Marriott International’s Luxury Group has collected 397 recognitions in the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards – the most by any hotel company in this year’s edition. The haul includes 11 new Five-Star distinctions, representing 30% of all newly awarded top honours, and spans hotels, resorts, yachts, spas and restaurants across nine brands.
The headline achievement belongs to Ilma, the second vessel in The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s three-ship fleet. The 241-metre, 224-suite yacht has become the first and only cruise ship in the guide’s 68-year history to earn a Five-Star rating – a milestone that extends the boundaries of what Forbes Travel Guide evaluates as luxury hospitality.
Forbes Travel Guide is the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruise ships. Anonymous inspectors assess properties against up to 900 objective standards, with 70% of the evaluation weighted toward service quality. Ratings cannot be purchased – they are earned exclusively through the inspection process.
The 2026 edition is the guide’s most expansive yet, covering more than 100 countries for the first time and recognising 2,422 properties in total. That includes 343 Five-Star hotels – up from 334 in 2025 – alongside 708 Four-Star and 679 Recommended hotels, plus rated restaurants, spas and cruise ships.
Seven Marriott Luxury Group properties achieved Five-Star status for the first time in 2026. Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo and The Ritz-Carlton Nikko mark new entries in Japan. Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast, becomes the first Five-Star property within the kingdom’s ambitious giga-project development zone.
In the United States, The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes earns Orlando’s first Five-Star hotel distinction, while The St. Regis Atlanta achieves Georgia’s first double Five-Star – the hotel and its Atlas Buckhead restaurant both receiving top honours. The St. Regis Macao and Grosvenor House Dubai, a Luxury Collection property, round out the new entrants.
The culinary and wellness categories added further depth. Lai Heen at The Ritz-Carlton Macau earned a Five-Star restaurant distinction. Among spas, the Thermal Spring Spa at The Hotel Mitsui Kyoto (The Luxury Collection), the spa at West Hollywood EDITION and St. Regis Chicago Spa were all recognised.
“Recognition from Forbes Travel Guide is an extraordinary honour and one we value deeply,” said Tina Edmundson, president of luxury at Marriott International. “Luxury ultimately comes to life through the individual moments that shape each guest’s stay. I’m incredibly proud of those who bring that spirit to life every day.”
Amanda Frasier, Forbes Travel Guide’s president of ratings, noted that Marriott’s performance was the result of a sustained strategic approach. “This is not by happenstance, but the outcome of the Luxury Group’s concerted approach of delivering authenticity by establishing a consistent service identity,” she said.
The results underscore the competitive dynamics at the top of global luxury hospitality. Four Seasons, which announced its own 2026 results separately, retains the most Five-Star rankings of any single company for the eleventh consecutive year, with 62 distinctions across 42 hotels and resorts, 16 spas and four restaurants. Marriott’s Luxury Group counters with sheer portfolio breadth – more than 555 properties and yachts across 70-plus countries and nine distinct brands, from Bvlgari to W Hotels.
The distinction matters strategically. Forbes Five-Star status functions as a quality signal for high-net-worth travellers and corporate travel buyers, directly influencing booking decisions and rate-setting power. For Marriott, the 397 recognitions reinforce the credibility of its Luxury Group at a time when the company is aggressively expanding the segment through new-build properties, brand conversions and experiential formats including yacht voyages and tented lodges.
Ilma’s Five-Star designation is particularly significant for Marriott’s push into experiential luxury. The vessel, launched in September 2024, features five dining venues developed with chefs Fabio Trabocchi and Michael Mina, a full Ritz-Carlton spa with ESPA and 111SKIN treatments, and a marina offering direct sea access for water sports. It joins sister ships Evrima, which earned a Four-Star rating, and Luminara, the fleet’s newest addition.
For HR and talent leaders in hospitality, the Forbes results carry workforce implications. The guide’s heavy weighting toward service quality – rather than physical product alone – means that sustained Five-Star performance depends directly on recruitment, training and retention of frontline staff. Properties that achieve or maintain top ratings typically invest heavily in service culture programmes, leadership development and associate recognition.
The broader 2026 awards signal a shifting luxury landscape. Macau leads globally with 28 Five-Star hotels for the fourth consecutive year. Smaller destinations including Montenegro, Turks and Caicos, and Sedona, Arizona earned inaugural Five-Star recognitions. The Middle East gained four new Five-Star hotels, reflecting the region’s continued investment in destination-level luxury infrastructure.
