Travel + Leisure Readers Recognise Minor Hotels with 31 Wins Across Resorts, Spas and River Cruises

Travel + Leisure Readers Recognise Minor Hotels with 31 Wins Across Resorts, Spas and River Cruises

(IN SHORT) Minor Hotels has recorded its strongest-ever performance at the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2026, winning 31 accolades across the region, up from 26 the previous year. The group’s flagship luxury brand, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, was voted the number one Favourite Hotel Brand of the Year, while Minor Hotels also secured five prestigious number-one rankings. Avani+ Luang Prabang in Laos was named number one Best Hotel, with its General Manager Max Chin also voted number one Best General Manager. In Thailand, Anantara Chiang Mai Resort was named number one Best Upcountry Hotel. The group also received multiple recognitions in the Maldives, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, covering categories such as best resorts, hotel pools, spas, house reefs, city hotels, beach and island resorts and upcountry hotels. Minor Hotels’ river cruise experiences, Mekong Kingdoms and Loy Pela Voyages, also ranked among the best in the region, while GHA DISCOVERY was voted the number one Hotel Loyalty Programme. The results underline Minor Hotels’ strong regional presence and the continued appeal of Anantara, Avani and related guest experience brands among luxury travellers.

(PRESS RELEASE) BANGKOK, Thailand, 2026-Jun-18 — /Travel PR News/ — Minor Hotels has achieved a record performance at the Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific 2026, securing 31 accolades across the region and surpassing its previous total of 26 awards.

The group’s flagship luxury brand, Anantara Hotels & Resorts, was voted the number one Favourite Hotel Brand of the Year, marking one of the highest-profile recognitions for Minor Hotels in this year’s reader-voted awards.

The results also included five number-one rankings across the region, highlighting the strength of Minor Hotels’ luxury, lifestyle and experiential hospitality portfolio in destinations including Laos, Thailand, the Maldives, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.

In Laos, Avani+ Luang Prabang, located within a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was named the number one Best Hotel. Its General Manager, Max Chin, was also voted number one Best General Manager. The property also placed third in Best Hotel Pools and fourth in the Best Hotel Spas category through Anantara Spa.

Thailand delivered several major wins for the group. Anantara Chiang Mai Resort was voted number one Best Upcountry Hotel in Thailand and also ranked fifth for Best Hotel Pools. Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort placed second among Best Upcountry Hotels and sixth for Best Hotel Pools, while Anantara Layan Phuket Resort ranked third in Best Beach and Island Resorts. Layan Life by Anantara, the resort’s whole-of-life wellness concept, placed fifth among Best Hotel Spas. Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort ranked eighth in Best Beach and Island Resorts, while the newly renovated Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel placed tenth among Best City Hotels.

In the Maldives, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas received five accolades, including third place for Best Resorts, second place for Best House Reefs, fourth place for Most Outrageous Villas, fourth place for Best Resort Pools and fourth place for Best Resort Spas through Anantara Spa. Niyama Private Islands Maldives also earned recognition, with The Crescent ranked third among Most Outrageous Villas and Drift Spa placed sixth among Best Resort Spas.

Minor Hotels’ properties in Vietnam were also recognised. Anantara Hoi An Resort ranked second among Best Upcountry Hotels, while Anantara Quy Nhon Villas placed fifth in the Best Hotel Spas category. In Indonesia, Anantara Ubud Bali Resort ranked fourth among Best Upcountry Hotels, further strengthening the group’s performance in nature-led and cultural destinations.

In Cambodia, Anantara Angkor Resort ranked fourth among Best City Hotels and ninth for Best Hotel Pools, while FCC Angkor by Avani placed sixth in Best City Hotels. In Malaysia, Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas ranked eighth among Best Beach, Island and Upcountry Resorts and third for Best Hotel Pools.

The group’s travel experiences also received recognition in the Transportation category. Mekong Kingdoms, which connects Luang Prabang, Vientiane and northern Thailand, ranked second for Best River Cruises, while Loy Pela Voyages, sailing between Bangkok and Ayutthaya, ranked fourth.

GHA DISCOVERY, the hotel loyalty programme of the Global Hotel Alliance, was also voted number one Hotel Loyalty Programme. Minor Hotels participates in GHA DISCOVERY through Minor DISCOVERY, offering recognition and benefits to guests across its portfolio.

Nicholas Smith, Vice President Operations – Asia at Minor Hotels, said the record 31 awards place Minor Hotels among the most celebrated hospitality groups in the region. He said he was especially proud of Anantara being named the region’s favourite hotel brand and of the teams in Laos and Thailand for securing number-one rankings.

Smith added that the results show Minor Hotels’ focus on innovation and distinctive guest experiences continues to resonate with travellers across Asia Pacific.

The Travel + Leisure Luxury Awards Asia Pacific are based on a readers’ survey and recognise hotels, resorts, spas, travel experiences and hospitality brands for quality, service and amenities across the region.

See the full rankings below:

Region-Wide Favourite Hotel Brand
Anantara Hotels & Resorts #1

Cambodia
Best City Hotels – Anantara Angkor Resort #4

Best City Hotels – FCC Angkor by Avani #6

Best Hotel Pools – Anantara Angkor Resort #9

Indonesia
Best Upcountry Hotels – Anantara Ubud Bali Resort, Bali #4

Laos
Best Hotels – Avani+ Luang Prabang #1

Best Hotel Pools – Avani+ Luang Prabang #3

Best Hotels – Anantara Spa, Avani+ Luang Prabang #4

Best General Managers – Max Chin, Avani+ Luang Prabang #1

Malaysia
Best Beach, Island + Upcountry Resorts – Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas #8

Best Hotel Pools – Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas #3

Maldives
Best Resorts – Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas #3

Best House Reefs – Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas #2

Most Outrageous Villas – The Crescent, Niyama Private Islands Maldives #3

Most Outrageous Villas – Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas #4

Best Resort Pools – Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas #4

Best Resort Spas – Anantara Spa, Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas #4

Best Resort Spas – Drift Spa, Niyama Private Islands Maldives #6

Thailand
Best Upcountry Hotels – Anantara Chiang Mai Resort #1

Best Upcountry Hotels – Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort #2

Best Beach + Island Resorts – Anantara Layan Phuket Resort #3

Best Beach + Island Resorts – Anantara Lawana Koh Samui Resort #8

Best City Hotels – Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel #10

Best Hotel Pools – Anantara Chiang Mai Resort #5

Best Hotel Pools – Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort #6

Best Hotel Spas – Layan Life by Anantara, Anantara Layan Phuket Resort #5

Vietnam
Best Upcountry Hotels – Anantara Hoi An Resort #2

Best Hotel Spas – Anantara Quy Nhon Villas #5

Transportation
Best River Cruises – Mekong Kingdoms #2

Best River Cruises – Loy Pela Voyages #4

Hotel Loyalty Programme
GHA DISCOVERY #1

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