THE INFINITE EDIT

A weekly note from Infinite Explorer.

SUNDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2026 | 08:00 | 3 MIN READ

Edition 04 – When the obvious choice isn’t the right one

Some hotels are very easy to recommend. They have the name, the location and the reputation, and they appear on almost every list of where to stay. 

That doesn’t mean they’re right for everyone.

At Infinite Explorer, we’ve recommended that clients choose somewhere other than one of the most celebrated hotels in a destination. There may be nothing wrong with the hotel itself – another one simply suited the trip better.

Knowing that a hotel is excellent is relatively easy, but knowing whether it’s excellent for you is where the judgement comes in.

Take Dubai. Some of its best-known hotels are extraordinary by almost any measure, with exceptional service and attention paid to every single detail.

For one traveller, that could be exactly what they’re looking for. Someone else might prefer a different location because of how they plan to spend their days, or want more privacy and a calmer atmosphere than the talked-about address can offer.

Neither choice is inherently better. What matters is how well it fits the person travelling.

It’s why we’re cautious when someone asks us for “the best hotel” in a destination. A long weekend with friends calls for something very different from a two-week family holiday. An anniversary trip brings its own priorities.

The obvious choice can feel reassuring because everybody knows the name, but reputation can only tell you so much.

Sometimes the famous hotel is exactly where we’d recommend staying. On another trip, the better option might be a property that receives far less attention. And occasionally, we’ll tell a client that the hotel they arrived with in mind probably isn’t the one we’d choose for them.

That isn’t about being contrarian. We’re just looking beyond the reputation of the property and thinking about the experience the client wants to have.

So when someone asks us for the best hotel, there’s usually another question to answer first. What’s going to be right for you?

The best-known choice and the best choice for your trip aren’t always the same thing.

Founder, Infinite Explorer Ltd

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