Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — For holiday foodies, gourmet places to match Michelin-starred restaurants in the world’s most luxurious hotels and resorts are rare.
From Dubai to Tokyo, these fabulous hotels allow you to indulge in fine gastronomy, enjoy the finest wines and then trek back to your room.
Here are 10 of the world’s best restaurants, some of the dishes you can expect to enjoy, and the rooms you can relax in after an exceptional meal.
Nico Romito Restaurant, Bulgari Resort Dubai, UAE
Credit: Courtesy Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts
Italian chef Nico Romito is one of the big winners of the inaugural Michelin Dubai Awards, with his eponymous restaurant at Bulgari Resort Dubai receiving two stars. In a storied career, Romito has won both critical and public acclaim, and is widely respected by his colleagues for his three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the Abruzzo region of Italy.
And in Dubai, permanent chef Giacomo Amicucci follows a similar approach, by serving innovative, unpretentious Italian dishes. For example, “spaghetti and tomato” couldn’t look more humble, but becomes innovative when modern techniques are used to extract and saute classic ingredients, while risotto alla milanese is an exquisite version of one of Italy’s most beloved dishes.
Located on an island accessed via a bridge, Bulgari Resort Dubai features villas, rooms and suites that epitomize Italian elegance, particularly the luxurious Bulgari Suite, with an area of 1,300 square feet, a balcony surrounding it and views of the luxury yachts below.
Dolder Gran Restaurant, Zurich, Switzerland
Set in the hills above Zurich, the Dolder Gran Hotel has attracted famous personalities such as Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein and The Rolling Stones as past guests.
The hotel houses a collection of contemporary art and serves as a second home for the upper echelon of Swiss society and wealthy international travellers.
Its name could be simpler, but the restaurant is a force in the culinary world overseen by Chef Heiko Nieder, who has two Michelin stars in addition to many other awards.
Dishes such as braised beef with snails, radish and cabbage show some kind of culinary creativity and innovation, and one of the finest Swiss wine cellars forms a perfect combination with the dishes served.
Hjem, Northumberland, UK
Swedish chef Alex Netosfori and English businessman Ally Thompson have made an unassuming place called “Hjem” one of the UK’s most sought-after places to dine and spend the night.
Nestled in green hills near Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, “Hjem” offers comfortable rooms and an impressive Michelin-starred menu using exotic local ingredients.
Small dishes include venison and wild garlic tartlets, or North Atlantic cod with rhubarb and dill oil, while lobster tail and morel mushrooms provide a new take on the seafood dish.
Chaat Restaurant, Rosewood Hotel, Hong Kong
Overlooking Hong Kong Harbour, Chaat at the Rosewood Hotel Hong Kong has become a must-visit for lovers of holistic Indian cuisine, thanks to the innovation and execution by Master Chef Manav Tuli. Although it only opened in 2020, it quickly garnered a Michelin star thanks to its perfect and creative interpretations of Indian dishes.
After dinner, Rosewood Hong Kong Rooms and Suites are some of the best stays in town, with great views of the harbor.
Piazza Duomo Restaurant, Alba, Italy
Enrico Crippa is one of the most famous and highly regarded chefs in Italy, running the three-Michelin-starred Piazza Duomo restaurant in Alba. The city is a culinary paradise thanks to the availability of excellent produce such as chestnuts, truffles, fine wines and more.
As a result, almost everything Crippa has to offer comes from the private garden of Piazza Duomo.
One of his signature dishes is called “21, 31, 41, 51”, and reflects the amazing number of different types of leaves, vegetables and herbs required to prepare it. While the wine list is among the best in Italy.
Côte by Mauro Colagreco, Capella Bangkok, Thailand
Argentinian Mauro Colagreco is the first non-French chef ever to win three Michelin stars in France, in Mirazur on the famous French Riviera. As a result, he submits an impressive resume to Côte Restaurant at Chapela Bangkok, thousands of miles away, located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in the Thai capital.
The elegant dining room overlooks the busy ‘River of the Kings’, yet the focus is firmly on the dishes from the menu, combining textures and flavors from France, with traditional Thai ingredients such as lemon, ginger and pomelo fruit.
Plénitude, Hotel Cheval Blanc Paris, France
His travels landed relatively recently in the City of Light, and since its opening in late 2021, in the center of the French capital on the right bank of the Seine River, Cheval Blanc Paris steals the spotlight. With just 72 rooms and suites, each with a personal butler, large windows with stunning views of Notre Dame and the famous Paris skyline.
Arnaud Dunkel’s gourmet restaurant, Plénitude, is off to an extraordinary start, earning three Michelin stars just six months after opening. And the restaurant, which seats 26 people, is booked months in advance for Dunkel dishes, which are distinguished by his real skill in preparing sauces, which are the main ingredient in French cuisine.
Hibana is from Koki, Capella Hanoi, Vietnam
Credit: Capella Hotels & Resorts
In Vietnam, where Michelin published its first-ever Guide in June 2023, it awarded its coveted star to just four restaurants, including Hibana by Koki, at the elegant Capella Hanoi Hotel.
The head chef, Hiroshi Yamaguchi, is a master of teppanyaki, the cooking technique on a metal stove.
As always in Japanese cuisine, ingredients play a major role.
The veggies, seafood, meat and more that he provides with care are among the best that money can buy. For guests, this translates into dishes including perfectly seasoned Hokkaido lobster and Yayama Kyuri beef.
After dinner, ascend to your unique room, historically inspired by the design of the famous architect and interior designer, Bill Bensley.
Tapas Molecular Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Tokyo, Japan
At its core, molecular cuisine deconstructs familiar dishes and uses new approaches, techniques and technology to fuse flavor and texture, often with surprising results.
At the highest point in Tokyo, the one-star Tapas Molecular Bar offers an indulgent dining experience with dishes that stimulate the five senses by Chef Kento Oshikubo.
Lorenz Adlon Esszimmer, Hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin, Germany
Credit: Courtesy Lorenz Adlon Dining room
In the heart of the German capital, Berlin, this upscale restaurant overlooks the Brandenburg Gate, and has two Michelin stars. Young Swiss chef, Reto Brandli, fuses innovation into contemporary haute cuisine, drawing inspiration from cultures and ideas across Europe while infusing Asian touches.
Flavors come together on the menus in dishes such as grilled sea bass with Andorran kale and orange, or wild grouper with grapefruit, celery and hazelnuts.
The grilled liver with variations of apple and sour cream also shows bold skill in the kitchen.
