For the first time, Forbes Travel Guide is crowning a second batch of five-star hotels, restaurants and spas mid-year, offering travelers more up-to-date ratings.
Forbes had named new five-star properties earlier this year. But today, it is adding three hotels, four restaurants, and one spa.
The new five-star hotels include the first ever for Seattle and Vancouver and a new five-star hotel in London.
Michael Cascone, president of Forbes Travel Guide, said the company decided to add the mid-year update “to provide even more, and more timely, information in a rapidly changing marketplace ? to benefit travelers as well as the hotel community.”
“This enables us to rate and review hotels which were not available for inspection in the previous cycle ? such as new properties or those under renovation, or those who have worked to improve their service levels since the previous ratings cycle,” he said. “In a fast-paced, information-intensive environment, it’s important that consumers have the most up-to-date information when making travel decisions, and its our goal to provide them with the most comprehensive and authoritative information in the market.”
Forbes will continue to name new five-star properties at the beginning of each year as well.
Rosewood Hotels’ Rosewood Hotel Georgia in Vancouver received five stars after an extensive renovation, making it the first hotel in Canada to receive the highest rating.
The Sense Spa inside the Hotel Georgia also received five stars.
The Four Seasons Hotel Seattle received a five-star designation, the first to get one in that city.
Overseas, Forbes Travel Guide gave London’s The Connaught a five-star rating.
London also received four new four-star hotels: Dorset Square Hotel, Dukes, St. Ermins and The Halkin.
The new five-restaurants include:
- The Restaurant at Meadowood, Napa Valley
- Plume Restaurant at The Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C.
- The Fearrington Restaurant in Fearrington Village, N.C.
- Manresa Restaurant in Los Gatos, Calif.
The latest installments bring the total number of Forbes Travel Guide five-star hotels to 83. California has the most of any state with 12.
London and Hong Kong each has seven five-star hotels, making them the international destinations with the highest tally.
Hotels get five-star status for “their virtually flawless service and the finest of amenities,” Forbes said.
“Staff is intuitive, engaging and passionate, and eagerly goes beyond expectations,” the company said.
At four-star properties “attention to detail is prominent throughout the property, from design concept to quality of products provided,” the company said. “Staff is accommodating and takes pride in catering to your specific needs throughout your stay.”
Alan Campey, regional vice president of Rosewood Hotels and Resorts, credited the Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s five-star status on the property’s ” amazing team who have made our guest experience their ultimate goal by being committed to the highest standards, engaging our guests and delivering intuitive and refined service.”
“With this prestigious award, which marks the first hotel in Canada to receive the highest rating, Rosewood Hotel Georgia has set a benchmark as a global industry leader,” Campey said.