Below are widely recognized “leading” luxury resorts for 2025 (selected from 2025 industry awards, reader-voted lists and major travel press). I grouped them by region and gave one-line reasons with sources you can check.

Summary sources: Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2025; Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards 2025; Leading Hotels / brand press releases; major travel press. (stories.hilton.com, forbes.com, lhw.com)

Asia & Indian Ocean

• Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi — Maldives multi‑island overwater‑villa resort consistently ranked in Travel + Leisure’s Top 100 and a Forbes Five‑Star recipient in 2025. (luxurytravelmagazine.com, stories.hilton.com)
• Raffles at Galaxy Macau — flagship Macau property added to Forbes Travel Guide Five‑Star winners in 2025 (large, ultra‑luxury resort complex). (forbes.com)
• St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort — frequent winner in Indian Ocean luxury categories / World Travel Awards recognition in the region. (worldtravelawards.com)
• Aman Nai Lert, Bangkok — new high‑end Aman opening in 2025 that’s received strong press attention as a leading urban sanctuary. (thetimes.co.uk)

Europe & Mediterranean

• Il San Pietro di Positano / Il Pellicano (Italy) — perennial Mediterranean luxury classics frequently top regional “best resort” lists in reader‑voted awards. (press.abc-directory.com, lhw.com)
• Ritz Paris (Paris) — long‑standing icon regularly listed among Europe’s top luxury hotels in 2025 industry roundups. (lhw.com)

Africa & Safari

• andBeyond Bateleur Camp (Kenya) — named Travel + Leisure World’s Best Hotel (2025) and repeatedly cited among top safari experiences. (traveldailynews.com)

Middle East

• Burj Al Arab, Dubai — still one of the region’s signature ultra‑luxury resorts and cited in regional “best” lists for 2025. (press.abc-directory.com)
• Atlantis The Royal, Dubai — high‑profile ultra‑luxury resort noted in 2025 luxury press coverage (Forbes/industry roundups). (forbestravelguide.com)

Americas & Caribbean

• The Brando (Tetiaroa, French Polynesia) — private‑island ultra‑luxury resort repeatedly named among the world’s most exclusive escapes in 2025 coverage. (businessinsider.com)
• Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (Hawaii) — frequent Condé Nast / readers’‑choice winner for Hawaii resorts. (press.abc-directory.com)
• Acqualina Resort & Residences (Sunny Isles Beach, FL) — included among Leading Hotels / Travel + Leisure‑recognized top U.S. resorts in 2025. (lhw.com)
• The Gasparilla Inn (Boca Grande, FL) — Travel + Leisure’s 2025 pick for top resort in Florida (readers’ ranking). (southernliving.com)

Brand‑level leaders (2025)

• Four Seasons — largest number of Forbes Five‑Star ratings in 2025 and many individual properties cited as top resorts. (press.fourseasons.com)
• Capella Hotels & Resorts — named Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Hotel Brand for 2025 (notable Capella resorts included in regional lists). (traveldailynews.com)

Notes

• “Leading” here is based on 2025 industry awards and reader/critic lists (Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards, Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards, Leading Hotels press releases and major travel press). Specific rankings vary by list and category (island resort, city hotel, spa, safari, etc.). (stories.hilton.com, forbes.com, lhw.com)
• If you want a shorter shortlist (e.g., top 5 for Maldives, top 5 U.S. coastal resorts, or best private‑island escapes) I can produce that with links to the award pages and recent reviews.