The Leading Hotels of the World

The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. is a marketing organization representing more than 400 luxury hotels in over 80 countries. Established in 1928 by European hoteliers, it is headquartered in New York City.

History
The company was established in 1928 by a group of European hoteliers. With 38 initial members, among them Hotel Negresco in Nice, the Mena House in Cairo, the Montreux Palace in Montreux and King David Hotel in Jerusalem, the organization was initially known as "The Luxury Hotels of Europe and Egypt". The founders opened an office in New York named Hotel Representative, Inc. (HRI). By the end of the 1960s, HRI had grown to 70 member hotels, all of which were in Europe. From 1971, it admitted new member properties worldwide. As of 2018, LHW represents "more than 400 hotels in over 80 countries".

Operations
The properties include independent and unusual hotels throughout the world, including former castles, mountain hideaways, safari camps and private islands. Hotels seeking to join must have a referral from an existing member hotel and apply for admission.