The cheapest five-star hotels in the world

Officially five stars, from €40 a night. Here are the 15 cheapest, with their scores and the ones with too few reviews to trust blindly.

By Carlos de Ory · Updated October 24, 2026 · 5 min read

A five-star hotel for €40 a night sounds like a typo. It is not. On our November dates, the cheapest officially five-star hotel in our database costs €40, and the most expensive of the 15 below costs €72. That is less than many simple city hotels in Western Europe charge.

All prices are reference prices seen on Booking.com for a two-night stay from 10 to 12 November 2026, two adults, one room, shown per night. Prices move every day, so check today's price for your own dates before you book.

The 15 cheapest five-star hotels

Read the scores, not just the stars

All 15 hotels are five-stars, but their guest scores range from 8.5 to 9.3. The average is 9.0. That spread matters more than it looks. A 9.3 means guests found very little to complain about. An 8.5 is good, but it usually means more mixed experiences.

The two cheapest hotels show this well. OFICIAL Evian Thermas Residence by Trul Hoteis is the cheapest at €40, but its 8.5 is the lowest score on the list. It is listed as a residence, so expect something closer to an apartment complex than a classic grand hotel. For about €7 more, Grand Hyams Hotel - Quy Nhon Beach scores 9.1 from 714 reviews. And Adamas Boutique Hotel Nha Trang scores 9.2 at €49.

Flag: the hotels with fewer reviews

Thirteen of the 15 hotels have more than 450 reviews. Two have far fewer, and one has a name worth checking. Read these three with more care:

• Moon and Chalice Boutique Hotel: 9.0 from just 203 reviews, at €71. The lowest review count on the list.
• Meliá Yangon: 9.1 from 222 reviews, at €67. A small sample of guests for a hotel of this category.
• Flower Pyramids Inn: 8.8 from 494 reviews. More reviews, but the name says "Inn", which is unusual for a five-star. Check what the rooms and facilities actually are before you assume a full-service hotel.

Fewer reviews do not mean a hotel is bad. They mean a score can change faster, and a few unhappy guests have more weight.

The most solid picks

Eastern House Xi'an

Eastern House Xi'an has the most reviews on the list, 1,940, with a 9.2 at €58. That is the best combination of a high score and a large review base here. See prices.

Aroma Tea House Formula Museum Hotel Guilin

Aroma Tea House Formula Museum Hotel Guilin shares the top score of 9.3 with 1,641 reviews, at €68. It is listed in Xiangshan district. See prices.

The Watson Premium HaLong Hotel

The Watson Premium HaLong Hotel also scores 9.3, from 1,105 reviews, at €63. It is in Bai Chay. See prices.

The Heritage Chiang Rai

The Heritage Chiang Rai Hotel and Convention has 1,169 reviews but a lower 8.7, at €63. The address is in Sansai, Mueang Chiang Rai, and the name includes "Convention". It may suit groups and events more than a quiet break. See prices.

Where the cheap five-stars are

China and Vietnam dominate. China has four: Arthur Hotel Liwan COCO Park, Xi'an, Guilin and Kunming. Vietnam has three: Quy Nhon, Nha Trang and Ha Long. Indonesia has two, Rama Beach Resort and Villas and Maha Hills Resort by Mahaprana Experience, both on Bali. India has two, Courtyard by Marriott Siliguri and O by Tamara Coimbatore. Brazil, Egypt, Thailand and Myanmar have one each. No European city makes this list.

Trade-offs to keep in mind

• Five stars are not a global standard. Star ratings depend on local rules and on what the property declares. Use the score and recent reviews to judge.
• Location varies a lot. Maha Hills Resort by Mahaprana Experience lists an address in Sambangan, Sukasada, not in Lovina town itself. Flower Pyramids Inn is in Giza. Check the map against what you plan to see.
• Low season helps. Mid-November is quiet in some of these places and busy in others. A price this low may not hold over a holiday weekend.
• Extras can add up. At these prices, breakfast, transfers or spa use may be extra. Read what is included.

How to use this list

Treat it as a shortlist, not a booking order. Open the city page to see the other two hotels we picked there, then check the price for your own dates. Read the most recent reviews, look at the map and compare the total price with taxes. You can read the full method on how we choose hotels.

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