Love the star treatment? Two California hotels shine with new Forbes Five-Star ratings

When it comes to the star treatment, think resorts instead of the red carpet. Two hotels and two spas in California have received the luxury high mark of Five Stars from the Forbes Travel Guide for the first time this year. That’s out of just 174 hotels and 56 spas with the distinction worldwide.

California has the highest number of Five-Star hotels (18) and spas (8) in the country, according to the guide’s 2017 list of hotels, spas and restaurants released Wednesday.

The guide also lists Four-Star and Recommended sites too.

Solage in wine country’s Calistoga and the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego are newcomers to the Five-Star club. (The former Grand Del Mar had received the top rating before it was sold to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts in 2015.)

Meadowood Napa Valley in St. Helena and the Spa at Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills also received their first Five-Star ratings.

Las Vegas picked up three Five-Star restaurants: the French restaurant Le Cirque Las Vegas and Picasso, in the Bellagio; and the Chinese restaurant Wing Lei in Wynn Las Vegas.

The Resort at Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas earned a Five-Star rating.

(Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)

In Mexico, the Resort at Pedregal in Cabo San Lucas and Sense, A Rosewood Spa at Mayakoba in Riviera Maya received Five Stars for the first time.

Worldwide, 11 sites have earned a triple-play, gaining Five Stars for their hotel, restaurant and spa. These include the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, the Montage Laguna Beach in Laguna Beach as well as the Mandarin Oriental and Wynn in Las Vegas.

Want to know how Forbes does its ratings? Inspectors for the guide go to sites in 42 countries in the Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific area to see whether they meet their selective standards.

The guide plans to add the Middle East and Africa in 2018, according to a news release. Check out the criteria they look for in selecting sites here.

Go to Forbes Travel Guide 2017 Star Award Winners for a complete list, by country, of all 2017 rated hotels, spas and restaurants.

ALSO

U.S. News & World Report picks top 15 U.S. hotels, including seven in the West

Those hotel ratings don’t always tell the whole story. In fact, sometimes you need to research the rest of the story

Oh, how they glitter: 14 Southern California properties make AAA’s Five Diamond List, but how much will a night cost you?

[email protected]

@latimestravel