Dubai Leads Star Awards In The Middle East

14.02.2024 - 15:07 / forbes.com / Forbes V (V) / Star Awards

The Middle East won big in the 2024 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards, with Dubai leading the pack — the city earned the highest number of new Five-Star honors worldwide.

The Star Awards, the benchmark for luxury and service excellence in the global hospitality industry, are based on a rigorous process involving anonymous inspectors assessing hundreds of exacting criteria. Garnering a Five-Star rating not only signifies an establishment’s commitment to unparalleled service and luxury but also places it among the elite in the hospitality world.

Dubai gained five new top-rated hotels — Address Beach Resort; Armani Hotel Dubai; Atlantis The Royal; The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai; and The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm — bringing its Five-Star total to 12. Atlantis The Royal just opened a year ago, with its bold building of stacked blocks and endless amenities, but it managed to win a Five-Star honor, a rare feat for a newcomer. It’s also in the running for FTG’s first reader’s choice award for Best New Hotel.

“Earning a Forbes Five-Star award for Atlantis The Royal in year one was a dream and a focus of the entire team from day one,” managing director Tom Roelens said. “When we set out to open Atlantis The Royal, we were not only looking for the very best in the business worldwide but also those who enjoy working with people for people and who have an innate sense and hunger to be of service and deliver the extraordinary.”

For Roelens, “extraordinary” means not just having unusual architecture or celebrity-chef-helmed restaurants. “It subverts the classic stereotype that Dubai plus luxury equals gold/opulence, moving the very definition to something that is hyper-personalized, something that is so special it must be experienced to be believed,” he said. “Atlantis The Royal is more than amazing suites or world-class amenities. It offers 24/7 attention to detail so that every guest has exactly what they want, when they want, how they want it, before they have even asked for it.”

Also claiming its inaugural Five-Star Award is Address Beach Resort. The luxury lifestyle hotel in the Jumeirah Beach neighborhood makes a statement in an O-shaped building and the world’s highest infinity pool on the 77th floor. “Rising over 300 meters [or 982 feet] high, the hotel boasts some of the most unique views of the Dubai skyline and the Arabian Gulf,” said Hasna Gass, director of operations. “We have an extensive selection of dining venues that celebrate local and international cuisines, ensuring unforgettable culinary experiences for all guests.”

“From iconic architecture and world-class amenities to bespoke experiences, Address Beach Resort has everything guests need for an opulent escape and unmatched hospitality that truly reflects