Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Spa

Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Spa is the highest accolade granted to hotel spas inspected against 400 standards distinct from the hotel matrix (Forbes Travel Guide official, 2026). Inspectors review the welcome ritual, treatment sequence, therapeutic protocols and the acoustic quality of cabins. In the United States, the 2026 list counts about fifty awarded venues, dominated by resort destinations in Sedona, Big Sur and Las Vegas. A distinctive rule applies : a spa cannot reach five stars unless the parent hotel holds at least four stars, ensuring ecosystem consistency. The qualifying floor also reaches 90 % of the maximum score, after a paid anonymous visit including a minimum of two treatments.