Forbes Unveils 2026 Global Star Awards
Alexandra
Geography and logistics impact of the 2026 Star Awards
Forbes Travel Guide's 2026 Star Awards now cover more than 100 countries, a shift that will influence port scheduling, marina capacity, charter calendars and regional hospitality supply chains as new Five‑Star properties and cruise entries alter peak season flows.
Notable firsts and category breakthroughs
- Ilma, from The Ritz‑Carlton Yacht Collection, is the first-ever Five‑Star cruise ship in the program’s history.
- Le Voyage on Celebrity Xcel, led by chef Daniel Boulud, is the first Five‑Star cruise ship restaurant.
- New country debuts include Bhutan, Croatia, Georgia, Grenada, Laos, Poland, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Uzbekistan.
- Smaller Destinations saw inaugural Five‑Star hotels such as Wymara Villas (Turks and Caicos), The Ritz‑Carlton, Nikko (Japan), and One&Only Portonovi (Montenegro).
Scale of recognition: property counts and categories
| Category | Five‑Star | Four‑Star | Recommended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotels | 343 | 708 | 679 |
| Restaurants | 82 | 138 | 80 |
| Spas | 118 | 241 | — |
| Cruise ships | 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Cruise ship restaurants | 1 | 8 | 5 |
| Total properties | 2,422 | ||
Regional breakdown and operational notes
In the United States, five hotels earned Five‑Star ratings: The Chateau at Nemacolin (Farmington, PA), Mii amo (Sedona), The Ritz‑Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, The St. Regis Atlanta, and Yacht Club at The Boca Raton. Restaurant Five‑Star additions were Atlas Buckhead (Atlanta), Aurelia at Castle Hill (Newport, RI), and Flybridge (Boca Raton).
Europe’s new Five‑Star entries include The Maybourne Riviera (France), Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, and Mandarin Oriental Savoy (Zurich). In Asia Pacific, notable winners range from Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo to Regent Hong Kong and ROKU KYOTO.
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The Middle East added Four new Five‑Star hotels, including Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental (Abu Dhabi) and Nujuma, a Ritz‑Carlton Reserve in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea project. The Caribbean and Mexico also saw fresh Five‑Star entries.
Macau and concentrated luxury supply
Macau remains the densest luxury cluster with 28 Five‑Star hotels, including recent additions like Capella at Galaxy Macau, Paiza Grand, and Palazzo Versace Macau, several of which use hotel‑within‑a‑hotel models that affect occupancy segmentation and inter‑facility logistics.
Operational implications for boating and charter markets
Luxury hotel and cruise recognition drives spillover demand into local maritime services. Marinas near high‑rated hotels and cruise terminals will likely see increased requests for transient berths, superyacht provisioning, captain and crew hires, and yacht charter bookings—especially in destinations that just gained Five‑Star status. Ports will need to balance commercial cruise calls with private yacht traffic; think of berth allocation like trying to seat extra guests at a full table.
Practical effects on rentals and marinas
- Higher rated hotels near coasts typically push up demand for charter boats and day‑sails, increasing marina turnover.
- New cruise ship recognition, such as Ilma, can rework tender schedules and shore excursion logistics at smaller ports.
- Superyacht owners and captains may target newly acclaimed Destinations for season repositioning, impacting local hiring and provision chains.
What operators and renters should watch
Booking windows may compress in newly awarded Destinations; if you rent a boat in one of these markets, plan earlier. Marina operators should review berth reservation systems and provisioning partners, while charter companies may find new opportunities in shore‑based partnerships with Five‑Star hotels and restaurants.
Summary and takeaways
The 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards expanded global recognition to more than 100 countries, introduced firsts such as the first Five‑Star cruise ship (Ilma) and first cruise ship Five‑Star restaurant (Le Voyage on Celebrity Xcel), and acknowledged 2,422 properties across hotels, restaurants, spas and cruise categories. These shifts redistribute luxury demand, affecting marinas, charter schedules, captain hires and boating logistics in both established and emerging Destinations.
For anyone involved in yacht or boat charter, beachside hospitality, or marina operations, this year's list signals where travelers will be heading—more superyacht calls, packed marinas, and increased demand for captain services and slip rentals. Bottom line: expect refined booking windows and fresh opportunities in sailing, charter, and yachting markets as these awards ripple through the sea, ocean and gulf gateways. In short: the awards don't just crown hotels and restaurants, they steer where boats, captains and charters will be drawn next—think sunseeker afternoons, clearwater anchorages, fishing trips off new beaches, and busy marinas across Destinations near lakes, seas and oceans.
