Acqualina Resort & Residences
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The Forbes Travel Guide prides itself as the sole “independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas, and ocean cruises,” so when they start talking travel, we listen. And recently, the winners of their 68th annual Star Awards have been unveiled with this year’s guide growing to more than 100 countries, including new destinations like Bhutan, Croatia, Poland and Tanzania.
Every year, their ratings are determined by incognito inspectors who pay their own way to test hundreds of standards across the hospitality sector. Based on the final score of an inspection, a property is placed into one of the following categories:
Five-Star: Awarded to properties that provide outstanding, customizable and consistent levels of service. Four-Star: Properties that provided distinct levels of service and quality facilities. Recommended: Consistently excellent properties and facilities.
Of course, tons of Miami properties find themselves in this year’s winner’s list, solidifying the city’s reputation as a luxury hospitality hub. Take a look at them below.
Miami properties named winners in this year’s Forbes Travel Guide Hotels 
The St. Regis Bal Harbour Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach, Sunny Isles Beach (five stars) Faena Hotel Miami Beach (five stars) Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, Surfside (five stars) Four Seasons Hotel Miami, Brickell (five stars) The Setai, Miami Beach (five stars) The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort (five stars) Four Seasons Hotel Miami (four stars) The Miami Beach EDITION (four stars) The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour (four stars) The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne (four stars) Trump National Doral Miami (four stars) 1 Hotel South Beach (recommended) The Biltmore, Coral Gables (recommended) Fontainebleau Miami Beach (recommended) Mr. C Miami Coconut Grove (recommended) The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove (recommended) The Ritz-Carlton, South Beach (recommended) Trump International Beach Resort Miami (recommended) Restaurants 
Hakkasan Miami NAOE, Brickell Key (five stars) Il Mulino New York at Acqualina Resort (four stars) Lido Restaurant at The Surf Club (four stars) Los Fuegos By Francis Mallmann (four stars) Pao by Paul Qui (four stars) Hakkasan Miami (recommended) Matador Room (recommended)
Additionally, Le Voyage by Chef Daniel Boulud (on Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Xcel) was named the world’s first Five-Star restaurant at sea.
Spas 
Courtesy of Faena Hotel Miami Acqualina Spa (five stars) The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club (five stars) The St. Regis Spa at Bal Harbour (five stars) The Spa at The Miami Beach EDITION (four stars) Tierra Santa Healing House (four stars) Valmont for The Spa at The Setai, Miami Beach (four stars)
Check out the full list of winners across the globe here.