BALI | Desa Potato Head Bali has been named the 18th best at the 2025 World's 50 Best Hotels Awards, and won the Eco Hotel Award.
Desa Potato Head Bali, the creative village founded by hospitality pioneer Ronald Akili, is proud to announce its 18 ranking in The World’s 50 Best Hotels awards and its recognition as the winner of the Eco Hotel Award. Founded on the ethos of ‘Good Times, Do Good’, Potato Head has become a global reference for regenerative tourism, with a commitment to carbon neutrality, zero waste, and community-led initiatives.
Desa Potato Head Bali is a unique and extensive creative village, encompassing two sleep options, Suites and Studios, and multiple food and beverage concepts, Kaum, Dome, Tanaman, Ijen, Sunset Park, and Potato Head Beach Club, alongside art, music, and cultural spaces. Every element is designed to inspire guests to live and consume more consciously.
Recent initiatives include the Community Waste Project, which brings together neighbouring businesses to separate and recycle their waste. A 2,000-square-metre land near Bali’s largest landfill has been transformed into a functioning facility with an open-source approach, creating a scalable model for collective change. In August 2025, Potato Head also launched Wasted by Potato Head, a design collection that turns discarded materials into functional objects such as chairs, ceramic ware and glassware
These projects build on the long-standing Waste Lab and the Sweet Potato Project, a community food initiative started during lockdown that continues to provide both sustenance and employment. Together, they reflect the Desa’s mission to prove that good times and positive impact can go hand in hand.
"We are honoured to have been recognised by The World's 50 Best Hotels 2025 awards and the Eco Hotel Award. We believe with the right intention; tourism could be a force of good change instead of destruction. We don’t have all the answers, but it feels good to be working together to find solutions.”
The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2025 was revealed as part of a live countdown from No.50 to No.1. The ranking is complemented by a host of special awards alongside the first-ever 51-100 list and reflects the very best travel experiences around the globe, collated from the votes of 800 anonymous experts. This voting panel, the 50 Best Hotels Academy, comprises a balanced mix of hoteliers, travel journalists, educators and seasoned luxury travellers, led by a group of industry-leading Academy Chairs.
No.18 place ranking underscores its unique fusion of art, culture, and hospitality, creating an immersive experience that captures the essence of Bali whilst leading regenerative tourism both in the region, and globally.
Desa Potato Head Bali is also the winner of the Eco Hotel Award. Driven by the motto ‘Good Times Do Good’, Desa Potato Head Bali is committed to sustainability and was the first Asian hospitality brand to go carbon-neutral, with a focus on sourcing ingredients responsibly and using recycled materials. As with its other global awards, 50 Best worked closely with the Sustainable Restaurant Association on the Eco Hotel Award, inviting all hotels on the list to submit an application outlining their sustainability initiatives and credentials for rigorous review.
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