These are America’s new five-star hotels for 2026

Inspectors from Forbes Travel Guide have been flopping on beds, taste-testing menus and analyzing customer service in hotels around the world for its 2026 awards, with the U.S. gaining five new five-star properties.

One is The Chateau at Nemacolin, Farmington, Pennsylvania, where Paris-inspired rooms cost from around $700 and guests have access to two golf courses.

Mii amo, located in Arizona’s Boynton Canyon near Sedona, is also a new five-star hotel. Here, rooms are priced from around $1,000 a night and its renowned spa features a “crystal grotto” for meditation and treatments from Native American-inspired rituals to sound and light therapy.

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Another five-star honoree in the U.S. is The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, Florida, where rooms start at around $500 and feature 65-inch TVs and marble bathrooms. On the food front, there are 11 on-site restaurants, including the Michelin-starred steak and seafood eatery Knife & Spoon, and guests can relax in a family friendly outdoor pool with a lazy river.

Another Florida hotel also received the top accolade — Yacht Club at The Boca Raton, an adult-only, all-suite property where per-night prices start at around $1,400.

The fifth U.S. recipient of Forbes’ top hotel accolade is The St. Regis Atlanta, Georgia, where rooms average $900 per night.

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Europe sees four new five-star hotels — The Maybourne Riviera, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France; One&Only Portonovi Montenegro; Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Spain; and Mandarin Oriental Savoy, Zurich, Switzerland.

However, Forbes declared Asia Pacific the next “luxury epicenter,” as it lands 40 percent of all new five-star hotels: Bvlgari Hotel Tokyo; Capella at Galaxy Macau; Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li; Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing; Paiza Grand, Macau; Palazzo Versace Macau; Regent Hong Kong; Roku Kyoto, LXR Hotels & Resorts; The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko, Japan; and The St. Regis Macao.

New five-star hotels also come to the Caribbean (Wymara Villas, Turks and Caicos) and Mexico (Grand Velas Los Cabos), as well as the Middle East: Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi; Grosvenor House, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai; Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Saudi Arabia; and Rosewood Doha.

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Other highlights in the 2026 awards include the U.S. gaining three new five-star restaurants: Atlas Buckhead, Atlanta; Aurelia at Castle Hill, Newport, Rhode Island; and Flybridge, Boca Raton. And The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection’s Ilma becoming the first five-star cruise.

Forbes Travel Guide explained that its stars are the result of rigorous inspections.

It said: “Forbes Travel Guide’s highly trained inspectors visit every property we rate, evaluating based on up to 900 standards. While we assess both service and facility, our system emphasizes service, because exceptional service is what sets the best hospitality experiences apart.

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“The standards cover every touchpoint of the guest experience, from making a reservation through departure – encompassing topics including cleanliness, efficiency, staff knowledge, gracious service, sense of luxury, guest comfort and more.”

Amanda Frasier, FTG's President of Standards & Ratings, said: "Forbes Travel Guide's newest Star Award winners showcase an exciting evolution in luxury.

"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."