These Palm Beach resorts among the best in the world, says Forbes Travel Guide

Top honors were awarded Wednesday to the Four Seasons and The Breakers resorts in Palm Beach, as well as Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa in Manalapan, when Forbes Travel Guide released its coveted annual ratings for worldwide luxury hospitality properties.

As in years past, all three oceanfront resorts received rankings that put them among the best hotels around the globe. Ratings are a based on anonymous property inspections.

The Four Seasons and Eau Palm Beach each received five stars — the highest-possible rating — and The Breakers received four, the second-highest ranking.

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The luxe spas at each of the three properties also earned multiple stars — five each for the spas at the Four Seasons and Eau Palm Beach, and four for The Breakers’ spa.

“As always, The Breakers is pleased to find itself in great company among other Forbes Travel Guide award recipients,” the resort’s communications director, Sara Flight, said in an email Thursday.

“Our organization prioritizes team member and guest fulfillment, in tandem with social impact and our property’s continuous renewal, as the driver of success,” Flight noted.

Eau’s general manager, Tim Nardi, said he and his team were thrilled to be recognized again by a “prestigious” five stars from the Forbes Travel Guide, which is billed as the only independent global rating system for hospitality properties.

“Our diligent staff works every day to ensure all of our guests receive a first-class experience,” Nardi said.

Restaurants also are included in the guide — and Palm Beach took home honors in this category, too.

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The only Palm Beach County restaurant to receive a ranking was the Four Seasons’ Florie’s, which earned the third-highest ranking of “recommended” among 14 rated Florida restaurants. Florie’s opened in 2019 as a partnership with three Michelin-starred international chef Mauro Colagreco.

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That the Four Seasons’ Florie’s received a “recommended” designation on top of the resort’s five-star rating “fills me with immense pride to work alongside each individual who made this possible,” said Mohamed Elbanna, regional vice president and general manager at the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach.

“Our commitment to exceptional service and offerings for our guests begins with a heartfelt passion to make each moment a memorable one,” he said. “Our guests can feel that each detail is delivered with love.”

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Only one other hotel and spa in Palm Beach County earned ratings: The Boca Raton Resort & Club received five stars for its hotel and spa. Throughout Florida, 43 hotels and 22 spas received ratings in the 65th annual Forbes Travel Guide.

This year’s Forbes Travel Guide ratings come during a resurgence in travel as the abated pandemic continues in its third year.

Travelers nowadays are prioritizing “authentic, in-person experiences,” Amanda Frasier, president of ratings for the guide, said, noting that this year’s guide includes ocean cruises.

“The hotels, ocean cruises, restaurants and spas in our 2023 star-rating list demonstrate an impressive commitment to creating memorable environments that nurture connection, joy and a sense of place as we experience the world to its fullest,” Frasier said.

The Breakers, the Four Seasons and Eau Palm Beach have earned high marks from Forbes Travel Guide for years.

The Breakers, which sits on 140 acres, has earned four or five stars for decades.

The 2023 Forbes Travel Guide noted that the resort, which was founded in 1896, “boasts a rich history rivaled only by its own penchant for constant reinvention. The result is thoroughly modern and dynamic.”

For the six-acre Four Seasons, this is the 25th consecutive year it has received a five-star designation and the seventh year for its spa.

Its location and “endless amenities” unite the “best of Palm Beach in one spot,” Forbes Travel Guide noted of the Four Seasons.

Eau Palm Beach Resort, covering seven acres, has earned five stars for its hotel and spa for nine years. It’s a “beach resort that delivers” on high-quality service and amenities, according to the 2023 Forbes guide.

This past summer, Eau completed a multimillion-dollar renovation, including adding six new dining outlets.

In all, the 2023 Forbes Travel Guide features 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 worldwide.

Forbes bases its ratings on anonymous property inspections evaluating hundreds of objective standards emphasizing service.

The only way to be awarded a five-star, four-star or recommended rating is by earning it through the independent-inspection process.

Forbes Travel Guide debuted in 1958 as the Mobil Travel Guide, a guidebook aimed at people traveling by automobile in United States.

For more information about Forbes Travel Guide and its 2023 star-rating winners, visit ForbesTravelGuide.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: These Palm Beach resorts earned top marks from Forbes Travel Guide