Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa
Photo Courtesy of Belmond
This year’s roster of Forbes Travel Guide Star Ratings winners is the largest ever, and some of these outstanding hotels found creative ways to celebrate, including some amazing deals for you. Don’t miss themed spa treatments, extravagant multi-course meals and a plethora of complimentary VIP amenities.
Smyth – A Thompson Hotel
Making its debut on the Star Award list, this New York City hotel already entices with its midcentury-chic rooms, Andrew Carmellini-helmed Little Park restaurant and great Tribeca location. But its Four Perks for Four Stars package adds a 20 percent discount off of the best available rate for Thursday-to-Sunday arrivals, a bottle of bubbly, early check-in and late checkout.
Ritz’s Spa My Blend by Clarins, Photo Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company LLC
The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto
As one of only two new Five-Star Canadian hotels this year, The Ritz-Carlton wanted to do something special. So it created an exclusive experience for every star it earned. The Art Lovers package gives you a one-on-one painting workshop with the Toronto hotel’s resident artist; Ultimate Cheese Lovers puts you at TOCA’s chef’s table for dinner and throws in a sommelier tour and a tasting at the mouthwatering cheese cave; Foodie Fantasy takes you on a culinary tour of the city followed by dinner prepared by the chef using ingredients gathered that day; Cloud 9 lets couples enjoy massages and facials at the excellent Spa My Blend by Clarins; and the VIP stay includes an in-suite dinner by the executive chef and a luxurious scented bath in a sunken tub.
The White Elephant
Expect gift after gift with the Nantucket Star Treatment at The White Elephant. The in-town Four-Star hotel, which has a lovely location along Nantucket Harbor, pads the package with two nights of accommodations; a raw bar sampler and wine upon arrival; daily breakfast; a lunch and dinner for two at Brant Point Grill; hosted port, sherry and cheese service in the afternoon; a couples massage in the White Elephant Spa; a pair of Nantucket Whaling Museum tickets; and a mystery welcome amenity. To reserve, call 508-228-2500 or email whiteelephant@niresorts.com.
The Wauwinet
For a more secluded Nantucket stay, retreat to this peaceful Four-Star hotel (for ages 12 and older only) that’s outside of the touristy spots. The Nantucket Star Treatment at The Wauwinet treats you to luxe accommodations for two; caviar and champagne at check-in; daily breakfast; an afternoon port, sherry and cheese service; a lunch and dinner for two at Topper’s; and a couples massage at Spa by the Sea. Call 508-228-2500 or email whiteelephant@niresorts.com.
Belmond Maroma Resort & Spa
Try a real Five Star Experience at this Riviera Maya hotel. It starts with a welcome cocktail and a room upgrade. Then each morning of the three-night stay at the beachfront hotel, there is an in-room wake-up coffee service to jump-start the day. Finally, cap it off with a five-course dinner for two at the hotel’s El Restaurante.
Acqualina Resort & Spa
Escape for sun and sand at this South Florida hotel, whose beach spans nearly five acres. As part of the Five Star Experience, spend five nights at Acqualina — the last evening is free — and get showered with amenities like champagne, daily breakfast for two and a relaxing 50-minute treatment at the Five-Star spa.
Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Photo Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company
Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve
To mark earning Forbes Travel Guide’s top distinction, this waterfront Puerto Rico hotel gifts you with five nights for the price of four. But the VIP perks keep coming: With the Five-Star Experience, you also receive five specialized turndown services, a five-course tasting menu and a $500 credit to be used for breakfast in bed or relaxing treatments at the enchanting nature-inspired spa.
Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa
Get Palm Beach-style pampering at this double Five-Star. The deal provides accommodations with spacious balconies and hammock-like chairs for lounging, and views of the ocean waves hitting the private beach. You’ll also snag daily breakfast and two day passes for entry to the indulgent Five-Star Eau Spa. Treatment rooms are themed by mood; lavender and mint scents for relaxation, citrus and eucalyptus for energy, and ginger and vanilla for beauty.
The Hermitage Hotel
This year, The Hermitage retained bragging rights to being the only Five-Star in Tennessee. It’s also one of the few hotels that manages to simultaneously be hip and historic. See what makes the Nashville gem special by booking the Signature Five-Star Package, which includes the best available rate, a room upgrade upon arrival and a bottle of sparkling wine so you can toast to its achievement.
The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
You can do everything from trying an in-room astronomy experience to hiking 20 miles of trails to playing golf on a Jack Nicklaus course at this two-time Arizona Five-Star. But the Sonoran Desert getaway sweetens the offerings with its Five Star Treatment package (use code D3Q), which includes accommodations, breakfast for two at CORE Kitchen & Wine Bar and a $50 daily resort credit.
Belmond El Encanto
It was the first and remains the only Five-Star in Santa Barbara. Belmond El Encanto’s Five-Star Experience upgrades your room as soon as you book the two-night package. The hotel’s restaurant, The Dining Room, offers a five-course meal in the elegant eatery or on the terrace. Views from the resort set into the hills show panoramic cityscapes and the Pacific Ocean in the distance.
