The Best Hotels In The World: Expedia Insiders' Select Rankings (PHOTOS)

When most people see the phrase "best hotels in the world" they probably have visions of the height of luxury: expensively-decorated rooms, beautiful lobbies, impeccable service, picture-perfect setting. The Drury Inn in Indianapolis doesn't exactly bring those things to mind, but in the eyes of Expedia Insiders' Select hotel rankings, it is rated one of the 10 best hotels in the world.

The reason for this is that Expedia, in assessing hotels, takes into account both quality and value by systematically comparing "hotels and resorts to nearby properties with similar star ratings and amenities in order to determine the best value for your money." Furthermore, the Expedia list is based as not only reviews by experts but also over 500,000 user reviews.

Check photos of the top 11 rated hotels, which includes establishments in everywhere from Minneapolis to Mostar. See the full Expedia rankings here. (Slideshow captions by Sara Yin.)

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1: Galaxy Iraklio Hotel - Greece

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Renovated in 2009, this 5-star, smoke-free property houses a tropical swimming pool, steam rooms, and a state-of-the-art fitness facility that beats your apartment gym. The complimentary breakfast buffet has not one but two lines (hot and cold). And for the workaholics, there are a technology helpdesk, free wi-fi, and 24-hour business center.

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Renovated in 2009, this 5-star, smoke-free property houses a tropical swimming pool, steam rooms, and a state-of-the-art fitness facility that beats your apartment gym. The complimentary breakfast buffet has not one but two lines (hot and cold). And for the workaholics, there are a technology helpdesk, free wi-fi, and 24-hour business center.

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Best Place To Stay

Rank #2  |  Average: 4

No Deal What A Deal

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Comments

[ZenCrusader]

03:15 PM on 06/08/2010

this is absurd, as if Expedia would know anything about true luxury. HuffPo - this is insulting to your readers. IS THERE A JOB OPENING AT HUFFPO FOR EDITORS WITH INTELLIGENCE ?

[Matthew Larsen]

03:03 PM on 06/02/2010

This list was supposed to be in the Comedy section, right?

[yankees]

10:09 AM on 06/02/2010

One word sums it up Expedia! Are their Stars AAA or do they make up their own based upon what the Hotel tells them? Advertising at its best.

[supergenius02]

02:16 AM on 06/02/2010

Worst "best" hotel list ever. Seriously, free wi-fi and breakfast buffet seems to be the big standard here. There is a chain of hotels here in So Cal called Ayres and they have all those amenities with beautiful rooms at a cheap price and are easily better than the 2 and 3 star places on this list.

When a "best" list does not contain the Burj Al Arab (the sail hotel in Dubai), Regent Beverly Wilshire (Beverly Hills) where every President and international leader stays when in So Cal, not a single Ritz Carlton, Mandarin Oriental or Las Vegas resort, you know the list is bad.

[Brendan Diamond]

05:13 PM on 06/01/2010

...so is this an article or an advertisement for Expedia?

[RefreshingTaste]

11:47 AM on 05/31/2010

They only real qualifications seem to be free "wifi" and "buffet" breakfast.

[angel like]

06:34 AM on 06/08/2010

Hey - you forgot the in-room refrigerator !

;)

[All4ME]

07:27 AM on 05/31/2010

This must be a joke!

Seriously, hundreds of hotels in Paris alone are better than this, starting with --

The Hotel Crillon
Elysee
George V
The Ritz

There are also 4 Seasons hotels in many cities, nicer than these, the Intercontinental, etc.

There's Hotel Ruze in Cesky Krumlov, Czech
The Hotel Hermitage and Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo

and I don't have time to list all of the ones in New York City

[UnePetiteParisienne]

05:01 AM on 06/08/2010

Even smaller dozens of smaller less expensive hotel in Paris or elsewhere...

For instance on the French riviera, this is definitely my favourite : http://www.chevredor.com/fr/index.php#index.php

The hotel IS a small medieval village looking over the mediterranean sea ...and don't get me started on the superb food and breath-taking views ..
If this doesn't beat wi-fi connection and all-you-can eat buffet in Indianapolis, then I don't know what does !

[Jennifer Hagan]

05:07 AM on 06/08/2010

The George V is super nice. It should have been on that list. I've only been in there once and to have a drink but my sister in law knows all the staff because she works in hotellerie in Paris and she showed me around a bit. Swanky. But you have the hotel in Carcassone which is an interesting town. I like Carcassonne.

[Bankerman]

12:22 AM on 05/31/2010

What rubbish. The Pierre, the Oriental, the Whitehall aren't even mentioned. I've been in all of them. Bloomington? Are you kidding?
Preposterous. More PuffyHo BS

[RichardWalden]

09:53 PM on 05/30/2010

This is a bad internet joke! Why not organize a vote for Motel Six?

[ochowalo8]

08:03 PM on 05/30/2010

Expedia? that's a third party web site (hoteliers would know what this means)...

No wonder a lot of people disagree with this list.. hmmm.

[Toby Klayman]

06:28 PM on 05/30/2010

The Heraklion,Crete, Greece entry is definately wrong. The most exquisite hotel in Heraklion is the Astoria Hotel, in Liberty Square, across from the Archaelogical Museum. There is a roof top
pool and restaurant for lunch and a 360 degree of the Port there. We love the place and have stayed there dozens of times on our way down to Kamilari, a tiny village on the South Coast.

[tribal sovereignty]

05:41 PM on 05/30/2010

Best Hotel: Traders' Hotel, Singapore.

[pcplz]

05:18 PM on 05/30/2010

Ex-international airline cabin attendant here....after spending 25 years in top hotels in Europe, I like to stop at souvenir shops when I get to a destination and find out the local run hotels. In America I like the Indian run hotels. Always super clean and so happy to have your business. Single lady traveling alone woke up to find a 'brave' leaning against the wall next to my red Mini...just keeping watch for me. Good prices and wonderful people.

[Mum]

04:40 PM on 05/30/2010

Some of the best places at which I've ever stayed:

A tiny pension on the Rue Dauphine on the Rive Gauche in Paris. It was stone's throw from the Pont Neuf with a tiny balcony overlooking the street.

A delightful hotel built around a sun-lit grapevine-bedecked courtyard on the outskirts of Heraklion. The owner met our boat in the harbor, wielding cards describing his hotel, and we followed him there.

The Grand Hotel in Krakow. Imposing and definitely grand, with a delightful staff. Just a couple of blocks from Rynek Glowny (Grand Square) which is, I believe the largest medieval town/city square in Europe.

The U Prince Hotel, just off the Old Town Square (Staromestske namesti) in Prague. Lovely old world feel to the hotel. Great central location. Charming staff. The enormous marble bathroom was as large as or larger than the actual room!

The camp grounds at Russell Pond in Baxter State Park, Maine. Beautiful and peaceful, birds galore and moose tripping over the roots and rocks on their way to the pond. Well worth the seven mile pack in.

[LMPE]

04:13 PM on 05/30/2010

I kinda like to stay in local motels whenever I go somewhere

[Mum]

05:06 PM on 05/30/2010

I agree. I try to avoid the chains if at all possible. You meet some really great people and they always have the best insight into the area.