KATHMANDU, July 27: Shinta Mani Mustang, a luxury retreat in Nepal’s Kali Gandaki River Valley, has been ranked the world’s best luxury hotel for 2026 by Robb Report.
The 29-room property topped the US-based luxury lifestyle magazine’s annual list of the 10 best luxury hotels, ahead of high-end properties in Rwanda, Scotland, Japan, India, Italy, the United Kingdom, France, Panama and Malta.
Robb Report praised Shinta Mani Mustang for its dramatic setting, architecture and immersive experiences, describing it as a “masterful far-flung palace of fantasy” designed by renowned hotel designer Bill Bensley.
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The property, built with stone from Baglung, has been designed so that every room offers expansive views of the surrounding mountains. Christopher Wilmot-Sitwell, one of the contributors quoted by Robb Report, described the views as “breathtaking” and the property as “the ultimate retreat for the body, mind and spirit.”
The hotel requires guests to stay for a minimum of five nights, which the magazine said virtually guarantees enough time for visitors to unwind and immerse themselves in the surroundings.
Located in a once-independent and sparsely populated part of Nepal, Shinta Mani Mustang offers a range of activities that allow guests to experience the region’s rugged landscape and cultural heritage. These include horse riding, archery and hiking.
The magazine described the surrounding terrain as “a landscape so dramatic it barely feels real,” according to contributor Tanya Dalton.
Guests can also walk to Lubra, an approximately 800-year-old village that remains a stronghold of Bon Buddhist beliefs. The property also offers complementary medicine from an on-site Amchi, a traditional Tibetan doctor.
Shinta Mani Mustang was ranked ahead of Singita Kwitonda in Rwanda, which took second place on the list. Other properties featured in the top 10 include Hope Lodge in Scotland, Park Hyatt Tokyo in Japan and Shakti Prana in Kumaon, India.
The ranking places Shinta Mani Mustang among some of the world’s most exclusive luxury properties and highlights Nepal’s growing appeal as a destination for high-end, experience-based tourism.
