The Sydney luxury hotel is the only Australian property in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026 top 50, while Brisbane’s The Calile appears in the extended 51-100 ranking.
Capella Sydney has been named Best Hotel in Oceania after securing the No.16 position in The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2026, making it the only Australian hotel to feature in this year’s global top 50.
The result marks the second consecutive year the Sydney property has taken the regional title. Capella Sydney made its debut on the list at No.12 in 2025 before moving to No.16 in the 2026 ranking.
Opened in 2023, the 192-room hotel occupies Sydney’s heritage-listed former Department of Education building within the city’s Sandstone Precinct. The property combines the restored Edwardian Baroque architecture of the historic building with contemporary interiors, Australian art and a strong emphasis on personalised luxury hospitality.
Its facilities include Brasserie 1930, McRae Bar and Auriga Spa, alongside a 20-metre heated swimming pool and an extensive collection of artworks displayed throughout the hotel.
The 2026 edition of The World’s 50 Best Hotels was announced at an awards ceremony in Paris and includes properties across six continents. Rosewood Hong Kong took the No.1 position, followed by Capella Bangkok at No.2 and Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River at No.3.
Capella’s presence at both No.2 and No.16 gives the Singapore-headquartered hospitality group two properties within the upper tier of this year’s ranking.
For Capella Sydney, the latest recognition adds to a growing international profile since its opening. The property has increasingly positioned itself not simply as a luxury city hotel, but as a showcase for Sydney’s architectural heritage, culture and contemporary hospitality.
General Manager Marc von Arnim said the property’s ambition since opening has been to create a hotel connected to Sydney while maintaining the thoughtful and intuitive service associated with the Capella brand.
Australia also has representation in the extended ranking. Brisbane’s The Calile Hotel was placed at No.83 in the 51-100 list, meaning Capella Sydney remains the country’s sole representative within the main 50 for 2026.
The result reinforces Sydney’s position in the international luxury hospitality market and demonstrates how adaptive reuse of significant heritage buildings can provide a distinctive proposition in an increasingly competitive global hotel landscape.
