Condé Nast's editors have sat down, like they do yearly, and catalogued their favourite stays in Asia.
The result was Condé Nast Traveller's Gold List 2026.
These are dizzyingly classy places that linger in memory. For their service that have you feeling like a VVVVIP. For architectural splendour that will make your jaw drop. And for top-drawer facilities and the highest standards of food.
And one of them is in India!
Check Out 8 Classy Stays In Asia
1. Buahan, A Banyan Tree Escape, Indonesia
Craving a back-to-nature escape? Try Buahan.
Here, The Wild sets the rhythm. Birdsong replaces alarms. Fireflies glow at dusk. Volcanic peaks drift into view as you wake beneath open skies.
Tucked away in Bali's Taro village, a vacation at the secluded escape is the purest kind of travel, putting you in touch with the island's untouched soul.
2. Cape Weligama, Sri Lanka
If your idea of the best holiday means staying close to the shore, falling asleep/napping to the lulling sound of rolling waves and getting a chota tan, the resort on Sri Lanka's southern coast offers that and more. Major doses of pure calm.
The ocean is the hero around here. Everything can occur in its company -- beachfront dining, interactive cooking sessions by the sea and or lolling about Indian Ocean-view villas.
3. Cempedak Private Island, Indonesia
Off the coast of Bintan island, near Sumatra and 2.5 hours from Singapore is a remote, in-sync-with-nature getaway on a little island run by Cempedak, where stay is in bamboo cottages, nay bamboo villas.
A few days spent on the isle would be a chance to try the flavours of Indonesian food, make use of your private plunge pools, indulge in spa rituals and explore immersive eco experiences.
4. Capella, Singapore
On a leafy slope on Sentosa island, minutes from Singapore's urban buzz, is the tranquil hideout of Capella Singapore, existing in a world apart.
Expect a beautiful garden environment overflowing with tropical blooms and birdsong. The rooms are luxurious. Dining at signature restaurants is gourmet.
5. Chiva-Som, Thailand
A tastefully-designed wellness retreat on the Gulf of Thailand, somewhat south of Bangkok, close to the lively holiday town of Hua Hin, the menu of treatments and pampering you can get around here is extensive. The environs are peaceful and very aesthetic.
6. The Happy House, Nepal
Nestled within a Himalayan valley to the east of Everest, The Happy House is a heritage property with a lovely lived-in warmth to it.
Steeped in mountaineering lore, its name was bestowed by Everest conquerer Sir Edmund Hillary. A frequent guest whose presence still lingers.
7. The Nautilus, Maldives
A list of top Asian resorts is lacking without a choosing one of the wonderful havens of the Maldives. The Nautilus is one such spot. On the Baa Atoll, the thatched property spells luxury unlimited.
Holidays are tailored to guests' routines and they are free to choose their activities, meals and ways to unwind.
8. The Oberoi, Mumbai
Standing virtually at the tip of the Mumbai peninsula, this Oberoi hotel commands sweeping views of the gorgeously-lit curve of Marine Drive, famously known as the Queen's Necklace.
A modern hotel, constructed with clean lines, the rooms look down onto a dramatic central atrium that still feels striking decades on.
Opened in the mid-1980s by iconic hotelier Biki Oberoi, it redefined luxury stays in India, introducing a new benchmark for elegance and service while cementing its outline on the city's skyline.
© 2026