins two top awards

Dubai: Dubai's Atlantis The Royal has reached its highest ranking yet, climbing to fourth place on The 50 Best Hotels 2026 list just three years after making its debut on the ranking. The hotel also picked up two special awards this year, Best Hotel in the Middle East 2026 and Best Beach Hotel 2026, according to its official listing on The 50 Best Hotels website.

The result caps a steady climb up the list. Atlantis The Royal entered at No. 44 in 2023, moved to No. 9 in 2024, reached No. 6 in 2025, and has now landed at No. 4.

The hotel sits on Crescent Road on Palm Jumeirah and has 795 rooms and suites, including 44 penthouses with private glass sided pools. Its restaurants include names such as Nobu, Heston Blumenthal and Jaleo by chef José Andrés, along with a Dubai outpost of New York's Carbone. The property also has more than 90 swimming pools, a waterpark, an aquarium, a dolphin bay, a helipad and a beach club. Its listed starting rate on The 50 Best site is $460 a night.

The 2026 list was announced on 15 September at Les Salles du Carrousel in Paris, the first time the ceremony has been held outside London since it launched in 2023. Rosewood Hong Kong retained the No. 1 spot for a second consecutive year. Capella Bangkok placed second and Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River placed third. Atlantis The Royal followed at No. 4, ahead of Passalacqua on Lake Como at No. 5 and Rosewood São Paulo at No. 6.

Dubai had a second hotel in the global top 15. Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab rose five places to No. 15, up from No. 20 in its debut year, following its opening in March 2025.

The ranking is compiled from votes cast by more than 800 travel experts based on their personal stays, rather than measures such as occupancy, revenue or guest review scores.