What
For 2019, Forbes Travel Guide (FTG) launched ratings in 11 new destinations, with Portugal, South Korea, Malaysia, Turkey and Vietnam receiving Five-Star ratings for the first time. In all, 210 properties received the Five-Star Award. Peninsula Hotels became the first hotel group to achieve Five-Star ratings for its entire portfolio.
Why It Matters
It’s impossible to visit every hotel you book each year, which is why resources such as first-person reviews and awards based on anonymous hotel inspections (such as FTG) are excellent tools. Thanks to rigorous scoring standards, FTG Five-Star hotels are safe bets for five-star clients.
Fast Facts
- There are 210 Five-Star, 534 Four-Star and 362 Recommended hotels; 69 Five-Star, 152 Four-Star and 86 Recommended restaurants; 64 Five-Star and 217 Four-Star spas.
- Five-Star recipients represent 20 percent of all rated properties.
- The Swiss Alps launched with a trio of Five-Star hotels: The Alpina Gstaad, The Chedi Andermatt and Carlton Hotel St. Moritz.
- Istanbul debuted with a Five-Star hotel (Raffles Istanbul), five Four-Star properties (Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul; Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet; Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus; The Ritz-Carlton, Istanbul; The St. Regis Istanbul) and a pair of Recommended hotels.
- Eleven properties earned Five-Star awards for their hotel, restaurant and spa. These triple Five-Star winners include: Banyan Tree Macau; The Broadmoor (Colorado Springs); The Cloister (Sea Island, Georgia); Fairmont Grand Del Mar (San Diego); The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong; Mandarin Oriental, Macau; Meadowood Napa Valley; Montage Laguna Beach; The Peninsula Hong Kong; Star Tower at Studio City Macau; and Wynn Las Vegas.
- U.S. stats to consider: The most Five-Star hotels in the U.S. are in California (18), New York (11) and Florida (7).
- The city with the most Five-Star hotels is London (13), followed by Macau (12), Paris (11), New York (10) and Hong Kong (7).
What They Are Saying
“At Forbes Travel Guide, we verify luxury. Our independent inspection process is the gold standard in the hospitality industry,” said Filip Boyen, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide. “Discerning travelers can trust that each winner is the best of the best. We are pleased to honor the 2019 Star Rating recipients, an exceptional collection of hotels, restaurants and spas dedicated to guest service.”
The Details
Forbes Travel Guide
www.forbestravelguide.com
