Forbes Travel Guide’s 2026 Star Awards Introduce First Five-Star Cruise Honors And New Global Winners
The 2026 Star Awards introduce the first Five-Star cruise honors while expanding into more than 100 countries worldwide.
Photo: Eric Bartolo
Forbes Travel Guide has released its 2026 Star Awards, marking the 68th edition of the global ratings program and introducing several firsts across hotels, cruises, restaurants, and spas worldwide. The latest list spans more than 100 countries, adding destinations such as Bhutan, Croatia, Laos, and Uzbekistan while highlighting a broader geographic spread of luxury hospitality.
One of the biggest developments comes at sea. The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Ilma becomes the first cruise vessel to earn a Five-Star rating in the program’s history, while Celebrity Xcel’s Le Voyage, created by chef Daniel Boulud, is named the first Five-Star restaurant on a cruise ship. The announcement reflects the expanding scope of the awards, which now cover ocean cruises alongside traditional hotel and restaurant categories.
Across land-based hospitality, smaller destinations and secondary markets continue to appear more prominently on the list. New Five-Star honors include properties in Turks and Caicos, Nikko in Japan, and Montenegro, while Four-Star additions such as The Charleston Place and 100 Princes Street showcase the growing visibility of emerging urban luxury hubs.
The 2026 edition also recognizes new Five-Star hotels in France, Spain, Switzerland, and the Middle East, as well as several additions across Asia Pacific, which accounts for roughly 40% of new Five-Star hotels this year.
In the United States, Atlanta earns its first double Five-Star distinction with The St. Regis Atlanta and Atlas Buckhead restaurant, and The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes secures Orlando’s first top hotel accolade.
Meanwhile, Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Saudi Arabia, becomes the first Five-Star property tied to the Red Sea giga-project, showing continued attention on new resort regions beyond traditional gateways. Macau remains a standout, continuing to lead the world in Five-Star hotels, with several new awards highlighting more intimate, privacy-focused hotel-within-a-hotel concepts.
The full 2026 list includes 2,422 rated properties: 343 Five-Star, 708 Four-Star, and 679 Recommended hotels; 82 Five-Star restaurants; 118 Five-Star spas; and an expanded cruise category featuring one Five-Star ship and multiple Four-Star honorees.
“Forbes Travel Guide’s newest Star Award winners showcase an exciting evolution in luxury,” said Amanda Frasier, FTG’s President of Standards & Ratings. “As guests navigate the increasingly complex travel landscape for the best places to stay, sail, dine and spa, we are proud to provide them with the trusted, integrity-based guidance they need. The 2026 list showcases properties deeply committed to delivering consistent and reliable world-class experiences.”
The complete roster of honorees is now live on ForbesTravelGuide.com.
