At New York's St. Regis hotel, guests stay in a 1904 Beaux Arts landmark building that underwent a $100 million renovation in 2006 involving everything from the Louis XV furniture to hidden high-tech amenities. Just beyond the hotel's doors is some of the world's best shopping, including Emilio Pucci and Japanese department store Takashimaya. Star sightings are common on these streets.
What's behind the list
Inspectors with Forbes Travel Guide, formerly Mobil Travel Guide, examine every hotel on its current four- and five-star lists, as well as perform assessments of new properties launched the previous year. Each hotel receives an announced visit, wherein an inspector tours the property and looks for more than 200 different attributes (cleanliness of the property, rooms, room products, the beds, linens, bathrooms, etc.). In addition, an anonymous inspector visits the property for a two-night stay, during which he or she tests multiple elements of the experience and service (breakfast, room service, fitness center, concierge, etc.), as well as the facilities. Each five-star hotel receives two unannounced two-night inspections.
