Hotels.com unveiled “Perfect Somewheres” 2024, a first-of-its-kind program celebrating a selection of the top 1 per cent of hotels on the Hotels.com app. Aimee Edwards was on the ground at the Expedia Group’s EXPLORE conference in Las Vegas for the announcement.

Unlike other travel awards, Hotels.com Perfect Somewheres is based on a data-driven approach to evaluating how hotels treat guests. Nearly 200 American hotels are recognised on the list.

Winning hotels were selected based on proprietary guest experience data, which factors in traveller reviews, interactions with staff and ratings on property facilities and conditions. Select winning hotels are VIP Access partners, offering additional perks to members to elevate traveller stays. The curated list is the go-to authority when searching for the best hotel experience.

Travel Weekly was on the ground in Las Vegas as the winners were unveiled by Melanie Fish Head of Global PR for Expedia Group Brands and Greg Schulze, Chief Commercial Officer at Expedia Group, celebrating a select number of winners from the expansive list. 

“This is the only awards program based on how guests are treated,” said Fish. “765 hotels around the world rose to the top, making them the inaugural class of Perfect Somewheres.”

Expedia Group’s SVP of Global Communications, Lauri Metrose, said most programs use only reviews or focus solely on luxury.

“Our new awards program spotlights hotels that craft extraordinary experiences and elevate the travel journey for our guests, regardless of the number of stars,” Metrose said. “This program fuels a powerful partnership: We showcase our partners’ excellence, and together, we connect travellers with their perfect somewhere. We look forward to these awards becoming a benchmark for excellence in hospitality.”  

Winners included Paradox Hotel in Vancouver was among the top names making the list with a rating of 100/100. Tony Medd, the hotel’s senior director of operations presented a behind the scenes video featuring guest services staff that highlighted just what it is that makes Paradox so special.

Guest services are what makes Paradox so special,

Elsewhere, Wynn Las Vegas takes immense pride in their guest experiences that are made possible by front and back of house staff. Troy Mitchum Vice President of Guest Services at Wynn highlighted Ella Betkowski, the seamstress for the Las Vegas resort. She tells the story of a time where she went above and beyond the call of duty to help a bride in a tough spot on her wedding day.

Ella Betkowski, the seamstress for the Las Vegas resort Wynns.

The Sheppard Hotel opened a year and a half ago and, founder and CEO Rick Hayduk has plans to open many more in the future. Hayduk, who has two sons with Down Syndrome, wanted to create a safe and welcoming place for them to work. The inclusive workplace teaches people living with Down Syndrome to work independently and eventually presents them with a certificate of hospitality.  “People treat them like they are royalty,” the video heartwarming proclaims. 

Alex’s role at The Sheppard Hotel allows him to work independently.

Choice paralysis: ‘Perfect Somewheres’ to the rescue 

Research conducted by Hotels.com found that more than half (55 per cent) of travellers admit to suffering from “vacation choice paralysis” caused by too many options when deciding where to stay. Over a quarter (27 per cent) spend more than 10 hours researching which hotel to stay at, and 28 per cent have given up altogether due to how time-consuming it has become. 

Hotels.com’s awards aim to solve this issue for travellers. Almost half (49 per cent) of travellers are more likely now than ever to use a credible hotel-grading program to source their stays. 

This list of the top 1 per cent of properties acts as a one-stop shop for Hotels.com’s best properties worldwide. 

Honouring hospitality heroes: A data-driven approach

Perfect Somewheres 2024 spotlights hotels leading the travel revolution. Not only can travellers book confidently, knowing they’ll receive a travel experience to remember, but the program also empowers the winning hotels.

It provides them with ongoing guest insights that help them refine their offerings and stay ahead of the curve. Beyond the data, the award winners go above and beyond for their guests: from the concierge who chartered a seaplane to return a forgotten wallet to a longstanding seamstress who came to the rescue of a panicked bride, and a hotel that builds an inclusive community by employing adults with intellectual disabilities.

Perfect hospitality unveiled: 2024 standout stays

From hidden gems to world-renowned destinations, the hotels featured at the events are just a few properties representing those that display the pinnacle of hospitality excellence across the globe in 2024. 

A few more standout venues include:

• Hotel Chapter Roma in Rome, Italy, takes service above and beyond. The hotel offers services like a bespoke night out hosted by a nightlight editor, local market trips, and dietary-friendly cooking lessons with its executive chef. These services establish the hotel as an essential part of a guest’s experience in Rome, even upon return visits.
• The Palmaïa House of Aïa in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, takes every angle of wellness into account at this all-inclusive retreat. It offers custom-built nutrition plans, breath work classes, sauna/ice bath contrast therapy, yoga and meditation classes, energy healing and reiki, and an onsite shaman for ceremonies and spiritual wellness.
• Four Seasons Resort Koh Sumai in Koh Sumai, Thailand, is not only set to be one of the filming locations for the newest season of The White Lotus, but this hotel’s beautiful beaches are about to be a prime destination for set-jetters. The hotel offers every kind of beach activity and provides easy access to nearby diving reefs.
• Hotel das Cataratas in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, offers the perfect view as it is the only hotel within the Iguazu Falls National Park. While all other park visitors must adhere to the strict 9-5 opening hours, hotel guests get up to six additional hours of freedom to explore and private views of the falls from the property.
• Ohla Barcelona, in the historical centre of Barcelona, Spain, has an experienced team that contacts guests before their arrival to offer them a menu of sheets, pillows of varying firmness, and bedding scents for free. Additional services include a bath butler and personal shopper.
• Fingal—A luxury floating hotel located on Edinburgh’s waterfront in Scotland, this former lighthouse tender is now a 22-cabin boutique floating hotel. Its renovations have preserved historical design details from 1963, making it a destination for vessel heads.
• The Prospect Hollywood in Los Angeles, California, United States, where each Martyn Lawrence Bullard-designed room was inspired by the property’s Hollywood history and former neighbourhood residents. Bullard brings each room to new life with a Hollywood Regency foundation incorporating custom furnishings and vintage accents.