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What Makes A Forbes Travel Guide Five Star? By Forbes Travel Guide Editors

February 6, 2024

When Forbes Travel Guide’s expert inspectors visit a property, they anonymously test it based on hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service. Only the best of the best achieve the coveted Five Star, our highest rating. In anticipation of our 2024 Star Award winners announcement on February 7, we give you a peek into what it takes to earn a Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award.

Authentic guest experience

Wowing a guest or elevating the guest experience is not a new concept in luxury — FTG has been measuring it for decades — but it sits at the forefront of travel-making decisions as guests’ expectations of what they want out of their trip evolve.

There is never a need to overthink the guest experience — often the most memorable moments can be simple and unplanned gestures. A staff of genuine individuals passionate about service will ensure natural and authentic experiences. Guests value their time more than ever before, and knowing their time was well spent and feeling organically cared for in a way that was not scripted or overplanned is the most important evolution. FTG has an evaluation touchpoint to measure this authenticity.

Sustainability and luxury

It’s not about how many sustainability measures a hotel adopts, but about the property doing what it can really well in a genuine manner and without disrupting or removing the sense of luxury. The ability for a guest to maintain sustainability commitments when traveling is a new evolving luxury and one to watch.

Equal to the guest experience, the choice to participate in sustainability efforts is not a “perhaps” but a non-negotiable for today’s guests. This factor helps them determine where to stay and dine. Travel professionals will turn to tools such as FTG’s new Responsible Tourism program, which awards a VERIFIED™ badge to hotels that meet expert criteria for protecting the environment and supporting the well-being of employees, guests and the community — creating a global standard for the world’s finest hotels and a trusted third-party verification for guests and travel advisors.

Evolution of well-being

The travel resurgence continues with guests’ expectations becoming even more hyper-focused on feeling well when they travel and even better when they leave. The need for more outdoor space, good light, fresh air and a high-quality sleep experience prevails in the decision-making process at all Star Rating levels.

Properties that provide authentic destination-centric itineraries that take advantage of their surroundings, offer something new to try and allow for cultural immersion for the guest combine for an elevated sense of luxury and overall mental well-being.

Curation of an experience

Whether a hotel offers a traditional luxury experience or a more contemporary one, the commonality across all luxury hotels is the guest demand for authenticity. Guests should have the ability to do something unique, perhaps community-driven, in the destination they choose to visit.

Whether that’s making your own perfume or cooking a lesser-known village delicacy with a local chef, FTG’s standards reward properties for delivering bespoke experiences that show they understand what guests want to achieve out of their travel. Hotels should expand experiences beyond just the bare necessities of the property and foster a deeper, long-term connection with the destination.

Visit ForbesTravelGuide.com on February 7 to see the list of 2024 Forbes Travel Guide Star Award winners .

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Norway’s spectacular western fjords: a bucket list destination.

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Norangsfjord, Norway

"The wildest alpine valley I ever saw was not in the Alps, it was the valley Norangsdalen at Sunnmøre, Norway." William Cecil Slingsby, Pioneering alpinist

Breathtakingly beautiful, Norway's Western Fjords are carved by ancient glaciers, with towering mountains, cascading waterfalls and serene blue waters. The Geirangerfjord stretching for over 60 miles is on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its outstanding beauty. Whether you're cruising through the fjords, driving or hiking through the stunning Sunnmore Alps, this area of Norway offers some of the most spectacular scenery in Scandinavia. 62Nord , a trio of family-owned, boutique hotels in the region, provide excellent accommodation and experiences in three stunning settings. You can take a circular route by car or boat, staying for a night in each of the three, giving a great overview of the area. Each hotel is distinctly Norwegian but completely unique.

Alesund: Hotel Brosundet

View of the city of Alesund, Norway from the Fjellstua Viewpoint.

Your Western Fjords trip should start in picturesque Alesund where there’s a small airport. Stay at 62Nord’s Hotel Brosundet , located right on the edge of the quayside in the town center. Once a fisheries warehouse, the Art Nouveau-style hotel forms an important part of the town’s historical heritage. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming with a huge floor-to-ceiling fireplace in the lobby, surrounded by plush chairs and sofas. There are 132 guest rooms, including five suites, over two buildings, connected by an underground tunnel but the hotel has the intimate feel of a much smaller hotel. While retaining the history of the place, with rooms that have exposed wooden beams and uneven floors, the furnishings are contemporary Scandinavian style and the bathrooms are sleekly modern with Ren toiletries. Rooms face either the pretty cobbled streets or overlook the harbor.

Hotel Brosundet, Alesund, Norway

Guests are well catered for with a wonderful breakfast buffet in a waterfront dining room while a superb dinner option is Apotekergata No. 5, with an a la carte or tasting menu featuring seasonal, local produce. A four-course tasting menu with a fish focus includes dishes made from clipfish, cod, catch of the day and even whale. For an aperitif or digestif, the petite Arkivet Bar (named after the local trader Peder Devold who ran his fish oil business out of this address in 1905) serves great cocktails.

Alesund has a sweet old town center with shops, cafes and restaurants but the real highlight is the Fjellstua Viewpoint. Be prepared for several hundred steps to get to the top but the views over the town and sea are worth the effort.

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Google chrome gets second emergency update in a week as new exploit confirmed, metallica makes history with their new no 1 single, øye : hotel union øye.

Union Oye hotel, Norway

From Alesund, your scenic adventure will continue by car or a boat right from the private dock at Hotel Brosundet . An hour or so later, following an unforgettable speed boat ride up the fjords, you’ll arrive at Norangsfjord and the magnificent Hotel Union Øye , in the tiny village of Øye. Nature surrounds you with lush green gardens and cascading waterfalls on nearby mountains.

Union Oye, Norway

Both the red and yellow wooden frame exterior and interiors, featuring lavish wallpaper, brocade and Norwegian antiques, will make you feel like you’ve stepped back in time. The hotel was designed by Norwegian architect Christian Thams and delivered by ship to be assembled as a hotel in 1891. Since opening, the hotel has hosted many well known writers, musicians, explorers and royalty. Karen Blixen, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Henrik Ibsen, Roald Amundsen, as well as the architect of the first world war, Kaiser Wilhelm, all stayed here. You can even see the signature of the great Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg in the guest book while a Climber’s Book has entries from world-famous mountaineers. The 27 rooms, each different, are named after these famous visitors. The Queen’s Suite is particularly opulent with a “ring for champagne” bell beside the bath that apparently does work. A 2022 refurbishment added more rooms in five new-buildings with more modern furnishings and traditional grass roofs.

Lounge at Union Oye

The hamlet of Øye has the hotel and one shop so it’s a good thing that the food at the hotel is excellent. As with all three 62Nord properties, the menus are made of local, seasonal ingredients. For a hotel with so many stories (there’s even a resident ghost called Linda), it’s fitting that music and storytelling are an evening option in the lounge. If you visit during summer, you’ll have daylight until midnight for an after dinner stroll through the gardens to the waterside or to explore the beautiful mountains nearby.

Glomset: Storfjord Hotel

The beautiful scenics of Norwegian Geirangerfjord.

If you arrived at Union Øye by boat, you have the option of renting a classic car from the hotel which you can take for a daytrip or drop at the third and final hotel. Union Øye offers a classic British Morgan Plus Four or an electric Porsche Taycan and suggests routes. The route from Union Øye to Storfjord will take you through gorgeous countryside and on mountain roads, past the stunning Geirangerfjord with a good viewpoint to take photos.

Storfjord hotel room, Norway

Just when you thought the views couldn’t get any better, you arrive at Storfjord Hotel, perched on a hillside overlooking the wondrous Storfjord and the Sunnmøre Alps. And at the back of the hotel is a gorgeous forest. The 30 individually designed guest rooms are in traditional grass covered buildings with log walls and pine floors that complement the natural surroundings. To really relax and soak up the surroundings, there’s an outdoor jacuzzi and sauna.

One of the grass roofed buildings of Storfjord hotel, Norway

Storfjord really takes its culinary offering seriously and has developed close relationships with local food and beverage producers like Havsnø, known for its artisanal salt from Aukra, and Jacu, a local coffee roastery providing exquisite coffee. Storfjord Hotel also produces its own honey. Nils Flatmark, the Executive Head Chef, is the only Nordic chef with three gold medals in the Nordic Championships and is also the first to win the Nordic Green Chef of the Year award. Current menu highlights include Turbot from Kvinesdal, Halibut from Hjelmeland and Lamb from Roros. Following a wonderful meal and peaceful rest, you will reluctantly head back to Alesund airport (about a 30 minute drive).

Getting There

Flights to Alesund are with Scandinavian or Norwegian airlines via Oslo.

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Announcing the Hot List Winners of 2024

By CNT Editors

It’s inevitable: Every spring when we pull together the Hot List , our annual collection of the world’s best new hotels, restaurants , and cruise ships , a staffer remarks that this latest iteration has got to be the best one ever. After a year’s worth of traveling the globe—to stay the night at a converted farmhouse in the middle of an olive grove outside Marrakech, or sail aboard a beloved cruise line’s inaugural Antarctic voyage—it’s easy to see why we get attached. But this year’s Hot List, our 28th edition, might really be the best one ever. It’s certainly our most diverse, featuring not only a hotel suite that was once Winston Churchill’s office, but also the world’s largest cruise ship and restaurants from Cape Town to Bali. We were surprised and inspired by this year’s honorees, and we know you will be too. These are the Hot List hotel winners for 2024.

Click here to see the entire Hot List for 2024 .

All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you book something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

North Island Okavango

Angama Amboseli

Jannah Lamu

Farasha Farmhouse , Marrakech

Kozo Kigali

Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island — Seychelles

SOUTH AFRICA

Nikkei Cape Town

Molori Mashuma , Mana Pools National Park

Pemako Punakha

Regent Hong Kong

Mementos by ITC Hotels, Ekaaya Udaipur

Naar , Darwa

Papa's , Mumbai

Cap Karoso , Sumba

Further , Bali

Locavore NXT Bali

Le Pristine Tokyo

The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza

Trunk(Hotel) Yoyogi Park , Tokyo

Shinta Mani Mustang - A Bensley Collection , Jomsom

SOUTH KOREA

JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa

Pot Au Phở , Ho Chi Minh

Le Foote , Sydney

Southern Ocean Lodge , Kangaroo Island

Sun Ranch , Byron Bay

MIDDLE EAST

Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain

SAUDI ARABIA

Six Senses Southern Dunes , Umluj

The St. Regis Riyadh

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The Guild , Dubai

SIRO One Za'abeel, Dubai

Soul Kitchen , Dubai

The Lana, Dorchester Collection , Dubai

Koan , Copenhagen

Hotel Maria , Helsinki

1 Place Vendôme , Paris

The Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel , Cannes

Datil , Paris

Hôtel Le Grand Mazarin , Paris

La Nauve Hôtel & Jardin , Cognac

Rosewood Munich

Mandarin Oriental, Costa Navarino

Monument , Athens

One&Only Aesthesis , Athens

Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll

Bulgari Hotel Roma , Rome

Trattoria del Ciumbia , Milan

Hotel La Palma , Capri

La Roqqa , Porto Ercole

Nolinski Venezia , Venice

Palazzo Roma , Rome

Saporium , Florence

Hotel Violino d’Oro , Venice

Mamula Island

NETHERLANDS

De Durgerdam , Amsterdam

Canalha , Lisbon

Andreu Genestra , Mallorca

Barro , Ávila

César Lanzarote , Lanzarote

Hotel Corazón , Mallorca

Grand Hotel Son Net , Mallorca

Palacio Arriluce , Getxo

Son Vell Menorca , Menorca

The Peninsula Istanbul

UNITED KINGDOM

Broadwick Soho , London

Chishuru , London

The Devonshire , London

Chelsea Townhouse, London

Estelle Manor , Cotswolds

Fish Shop , Ballater The Peninsula London

Raffles London at The OWO

Colima 71 , Mexico City

Maizajo Mexico City

Maroma, A Belmond Hotel , Riviera Maya

Riviera Maya EDITION

The St. Regis Kanai Resort , Riviera Maya

SOUTH AMERICA

Casa Lucía , Buenos Aires

Trescha , Buenos Aires

Oseille , Rio de Janiero

99 Restaurante, Santiago

Our Habitas Atacama , San Pedro de Atacama

Puqio , Arequipa

THE CARIBBEAN

Silversands Beach House

UNITED STATES

The Celestine , New Orleans

Dawn Ranch , Sonoma, California

The Fifth Avenue Hotel , New York

Fontainebleau Las Vegas

The Georgian , Santa Monica, California

The Global Ambassador , Phoenix

Hotel Bardo, Savannah

Ilis , New York

Kiln , San Francisco

Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort , Kona, Hawaii

Maty's , Miami

Warren Street Hotel , New York

Yess , Los Angeles

World Voyager, Atlas Ocean Voyages

CRUISE SHIPS

Silver Nova , Silversea

Norwegian Viva

Seven Seas Grandeur , Regent Seven Seas Grandeur

Oceania Vista

World Voyager , Atlas Ocean Voyages

Scenic Eclipse II

Emerald Sakara

Celebrity Ascent

Seabourn Pursuit

Icon of the Seas , Royal Caribbean

MSC Euribia

Viking Aton

Resilient Lady , Virgin Voyages

This story appears in Condé Nast Traveler's Hot List issue. Never miss an issue when you subscribe to Condé Nast Traveler.

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Forbes released its list of worst U.S. cities to drive in. Here's where Houston ranks

D riving in Texas continues to get a bad rap . Houston ranked as one of the worst cities to drive in, according to a new report by Forbes Advisor.

"Drivers lose an average of 11 hours per year in traffic in the Houston, Texas area," the report says. "It ranks 12th worst for access to car maintenance, thanks in part to the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metro area having the seventh fewest car repair shops at 1.89 per 10,000 residents." 

CITIES WITH THE WORST DRIVERS: Houston No. 23 in Forbes list.

Houston landed fourth on the list. It received a score of 96.52 with 100 being the worst possible score. Additionally, the report showed Space City ranked 12th worst for overall driving experience. Analysts also found drivers experience the 11th longest average commute time at 30 minutes and nine seconds, not to mention Houston tied with Atlanta when it comes to the amount of time drivers spend in traffic — 74 hours annually. 

The report indicated drivers in the Houston metro area spend the 11th highest amount on gas, $1,257 a year, because of traffic congestion. Houston had the 12th slowest average speed in downtown at 16 miles per hour. 

"Travel on the nation’s highways and streets climbed by 2.1% in 2023 to 3.3 trillion miles, setting a new annual record, according to the Department of Transportation," the report says. "However, drivers in some cities have it worse than others during their daily commute due to frequent car accidents, heavy traffic congestion, high gas prices and challenges with accessing car maintenance."

DRIVE TIME: Analysis finds every trip in Houston taking longer, meaning more lost time for travelers

Forbes Advisor analysts compared 47 of the most populated cities across 15 metrics in various categories to figure out the worst cities to drive in. The categories included driving experience, safety, cost of car ownership and access to car maintenance. Ultimately, Oakland topped the list as the worst to drive in followed by Miami, San Francisco, Houston and Philadelphia. Two cities in North Carolina — Charlotte and Raleigh — ended up being the best cities to drive in, per the data. 

"Drivers in Oakland, California have the worst driving experience out of the 47 cities we evaluated, thanks to its high number of fatal car accidents, steep gas prices and a high average commute time workers face each day," the report says. 

Travel | The List: National Geographic’s over-the-top…

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Travel | The List: National Geographic’s over-the-top travel bucket list

Some of us might have had “see the Olympics in Paris” on our list. NatGeo has “run an Olympic marathon in Paris.” Turns out the city is hosting a Marathon for All on Aug. 10, when 20,000 lucky lottery winners will race the 26.2-mile route from Paris to Versailles.

Oh sure, you want to ride a horse? Go on safari? How about a horseback safari in Kenya?

Route 66 road trip? How about doing that while 600 hot air balloons soar overhead?

It’s a list that will fire your imagination, even if riding horses on safari sounds a tad scary. (There are lions!) Here’s just a peek at the top 8. Find details on all 20 adventures and plenty of other “best of the world” travel inspiration at www.nationalgeographic.com.

7 Coolest Travel Adventures for 2024

1 Go on horseback safari in Kenya

2 Run an Olympic marathon in Paris

3 Ski tour UNESCO sites in Georgia

5 Hear legendary live music in Kyoto

6 Cruise an epic river in Colombia

7 Road trip Route 66 in New Mexico

8 Explore ancient art in Algeria

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