Forbes Travel Guide continues its expansion in Asia Pacific, looking to double its presence in Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Philippines, and other cities in Japan by 2017

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - Feb 23, 2016 - Forbes Travel Guide today unveiled its 58th list of worldwide Star Rating recipients, including 42 new Five-Star hotels, 101 new Four-Star hotels and 57 new hotels in the Recommended category.

Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou

The Peninsula Tokyo

Forbes Travel Guide now rates properties in 29 countries throughout The Americas, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region and expects to double its size again in the next year with expansion into the Middle East and Africa. As the global authority on luxury travel, Forbes Travel Guide announces its aggressive expansion of rating and will strengthen its Asia Pacific presence in Australia (Melbourne, Sydney), Indonesia (Bali), Korea (Seoul), Philippines (Manila), and other destinations in Japan (Kyoto, Osaka) by 2017.

The 2016 Five-Star hotel winners now total 154 -- the most in Forbes Travel Guide's history. The company continues its uniquely selective process for recognizing the finest properties in the markets it rates, rewarding intuitive, gracious service --  which makes winning an award one of the most prestigious achievements in the industry.

In addition to the Five-Star hotel winners, two new restaurants earned Five-Star awards, bringing the total to 56. Two new spas achieved Forbes Travel Guide's highest honor, pushing the tally to 47 Five-Star spas. See the complete Star Rating list here.

"We are delighted to recognize the 2016 Star Rating recipients, a phenomenal group of hotels, restaurants and spas," said Gerard J. Inzerillo, Chief Executive Officer of Forbes Travel Guide. "These properties set an unimpeachable standard of excellence in hospitality at a moment when the proliferation of voices claiming to provide unbiased ratings online is exploding. With Forbes Travel Guide-rated properties, there is no ambiguity, no doubt: based on a stringent set of standards developed and refined over six decades, our ratings are now accepted and embraced worldwide. We are proud to congratulate each of the owners, property managers and their teams, and everyone associated with the prestigious properties recognized today. Together, we help discerning consumers make better luxury travel decisions worldwide."

Forbes Travel Guide also recognized a total of 410 Four-Star hotels, 187 Four-Star restaurants and 180 Four-Star spas, as well as its list of 159 Recommended hotels and 68 Recommended restaurants in the markets it rates -- the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Costa Rica, England's Home Counties, London, the French Riviera, Paris, Berlin, Florence, Milan, Rome, Geneva, Bangkok, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei and Tokyo.

A Snapshot of the List: Highlighting the Big Winners and Trends

• Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts made the strongest showing among hotel brands, with six new Five-Star hotels in Florence, Italy; Geneva, Switzerland; Hangzhou, China; Papagayo, Costa Rica; Paris, France; and Whistler, Canada. It also dominated the overall Five-Star hotel list, nabbing 26 of the 51 spots. This is the first time in the company's history it has achieved six new Five-Star hotels in a single year.

• Paris was the year's biggest winner among new destinations, debuting with nine Five-Star hotels: Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris; Hôtel Plaza Athénée; La Réserve Paris; Le Bristol Paris; Le Meurice; Le Royal Monceau -- Raffles Paris; Mandarin Oriental, Paris; The Peninsula Paris; and Shangri-La Hotel, Paris.

• Italy also scored high, with eight hotels earning Five-Star accolades in the country's first year as a rated destination. Rome continues to be a hot luxury destination, boasting four Five-Star hotels (Hotel de Russie, Hotel Eden, Hotel Hassler Roma, J.K. Place Roma). Florence clinched three Five-Star awards (Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, Hotel Savoy, Portrait Firenze) and Milan took one (Mandarin Oriental, Milan).

• In Asia-Pacific, Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake debut as the first-ever Five-Star Hotel in the newly rated destination. Mainland China now has a total of 10 Five-Star hotels, with three first-time winners this year (Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou, The Ritz-Carlton Pudong, Shanghai). Palace Hotel Tokyo became the first Japanese-branded hotel ever to receive Five-Star recognition. The Peninsula Hotels achieved two new Five-Star awards, one in Bangkok and another in Tokyo. MGM Macau achieves first-ever Five-Star for its Hotel, bringing the destination total to nine Five-Star Hotels, joining Paris with the Most Top Hotels.  Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund became the first-ever Waldorf Astoria to achieve Five-Star for its Spa.

• The Caribbean and Mexico scored big wins. In the Caribbean, large branded hotels such as Puerto Rico's Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve joined independent boutique properties like Barbados' Sandy Lane Hotel in earning first-time Five-Stars. Mexico had six Five-Star hotels on the list in Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Punta Mita.

• In the U.S., Wequassett Resort and Golf Club became the only Five-Star hotel on Cape Cod, its first time winning the coveted honor. It joined Five-Star properties from destinations as diverse as New York City (eight Five-Star hotels); Las Vegas (five Five-Star hotels); and Park City, Utah (two Five-Star hotels).

• Distinctive independent boutique properties around the world continue to gain recognition, including The Goring, London; J.K. Place Roma, Rome; La Réserve Paris; and Portrait Firenze, Florence; and. All garnered Five-Star awards for the first time. Coworth Park, set in the English Royal County of Berkshire, also earned the top honor -- demonstrating that the highest levels of service and facilities can be found in all locations, at all property types and in all parts of the world.                                                                                                                                   
• Langham Hotels & Resorts nabbed its first Five-Star award in the U.S. The Langham, Chicago won the top honor for both its hotel and spa.                                                        

For details on how Forbes Travel Guide compiles its Star Ratings, visit http://www.forbestravelguide.com/about/forbes-travel-guide.

To view the complete list of 2016 Forbes Travel Guide Star Rating recipients, visit http://www.forbestravelguide.com/about/awardwinners.

Images Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhouhttp://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/4357 The Peninsula Tokyohttp://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/4358

Company Logohttp://release.media-outreach.com/i/Download/4356

About Forbes Travel Guide

Forbes Travel Guide is the originator of the prestigious Five-Star Rating system, and has provided the travel industry's most comprehensive ratings and reviews of hotels, restaurants and spas since 1958. Forbes Travel Guide has a team of expert inspectors who anonymously evaluate properties against up to 800 rigorous and objective standards, providing consumers the insight to make better-informed travel and leisure decisions. Forbes Travel Guide is the most prestigious standard for luxury hospitality worldwide. For more information about Forbes Travel Guide, visit www.forbestravelguide.com.

ForbesTravelGuide.com combines the objectivity and heritage of the Forbes Travel Guide Star Rating system with insightful recommendations from a hand-selected group of travel experts, tastemakers and Forbes Travel Guide inspectors. ForbesTravelGuide.com is the exclusive online destination for Forbes Travel Guide's list of Star-Rated hotels, restaurants and spas, and gives its registered members exclusive access to special offers and curated experiences from select Forbes Travel Guide partners.

Connect with Forbes Travel Guide:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ForbesTravelGuide

Twitter: www.twitter.com/ForbesInspector | #FTGStarAwards

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ForbesTravelGuide