The results of the 56th annual Forbes Travel Guide Star Ratings are in, revealing 97 Five-Star hotels worldwide, the most in Forbes Travel Guide’s history. For the past year, our professional inspectors have been traveling the globe to uncover the best hotels, restaurants and spas to add to your travel must-visit list.
View the full list of official Forbes Travel Guide Star Ratings at ForbesTravelGuide.com.
Hong Kong, Macau, New York City and London each topped the lists with the most Five-Star hotels in the markets that Forbes Travel Guide rates, with a total of seven in each city. This includes new Five-Star recipients Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip and The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York, which join hotels such as The Savoy in London and The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.
The addition of Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip makes Toronto-based Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts the hotel group with the most Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotels. This year, the luxury group has 18 hotels with Five-Star ratings, including the newly built Toronto flagship and the “Quadruple Five-Star” Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, which earned nods for its hotel, spa and two restaurants, Caprice and Lung King Heen.
California continues to top the list of U.S. states with the most Five-Star hotels, with two recent renovations—San Diego’s Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa and Santa Barbara’s El Encanto—earning the designation. Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco and The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, San Francisco also earned Five-Stars after elaborate makeovers. Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley, Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, The Spa at Pebble Beach and Aubergine, the Restaurant at L’Auberge Carmel also achieved the top rating.
Smaller markets fared well, highlighted by The Ranch at Rock Creek in Philipsburg, Mont., which earned the first Five-Star rating for a hotel in that state.
The Forbes Travel Guide Star Rating list now includes 97 Five-Star hotels, 48 Five-Star restaurants and 41 Five-Star spas, plus 296 Four-Star hotels, 186 Four-Star restaurants and 149 Four-Star spas. In its second year, Forbes Travel Guide’s Recommended rating continues to grow with 82 Recommended hotels and 42 Recommended restaurants.
