France, Uk, Spain Lead Luxury Hotel Bookings As Italy Slips, Us And Canada Hold Strong

Published on August 8, 2025 |

By: Tuhin Sarkar

France, UK, and Spain lead luxury edifice bookings this year, showing beardown maturation and world appeal. France, UK, and Spain pull high-end travellers pinch world-class service, iconic destinations, and premium experiences. At nan aforesaid time, Italy slips successful nan rankings, losing its long-held apical position to its European neighbours. However, US and Canada clasp beardown successful nan luxury segment, maintaining dependable request and marketplace share. France, UK, and Spain proceed to seizure nan hearts of travellers seeking some style and substance. Meanwhile, Italy slips arsenic recreation patterns shift, but US and Canada clasp beardown by offering exclusive experiences and accordant service. This displacement marks a caller equilibrium successful world luxury hospitality. France, UK, and Spain are now shaping nan future, while Italy slips behind, and US and Canada clasp beardown against changing recreation trends.

France is backmost astatine nan apical of Europe’s luxury recreation map. In July, Global Travel Collection (GTC) information revealed a 64% year-over-year jump successful luxury edifice bookings crossed nan country. Paris, Nice, and Marseille led nan surge, marking nan first clip France has outpaced Italy successful caller years. The figures show shifting traveller demand, pinch high-spending clients seeking divers European destinations alternatively of concentrating solely connected 1 country. For nan first clip since 2019, France’s allure has overtaken Italy’s long-standing dominance.

France Sees Record Growth successful Luxury Travel

Global Travel Collection advisors successful nan US and UK recorded a melodramatic summation successful bookings for France this summer. Paris, pinch its timeless charm, was nan clear favourite, clocking 2,710 booked nights. Nice followed pinch 1,313 nights, while Marseille recorded 286 nights. This maturation signals that travellers are not only flocking to iconic superior cities but besides to coastal and taste hubs. France’s capacity this summertime underscores a post-pandemic trend—luxury travellers are consenting to walk much for authentic, high-end experiences successful varied locations.

The Hotels Leading France’s Luxury Boom

Among nan astir sought-after hotels was Le Bristol Paris, portion of nan prestigious Oetker Collection, celebrated for its Parisian elegance. In nan south, The Maybourne Riviera, dramatically perched complete nan Mediterranean, became a magnet for ultra-wealthy travellers. These properties item nan expanding penchant for exclusive service, premier locations, and exceptional amenities. With mean regular rates hitting $1,400, GTC’s clientele is intelligibly prioritising value and characteristic complete value sensitivity, reshaping nan European luxury accommodation market.

GTC’s Global Reach and Spending Power

In 2024 alone, GTC advisors generated $2.3 cardinal successful luxury recreation sales, organising trips to 179 countries. The web planned astir 900 ultra-luxury journeys, each weighted astatine complete $100,000. These figures bespeak nan power of curated, high-touch recreation experiences successful nan luxury segment. For France, this translates into higher spending per trip, longer stays, and greater request for personalisation—elements that reenforce its position arsenic a premier destination for able travellers.

How France Defines True Luxury

France uses a clear and charismatic strategy to rank its hotels. Atout France, nan nationalist tourism agency, awards betwixt 1 and 5 stars based connected service, comfort, and facilities. On apical of this, it awards nan Palace explanation to five-star hotels that spell moreover further. These hotels must walk a reappraisal by experts who look astatine service, heritage, and nan wide impermanent experience.

The Palace explanation is rare. Only 31 hotels successful nan state clasp it. These hotels harvester beauty, history, and cleanable service. Many besides connection good eating restaurants, often pinch Michelin stars. This makes them celebrated pinch guests who want much than conscionable a luxury stay.

Paris: The World’s Capital of Palace Hotels

Paris has nan largest group of Palace hotels successful 1 city. It offers a operation of expansive landmarks and modern designs. Each has its ain style but shares a attraction connected work and detail.

Some of nan astir celebrated see nan Four Seasons Hotel George V, known for its Art Deco style and Michelin-starred restaurants. Le Bristol Paris, pinch its backstage garden, is different awesome of French elegance. Hôtel de Crillon brings 18th-century charm to nan Place de la Concorde. Hôtel Plaza Athénée and Le Meurice operation glamour pinch beardown links to Paris’s manner and creation scenes.

Other modern palaces for illustration La Réserve, Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, and The Peninsula Paris show that caller luxury tin guidelines beside nan historical greats. Together, these hotels support Paris astatine nan apical of nan world’s luxury recreation market.

The French Riviera: Seaside Glamour and Modern Icons

The Côte d’Azur and Provence are celebrated for summertime holidays filled pinch sunshine, yachts, and good dining. This region has immoderate of nan astir celebrated luxury hotels successful Europe.

The Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc successful Antibes is simply a existent legend, pinch terraces overlooking nan Mediterranean. The Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat offers clifftop gardens and backstage excavation clubs. In Cannes, nan Carlton precocious reopened aft a awesome restoration and is already winning apical world awards. Nice’s Le Negresco mixes Belle Époque style pinch museum-level creation collections.

Saint-Tropez is location to respective Palaces, including Cheval Blanc, Château de la Messardière, and La Réserve Ramatuelle. These hotels harvester formation clubs, backstage villas, and Michelin-starred dining. In nan Provence highlands, La Bastide de Gordes and Villa La Coste adhd creation and vino to nan luxury mix.

The French Alps: Winter Palaces successful nan Snow

France’s luxury marketplace is not conscionable for summer. The French Alps, particularly Courchevel 1850, person ski-in, ski-out Palace hotels that connection some athletics and comfort.

Cheval Blanc Courchevel is simply a mini but highly exclusive spot pinch nonstop slope access. Les Airelles looks for illustration a fairy-tale castle but offers modern work and dining. Hôtel Barrière Les Neiges blends chalet style pinch backstage cinemas and luxury spas. Aman Le Mélézin, portion of nan world Aman brand, adds its minimalist creation to nan Alpine setting.

These hotels make wintertime successful France arsenic appealing to luxury travellers arsenic summertime connected nan Riviera.

The Atlantic Coast and Wine Regions: Heritage Meets Wellness

Beyond Paris, nan Riviera, and nan Alps, France’s luxury representation includes nan Atlantic seashore and vino country.

In Biarritz, nan Hôtel du Palais was erstwhile Napoleon III’s summertime location and still has nan consciousness of imperial elegance. Near Bordeaux, Les Sources de Caudalie combines a vineyard mounting pinch a spa celebrated for its wine-based treatments. In Champagne, nan Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa offers panoramic views of vineyards, while Domaine Les Crayères is simply a expansive château pinch two-Michelin-star dining. The Loire Valley’s Les Sources de Cheverny gives guests lakes, forests, and château-style rooms.

These hotels springiness travellers nan chance to operation relaxation, food, and history successful 1 trip.

Corsica: Wild Beauty pinch High-End Comfort

Corsica offers Mediterranean beaches and upland scenery pinch a little crowded consciousness than nan Riviera. Casadelmar successful Porto-Vecchio has modern creation and a two-Michelin-star restaurant. La Signoria adjacent Calvi offers villas pinch views of some nan oversea and nan hills. These properties operation earthy beauty pinch high-end service, making them perfect for travellers seeking bid and privacy.

The Size and Strength of France’s Luxury Hotel Sector

France has 463 five-star hotels, showing nan standard of its high-end offer. The 31 Palaces are nan very apical of this list. In 2024, luxury and upscale hotels saw amended gross maturation than mid-market hotels. Investors spent €2.7 cardinal connected hotels, nan astir since 2016, pinch Paris taking astir of that total.

Even pinch world recreation shifting, luxury request stayed strong. Guests astatine this level are little delicate to value and much focused connected unsocial experiences. That is why France’s operation of metropolis glamour, coastal resorts, skis retreats, and vino estates useful truthful well.

Recognition Beyond France: Michelin Keys and Global Awards

In 2024, nan Michelin Guide launched its “Keys” to complaint hotels, conscionable arsenic it does for restaurants. In France, 24 hotels received 3 Keys, nan apical level. Another 38 earned 2 Keys, and 127 earned 1 Key. This adds different trusted motion for travellers looking for value stays.

Global awards besides radiance connected France. The Carlton Cannes won Forbes Travel Guide’s five-star standing successful 2025 aft its renovation. These honours thief France support its image arsenic a leader successful nan luxury recreation world.

Why Luxury successful France Keeps Growing

France’s occurrence comes from much than conscionable beautiful buildings. The state blends beardown traditions pinch innovation. Palace hotels honour their history but besides put successful updates. The work is profoundly personal, pinch unit trained to expect impermanent needs. Dining is simply a awesome portion of nan experience, pinch galore hotels offering Michelin-starred restaurants.

The assortment of locations besides helps. Travellers tin bask Paris successful winter, nan Alps successful skis season, nan Riviera successful summer, and nan vino regions successful autumn. This year-round entreaty keeps occupancy and rates strong.

The Outlook for 2025 and Beyond

The signs for France’s luxury edifice marketplace are positive. Demand is precocious successful each season, and caller finance is coming into some historical and modern properties. Paris is expected to support its position arsenic nan apical luxury city, while nan Riviera and Provence will stay summertime magnets.

The Alps will spot continued request for luxury skis holidays, particularly if snowfall levels stay stable. Wine regions and nan Atlantic seashore will turn arsenic travellers look for little crowded but still premium experiences. Corsica will support its niche entreaty for those wanting luxury successful a wilder setting.

With its Palace label, beardown five-star base, and a increasing database of world awards, France is apt to stay a leader successful luxury recreation for years to come. The country’s operation of heritage, style, and work will support drafting nan world’s astir discerning travellers.

Italy Slips to Second Place successful Luxury Travel

Italy still holds beardown appeal, signaling 777 booked nights successful Rome, 725 successful Milan, and 679 successful Naples. Rome’s Hotel Eden, Lake Como’s Passalacqua, and Sardinia’s glamorous Romazzino stay customer favourites. However, nan distribution of recreation request suggests Italy’s erstwhile unchallenged power has eased. GTC’s latest information points to a much balanced dispersed of tourism spending crossed Europe, reducing over-reliance connected a azygous state and allowing different destinations to shine.

UK Holds Third Spot pinch Steady Growth

The United Kingdom secured 3rd place, pinch a 13% emergence successful July bookings complete 2024. London continued to pull able visitors, peculiarly to properties for illustration Ham Yard Hotel successful Soho, Claridge’s successful Mayfair, and Flemings Mayfair. The operation of heritage, municipality vibrancy, and exclusive work remains a compelling operation for high-net-worth travellers. This maturation reflects nan UK’s expertise to support relevance successful a competitory European luxury market.

Spain Joins nan Top Five Luxury Destinations

Spain’s July capacity earned it a spot among nan apical 5 destinations for GTC travellers. Barcelona’s hotels, including nan Majestic Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, and Le Meridien, saw beardown demand. Madrid’s Four Seasons and Ibiza’s Nobu Hotel Ibiza Bay and Six Senses Ibiza besides classed high. The operation of taste depth, Mediterranean glamour, and luxury infrastructure is positioning Spain arsenic an progressively important subordinate successful Europe’s high-end recreation scene.

France Rises to nan Top of European Luxury Travel

France has taken nan number 1 spot successful luxury edifice bookings this summer. New figures from nan Global Travel Collection (GTC) show that bookings successful France grew by 64% successful July compared to past year. This is nan first clip since 2019 that France has beaten Italy successful nan luxury recreation market. The request is being led by Paris, Nice, and Marseille.

GTC advisors successful nan United States and nan United Kingdom booked 2,710 nights successful Paris alone. Nice followed pinch 1,313 nights, and Marseille recorded 286 nights. This beardown maturation shows that France is attracting some metropolis and coastal travellers. It is not only nan superior that is drafting attention. The French Riviera and nan confederate ports are besides successful precocious demand.

Why France Is Winning Over Global Luxury Travellers

France’s occurrence is nan consequence of a operation of factors. The state has invested heavy successful high-end hotels and experiences. Paris remains a centre for art, fashion, and good dining. Nice and Marseille connection a blend of Mediterranean charm and taste heritage. Hotels specified arsenic Le Bristol successful Paris and The Maybourne Riviera successful nan southbound supply world-class work and stunning locations.

Another logic is traveller preference. Many luxury travellers want assortment and caller experiences. After years of Italy dominating, location is now a displacement towards exploring different European countries. France offers some nan glamour of nan metropolis and nan calm of nan coast, which makes it appealing to a wide scope of visitors.

The Power of GTC successful Luxury Travel

Global Travel Collection is 1 of nan astir influential networks of luxury recreation advisors successful nan world. In 2024, GTC generated $2.3 cardinal successful luxury recreation sales. Its clients travelled to 179 countries. The mean regular edifice complaint for GTC bookings was $1,400. Advisors planned astir 900 ultra-luxury trips worthy complete $100,000 each.

These numbers show nan buying powerfulness of GTC’s clients. Their choices style trends successful nan luxury market. When GTC’s information shows France leading, it reflects nan preferences of immoderate of nan astir able travellers successful nan world. This power besides extends beyond Europe, arsenic their bookings effect world edifice revenues.

Italy Slips but Remains a Strong Player

Italy is still a awesome luxury destination, moreover though it has fallen to 2nd place. In July, GTC booked 777 nights successful Rome, 725 successful Milan, and 679 successful Naples. These cities stay favourites for high-end travellers. Rome’s Hotel Eden, Passalacqua connected Lake Como, and Romazzino successful Sardinia are immoderate of nan astir booked properties.

Italy’s driblet successful position is not owed to a deficiency of appeal. Instead, it reflects a much balanced dispersed of request crossed Europe. Travellers are still flocking to Italy, but they are besides exploring different countries. This alteration could use some Italy and its competitors by easing unit connected overcrowded destinations.

The UK’s Steady Rise successful Luxury Bookings

The United Kingdom classed 3rd successful GTC’s July data. Bookings were up 13% compared to nan aforesaid period past year. London remains a cardinal attraction for luxury travellers. Properties for illustration Ham Yard Hotel successful Soho, Claridge’s successful Mayfair, and Flemings Mayfair proceed to tie high-end guests.

The UK’s entreaty lies successful its operation of history, culture, and modern luxury. Visitors tin bask theatre successful nan West End, shop successful Bond Street, and dine successful Michelin-starred restaurants. This dependable maturation shows that nan UK is maintaining its spot successful nan European luxury recreation market.

Spain Joins nan Top Five Luxury Destinations

Spain has made its measurement into GTC’s apical 5 destinations for July. Barcelona is 1 of nan astir celebrated cities. Hotels for illustration nan Majestic Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, and Le Meridien are successful precocious demand. In Madrid, nan Four Seasons is simply a favourite, while Ibiza’s Nobu Hotel and Six Senses entreaty to those seeking beachside luxury.

Spain’s spot is successful its diversity. It offers world-class cities, formation resorts, and taste experiences. This assortment makes it an charismatic replacement for luxury travellers who want much than 1 type of vacation successful a azygous trip.

Luxury Hotel Trends Across Europe

The luxury edifice marketplace successful Europe remains beardown successful 2025. While wide edifice capacity has been mixed successful immoderate months owed to precocious comparison points from 2024, luxury hotels proceed to lead successful gross per disposable room (RevPAR). Even erstwhile mid-scale and fund hotels look level growth, luxury properties still spot increases.

In 2024, Europe’s edifice assemblage saw very fewer weeks of decline, pinch luxury hotels often driving nan highest gains. France, Italy, nan UK, Spain, and Germany each recorded beardown RevPAR maturation successful precocious 2024, and this inclination is continuing successful 2025.

The US Luxury Hotel Market Shows Resilience

In nan United States, luxury hotels are besides outperforming different categories. Year-to-date information done April 2025 shows luxury RevPAR up by 7.1%, while system hotels grew by little than 1%. Weekly figures this summertime show luxury arsenic nan only concatenation standard pinch accordant RevPAR growth.

High-end travellers successful nan US are consenting to salary much for exclusive experiences. Luxury hotels successful awesome cities and edifice destinations are maintaining beardown rates, moreover arsenic immoderate mid-market hotels spot softer demand. This resilience is simply a motion that nan apical tier of nan marketplace is little affected by economical fluctuations.

Canada’s Luxury Travel Momentum

Canada has posted back-to-back months of gross maturation successful 2025. In June, RevPAR roseate by 4.4%, pinch an mean regular complaint of CAD 239.06 and occupancy astatine 75.6%. While nationalist information does not abstracted luxury hotels from different categories, nan wide spot of nan marketplace suggests that premium properties are besides benefiting.

Cities for illustration Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal pull some home and world luxury travellers. High-end upland resorts successful Alberta and British Columbia besides execute good successful summer, offering unsocial experiences that lucifer nan standards of Europe’s luxury destinations.

Why Luxury Keeps Outperforming

Luxury hotels person an advantage successful nan existent recreation market. They pull high-spending guests who are little delicate to value changes. They besides connection experiences that cannot beryllium easy replaced—personalised service, premier locations, and exclusive entree to taste aliases earthy attractions.

In Europe, this intends cities for illustration Paris and Rome tin bid rates of complete $1,000 per nighttime and still spot precocious demand. In nan US and Canada, top-tier properties tin prolong beardown occupancy moreover erstwhile mid-tier hotels look challenges.

What This Means for 2025 and Beyond

If these trends continue, 2025 will spot much finance successful luxury hotels, particularly successful France. New openings successful Paris, on nan Riviera, and successful taste hubs for illustration Lyon could support France up of its competitors. Italy is apt to innovate and beforehand lesser-known regions to reclaim nan apical spot.

Spain and nan UK are well-positioned to pull much luxury travellers done unsocial events, taste experiences, and seasonal offers. In North America, awesome cities and exclusive resorts will proceed to use from beardown request astatine nan apical extremity of nan market.

The world luxury recreation marketplace is expanding. As much travellers activity high-quality, personalised experiences, nan title betwixt destinations will grow. France’s emergence successful 2025 is impervious that a well-rounded offering of metropolis glamour, coastal beauty, and exceptional work tin alteration nan rankings successful this competitory sector.

Analysis: A Shift successful European Luxury Travel Patterns

The information suggests a important rebalancing successful European tourism. For nan first clip since 2019, France leads nan market, driven by its expertise to harvester municipality sophistication, coastal relaxation, and luxury hospitality. Italy’s gaffe is little astir diminution and much astir diversification of traveller preferences. The UK and Spain’s beardown showings constituent to an progressively competitory luxury recreation landscape. This displacement benefits nan wider tourism assemblage by distributing visitant numbers much evenly and reducing unit connected azygous destinations.

What This Means for Luxury Travel successful 2025

If this inclination continues, 2025 could spot further description successful France’s luxury offerings. More finance successful high-end coastal resorts, boutique metropolis hotels, and exclusive taste experiences could follow. Italy is apt to innovate to reclaim nan apical spot, while Spain and nan UK could push to seizure greater marketplace share. For recreation advisors, these shifts mean much opportunities to trade unique, cross-country itineraries for able clients seeking variety, exclusivity, and memorable experiences.