Forbes Travel Guide has unveiled its 2026 Star Award Winners, an annual list that features the world’s most luxurious hotels, restaurants, and spas.
The independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and cruise ships released this year’s winners last week. It’s the hospitality industry’s most prestigious achievement, with only a few thousand locations worldwide making the cut, including two spots in Alberta.
Forbes Travel Guide methodology
According to the travel guide, highly trained inspectors visit every rated property and are evaluated against up to 900 objective criteria. All the ratings are earned through an objective inspection process, meaning nothing is paid for to gain a vote.
In order to ensure authenticity, all the inspectors are anonymous to ensure they have the same experience as any typical guest.
For 2026, one Alberta hotel was handed four stars, while one was added to their recommended list, both within Banff Springs.
Here are the winners:
Four stars
A four-star rating is given to “exceptional properties, offering high levels of service and quality of facility to match.”
Recommended
A recommended rating is given for “excellent properties with consistently good service and facilities.”
While both are located at Banff Springs, Fairmont Gold offers just 110 rooms and suites on the fourth and fifth floors of the property, giving it “a more boutique feel.”
Congratulations to the 2026 winners!
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