The 10 Best City Hotels in Central and South America of 2025

Travel + Leisure

08-07-2025

City destinations in Central and South America impress T+L readers with their ability to preserve the rich cultural traditions of the past while embracing the kinds of ambitious innovations that will help carry tourism into the future. Though they serve as gateways to renowned cultural sights and spectacular natural environments, cities like Cuzco, Peru; São Paulo, Brazil; and Quito, Ecuador have plenty to offer in their own right—particularly for guests staying at the elite properties on this year's list of the best city hotels in Central and South America. Far beyond your standard lodgings, these World's Best Awards honorees demonstrate that there's so much more to a memorable stay than high thread counts and sweeping skyline views. Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 180,000 T+L readers completed the 2025 survey. A total of more than 657,000 votes were cast across over 8,700 properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.). Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, inn, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below: Rooms/facilities Location Service Food Value For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.
Peruvian and Argentinian properties often dominate the list of readers' favorites in Central and South America, but this year's group is more evenly spread. Colombia, Peru, and Brazil all represent with two honorees apiece, and the chosen hotels embody that alluring mix of past and present that World's Best Awards voters can't resist. Take the Colombia entries as an example. At No. 3 is Barranquilla Marriott, a thoroughly contemporary, almost minimalist option in one of the country's Carnival hubs. Then, at No. 6, comes the striking Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena. Housed in a meticulously restored 17th-century convent, the 124-room hotel wows on all fronts, but especially its hospitality. 'My daughter was married here and every time I come to Cartagena I stay here,' wrote one reader. 'Kudos to the staff for always going above and beyond.'
Though it slips down one spot since its last appearance in 2023, Ecuador's lone entry, No. 5 Casa Gangotena, returns to the list on the strength of its 'most beautiful location in the historic district of Quito,' as one reader described. But it was another outlier—one that feels both rooted in history and thoroughly modern—that captures T+L readers' hearts and votes this time around.
Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo Scenic view from a rooftop lounge at the Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo.
When it opened in 2023, this 159-room and 35-suite stunner—one of just six Sofitel Legends around the world—breathed new life into an iconic French colonial building that once housed the Union Club, Panama City's premier social hub. (Notables like Albert Einstein and Queen Elizabeth II visited in its heyday.) A five-year renovation, guided by a local architect, brought back a number of period-appropriate design touches meant to reflect the original structure from 1917, while also weaving in distinctly Panamanian artwork and furnishings. But that legacy and all of those thoughtful flourishes wouldn't mean a thing to World's Best Awards voters if the hotel wasn't also delivering an exceptional stay. 'Fabulous location,' shared one reader. 'Service is over the top.' Guests who splurge for one of those suites are paired with a butler who can indulge requests both low-key (unpacking suitcases, attending to laundry) and luxe (flower-flecked bubble baths). And while there's plenty to explore on your own, especially in the surrounding historic district, the concierge team excels in arranging next-level experiences like helicopter tours or private sails.
1. Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo: Panama City, Panama
Reader Score: 97.80
2. W Santiago: Santiago, Chile
Reader Score: 97.78
3. Barranquilla Marriott Hotel: Barranquilla, Colombia
Reader Score: 96.19
4. Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Reader Score: 95.83
5. Casa Gangotena: Quito, Ecuador
Reader Score: 95.75
6. Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena: Cartagena, Colombia
Reader Score: 95.53
7. Monasterio, a Belmond Hotel: Cuzco, Peru
Reader Score: 95.20
8. JW Marriott Hotel Sao Paulo: São Paulo, Brazil
Reader Score: 94.75
9. Miraflores Park, a Belmond Hotel: Lima, Peru
Reader Score: 94.53
10. Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo Hotel: São Paulo, Brazil Reader Score: 94.18