Forbes Travel Guide has unveiled its highly anticipated 2025 Star Awards, recognizing the best in luxury hospitality worldwide. Now in its 67th year, the prestigious list spans over 2,100 properties across 90 countries, honoring excellence in hotels, restaurants, spas, and even cruise experiences.
This year, three new U.S. hotels have joined the elite ranks of five-star properties. The Canyon Suites at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona, stands out with its sprawling 250-acre setting at the foot of Camelback Mountain, offering guests a palatial retreat in the desert. In Los Angeles, The Maybourne Beverly Hills delivers classic elegance with stunning views of the Hollywood Hills and the iconic Hollywood sign. Rounding out the list is RiverView Ranch in Alberton, Montana, a secluded luxury escape set on more than 1,000 acres along the Clark Fork River, offering rustic Western charm with refined modern comforts.
Other key findings from this year’s awards
Forbes Travel Guide’s 2025 Star Awards highlight not only the newest five-star properties, but also notable trends in hospitality worldwide. For the third consecutive year, Macau retains its title as the city with the most Five-Star hotels, now boasting 24. This year, Epic Tower at Studio City Macau and Raffles at Galaxy Macau joined the prestigious list, along with seven new Five-Star restaurants.
The 2025 awards also saw an expansion into new destinations, recognizing top-tier properties in Brunei; Costa Navarino, Greece; Finland; multiple cities in China (Haikou, Xiamen, and Xi’an); Kazakhstan; Malaga, Spain; Montenegro; Oualidia and Tamuda Bay, Morocco; Phu Quoc, Vietnam; Romania; and Salzburg, Austria.
Forbes Travel Guide also introduced its first-ever cruise restaurant ratings, spotlighting fine dining at sea. Among the inaugural honorees are Fine Cut Steakhouse aboard Celebrity Apex and Ascent, S.E.A. on The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Evrima, The Dining Room on SeaDream II, The Grill on Silversea’s Silver Origin, and Candles on Windstar’s Star Pride.
