HOSPITALITY BRANDBOOK
    Fine dining restaurant entrance with the HBB Recommended plaque on its limestone wall

    01 · Restaurants

    Grand palace hotel entrance with the HBB Recommended plaque beside its iron canopy

    02 · Hotels

    Candlelit restaurant entrance with the HBB Recommended plaque on the wall

    03 · Fine Dining

    Hospitality BrandBook · Independent distinction

    HBB Icons

    A distinction earned.
    A statement at your door.

    Exceptional hospitality deserves to be recognised. HBB Icons honours the places whose food, service and character leave a lasting impression.

    The HBB distinction Explore restaurants

    Illustrative entrance scenes · Not photographs of awarded venues

    Anonymous visits

    The experience of an ordinary guest.

    We pay our own bills

    No hosted visit. No special treatment.

    Independent editorial review

    Quality, identity and the complete experience.

    The mark of an HBB Icon

    Hospitality BrandBook · The distinction

    Illustrative restaurant entrance displaying the approved crimson HBB emblem on its stone wall
    Entrance illustration · The approved HBB emblem in context
    HBB, Hospitality BrandBook

    Before the first welcome, a mark of distinction.

    At a restaurant entrance, an emblem says something before a word is spoken. The HBB mark represents a distinctive identity, thoughtful service and a dining experience worthy of independent recognition.

    For the team behind the door, it is pride in their craft. For the guest walking through it, an invitation to discover what makes this address exceptional.

    Not simply a place on a list.
    A place with a point of view.

    Recognition comes first.

    HBB Icons is an editorial distinction, not a self-awarded badge. Inclusion follows review; displaying the emblem is not a substitute for recognition.

    Venue enquiries

    Restaurants

    Restaurants shaping global gastronomy.

    Explore HBB Icons: Restaurants

    Hotels

    Exceptional hotels defining the world of hospitality.

    Explore HBB Icons: Hotels

    Bars

    Bars defining drinking culture around the world.

    Explore HBB Icons: Bars

    Wellness

    Exceptional destinations shaping the future of wellness.

    Explore HBB Icons: Wellness

    Beach Clubs

    The world's most distinctive beach club experiences.

    Explore HBB Icons: Beach Clubs

    Members Clubs

    Private clubs defining contemporary membership and social culture.

    Explore HBB Icons: Members Clubs

    The selection

    The World Top 10

    Ten addresses per category, chosen from the world's prime hospitality capitals. Nothing more, nothing less.

    Illustrative wellness entrance with the HBB Recommended wall plaque

    Entrance illustration

    Wellness

    A quieter world. Thoughtful rituals, restorative spaces and care that feels personal.

    Illustrative members clubs entrance with the HBB Recommended wall plaque

    Entrance illustration

    Members Clubs

    A sense of belonging. Discretion, character and a welcome that stays with you.

    Selection criteria

    What makes an HBB Icon?

    HBB Icons is not a points race. It is a curated global selection: a venue is recognised, or it is not.

    Experience
    The complete guest experience.
    Excellence
    Exceptional execution and attention to detail.
    Identity
    A distinctive concept with a clear point of view.
    Design
    Architecture, interiors and visual identity.
    Service
    Human connection, professionalism and consistency.
    Influence
    Its impact on hospitality, culture or its destination.
    Longevity or relevance
    Either proven excellence over time or an exceptional new contribution to hospitality.

    The HBB Icons method

    How does it work?

    Credibility begins with the visit. No announcement, no introduction, no special treatment. Our experts see your venue as your guests do.

    01

    They arrive like guests.

    Our experts arrive like any customer. They never disclose who they are, never announce their visit and always pay their own bills. They experience exactly what a normal guest experiences.

    “We book. We pay. We live it, like any guest.”

    02

    They study the food and the experience.

    Taste, product quality, presentation, originality and the complete dining experience. Service, price and atmosphere are all part of the assessment.

    03

    The verdict.

    No scores. No tiers.

    A venue is an HBB Icon, or it is not.

    Independent. Selection is editorially independent.

    Experience-led. The complete hospitality experience is considered, not simply price or luxury level.

    Quality first. Recognition is based on quality, identity and execution.

    Global perspective. Venues are considered within both their local context and the international hospitality landscape.

    Human reviewed. Final inclusion is reviewed editorially before publication.

    Living selection. HBB Icons is continuously reviewed as hospitality evolves.

    Directory

    Explore the Icons

    The first HBB Icons are being selected. The selection is announced once the editorial review is complete.