The best hotel in the world is a small boutique hotel in—wait for it—Bratislava, Slovakia.
Travel website Expedia recently released its list of the world's best-reviewed hotels, Expedia Insiders' Select, which took into consideration more than 500,000 customer reviews received during the course of 2011 to find the hotel that offered the best value, service, and amenities.
Expedia ranked Marrol's Boutique Hotel, in Bratislava, as the number one hotel in the world—a surprise considering that only 579,075 tourists visited Bratislava in 2010.
This luxury boutique hotel, a member of the prestigious Small Luxury Hotels of the World, has only 54 guest rooms and suites. It has all the amenities you'd expect from a 5-star hotel—a superb restaurant, a full spa, luxurious rooms—and an excellent location in the heart of Old Town's charming cobble-stoned streets.
But that's not the biggest draw, according to Expedia users: it's the price. On a recent Expedia search, rooms at Marrol's registered for a mere $126 per night (with breakfast).
No wonder people love it so much. Watch out: Bratislava could quickly become one of the next hot travel destinations in the world.
But if you're not going to Slovakia, maybe you'll want to visit one of the other hotels that made Expedia's list.
Here are the 10 best hotels in the world, according to Expedia's 2012 Insiders' Select list:
1. Marrol's Boutique Hotel - Bratislava (Slovakia)
2. Hotel Al Codega - Venice (Italy)
3. Hotel Royal Corin - Fortuna (Costa Rica)
4. Hilton Garden Inn Aberdeen - Aberdeen (Scotland)
5. Four Seasons Miami - Miami, Florida (USA)
6. Madison Hotel Hamburg - Hamburg (Germany)
7. Element Omaha Midtown Crossing - Omaha, Nebraska (USA)
8. Sonnenalp Resort of Vail - Vail, Colorado (USA)
9. Taj Lands End - Mumbai (India)
10. Mr. C Beverly Hills - Los Angeles, California (USA)