forbes travel guide magazine

The chairman of Forbes Travel Guide is digital media pioneer Jeff Arnold, who is the visionary behind Forbes Travel Guide and the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Sharecare, a digital health company he founded with Dr. Mehmet Oz that helps people manage all their health in one place.

In 2005, Arnold purchased the rights to Mobil Travel Guide, a well-known series of regional guidebooks that Mobil Oil had published since 1958. The guides provided independent ratings of hotels, motels and restaurants in North America. Arnold had the vision to transform the collection into a digital guide and globalize the Star Rating system, with a focus on luxury hospitality. By 2009, he evolved Mobil Travel Guide to Forbes Travel Guide, in partnership with Forbes Media LLC.

Prior to founding Sharecare and Forbes Travel Guide, Arnold was chairman and CEO of HowStuffWorks.com, an award-winning online resource used by millions of people each month, which he sold to Discovery Communications, where he served as chief digital strategy officer, as well as chief architect of The Curiosity Project until December 2011.

In 1998, he founded and served as CEO of WebMD, the first healthcare company to harness the power of the Internet to create a unified destination for consumers, healthcare institutions and physicians to find trustworthy medical information. Prior to WebMD, Jeff founded Quality Diagnostic Services (QDS), a cardiac arrhythmia monitoring company, one of the first companies to use the concept of telemedicine over 25 years ago.

Arnold has been honored for his innovative contributions to media, technology and healthcare, including the 2016 Blumenthal Award by Johns Hopkins University which recognized his exceptional ability to bridge business and technology. Additionally, he was inducted into the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International, as an Honorary Member for his superior achievements and contributions to the advancement of nursing and health care on both a national and global level. Arnold also has been honored by the World Economic Forum; inducted into the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia; named Entrepreneur of the Year, Southeast Region by Ernst & Young; and received the prestigious Phoenix Award, which recognizes companies and individuals who embody strength, tenacity and leadership in Georgia’s healthcare information technology industry.

A well-respected, widely traveled, and assured leader in luxury hospitality, Hermann Elger brings a wealth of expertise and 30 years of global experience to his role as the chief executive officer of Forbes Travel Guide.

Serving most recently as executive vice president of travel, entertainment, and health security at digital health leader Sharecare, he led the successful launch of Sharecare’s health security verification program in partnership with Forbes Travel Guide, which now covers thousands of properties globally.

Prior to Sharecare, Elger was the managing director of Baccarat Hotel New York and chief operating officer of Baccarat Hotels and Resorts, leading the development of new properties and overseeing day-to-day operations and quality guest experiences for the flagship hotel. As general manager, he led Baccarat Hotel New York to its first Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award in 2018.

Elger has also served as general manager at other renowned Five-Star hotels across North America, including The St. Regis New York, Montage Beverly Hills (now The Maybourne Beverly Hills), and The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun. In nearly 18 years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, he supported the development of new hotels as an opening team leader for The Ritz-Carlton Aspen Highlands, Philadelphia, Dubai, and Kuala Lumpur.

Born and raised in Mexico City, Elger followed his father into the hotel industry and earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from the University of Denver. From his humble beginnings as a doorman for The Brown Hotel in Denver, Colorado, this second-generation hotelier has established himself as an accomplished and innovative hospitality leader. His talents are recognized with honors including “Best GM in US and Canada” in the Travvy Awards and “Most Innovative GM” by American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts, both awarded in 2016. Elger also was named one of the “40 Most Influential Leaders in Tourism in Mexico” by Lideres magazine.

Executive Leadership

As Chief Financial Officer, Tony Hounshell brings 25 years of executive leadership experience to work in guiding Forbes Travel Guide's overall financial strategy. His department oversees a breadth of functions, including accounting, finance, treasury and tax; financial planning, analysis and corporate development; human resources; and investor relations.

Hounshell began his career in public accounting at a Big Four firm, later moving into advisory services at that firm and other global consultancies. His advisory experience spans forensic, transaction, risk management and performance improvement services. He regularly assisted boards of directors, audit committees, management and their legal counsel to address significant and complex matters. Hounshell has worked in more than 25 countries across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. He is a Certified Public Accountant and an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

As Director of Ratings, Kaitlyn Jahelka oversees the compilation of Ratings data that determines the annual list of Star Award winners and manages global expansion planning, determining the best new properties and destinations to be Star Rated. Working alongside the Vice President, Ratings, Jahelka is responsible for providing recommendations and input to the President of Ratings. Jahelka also plays an integral role in the annual standards revisions process and provides expertise and consultation on standards applications.

Beginning at Forbes Travel Guide in 2012, Jahelka held various roles in Evaluation Operations and Reporting, including as a full-time evaluator, before joining the Ratings team in 2018. She has stayed in more than 200 luxury hotels across 40 countries and six continents, developing a deep understanding of trends in the global hospitality industry and today’s luxury guest.

Global Ambassadors

Before joining Forbes Travel Guide, Boyen served as CEO of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, overseeing a portfolio of more than 520 exceptional independent hotels in 80 countries.

Prior to that post, the Belgium native spent 18 years with Orient-Express, the famed precursor to the Belmond brand. Joining the hospitality company as general manager of Bora Bora Lagoon Resort in Tahiti, he rose to become executive vice president and chief operating officer of Orient-Express. In between, various roles included Group Vice President Operations; Regional Vice President, Africa, Australia & Latin America; and Managing Director, Hotels & Trains.

Boyen began his hospitality career as a commis chef and stayed in the food and beverage side of the business for 10 years, working in Michelin-starred restaurants in Belgium, France and England. He even did a stint under French master chef Joël Robuchon.

For more than 20 years, Hervé Houdré has been one of the foremost advocates of sustainable hospitality, a term that he coined in the early 2000s. Houdré established the model for sustainable luxury during his time managing distinguished properties such as Hôtel Plaza Athénée, New York; Hôtel de Crillon and Hôtel Plaza Athénée in Paris; Willard InterContinental in Washington, D.C.; and during his tenure as the chief operating officer for Kempinski Hotels.

Houdré’s efforts and passion to promote sustainability in his industry have been highlighted across a wide spectrum of media in the U.S. and abroad. He was recognized as the 2006 Independent Hotelier of the World by HOTELS magazine readers, and his leadership earned him the 2009 Condé Nast Traveler World Saver Award, the D.C. Downtown Citizen honor and the D.C. Chamber of Commerce 2009 award.

Matthieu Yamoum serves as Forbes Travel Guide's Global Ambassador of Wine, sharing his deeply informed perspective in the wine and hospitality industries.

Raised among the vines in France’s Champagne region, Yamoum applied his innate passion for champagne to his career. As the wine director of Baccarat Hotel New York, he curated one of the world's most extensive champagne menus.

Yamoum released his own champagne with Piper-Heidsieck in 2020 and launched an innovative concept wine store, Maison MURA, in Miami in 2022 to rave reviews.

He is a member of the Jurade of Saint-Émilion, the Confraria do Vinho do Porto and the Sommelier Society of America, and is certified by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.

Partner Services & Industry Outreach

An industry veteran with over 30 years of experience in the travel and hospitality industry, Richard Lebowitz is building awareness of Star Rated hotels across the global luxury travel advisor community.

Lebowitz spent nearly 25 years with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts in various leadership positions, including his last role as regional vice-president of luxury, lifestyle and leisure of North America for the global sales office. He later served as senior vice president, hotel and resort program at Signature Travel Network, a member-owned travel agency cooperative serving more than 7,000 travel advisors and 1,000 hotel and resort global partners. Most recently, Lebowitz was vice president of strategic partnerships at Sharecare and rolled out the VERIFIED™ health security program to the hotel and travel industry.

During his 15-plus-year career in luxury hospitality, Francisco Almeida served as the communications and hospitality manager at Aveleda Winery, global brand and sales manager at Monnet Cognac, and brand home manager at Bacardi. He also directed Forbes Travel Guide’s Center for Excellence in Cognac, France. In his latest role, Almeida oversees markets in Southern Europe, including France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. 

Working as a guest relations hostess and tour guide at Disneyland during college sparked a lifelong interest in hospitality for Veden. She eventually found a home with Marriott International, leading in various disciplines and representing all 30 brands in the company’s portfolio.

As a national recruiter and global director of Marriott’s University Relations and Property Management Staffing team, she partnered with academic institutions across the country and led a group that developed 8,000 college graduates and interns to work across Marriott brands. Veden helped design and implement the award-winning Global Voyager Leadership Development Program, to prepare the next generation of Marriott leaders.

Most recently, Veden was the director of Learning & Engagement at The Broadmoor, where she led training initiatives for the longest-running Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star hotel.

Learning & Development

William Avitia’s passion for the hospitality industry led him into human resources and training early in his career. He has worked for Starwood Hotels & Resorts properties across the United States. As Director of Human Resources at The St. Regis Aspen Resort, Avitia developed an intensive seasonal staffing and training strategy thoughtfully aligned with brand and luxury standards. Most recently, Avitia worked with IHG Hotels & Resorts developing branded and operational service solutions that scaled across 16 brands globally.

Avitia is a certified Property Service Culture Trainer, and has certified other trainers as Service Culture Champions as well as led leadership simulations in region. He holds a degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, where he focused on special operations. Avitia plays an active alumnus role for the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality. He trains in both English and Spanish.

Josh Santos is a dynamic service culture evolution facilitator with over 25 years of hospitality experience and a strong emphasis on hotel operations and training. Having served extensively in leadership roles across a broad spectrum of brands and property types, he has developed a deep-rooted understanding of what it means to own the guest relationship and keen insights on how to effectively approach individual hotel training needs.

His career began at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth, and then he joined Starwood Hotels, leading within rooms and food and beverage divisions and overseeing hotel department openings. While there, Santos eventually became a service culture trainer. Later, he took positions like director of rooms for The Beverly Hilton and regional director of training for Loews Hotels.

Since joining Forbes Travel Guide in 2017, Santos has trained in more than 20 countries across five continents. As Director of Learning and Development, he oversees the integration of new trainers and implements programs for the continued advancement of the Learning and Development team.

He is fluent in English and French.

With a history of leading human resources and training operations for luxury brands across the Americas, Vivian Liberman knows what it takes to build exceptional teams that deliver unparalleled service in the hospitality industry.

Liberman's passion for coaching toward extraordinary service began in her role as a training manager for Sofitel Legend Santa Clara Cartagena during the brand's transition, implementing butler service and luxury sales training that emphasized the story of the historic property. Liberman continued to lend her expertise, helping train newly hired staff teams in standards, customer service and behavioral-based interviewing.

She later served as a corporate training specialist at Sofitel and Accor Hotels and administered corporate and management development training. While there, Liberman focused on developing a leadership cultivation program that facilitated the transition of line-level talent to supervisory and middle-management roles. She has previously served at Forbes Travel Guide as an inspector, lending her immense insight into the company’s quality standards.

Luxury hospitality expert Clarita Parra has a successful history of building and managing engaged, high-performing teams and helping them implement the Forbes Travel Guide standards. In addition, she spent a decade in leadership positions at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company's room division, where she gained critical executive operational experience.

Parra designed the training and development curriculum plans that achieved The Ritz-Carlton America's highest honors for excellence in productivity, guest engagement, cleanliness and profitability. Her leadership at The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay helped the property earn the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star award in 2020.

Most recently, Parra served as the director of operations at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara. She has also lent her guidance as a trainer for various openings within the Marriott International umbrella, such as The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain; The Barcelona EDITION; and The West Hollywood EDITION. Parra is fluent in English and Spanish

With over a decade of luxury hotel experience, and two years as an Executive Trainer at Forbes Travel Guide, Summer Xiang has demonstrated her impressive ability to inspire properties to create exceptional experiences for guests and achieve their goals.

Driven by her dedication to delivering exceptional guest service, she became the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong's youngest management team member after only one year of management training. She attributes her strong product knowledge, frontline service and management skills to the rotation experiences at this flagship property.

Xiang transferred to Four Seasons Hotel Shanghai and transitioned into the learning and development field ––– leading successful corporate and tailor-made, local-focused training programs and employee recognition activities. During her tenure as the quality assurance manager, Xiang focused on operational training while overseeing the guest experience team, significantly improving the hotel's key guest experience metrics. She eventually moved back into food and beverage operations and held the role of food and beverage manager in charge of six outlets. Xiang held the same role at Fairmont Chengdu before joining Forbes Travel Guide.

Glenda Barnatan is a seasoned hospitality professional with substantial experience developing and leading teams at luxury hotels and resorts. Her background covers all aspects of food and beverage, as well as rooms division departments including housekeeping and guest services.

Barnatan began her career at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples working in conference services and banquets, and later became food and beverage supervisor at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale. For more than a decade following, she led in food and beverage and other management leadership roles at glamorous properties including 1 Hotel South Beach, Acqualina Resort & Residences on the Beach, Baccarat New York, and The Hermitage Hotel. She is a passionate coach; stays upbeat, positive, and shares a warm smile. Barnatan is trilingual in English, Spanish, and Hebrew.

Joseph Barron joins Forbes Travel Guide with more than 10 years of experience in management roles across MGM Resorts International, which instilled a passion for creating memorable guest experiences through authentic interactions across all luxury hotel sectors.

Barron began his career at the Bellagio Las Vegas, where he held various leadership roles within hotel operations and rapidly expanded his knowledge of hospitality management. As hotel operations manager for Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Skylofts at MGM Grand, Barron managed all hotel operations, including concierge, butler, housekeeping and bell and door services, ensuring each department maintained its stellar standing.

As senior hotel operations manager, Barron oversaw all MGM Grand’s luxury areas, including Skylofts, The Mansion private residences, the Estate Dining Room and the hotel’s VIP Lounge.

Throughout all of his personal endeavors, he has also encouraged and developed the professional growth of his many team members, from entry-level staffers to resort managers and directors.

At Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Bernal led the high-paced front desk team to create memorable moments through individual guest interactions.

He went on to serve as hotel operations manager and guest relations manager for The NoMad Hotel in Las Vegas. In these roles, Bernal oversaw departments such as front desk, concierge, guest services, bellmen and door attendants, ensuring everyone worked cohesively to foster brand awareness and guest loyalty.

Then Bernal joined ARIA Sky Suites, ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel & Spa as the luxury operations learning partner. He trained, developed and grew an 8,000-member team, ensuring every employee received proper training that maintained Forbes Travel Guide standards, excellence in service delivery and guest satisfaction.

Bernal's approachability enables him to forge meaningful connections with team members, allowing him to deliver impactful coaching and support that empower staff to create lasting impressions.

Most recently, Blagg was a front office manager at The US Grant, A Luxury Collection Hotel, where she spearheaded Marriott’s Breakthrough Leadership Training program and boosted company morale. She played an integral role in rebuilding her team, fostering growth for those new to the world of luxury. Additionally, Blagg was elected as the field trainer for Marriott’s Brand and Service Excellence program, which featured a select group that focused on elevating guest service excellence throughout Marriott’s luxury portfolio. She received recognition for her efforts as a nominee for Marriott’s Awards of Excellence in 2022.

Earlier in her nearly decade-long career, Blagg took on housekeeping and front office operations management roles at JW Marriott Chicago. Following the pandemic, her knowledge of both departments led to her success in a united rooms operation team as Chicago reopened to guests with limited resources.

Blagg’s upbringing in Tokyo has instilled in her a sense of appreciation for diverse cultures, and she is fluent in English and Japanese.

Samira Charbonnier has built long-standing relationships in the hospitality industry by consistently demonstrating strong influence skills and success in coaching multi-cultural teams. She spent a decade offering expertise in advisory, operations and international training efforts while serving as director of learning and development for global hospitality consulting firm Minds in Motion SA.

Charbonnier worked with international consulting and real estate investment banking firms PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and Eastdil Secured as an adviser focused on hotel development, marketing and sales. Prior to that, she spent four years as food and beverage manager at Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in the United States and Canada. Charbonnier has a deeply-rooted passion for coaching and is a certified Quality Coach for the Swiss Tourism Federation, a qualification based on Six Sigma principles. She also has a Masters in Management of Hospitality from The Nolan School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University.

Nicholas Chow brings 15 years of international experience in luxury hotels, leading culturally diverse teams in achieving service excellence with a guest-centric approach.

Chow began his career at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong and followed that with 12 years at The Peninsula Hotels group in various room division leadership roles spanning three metropolitan cities: Hong Kong, New York and Tokyo.

At Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Peninsula Tokyo, Chow helped teams create elevated guest experiences in his roles as guest experience manager and later assistant head of front office.   His meticulous, passionate personality led to his appointment as a first-generation trainer of Peninsula Service Principles, where he assisted in implementing the brand's guest engagement guidelines at the Tokyo property.

In February 2023, Chow was hand-selected as an opening task force member at The Peninsula Istanbul, where he successfully established a solid foundation for personalizing guest journeys.

Chow's global experience has allowed him to develop a genuine understanding of diversity. In addition to his native Cantonese, Chow is fluent in English, Mandarin and Japanese.

Collins held leadership positions with Relais & Châteaux, where she developed the skillset necessary to work with boutique properties, such as Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star The Point in New York's Adirondacks.

She then joined world-renowned Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, leading the guest experience team at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel in New York City, where she implemented training initiatives that helped maintain its Four-Star rating. Collins also served as task force director of guest experience for the Five-Star Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort in Los Cabos.

Collins' meticulous attention to detail and dedication to excellence shine through her training. Her personalized coaching style and ability to connect with people foster an inspirational and positive environment.

In 12 years, Michael Conte successfully led three Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star spas in California. In addition to his work with these incredible resorts, he served on the FTG Standards Advisory Committee in 2018 and 2019. Conte has always had a passion for training and creating exceptional guest experiences.

When it opened in 2008, The Spa at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach garnered a Five-Star rating, with Conte serving as an integral part of the team. At Montage Laguna Beach, he served as executive director of spa for more than four years and was honored to be a part of the leadership team when the resort was awarded the coveted triple Five-Star rating for hotel, restaurant and spa. As executive director of spa and wellness for Meadowood Napa Valley, Conte opened the new all-suite spa, quickly receiving a Five-Star honor. He was instrumental in revamping and running the resort employee onboarding program, which led to the resort achieving a triple Five-Star award.

Conte combines this experience with creativity in his work as an Executive Trainer for Forbes Travel Guide.

Marco Coppola brings a decade of experience leading teams to create memorable guest experiences at Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Rated properties.

Coppola’s hospitality career began in Rome at the Hotel Eden’s front desk before his promotion to Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan’s Guest Relations Manager. In this role, he successfully led the team to implement strategies to enhance guest engagement and satisfaction.

Later, Coppola was promoted to Operations Manager at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California, followed by a promotion to the role of Creative Planning Manager. Coppola led the team dedicated to personalizing guest experiences, creating the foundation of exceptional service property wide.

Coppola’s passion for creating a memorable guest experience led him to join Forbes Travel Guide as an evaluator, lending him invaluable knowledge of the application of the Forbes Travel Guest standards in 18 different countries. As an evaluator, Coppola led post-evaluation service-focused debriefs with hotel leaders, providing detailed feedback on the property’s strengths and areas for growth.

Coppola excels at delivering unforgettable service at luxury hotels and creating an engaging learning atmosphere.

Gokani spent six years in management positions with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, successfully implementing regulatory compliance across her departments, conducting weekly standards testing and participating in Forbes Travel Guide training to deliver service of the highest caliber.

She further broadened her industry experience at Chandon, part of LVMH, assisting the team as it rebranded, resulting in elevated offerings and service. She then worked for Forbes Travel Guide Brand Official LATHER, building and maintaining relations with multiple properties and providing luxury wellness in-room amenities to enhance the guest experience.

Gokani has created step-by-step training guides, standard operating procedures and foundational materials for inaugural roles. Her attention to detail, empathetic listening, interactive management style and passion for improving the guest experience help her guide teams to excel in luxury.

McCord Henry has passionately led food and beverage teams for over two decades, endowing him with hands-on experience in all food and beverage areas.

Henry began his hospitality career working for Eureka! Restaurant Group in Seattle. He then moved to Baltimore and held a succession of leadership roles at Sagamore Pendry Baltimore, including pool department head and assistant and food and beverage manager for the Forbes Travel Guide Recommended hotel’s fine dining establishment.

As director of food and beverage outlets for the opening of Four-Star Pendry Manhattan West, he led in-room dining operations and all banquet events. During his tenure, Henry partnered with a third-party restaurant group to implement Forbes Travel Guide’s service standards.

When selected to join Montage International’s task force, Henry assisted in opening Pendry Chicago, Washington DC – The Wharf and Newport Beach. He provided essential training for food and beverage efforts at Montage Big Sky and Five-Star Montage Kapalua Bay. Henry created the steps of service for meal periods for Montage International’s opening properties and trained new hires throughout the company’s portfolio.

Susan Hyde has worked in hospitality for more than two decades. Hyde began her career in food and beverage operations for Caesars Entertainment, where she held leadership positions in bar/lounge, in-room dining, banquets, catering and restaurants.

Later, she became the director of quality assurance at Norwegian Cruise Line. She oversaw the team that developed the company’s brand standards program, Norwegian Platinum Standards, which enabled it to obtain ISO 9001 Certification (a quality classification administered by the International Organization for Standardization).

Hyde also spent four years with the Luxury Quality team at Marriott International, where she led efforts to facilitate process-improvement projects and training to better the guest experience while driving operational results across the Americas.

In addition, Hyde contributed to the textbook, Operations Management in the Hospitality Industry, and is a certified Green and Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami and a Bachelor of Science in hospitality from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

When she was a front office manager with Hilton Hotels & Resorts and guest services manager with Loews Hotels & Co., both teams ranked at the top of their respective brands for guest satisfaction and arrival experience. At Loews Kansas City Hotel, Muller pivoted from a rooms division leadership position to teaching brand standards. She led the retraining of the front office team at the brand’s legacy resort in Arizona and opened Loews Coral Gables Hotel as task force director of rooms. Known for her command of brand standards and ability to teach quality service, she represented 26 properties and the customer engagement center on a committee for leaders working on elevating the guest experience and promoting property productivity.

Muller brings her keen eye for detail, coaching management style, passion for service and comprehensive understanding of training to Forbes Travel Guide.

Gregory Ng is a passionate and guest-centered hospitality leader with over a decade of well-rounded operational and managerial experience in renowned luxury hotels globally. Ng's extensive food and beverage expertise includes fine dining, bars, lounges, all-day-dining operations, banqueting and in-room dining.

As part of Peninsula Clubs and Consultancy Services, Ng focused on its clubs and properties portfolio, eventually becoming assistant operations manager at The Repulse Bay Hong Kong. In the United States, Ng directed the food and beverage team at The Peninsula New York and served as The Peninsula Chicago's interim department head as part of a task force.

Ng returned to Asia to lead Sir Elly's restaurant and bar team at The Peninsula Shanghai's fine-dining outlet. Ng later became the food and beverage director of the wellness hospitality group Octave Institute. He championed its food and beverage transformation program and other new initiatives in the group's Shanghai portfolio.

Ng's wealth of knowledge and experience in operations allows him to excel at tailoring training programs to suit a brand's culture.

She held learning and development roles for world-renowned luxury brands and properties, including The St. Regis Mexico City, Rosewood Mayakoba, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort and One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos Resort.

In 2018, Orezza joined Montage Los Cabos’ executive team for its opening and subsequently took leadership positions for property openings and task force teams for Pendry Park City, Pendry Manhattan West, Pendry Washington DC – The Wharf and Montage Deer Valley.

Next, Orezza joined Montage’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Strategy group to guide and implement the practices for Montage Laguna Beach and Montage Kapalua Bay. Most recently, as director of learning and sustainability, she led Montage Los Cabos’ sustainability strategy.

Orezza approaches developing, auditing and implementing standards, procedures and learning initiatives with remarkable passion, thoughtfulness and thorough attention to detail.

Ewan Riccio-Laing's talent for creating luxury guest experiences began at the age of thirteen while working in a small Scottish countryside restaurant. Riccio-Laing has excelled in various operational and training roles throughout his two-decade hospitality career.

Riccio-Laing moved into the front office with Marriott International before setting sail with Disney Cruise Line as a guest relations manager. He realized his passion for training and joined Disney's human resources team, training cast and crew across the high seas.

Riccio-Laing became learning and development manager for Genting Casinos, UK, reimagining their company-wide service culture and building a digital leadership and career development platform that supported staff across the company's 42 casinos, including some of the world's most prestigious high-roller clubs.

Returning to the seas as fleet director of service excellence for Celebrity Cruise's global fleet, Riccio-Laing supported shipboard teams in adopting Forbes Travel Guide standards to become the world's first officially star-rated cruise line.

Riccio-Laing uses his passion for hospitality to deliver engaging, memorable training experiences and shares his vast operational knowledge with Forbes Travel Guide partners.

With nearly a decade of experience in leading operational teams at Forbes Travel Guide Star-Rated properties, Judit Sipos brings first-hand knowledge in training employees to deliver personalized service and memorable guest experiences.

Sipos’ previous trainer assignments within Marriott International Luxury Brands (MILUX) — including The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong; JW Marriott Istanbul Bosphorus; and JW Marriott Hotel Riyadh — demonstrate her cultural fluency and understanding of the needs of properties in the pre-opening phase.

She started her career heading up the guest experience team of The Ritz-Carlton, Budapest, where, after various leadership positions, she was promoted to training and quality manager. Next, she transferred to the same position at The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna, where she developed training programs and mentored newly hired quality managers in Europe and the Middle East within the MILUX group.

Sipos attributes her success to her empathy, ability to engage and inspire individuals from diverse backgrounds and abundant professional experience.

She is fluent in English and Hungarian.

Susan Wang brings 15 years of hospitality experience at Marriott International and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to her role as an executive trainer. She attributes her success to her passion for creating memorable customer experiences, training and developing staff service standards and driving strategic execution plans to achieve goals.

Wang's career began as a front desk trainee and soon held room division leadership roles in Sydney hotels. At Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, she earned the highest room upsell revenue globally and increased staff engagement by over 30 percent at Pier One Sydney Harbour.

In 2018, Wang held the position of director of loyalty operations in Marriott International's Hong Kong corporate office and launched Marriott Bonvoy's loyalty program across 24 brands and over 800 hotels. As director, she facilitated in-person and virtual training workshops to deliver a shared vision for the loyalty program and encourage member engagement across 16 Asian-Pacific markets – leading the continent to attain No. 1 in new member sign-ups globally while maintaining the highest member appreciation satisfaction score across all continents.

Gayani Wasalathanthri’s formative years in Sri Lanka informed her commitment to upholding her culture’s value of hospitality throughout her nearly two-decades-long career.

Wasalathanthri got her start in guest services at various properties in Sri Lanka, including Galle Face Hotel, the country’s oldest property, and Taj hotel group, executing a rebranding of one of its properties and implementing new business strategies.

Next, Wasalathanthri began developing her passion for leadership as a corporate trainer at Crown & Champa Resorts, guiding her team to deliver luxury hospitality standards. She then joined Marriott’s flagship W resort, W Maldives, providing essential learning and development support aligned with the brand’s distinctive style of luxury hospitality. During her time at Marriott, Wasalathanthri also received certifications that allowed her to conduct service-related training and employee career development across the brand.

Most recently, Wasalathanthri held the position of director of human resources at Bandos Maldives. In this role, she directed business strategy and supported employees at all levels, including performance management and career development.

Service & Quality Development

Before joining Forbes Travel Guide, Silvia Nauta worked in some of the best hotels in the world. Nauta began her career at the iconic Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane and held various management roles in both housekeeping and front office departments. She later took the front office manager position at Acqualina Resort & Spa in Sunny Isles, Florida, where she concentrated on standardizing quality delivery in the division and developing a service program for the residential component of the resort.

Nauta served as guest relations manager on the pre-opening management team at Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas. Later as learning and development manager there, she focused on the hotel’s vision of obtaining three Forbes Travel Guide Five-Stars, which was achieved in 2012. As director of training at The Breakers Palm Beach, she was integral in establishing the training department and company service quality cycle and restructuring the overall service focus. Nauta’s latest appointment was at The Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, where she held the role of director of human resources and strategic planning. 

Working at The Ritz London and Hotel Plaza Athénée Paris equipped her with the knowledge required to create and implement new learning initiatives informed by the highest level of luxury service.

Most recently, Van Elsalande served as Baccarat Hotel New York’s director of food and beverage. Her oversight and dedication to quality and excellence in guest service contributed to Baccarat Hotel New York obtaining its Five-Star award in 2017, just two years after opening.

In every role, Van Elslande established a culture of best practices by emphasizing service requirements as a means of top performance and has proved herself instrumental in leading hospitality teams in applying Forbes Travel Guide standards.

Gabriela Manjarres’ 19 years of experience leading and developing luxury hospitality teams has only deepened an innate ability to inspire and develop generations of hoteliers.

Manjarres expanded her knowledge and grew her career within roles across the rooms division and operations as guest services manager at The Westin Diplomat & Resort, leader of the front office team at The St. Regis Atlanta and assistant director of rooms at JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa.

Most recently, Manjarres worked as a learning and development manager with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. This position allowed her to spearhead the development and execution of training in Latin America and the United States, deliver customized training sessions in partnership with property-specific needs and provide training solutions for various brands, including pre-opening and transitions.

She brings this guest-centered and detailed training approach to all properties within the Forbes Travel Guide community.

Operations & Engagement

As Senior Vice President, Evaluation Operations, Theresa Tellock oversees the quality, execution and delivery of evaluations. She supervises Forbes Travel Guide’s international team of evaluators, is responsible for upholding the integrity and accuracy of the evaluation process and manages the complex logistics behind the global evaluation schedule.

With the company since 2011, Tellock held several operational roles related to producing reports reflective of the luxury guest experience. She developed custom standards for clients across a variety of verticals, including airlines, golf courses, private residences, medical practices and luxury retail. Tellock personally executed hundreds of evaluations at hotels, restaurants and spas around the world, making her an authority on global luxury standards and the evaluation process.

As the vice president/executive editor at Forbes Travel Guide, Jennifer Kester oversees the editorial department. Kester covers everything that touches upon luxury travel — food and drink, culture, wellness and, of course, hotels. She has visited hundreds of luxury hotels, and her travels have brought her everywhere from Toronto to Tallinn to Tokyo to Tasmania during her more than two-decades-long career. One of the leading hospitality journalists, Kester has been an editor and writer for Forbes Travel Guide since 2008, serving as executive editor since 2015.

As the Director of Client Success, Amy Zeller is focused on driving client experience and engaging with Forbes Travel Guide clients to address their needs. She also oversees the team and systems FTG uses to communicate with clients.

Zeller is a PMI-certified Project Management Professional (PMP) with an extensive background in partner engagement, sales and marketing, operational systems, and product and project management. She has been with Forbes Travel Guide for more than seven years and has shaped all aspects of supporting clients with the graciousness, expertise and responsiveness for which FTG is known.

Center for Excellence

Before overseeing Forbes Travel Guide’s Center for Excellence at Le Logis, Philippe Abraham spent 10-plus years in the cruise and hospitality industries. Abraham rose through the ranks of Club Med, serving as general manager for properties in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Japan. He then advanced to his position as director of product and development for Club Med China, successfully integrating the brand into the Chinese market and working with the local government to develop tourism in the region.

In Abraham’s following role as the director of the Club Med Cruises Department, he oversaw all operations, ensuring the passenger experience met luxury hospitality standards.

Afterward, Abraham, a passionate enologist, lent his expertise to the wine and spirits industry as a consultant.

Ksenia Mauxion supports guests and groups planning to visit Le Logis and Forbes Travel Guide's Center for Excellence . Prior to FTG, Mauxion served for four years as team leader at Le Logis for Grey Goose (the Center for Excellence’s predecessor), overseeing the property’s operational and commercial sectors. She was previously a trilingual tour guide and then manager of the team at The Royal Chateau of Cognac.  

Bastien Gardrat offers 10 years of experience in the spirit industry, working for brands like the Martell cognac house. The bartender and educator served in client-facing roles—crafting cocktails and leading tastings and hosting events as Bacardi’s Head Bartender—and as a consultant for a variety of spirit companies, designing drink and spirit digital marketing strategies and growing brand awareness. Learn more about the Center for Excellence at Le Logis here.

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Select Resort

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Press Release

Auberge resorts collection honored with twenty-two forbes travel guide 2022 star awards.

Auberge properties honored among the globe’s leading luxury hotels, restaurants and spas, with eleven properties earning the highest five-star rating

MILL VALLEY, Calif. (April 26, 2022) – Forbes Travel Guide, the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants and spas, today announced its 2022 Star Awards. Auberge Resorts Collection achieved a total of twenty-two awards on this year’s list, with eleven properties earning the highest Five-Star rating. In the hotel category, seven properties earned Five-Star Ratings and four properties earned Four-Star ratings. Additionally, one restaurant received a Five-Star rating; three restaurants received Four-Star ratings; one restaurant received a recommended rating; three spas received Five-Star ratings and three spas received Four-Star ratings. The honorees were selected by a team of professional inspectors who traveled the world to anonymously assess each hotel, restaurant and spa based on 900 objective standards that determined the coveted annual Star Ratings.

This year, T he Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection was honored for the first time, achieving Five-Stars for both the hotel and spa and Four-Stars for its signature restaurant, Yuta. Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection also made its debut on this year’s list, achieving Four-Stars for the hotel. Following comprehensive renovations, Madeline Hotel and Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection and White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection were awarded Five-Star ratings for the first time ever, a testament to the brand’s continued investment in its existing properties.

The 2022 Star Awards also recognized several properties within the collection for another consecutive year of excellence. This includes Auberge du Soleil ’s ninth consecutive Five-Star rating; Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection’s seventh consecutive Five-Star rating; Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection’s sixth consecutive Five-Star rating and Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection’s second consecutive Five-Star rating. At Four-Stars, Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection was honored for its eight consecutive years and Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection for its third consecutive year.

“This year’s Forbes Star Ratings are a true reflection of Auberge Resorts Collection’s passion for providing the best in luxury hospitality for our guests,” said Craig Reid, president and chief executive officer, Auberge Resorts Collection. “We are honored to be classified with such high regard. Our team strives to create extraordinary experiences for travelers that are inspired by the magnificence of each destination and these awards further underscore the team’s success in creating one-of-a-kind journeys.”

Auberge Resorts Collection properties awarded in Forbes Travel Guide’s 2022 Star Awards include:

Five-Star Ratings:

• Auberge du Soleil (Napa Valley, Calif.)
• Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection (Los Cabos, Mexico)
• Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection (Los Cabos, Mexico)
• Madeline Hotel and Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection (Telluride, Colo.)
• Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection (Napa Valley, Calif.)
• The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection (Park City, Utah)
• White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection (Kennebunk, Maine)

Four-Star Ratings:

• Primland, Auberge Resorts Collection (Blue Ridge Mountains, Virg.)
• Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection (Austin, Texas)
• Hotel Jerome, Auberge Resorts Collection (Aspen, Colo.)
• Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection (Washington, Conn.)

Along with the hotels and resorts recognized, five restaurants and six spas were distinguished as the top culinary and spa destinations in the world, including:

Five-Star Restaurant Rating:

• White Barn Inn Restaurant at White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection (Kennebunk, Maine)

Four-Star Restaurant Ratings:

• Solbar at Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection (Napa Valley, Calif.)
• The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil (Napa Valley, CA)
• Yuta at The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection (Park City, Utah),

Recommended Restaurant Rating:

• Elements at Primland, Auberge Resorts Collection (Blue Ridge Mountains, VA)

Five-Star Spa Ratings:

• The Auberge Spa at Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts Collection (Los Cabos, Mexico)
• Edge Spa at The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Resorts Collection (Park City, Utah)
• The Spa at Esperanza, Auberge Resorts Collection (Los Cabos, Mexico)

Four-Star Spa Ratings:

• Auberge du Soleil Spa (Napa Valley, Calif.)
• Spa Solage at Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection (Napa Valley, Calif.)
• THE WELL at Mayflower Inn (Washington, Conn.)

Auberge Resorts Collection will introduce four new hotels this year that will strive to offer the same caliber of exception hospitality, including Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection (Napa Valley, Calif.); Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection (Hudson Valley, New York); The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection (Los Olivos, Calif) and Susurros del Corazon, Auberge Resorts Collection (Punta de Mita, Mexico).

“While the industry faces some lingering issues, the 2022 award winners proved ready for those challenges and more, demonstrating the best that luxury hospitality has to offer.”

To view the new Star Award winners, visit ForbesTravelGuide.com .

For a detailed explanation of how Forbes Travel Guide compiles its Star Ratings, click here .

About Auberge Resorts Collection

Auberge Resorts Collection is a portfolio of extraordinary hotels, resorts, residences and private clubs. While each property is unique, all share a crafted approach to luxury and bring the soul of the locale to life through captivating design, exceptional cuisine, innovative spas, and gracious yet unobtrusive service. With 22 one-of-a-kind hotels and resorts, Auberge invites guests to create unforgettable stories in some of the world’s most desirable destinations.

For more information: aubergeresorts.com

Connect with Auberge Resorts Collection on Facebook Twitter and Instagram @AubergeResorts and #AlwaysAuberge

About The Friedkin Group

The Friedkin Group is a privately-held consortium of automotive, hospitality, entertainment, sports and adventure companies. These organizations include: Gulf States Toyota, GSFSGroup, US AutoLogistics, Ascent Automotive Group, Auberge Resorts Collection, AS Roma, Imperative Entertainment, 30WEST, NEON, Diamond Creek Golf Club, Congaree and Legendary Expeditions. The Friedkin Group is led by Chairman and CEO Dan Friedkin. For more information, visit www.friedkin.com .

About Forbes Travel Guide

Forbes Travel Guide is the only global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants and spas. Our anonymous professional inspectors evaluate based on up to 900 objective standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, to help discerning travelers select the world’s best luxury experiences. The only way to get a Five-Star, Four-Star or Recommended rating is by earning it through our independent inspection process. For more information about Forbes Travel Guide, please visit ForbesTravelGuide.com.

Forbes Travel Guide announces 2023 Star Award Winners

by Kathakali Nandi

February 16, 2023 - Categories: Hospitality News, Hotels: News,

Forbes Travel Guide, the independent global rating system for luxury hotels, spas and restaurants worldwide, has announced its latest Star Award winners . This year, the list includes the first-ever ocean cruise ratings.  

The 65 th annual list includes 360 five-star, 585 four-star and 433 recommended hotels; 79 five-star, 113 four-star and 67 recommended restaurants; and 119 five-star and 195 four-star spas globally. It features 48 new five-star hotels, 64 new four-star hotels and 45 new recommended properties. Many new countries — Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus and Tunisia — debuted in the awards winner list.  

Nine destinations — Athens (Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens), Capri (J.K. Place Capri), Kuwait (Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya), Shenzhen (Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen) and Lake Como (Mandarin Oriental, Lago di Como) — welcomed their first five-star hotels.   

The Forbes Travel Guide released ocean cruise ratings with five ships for the first time. Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Flora and Celebrity Millennium won four-star awards, while Celebrity Edge and Celebrity Summit earned recommended honors. A second list of cruise line ratings will be announced later in the year.  

After four years of London maintaining its top spot as the destination with the most significant number of five-star hotels, Macau emerged as the new winner this year, with 22 luxury properties. After staying closed for the past three years, the erstwhile gambling capital added more new luxury properties this year than any other destination (Galaxy Hotel, Grand Lisboa Palace Macau, The Karl Lagerfeld, Londoner Court, The Londoner Hotel).  

The Maldives welcomed four new five-star hotels — Joali Being; Patina Maldives, Fari Islands; The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands; and Soneva Jani.   

Following a two-year renovation, the iconic Raffles Hotel Singapore reclaimed its star ratings list with a five-star award.   

Nordic countries registered their first appearance on the list with four-star Hotel d’Angleterre Copenhagen and recommended winners Amerikalinjen (Oslo), Ett Hem (Stockholm) and Grand Hôtel Stockholm.  

Six destinations saw their first-ever five-star spa awards — Ireland (The Spa at Ashford Castle), Barbados (The Spa at Sandy Lane), Kuwait (Spa and Wellness Centre at Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait Burj Alshaya), Madrid (The Spa at Four Seasons Hotel Madrid), Mauritius (One&Only Le Saint Géran’s Wellness Spa) and Vancouver (Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Pacific Rim).  

AMERICAS REGION ACHIEVEMENTS  

Four Seasons Resort and Suites Napa Valley and Chateau Healdsburg in Sonoma, both in California, received five-star ratings. The Chatham Bars Inn on Cape Cod and The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia took first place on the East Coast. While The Boca Raton’s Beach Club and Spa Palmera took first place in Florida, the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago took first place in the Midwest. While The Boca Raton’s Beach Club and Spa Palmera took first place in Florida

The St. Regis Toronto won five stars in Canada, with Grand Velas Los Cabos and Zadun winning five stars in Mexico.  

Three new five-star properties were added in the Caribbean — Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla, Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa and Rosewood Little Dix Bay.  

INSPECTION METHODS  

Forbes Travel Guides undercover expert auditors check into hotels and cruise ships as normal guests, eat at restaurants and use spa services. These examiners evaluate up to 900 standards, ranging from contemporary amenities to traditional elements such as décor and staff attention.  

Approximately 70% of a property’s rating is determined by its service, while the remaining 30% is determined by the standard and state of amenities and facilities.  

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HOTELS News and Views

Hotels week in review, hotels magazine.

Forbes Unveils Top Picks: Korea’s Reigning Hotels Dominate Rankings

① forbes travel guide.

T he Forbes Travel Guide officially announced “the 2024 Forbes Travel Guide.” Established in 1958, Forbes Travel Guide is a luxury travel evaluation magazine. This year marks its 66th anniversary, and it is known as the origin of the 5-star hotel system. It is a globally respected evaluation institution with strict standards.

The Forbes Travel Guide is called the Michelin Guide for Hotels . The Forbes Travel Guide evaluates luxury hotels, restaurants, and spas worldwide annually based on more than 900 criteria. Highly trained global inspectors anonymously have the same experience as regular customers. They pay expenses and stay at the hotel for at least two nights.

The Forbes Travel Guide ranks 5-star hotels, 4-star hotels, and recommended hotels. South Korea was selected as an evaluation country for the first time in 2017. They selected 340 hotels with five stars worldwide this year. Two Korean hotels have received the honor of being 5-star hotels.

Read more: Places Dodgers Players Visited in Seoul After Arriving in Korea

② 5-Star Hotels Selected for Six Consecutive Years

The domestic 5-star hotels selected are The Shilla Seoul and Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. The Shilla Seoul has been listed as a Forbes 6-star hotel for six consecutive years. After being selected as a 4-star hotel in 2017, it was the only domestic hotel to be upgraded to 5 stars in the 2019 Forbes Travel Guide. The Forbes Travel Guide evaluation team gave high scores for services from check-in to check-out and F&B quality.

The Shilla Seoul, which opened in 1979, is celebrating its 45th anniversary. As a representative Korean hotel, The Shilla Seoul has top-tier competitiveness in hotel operation indicators such as room occupancy rate and guest unit price.

All four fine dining restaurants at The Shilla Seoul received excellent grades in “La Liste.” La Liste is a gourmet guide that the French Tourism Board selects and announces the top 1,000 restaurants worldwide every year since 2015.

Forbes has named The Four Seasons Hotel Seoul and The Shilla Seoul 5-star hotels. The Four Seasons Hotel received high scores in the gourmet guide, which the French Tourism Board has selected and announced as the top 1,000 restaurants worldwide every year since 2015.

The hotel and its subsidiary facility, “The Spa,” were selected as 4-star hotels in the spa category. The Spa has been titled the first 4-star spa in Korea for eight consecutive years since 2017. The Four Seasons Hotel Seoul’s The Spa is the only place in Korean hotels to have won a star in the spa category for eight consecutive years.

Editor's Pick

• 5 Ultra-Luxury Hotels in Ho Chi Minh City That Surprise Travelers
• Escape to Korea: Top 5 Tourist Hotspots Every Traveler Should Experience
• Seoul’s 5 Most Instagrammable Wine Bars with Spectacular Views
• Italy’s Top 3 Hotels Where Every Day Feels Like a Pool Party

The Four Seasons Hotel Seoul has a total of eight restaurants. The Chinese restaurant “Yu Yuan” is famous as a Michelin 1-star restaurant. Subsidiary facilities include an indoor swimming pool, sauna golf zone, fitness center, and more.

③ List of 4-Star Hotels Selected by Forbes

The Forbes Travel Guide selected six Korean 4-star hotels. For the first Time Since Its Opening, Conrad Seoul was selected as a 4-star hotel in the hotel and spa categories.

Conrad Seoul has been selected four times in a row for the World Spa Awards, which selects the best spas worldwide. This year, Conrad Seoul Spa was chosen as a 4-star, enhancing its competitiveness. When using the spa, a dedicated lounge and reception are prepared. It is equipped with treatment rooms, hydrotherapy rooms, and relaxation lounges.

In addition, Park Hyatt, The Westin Josun Seoul, Signiel Seoul, and Paradise City were also selected as 4-star hotels.

Paradise City’s luxury boutique, Art Paradiso, is the first Korean hotel to receive a 4-star rating. The hotel is an adult-only luxury boutique hotel, and its core target group is the Millennials, and Gen Z. Art Paradiso received high scores from the first evaluation after being newly listed in August last year.

Art Paradiso has turned the entire space into a gallery with 58 all-suite rooms. Due to its luxurious facilities, interior, and services, the hotel receives high guest satisfaction. The hotel received high evaluations for services, including everything from rest to gourmet food and art.

In particular, Art Paradiso’s “Curating Service” stands out. This service identifies customer requirements before staying, offers a customized schedule, and responds to requests 24 hours daily. In addition, it offers an “Art Tour Service” where you can listen to explanations while looking at the exhibited works and a “Full Board Service” that includes meal benefits at the hotel restaurant “Sara Sae.”

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