The Forbes Travel Guide 2026 Star Awards were officially unveiled yesterday, February 11, 2026.
This 68th annual edition is particularly notable for its expansion, now covering more than 100 countries, including new destinations such as Bhutan, Croatia, Poland, Tanzania and Uzbekistan.
It has also introduced several firsts for the industry. Keep reading to find out more.
The dawn of the hotel-within-a-hotel concept
This year, Forbes Travel Guide has highlighted a shift in the luxury landscape toward intimacy and privacy. It noted that travellers are moving away from one-size-fits-all hospitality in favour of bespoke, local immersion. This is showcased by the success of hotel-within-a-hotel concepts like Palazzo Versace in Macau and The Chateau in the US.
Marking its first year with a five-star award, Palazzo Versace Macau is a collaboration between the Italian fashion house and SJM Resorts. While part of the Grand Lisboa Palace complex, it is a self-contained world of high fashion and East-meets-West design. It includes a dedicated five-star spa, the only Versace-branded spa in the world with this rating, that blends bold Italian aesthetics with Chinese motifs.
The Chateau at Nemacolin Resort in Pennsylvania, US, is another brand new five-star recipient for 2026. Nemacolin Resort is a massive 2,000-acre resort with casinos and adventure centres, but The Chateau is its jewel box centre. The Chateau offers a butler-serviced, Paris-inspired experience that feels completely detached from the noise of the larger resort.
These properties are the physical embodiment of the growing trend of intimacy over scale. It’s a lesson in yield management: by carving out these high-end sub-brands, resorts can provide bespoke service while utilising the existing infrastructure of a larger property.
Historic firsts in luxury travel
Forbes Travel Guide has expanded its reach into new dimensions of travel for 2026. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Ilma has made history as the first cruise ship ever to receive a five-star rating. Also at sea, Celebrity Xcel’s Le Voyage by Daniel Boulud is the first five-star cruise restaurant. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea debuts this year. Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is the first property from the Saudi Red Sea giga-project to secure a five-star rating.
These record-breaking wins are just the tip of the iceberg. Across 100 countries, a select group of properties has joined the elite five-star ranks this year. The 2026 list features 343 five-star hotels globally. Major new additions include:
- Europe: The Maybourne Riviera (France), One&Only Portonovi (Montenegro), Mandarin Oriental Barcelona (Spain), and Mandarin Oriental Savoy Zurich (Switzerland).
- Asia Pacific: This region was named the next luxury epicentre, landing 40% of all new five-star hotel awards. Key winners include Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo, Regent Hong Kong, Capella Shanghai, and The Ritz-Carlton Nikko.
- Middle East: New five-stars went to Grosvenor House (Dubai), Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental (Abu Dhabi), and Rosewood Doha (Qatar).
- US: Five new properties reached the top tier, including Mii amo (Sedona), The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, and The St. Regis Atlanta.
See the full list of new hotel additions here: https://www.forbestravelguide.com/award-winners
Enduring excellence
While new winners stole the headlines, several icons reinforced their dominance by defending their crowns. Macau remains the undisputed global capital of luxury for the fourth year running, boasting 28 five-star hotels, the most in the world. In London, the Pan Pacific achieved its fifth consecutive five-star status, an accolade it’s held for every year in operation. Meanwhile, the Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace continues its solitary reign as Hungary’s only five-star distinction, a title it has now held for a full decade.
Atlantis The Royal made history as the first and only ‘triple-five’ property in the Middle East and Africa, recognised simultaneously with a five-star hotel, five-star spa and five-star restaurant. As a leading culinary destination, Atlantis Dubai now holds three of only four, five-star restaurants in the entire UAE (Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Ossiano, and the newly crowned FZN by Björn Frantzén). It is also now the single-brand integrated resort with the most Forbes Travel Guide stars in the world.
See the full list of Forbes Travel Guide 2026 award winners here: https://www.forbestravelguide.com/award-winners
