The Best Luxury Hotel Awards, now in their second edition , is the annual award conceived by Teamwork Hospitality with the contribution of ElleDecor and EHMA – European Hotel Managers Association to celebrate the best Italian luxury accommodations that stand out for excellence in the services they offer and their ability to guarantee an extraordinary experience for their guests.
“In Italy, the number of 5-star and 5-star luxury hotels is constantly growing. About 720 high-end hotels are operating on the Italian territory today. In 2025, 61 new hotel openings are planned and another 53 in 2026. According to projections, Italy could have 836 5-star hotels by 2028. This growth is supported by rising demand, particularly from emerging markets such as India.
Against this backdrop, the Best Luxury Hotel Awards are born. A tribute to the excellence, innovation and passion that drive luxury hospitality in Italy. Rewarding these hotels means enhancing the daily commitment that makes a stay experience unforgettable,”
said Mauro Santinato, president of Teamwork Hospitality, organizer of the awards.
“Nominations for this new edition are open until June 30 and we are receiving numerous registrations requests in all categories, a sign that this award enhances Italian hospitality.”
Mr. Santinato continues.
This year’s awards ceremony will be held on October 29, 2025, at the Hotel Principe di Savoia in Milan, with the introduction of important new features, the presence of increasingly cutting-edge categories, a revamped jury and the sponsorship of Altagamma.
10 categories, 10 awards
The Best Luxury Hotel Awards 2025 will honor facilities in the following categories: Best Service, Best Restaurant, Best Bar, Best Breakfast, Best Wellness & Spa, Best Sustainability Program, Best Design, Best New Opening, and Best General Manager. In addition to these, there is a new category Best Wine Experience, dedicated to hotels that offer an excellent wine experience, enhancing the quality and variety of the labels offered, both inside and outside the facility, with visits to wineries, vineyards and exclusive wine tours.
The design of the award was entrusted to architect Giuliana Salmaso, who synthesized the concepts of luxury, Italianness, hospitality, solidity, and elegance in a precious and symbolic object that draws inspiration from the configuration of the “stele,” a stone element used since antiquity to recount important events. The piece has golden proportions and consists of a burnished brass base holding a travertine monolith. Winners will also be presented with a Chantecler jeweled bell, an Aurora pen and a Prisma recognition.
Excellence partner
High-end companies on the Italian scene such as Adecco, Archè Glass, Blastness, Herita Marzotto Wine Estates, Ginori 1735, Lavazza, Pedersoli Milano, Prima, Simmons and Technogym will present the awards in each category. TTG Incontri will present the special prize Best Italian Luxury Destination.
A jury of exception
A jury composed of high-level professionals, hotel executives, general managers with deep experience in the world of hôtellerie and luxury that ensures a careful and prestigious selection process. The jury boasts the addition of five new members, leading experts in the hospitality and luxury industry: Andrea Grisdale, the CEO of IC Bellagio, WTTC Vice Chair, Educator, Advisor National Council of the FTO, Stefania Lazzaroni, the General Director of the Altagamma Foundation, Martin Kuczmarski, the Founder and CEO of DIFFICULT NAME, Maddalena Fossati Dondero, the Director and Head of Content of La Cucina Italiana and Condé Nast Traveller Italia, Elisabetta Canoro, Head of hospitality of Identità Golose, Laura Verdi, Architect and Editorial Director of we:ll magazine, Sara Magro, Hotel Specialist of Il Sole 24 Ore and Founder & Editor in Chief of TheItalyInsider. com.
These new members join the already established panel of judges, consisting of Ezio Indiani, the General Manager of Hotel Principe di Savoia and EHMA Delegate; Andrea Grignaffini, a member of Alma’s Scientific Committee, Alberto Paolo Schieppati, the Editorial Director of Posh Places; Roberta Battocchio, the Managing Director of Hearst Global Design and Architecture; Erika Fay Nicole, the CEO and Founder of EFNcommunication; Magda Antonioli, the Director of MET BOCCONI; and Mauro Santinato, the President of Teamwork Hospitality.
An exclusive recognition
Participation in the awards is free and open to all accommodations that are classified as 5-star or 5-star luxury hotels. Facilities can be independent, part of groups, belonging to international circuits or affiliated with international brands. Collection of Best Luxury Hotel Awards nominations will close on June 30, 2025, while finalists will be announced on September 1, 2025 pending the final awards ceremony for the winners, which will be on October 29, 2025.
