Forbes Travel Guide has revealed its 2018 Star Award winners. The 60th annual list of the world’s best hotels, restaurants and spas included nine U.S. Mountain West hotels that landed the prestigious Five-Stars and are located in the mountains or immediately surrounded by peaks.
Merely steps from San Francisco’s Union Square, Hotel Nikko unveiled a $60 million renovation this spring. The three-month renovation commemorates the Landmark hotel’s 30th anniversary. Hirsch Bedner Associates leads the contemporary revamp of the hotel’s interior, taking inspiration from the Nikko’s Japanese heritage. The fresh look and updates encompass 405 of the 533 guest rooms, the suites, lobby, public areas, third floor ballroom, meeting spaces, infrastructure and technology
Forbes Travel Guide awarded The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort with five stars for the ninth year in a row. The Sanctuary was also received five diamonds from AAA for the 11th year in a row.
Forbes Travel Guide also awarded The Spa at The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort with five stars for the ninth year in a row. The resort’s high-end steakhouse, The Ocean Room, earned both Forbes Four Star and AAA Four Diamond awards (there are no five star or five diamond steakhouses).
The U.S. News & World Report has named Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa the No. 1 Best Hotel in California. They were also listed as one of the top ten hotels in the U.S.
"The award-winning hotels on the U.S. News Best Hotels rankings meet the standards of both everyday travelers and industry experts in offering exceptional customer service and luxury amenities," says Erin Shields, travel editor at U.S. News.
The rankings rely on luxury hotel and resort industry awards as well as expert and guest reviews to determine the list.
