Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star

Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star is the most prestigious hotel rating in the world, given to roughly 100 properties globally each year out of 1,600 audited. The rating comes from anonymous inspectors who stay at the hotel under fake names and score it against about 900 detailed standards, most of them about service, like "did the bellhop offer to summon a taxi" or "did the concierge make eye contact when greeting you." Unlike AAA Diamonds or hotel chain star systems, Forbes inspectors don't tell the hotel what they scored on which criteria, only the result. When you see the Forbes Five-Star plaque, expect impeccable service, attention to detail you didn't ask for, and rates starting around $1,000+ per night.