Co-founder & CEOMarco Di CesareHe spent weeks comparing hotels and kept finding that the detail deciding the trip was missing from the hotel website. 10 years in marketing technology, 2 of them building with AI.About MarcoHow we write the guideLinkedIn
The black edition of Three Lumi: no weak side on any of the 5 things that matter.
1 hotel of 335.
Three Lumi
Exceptional: guests, critics and we all say so.
3 hotels of 335.
Two Lumi
Exceptional: two of our three readings say so.
25 hotels of 335.
One Lume
Gives more than the other hotels of its place and price range.
82 hotels of 335.
A spa worth the trip
Held by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for what guests write about the spa, when at least 30 of them mention it, or by a hotel whose spa has, in our reading of its official pages, one of the highest readings in the guide.
28 hotels of 335 hold it.
A story inside
Held by a hotel whose character has, in our reading, one of the highest readings in the guide, and whose history begins before 1950.
31 hotels of 335 hold it.
A table worth the trip
Held by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for what guests write about the food, when at least 30 of them mention it, or by a hotel whose table has, in our reading, one of the highest readings in the guide.
30 hotels of 335 hold it.
Adults only
Held by a hotel that states a minimum age of 12 or more for its guests.
8 hotels of 335 hold it.
Children’s kingdom
Held by a hotel whose club takes children aged 4 or younger, and where at least 30 guests write about children and nearly all of them write well of it.
8 hotels of 335 hold it.
Doing nothing, very well
Held by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for what guests write about the beach and the lagoon: at least 30 of them must mention it.
18 hotels of 335 hold it.
Far away, in no time
Held by a resort in the Maldives on an island of its own, 20 minutes or less from the airport.
20 hotels of 335 hold it.
Gentle giants
Held by a resort for which a source says where and when manta rays or whale sharks are met: a named site, a season or the time it takes to reach them.
16 hotels of 335 hold it.
Honeymoon
Held by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for how many of the reviews that say who was travelling are honeymoons: at least 50 reviews must say so.
19 hotels of 335 hold it.
Just for us
Held by a hotel with 40 rooms or villas at most.
15 hotels of 335 hold it.
Reef at the door
Held by a resort whose reef you can swim to from the beach and which, among such resorts, is in the top 15% for what guests write about it: at least 30 of them must mention it.
17 hotels of 335 hold it.
The bill feels right
Held by a hotel where at least 30 guests write about the price and at least 6 in 10 find it fair.
19 hotels of 335 hold it.
The city at the door
Held by a city hotel in the top third of the guide’s city hotels for what guests write about its location: at least 30 of them must mention it.
17 hotels of 335 hold it.
They read your mind
Held by a hotel in the guide’s top 8% for what guests write about the staff and the service: at least 30 of them must mention it.
18 hotels of 335 hold it.
True quiet
Held by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for what guests write about the quiet: at least 30 of them must mention it.
14 hotels of 335 hold it.
Up for breakfast
Held by a hotel in the top sixth for breakfast, among the guide’s hotels where at least 30 guests write about it.
The pink 1899 hotel below Table Mountain, the city’s most famous tea and 9 acres of garden.
The first of the guide. Here: a buffet at Oasis, beside the heated pool, from 6.30am to 10.30am, with hot dishes cooked to order and vegan and gluten-free options. 38 of the 39 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: the location, 98 in 100 happy.
The 2005 palace on the Gulf: 114 domes, 1.3 km of beach and rooms from 55 m² up.
Here: at Vendôme, from 7am to 11.30am: eggs to order, fresh pastries and honey from the hotel’s own hives, served with gold flakes. 43 of the 47 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: the location, 97 in 100 happy.
Bill Bensley’s imagined opera house, 6 minutes’ walk from the real one, with a MICHELIN-starred counter downstairs.
Here: à la carte with Champagne, included for 2: served at Backstage, among the opera costumes, from 6.30am to 10.30am, with Vietnamese and Western dishes. 58 of the 59 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: breakfast, 98 in 100 happy.
The 2025 island resort beside the Burj Al Arab: a terrace with every room, a beach and 4 pools.
Here: a guest in September 2026 calls it the most lavish breakfast they have seen, laid out across several stations: sushi, Indian cooking, fruit and dishes to order. 79 of the 89 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: the location, 92 in 100 happy.
A big island in the far south of the Maldives: pool villas, a reef all round, surf breaks by boat and a 3,500 m² spa with a hammam.
Here: a buffet at Magu, with dishes cooked separately for special diets; some order it floating, in the pool. 29 of the 30 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: breakfast, 97 in 100 happy.
Ritz-Carlton Maldives suits couples and families who want a contemporary villa, a private pool and days divided between the spa and restaurants. Budget for meals, treatments and the speedboat when the chosen rate excludes them; reef snorkelling also involves guided boat trips.
Here: at La Locanda, the Italian restaurant, from 7am to 11am: a buffet where one guest put together masala dosa, waffles and a Maldivian breakfast; there is a floating one too. 36 of the 38 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: breakfast, 95 in 100 happy.
146 villas on a South Malé Atoll island, formerly a Holiday Inn, now all-inclusive, 45 minutes by speedboat from Malé
Here: at Kandooma Café, a buffet facing the pool and the ocean, from 6.30am to 10.30am, with live stations for eggs, dosas and pancakes. 46 of the 47 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: breakfast, 98 in 100 happy.
150 rooms and suites in Tokyo Station’s 1914 building, joined to the Marunouchi South Exit
Here: in the Atrium, under the station roof, between the original brick wall and 2 chandeliers: a buffet half Japanese and half Western, with eggs to order, from 6.30am. 149 of the 169 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: the location, 93 in 100 happy.
58 rooms in the Sersale family’s house above Spiaggia Grande, with Nicolas Party’s pool and La Sponda; open from late March to late October
Here: on the pool terrace, with Positano in front of you: fruit, pastries and hot dishes cooked to order, served at the table; it is included in every rate. 49 of the 50 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: breakfast, 98 in 100 happy.
62 suites at 1,800 metres on the Plose, between a house of 1912 and 3 timber towers, with a 2,000 m² spa and the Odle in every window
Here: in the terraced restaurant and, in summer, out on the terrace: you mix your own fresh juices, the bread is baked in the house and the rest comes to the table. 90 of the 94 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: breakfast, 96 in 100 happy.
82 rooms and suites in a Gothic palazzo of 1475 on the Grand Canal, facing the Salute, with a private landing stage, Club del Doge and a terrace on the water
Here: at Club del Doge until 11am and, in the warm months, on the Grand Canal terrace facing the Salute; one guest writes of the best pastries of a lifetime. 74 of the 79 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: the location, 98 in 100 happy.
157 suites in a 1937 Art Deco building and a 40-storey tower, with 3 pools at 3 temperatures and a serviced beach on Collins Avenue
Here: a buffet at Jaya from 7am to 11am; at weekends, from 11.15am to 3pm, the courtyard turns to the Caviar & Champagne brunch. 59 of the 66 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: breakfast, 89 in 100 happy.
534 rooms in a 1926 Italian Renaissance palace on 140 oceanfront acres, with a private half-mile beach, 4 pools, 2 golf courses, 16 racquet courts and 10 restaurants and bars; no resort fee
Here: a buffet from 7am to 10.30am in The Circle, the round dining room of 1928 with 8 painted landscapes on its ceiling and arched windows on the sea. 29 of the 30 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: breakfast, 97 in 100 happy.
46 suites and villas on the caldera cliff at the entrance to Oia, each with a private pool, with Petra’s tasting menus and a cave spa; open from April to the end of October
Here: ordered from a menu until 11am and served beside the main pool, facing the caldera, or brought to your suite. 62 of the 65 guests who write about breakfast are pleased.
What guests love most: the location, 96 in 100 happy.
Reef at the doorHeld by a resort whose reef you can swim to from the beach and which, among such resorts, is in the top 15% for what guests write about it: at least 30 of them must mention it.17 hotels of 335 hold it.Gentle giantsHeld by a resort for which a source says where and when manta rays or whale sharks are met: a named site, a season or the time it takes to reach them.16 hotels of 335 hold it.True quietHeld by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for what guests write about the quiet: at least 30 of them must mention it.14 hotels of 335 hold it.Doing nothing, very wellHeld by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for what guests write about the beach and the lagoon: at least 30 of them must mention it.18 hotels of 335 hold it.A spa worth the tripHeld by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for what guests write about the spa, when at least 30 of them mention it, or by a hotel whose spa has, in our reading of its official pages, one of the highest readings in the guide.28 hotels of 335 hold it.Just for usHeld by a hotel with 40 rooms or villas at most.15 hotels of 335 hold it.HoneymoonHeld by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for how many of the reviews that say who was travelling are honeymoons: at least 50 reviews must say so.19 hotels of 335 hold it.Children’s kingdomHeld by a hotel whose club takes children aged 4 or younger, and where at least 30 guests write about children and nearly all of them write well of it.8 hotels of 335 hold it.Adults onlyHeld by a hotel that states a minimum age of 12 or more for its guests.8 hotels of 335 hold it.A table worth the tripHeld by a hotel in the guide’s top tenth for what guests write about the food, when at least 30 of them mention it, or by a hotel whose table has, in our reading, one of the highest readings in the guide.30 hotels of 335 hold it.Up for breakfastHeld by a hotel in the top sixth for breakfast, among the guide’s hotels where at least 30 guests write about it.15 hotels of 335 hold it.Far away, in no timeHeld by a resort in the Maldives on an island of its own, 20 minutes or less from the airport.20 hotels of 335 hold it.The city at the doorHeld by a city hotel in the top third of the guide’s city hotels for what guests write about its location: at least 30 of them must mention it.17 hotels of 335 hold it.A story insideHeld by a hotel whose character has, in our reading, one of the highest readings in the guide, and whose history begins before 1950.31 hotels of 335 hold it.The bill feels rightHeld by a hotel where at least 30 guests write about the price and at least 6 in 10 find it fair.19 hotels of 335 hold it.They read your mindHeld by a hotel in the guide’s top 8% for what guests write about the staff and the service: at least 30 of them must mention it.18 hotels of 335 hold it.One LumeGives more than the other hotels of its place and price range.82 hotels of 335.Two LumiExceptional: two of our three readings say so.25 hotels of 335.Three LumiExceptional: guests, critics and we all say so.3 hotels of 335.Three Lumi · EclipseThe black edition of Three Lumi: no weak side on any of the 5 things that matter.1 hotel of 335.
