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Forbes Travel Guide’s Star Awards have been unveiled for 2026 with four luxury hotels in Europe among the new entries on the five-star list.
Joining 10 new five-star additions from across the world, the European hotels awarded the highest ranking included the Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona, Mandarin Oriental Savoy in Zurich, One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro, and The Maybourne Riviera in France.
Luxury travel is “moving into a new era”, according to Forbes Travel Guide, which is an independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas and cruise ships. This year’s Star Awards featured a total of 2,422 properties across all categories, and for hotels, there were 343 five stars (including the 10 new), 708 four stars, and 679 recommended hotels.
The newest winners are showcasing an “exciting evolution” in luxury, said Amanda Frasier, Forbes Travel Guide’s president of standards & ratings, with the properties delivering “consistent and reliable world-class experiences”.
Here we take a look at what the guide had to say about the new European five-star hotels for 2026.
Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona, Spain
A “modern, luxurious retreat”, said Forbes, the Mandarin Oriental is located on Passeig de Gràcia, one of Barcelona’s most desirable avenues and an easy walk to some of the Catalan capital’s most popular attractions and sites. Offering a “serene oasis” away from the hustle and bustle, visitors can enjoy a world-class restaurant, rooftop dipping pool, a spa and “even a garden where you can wind down”.
Mandarin Oriental Savoy, Zurich, Switzerland
Described by Forbes as Zurich’s “reinvented grande dame”, the oldest luxury hotel in the city was originally built in 1838 and underwent a “top-to-bottom facelift” in 2023. Positioned close to the city’s best shopping, top historic sights and the “tranquil banks of Lake Zurich”, the property has retained its “historic charm” and “boutique appeal”.
One&Only Portonovi, Montenegro
Who doesn’t love a “chic retreat”? Especially when it’s on the Adriatic Riviera, which Forbes says is the “last frontier of Mediterranean luxury”. A striking European debut for the One&Only brand in 2021, this bayfront resort in Montenegro is surrounded by the sparkling waters of Boka Bay, thick pine forests and charming medieval towns.
The Maybourne Riviera, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
This “modernist marvel” in the historic village of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin “sits suspended over Monaco”, said Forbes. A dream property for fashionistas, artists, and designers alike, The Maybourne Riviera offers bespoke rooms and suites and culinary concepts that are “every bit as exceptional” as the rest of the hotel.
