The finalists of Forbes Travel Guide’s 2026 Star Honors are included among the winners of the prominent Forbes Travel Guide’s 2026 Star Awards, which include over a hundred different luxury resorts, restaurants, and resorts on-site and close to Walt Disney World and Disneyland. This covers the distinguished attributes that were recognized around WDW, along with our feelings about each of the people we’ve experienced.
The 2026 Star Awards from Forbes Travel Guide are comparable to AAA Diamond or Michelin stars for restaurants, but with the exception of the “awarded by the mechanical business” gimmick. Like Michelin and AAA, Forbes is considered the gold standard for comfort in the hospitality business, celebrating the finest resorts, spas, restaurants, sea vacations and sail franchises.
Because they are objective and impartial, we pay attention to the Forbes, AAA, and Michelin awards. Or at least, less biased and subjective. All three have legitimate criticism, but they’re still incredibly prestigious and rare honors honoring the crème de la creme. This is unlike a lot of other awards, which are either reader’s choice ( casual tourists don’t know what they don’t know ) or thinly-veiled paid advertisements.
The Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards 2026 edition is the most extensive it has ever received, now in its 68th year. The company’s footprint has grown to more than 100 countries, with a wide range of new destinations such as Bhutan, Croatia, Poland, Tanzania and Uzbekistan. implying that Disney vacation spots are being compared to luxury hotels in exotic locations and major cities all over the world.
According to the organization, Forbes Travel Guide’s ratings are objective, independent and data-driven. Incognito inspectors pose as regular travelers checking into hotels, taking photos, taking cruises, getting spa treatments, and dining at restaurants.
In so doing, these independent inspectors test hundreds of exacting standards, and always paying. While maintaining a high standard for cleanliness and comfort, exceptional service accounts for 70 % of a hotel’s rating, which shows the human element at the heart of luxury.
Forbes Travel Guide inspectors also assess the inarticulable intangibles behind a truly remarkable luxury guest experience. Does a particular property enable you to maintain a healthy lifestyle and improve your well-being? Whether the location or design conjures a strong sense of place, does the staff delivers all components seamlessly, culminating in an unforgettable stay.
See the full list of the 2026 Star Award winners. Below, we’re sharing the Forbes Travel Guide’s 2026 Star Award Winners in Orlando and Anaheim:
Winners of the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Awards
Bull &, Bear Orlando – Recommended
Capa – Highly Recommendations
Conrad Orlando – 4-Star
Conrad Spa, Orlando – 4-Star
Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort – 4-Star
Bonnet Creek Resort &, Spa by JW Marriott Orlando– A Notification
JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes – 4-Star
Spoon & Knife – 4-Star
Lake Nona Wave Hotel – Recommended
Primo – 4-Star
The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes – 5-Star
Grande Lakes, Grand Lakes, 4-Star Ritz-Carlton Spa Orlando
The Spa at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort – 4-Star
Spa by JW at the 4-Star-rated JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort &
Victoria &, Albert’s – 5-Star
4-Star hotel at Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Waldorf Astoria Spa Orlando – 4-Star
Winners of the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide 2026 Star Awards
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel &, Spa – Recommended
4-Star Napa Rose
Tenaya Stone Spa – 4-Star
I’m genuinely surprised that in addition to the Grand Californian, the Westin and JW Marriott Anaheim were not recognized. If the JW Marriott Orlando is the bar, both of those clear it.
There are a number of other upscale hotels and restaurants in Orange County, California, but almost all of them are in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, or Laguna Niguel. These cities are a bit far from the parks to be considered for a Disneyland stay. We’ve stayed at some hotels and visited the majority of them, and they’re all incredible.
With the lists out of the way, let’s quickly run through a few of the recognized resorts where we’ve stayed at or near Walt Disney World …
JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort &, Spa – Given that this is one of the more recent on-site hotels at Walt Disney World and the brand’s reputation, it’s disappointing that the JW Marriott at Bonnet Creek isn’t any better. It’s still very good, just not quite what we expected from this tier of the chain. Since this is the threshold for Forbes Travel Guide” Recommended” status, we think about a dozen other hotels pass it. Including several Disney-owned ones.
This is not to be overly critical of the Orlando JW. It’s absolutely one of the best on-site hotels at Walt Disney World, it just falls a bit short of non-urban JW resort standards. We adore its sophisticated design and smart styling. Both the guest rooms and common areas are incredibly nice, and to our tastes. It’s a posh hotel with a wealth of amenities that should appeal to couples or solo travelers looking for a more adult option with convenient access to ( or even isolation from ) the parks.
The JW Marriott is not for everyone. We find it more difficult to recommend it to families, particularly. It’s not that the hotel isn’t kid-friendly—to the contrary, it’s laid back and not even remotely stuffy or unapproachable. It’s more likely that other resorts have more family-friendly amenities and a wider feature set. In particular, the pool area is relatively pedestrian, with no waterslide, lazy river, or other fun features you might find at many hotels in Orlando. However, the food is exceptional.
Waldorf Astoria Orlando— Arguably one of the most iconic hotel labels in the world, the Waldorf Astoria offers exceptional quality at prices that won’t make you sell a kidney to afford a stay here. This on-site hotel, which is nestled in the serene 482-acre Bonnet Creek nature preserve and close to Walt Disney World, is eligible for certain benefits ( such as Early Entry ).
The Waldorf Astoria recently completed a property-wide reimagination that includes a floor-to-ceiling transformation inclusive of all 502 guest rooms and suites, the lobby arrival experience, new design and culinary innovations at the award-winning restaurants Bull &, Bear and Peacock Alley, enhancements to The Waldorf Astoria Spa and a complete restoration of the esteemed 18-hole Waldorf Astoria Golf Club.
The Waldorf Astoria is both a luxurious and pricey place to stay. If you’re looking for a more inviting option, the Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek is a sister property of sorts to the Waldorf Astoria. Although it’s not quite as nice or opulent, it has a lot of family-friendly amenities, some of which are shared between the two.
Four Seasons Resort Orlando – Located on-site at Walt Disney World, the Four Seasons Orlando is the gold standard of WDW luxury resorts. The entire reason it is on-site is Disney’s decision to aim more upmarket, with the company cognizant that it couldn’t compete with real world luxury properties among discerning and demanding clientele, as we’ve repeatedly pointed out. Between service and ( if we’re being honest ) name cachet, even the flagship Grand Floridian falls short.
Within the gated community of Golden Oaks and behind Fort Wilderness, the sprawling Four Seasons complex is located. It’s surrounded by natural beauty, including an Everglades sanctuary, and it feels like tropical paradise meets a country club. The dining is fantastic, the rooms are luxurious and well-appointed, and there are many services you would expect from the Four Seasons.
Outside, the grounds of the Four Seasons Orlando are a veritable oasis. With an Explorer Island, a delightful lazy river, and secluded lounge areas for couch and chairs amid a lush environment and a canopy of palm trees, the pool areas are brilliantly suited for both children and adults. We’d argue that it’s a better pound for pound pool area than Stormalong Bay at Yacht &, Beach Club.
The Four Seasons Hotel in Orlando, whether Disney-owned or not, is by far the most nicest and most opulent hotel in Orlando. However, it no longer is our unequivocal# 1 pick for hotels near Walt Disney World, because a new contender to the throne has emerged, that has already won several of same prestigious awards from AAA and Forbes as the Four Seasons…
Conrad Orlando at Evermore – The newest luxury hotel close to the parks, Conrad Orlando is technically not on-site at Walt Disney World, but it is close to Fort Wilderness and Magic Kingdom, making it much closer to the theme park than most on-site hotels at Walt Disney World. The Conrad offers views of the EPCOT fireworks, and we could hear the Electrical Water Pageant from our room.
It’s also one of only three hotels to receive the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide 4-Star Awards and AAA Five Diamond hotels close to Walt Disney World, along with the Four Seasons Orlando. The third is the Ritz Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes, which is a bit farther away and actually beat both by earning a 5-Star rating from Forbes!
The 433-room, high-end Conrad Orlando hotel offers stylish accommodations, a variety of restaurants ( including one of my favorite-ever burgers ), and all the other amenities you’d expect from a luxury hotel. We really like the calming, coastal modern rooms, they feel at once luxurious and relaxed–nice pops of color and stylish.
Evermore Bay, Orlando’s first and only beach, has 8 acres of crystal-clear water and 20 acres of soft white sand, making it the Conrad Orland’s marquee amenity. That bright blue lagoon is eye-catching, stopping you in your tracks when you first enter the lobby and see it out the floor to ceiling windows. There are a ton of activities on and around the lagoon, making the Conrad Orlando a true self-contained resort experience.
While the hotel as a whole is nice, the stunning, crystalline Evermore Bay is the flagship feature of the Conrad Orlando. The Four Seasons Orlando surpasses it in terms of luxury, beauty, and service. The vibe is totally different at the Conrad Orlando, which is less stuffy, more inviting and laid back. The Conrad Orlando hotel is the# 1 luxury hotel near Walt Disney World for many families thanks to Emerald Bay and the unpretentious atmosphere.
Why Didn’t More Disney Resorts &, Restaurants Win?
Critics might argue that Disney is still not considered a leader in the luxury travel industry. That resorts like Yacht Club and Grand Floridian are, at minimum, deserving for consideration on a list like this. Possibly even Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge.
This is an argument to which I’m receptive, but don’t buy completely. Disney may have a higher bar than Disney, in my opinion, but it’s not entirely out of the question. I especially believe this after the recent refurbishments and reimagining at Yacht Club and Grand Floridian, which I suspect were not taken into account despite this purporting to be a 2026 list.
Napa Rose made the cut despite being closed for the majority of the previous year and not reopening until the week before that. Forbes clearly reviewed the old version of Napa Rose, which was frankly less deserving than the newly-reimagined Napa Rose. Despite their proximity, Victoria & Albert’s, Napa Rose, and the Grand Californian all suggest that Disney-owned hotels are not excluded from consideration.
Instead, the explanation likely lies in the Forbes Travel Guide criteria:” While the quality and condition of the facilities remain vital, exceptional service accounts for 70 % of a property’s rating, reflecting the human element at the heart of luxury”.
This is a little crazy and unbelieveable, to be honest. The notion that I could buy a Motel 6 in rural Iowa, but then poach top talent from the best Four Seasons Resorts in the world and win a Forbes star rating is nonsense on its face. Such a hotel wouldn’t receive any awards or even be first reviewed. Every single hotel on the above list has a spectacular hard product. Some have incredible locations and grounds worth ( literally ) hundreds of millions of dollars.
The notion that all of this only counts for 30 % is hogwash, and I don’t care what Forbes claims. Even at their most best, service and soft goods are too subject. Service should not count for that much, and I suspect the 70 % claim is spurious, something that sounds good to the affluent readers of the FTG. Of course, the luxury-minded are of the highest order when it comes to service, but c’mon. Take this to the extreme of my example above and it should be pretty obvious why this falls apart.
In any case, the reason Disney-owned resorts and eateries were largely excluded from the list is largely due to that alleged 70 % exceptional service weighting. We’ve made this point before many times, but Disney simply is not a great hotelier or hospitality company by luxury standards.
There is a distinction between the warm and welcoming service provided by Disney Cast Members and the attentive and pampering service provided by luxury hotels, though this is a bit difficult to explain. If you’ve experienced both, you likely fully understand and appreciate the distinction.
I’d argue that there is something to be said for the warm and personal quality of the Disney approach, but discerning ( such a pompous and condescending term, but it is what it is ) clientele who consult sources like Forbes favor the more luxurious service. For a lot of families, the best Cast Members are better than the most superlative, seasoned staff at luxury hotels. We kind of feel this way, to be honest!
An equally significant problem, and one where I’d argue Walt Disney World actually does stumble is in the consistency of the service. You might not realize this until you’ve had poor service or a problem that frontline Cast Members were unable to resolve.
These are the types of issues and inconveniences that an average luxury hotel at the price point would fix the instant it was brought to their attention. However, it would ideally not need to be because they would address it immediately.
Guest recovery is all over the place at Walt Disney World, sometimes it’s above and beyond, sometimes it’s painfully lacking. True luxury hotels are much better at removing friction from the guest experience and anticipating issues.
Also frustrating is that there’s really no service hierarchy at Walt Disney World. I suppose it could be argued that this adheres to the old “every guest is a VIP” theory. But I nevertheless find it odd that I’ve had repeatedly exceptional service at All Star Sports in the last 4 years ( I’ve said it before, but Sports is an underrated gem ) and much more mixed results at Deluxe Resorts.
I’d assume that Disney would encourage the most expensive resorts’ cast members and give them the ability to create magic, but that isn’t really the case. Regardless of how you feel about all of this, it’s unlikely that Walt Disney World resorts will ever win” serious” awards so long as this is how service works.
Are you organizing a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. Read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews for recommendations for dining. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post examines some clever travel items. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. The Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide is the best place to start for detailed information.
Your Thoughts
Have you visited any of the 2026 Forbes Travel Guide Award winners? Think these resorts or restaurants are worthy of their wins? Anywhere in Walt Disney World or Disneyland that you believe was snubbed? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of the distinction between WDW service vs. real world luxury service? Any queries that we can assist with? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Sign up for news, Disney news, and free planning advice.
Email:
