Global Tastemakers is our first-ever reader’s choice awards, celebrating the best culinary destinations in the U.S. and abroad. F&W readers voted based on travel completed within the past three years, on categories including restaurants and bars, cities, hotels, airports, airlines, and cruises. Due to the limitations of pandemic travel, this year’s Global Tastemakers winners reflect a smaller portion of the globe. In many categories, we’re including an editor’s pick to shout out some more culinary destinations in places you can’t miss. See all the winners at foodandwine.com/globaltastemakers.
One of the biggest joys of international travel is sampling the local cuisine. But what makes this experience even better is not having to leave the hotel to get the best regional bites.
When voting in our inaugural Global Tastemakers survey for the best international hotels for food, our readers prized both a dedication to the local cuisine and variety.
Disproving all the clichés about English food, the top two spots were taken by Beaverbrook Estate in Surrey and Beaverbrook Town House in London. One of Ireland’s leading hotels placed at No. 4, while Greek hotels also came in strong. But the biggest winner was Mexico, with three resorts making this list, taking the no. 5, 8, and 9 spots. See the full list of the 10 best international hotels for food below.
01
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Beaverbrook Estate: Surrey, England
Beaverbrook Estate
COURTESY OF BEAVERBROOK ESTATE
Beaverbrook Estate in Surrey, England, took the top spot as the best international hotel for food. A historic country estate once home to Lord Beaverbrook, the newspaper scion and friend of Winston Churchill, the 18-room hotel oozes refined English charm. Breakfast — including a full English, naturally — is served on refurbished period silver, but the dining options include some surprises too. The Dining Room, for example, serves sushi, bento boxes, and meat cooked on a robata grill. The Garden House Restaurant, meanwhile, serves Italian dishes made with ingredients from the garden in an enchanted setting.
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Beaverbrook Town House: London, England
Beaverbrook Town House
COURTESY OF BEAVERBROOK TOWN HOUSE
Beaverbrook Estate transported its historic English charm to London when it opened this intimate 14-room hotel in two restored Georgian townhouses in Chelsea. Like Beaverbrook Estate, there’s excellent Japanese cuisine to be had here at the Fuji Grill, which serves bento boxes and an omakase sushi-tasting menu. There’s also an outpost of Sir Frank’s Bar, named after Beaverbrook Estate’s creative director Sir Frank Lowe, offering creative takes on classic cocktails like the Sloane Martini with Sipsmith vodka, elderflower liqueur, and sake.
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Andronis Luxury Suites: Santorini, Greece
Andronis Luxury Suites
COURTESY OF ANDRONIS LUXURY SUITES
This pioneering luxury resort in the heart of Santorini was one of the first on the island to transform modest dwellings into whitewashed luxury accommodations and remains a point of reference for other hotels on the island. The elegant Lycabettus restaurant is consistently rated as one of Greece’s top restaurants thanks to the innovative menus by Chef Christos Karagiannis, who incorporates ingredients like yuzu kosho and garum into beautifully presented gourmet dishes.
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Adare Manor: Limerick, Ireland
The Oak Room at Adare Manor
COURTESY OF ADARE MANOR
This luxurious Irish country estate and member of the Leading Hotels of the World in County Limerick is a perennial favorite for travelers who want to feel transported back to the mid-1800s when the manor house was built. With a golf course, a luxurious spa, a wealth of outdoor activities, and excellent drinking and dining options, guests never need to step foot off the property. The hotel’s Oak Room is County Limerick’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, where Chef Michael Tweedie celebrates Irish produce, meat, dairy, and seafood in refined dishes like Higgins beef with white asparagus, morel, oxtail, and truffle. There’s also afternoon tea in the Drawing Room, whiskey tastings in the Tack Room, and elegant but laid-back dining at the Carriage House.
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Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal: Los Cabos, Mexico
Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal
COURTESY OF WALDORF ASTORIA LOS CABOS PEDREGAL
This award-winning resort brings the Waldorf Astoria standards of luxury to the enchanting setting of Los Cabos, Mexico. A variety of drinking and dining outlets celebrate Mexican cuisine, from the beach club, which serves tacos and fajitas as well as international fare, to the Agave Study at Peacock Alley, which offers tastings of tequila and mezcal paired with artisanal cheeses, fruit, flavored salts, and chocolate. But the showstopper is El Farallon, the cliffside restaurant serving the freshest fish and seafood hauled in from the nearby ocean.
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Andronis Boutique Hotel: Santorini, Greece
Andronis Boutique Hotel
COURTESY OF ANDRONIS BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Like its sister hotel, the Andronis Boutique Hotel is one of the best hotels in Santorini, with a similar whitewashed style right on the caldera. Its restaurant Lauda has been a favorite for travelers since it opened in 1971. The menus are designed by Michelin-starred chef Emmanuel Renaut, who creates artful dishes highlighting the best Aegean ingredients. Guests can choose from three courses a la carte or opt for one of the six- or nine-course tasting menus. Breakfast is worth waking up for, with a wide range of sweet and savory options, including fresh fruit, yogurt, salads, pastries, and other Greek specialties.
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Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi: Maldives
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi
COURTESY OF WALDORF ASTORIA MALDIVES ITHAAFUSHI
This Waldorf Astoria resort, located on its own private island, is one of the best in the Maldives, a country known for ultra-luxurious resorts. Each villa has a butler ready to make guests’ culinary dreams come true, but no doubt you’ll want to sample the range offered by the property’s 11 restaurants and bars. A few highlights include the Ledge by Michelin-starred Australian chef Dave Pynt, which serves Australian barbecue in a chic poolside setting; Terra, where guests feast on sophisticated tasting menus in bamboo nests among the trees; and Amber, the place to sip Champagne cocktails while watching the sunset.
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The Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort Villas & Spa, Cancún: Cancún, Mexico
A breakfast spread at a resort
ADRIAN TUDOR / GETTY IMAGES
Located on a prime strip of white sand beach in Cancún, the all-villa Westin Lagunamar is designed to make guests comfortable for extended stays. Each villa has a full kitchen or kitchenette, though most guests prefer to dine at the resort’s restaurants and kick back with a tropical cocktail at the swim-up bar. The signature restaurant Oceano serves Mexican specialties and international classics, while the poolside Viento Bar & Grill offers ceviche, fish tacos, and other light fare.
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Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita: Punta Mita, Mexico
Four Seasons Punta Mita
COURTESY OF FOUR SEASONS PUNTA MITA
The first international brand to open a resort in Punta Mita in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit, the Four Seasons is still a standout in the area. A range of restaurants and bars cater to guests’ every whim, from cocktails served by the infinity pool to freshly grilled meat, seafood, and vegetables at the beachside Bahía by Richard Sandoval, the resort’s most popular restaurant. There’s also excellent Asian food at Aramara, which draws from the culinary repertoire of Japan, China, and Thailand. Beyond the restaurants, the resort offers experiences like sea foraging and the chance to blend your own tequila.
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Fairmont Pacific Rim: Vancouver, British Columbia
Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel
ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
This gleaming glass-walled hotel overlooking the water in Vancouver delights locals and visitors with its excellent culinary outlets. The highlight is the Botanist restaurant helmed by executive chef Hector Laguna, which emphasizes the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. Think sustainably sourced seafood and organic produce by local farmers, with dishes like lamb rack and lamb belly duo with chickpea panisse, cauliflower, foraged mushrooms, and lamb jus or the butter poached lobster with potato pave, smoked carrots, and lobster bisque. There’s also excellent sushi at the Lobby Lounge & RawBar.
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Editor's Pick: Royal Mansour: Marrakech, Morocco
Royal Mansour Marrakech
COURTESY OF ROYAL MANSOUR
Owned by the royal family of Morocco, this stunning luxury hotel is a collection of 53 artfully-designed riads located adjacent to Jemaa El Fna Square. But it's not only the beautiful architecture that draws the crowds, the hotel has a collection of four signature restaurants and four cozy bars. La Table is akin to a contemporary French brasserie, La Grande Table Marocaine is a fine-dining experience that celebrates the flavors of the entire country, Sesamo blends traditional and contemporary Italian dishes, and for a more relaxed experience, Le Jardin offers Japanese dishes that guests can enjoy al fresco. - Sean Flynn, Senior Editorial Director