Stars, keys, scores, lists…everywhere you look, hotels are being ranked.
Forbes Travel Guide promises rigor, Michelin now hands out Keys, The World’s 50 Best Hotels makes buzzy headlines, and La Liste crunches the numbers. Add Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure to the mix, and it feels like everyone’s keeping score.
But here’s the catch: With list fatigue setting in, who — and what — can you actually trust?
That question hit me after The World’s 50 Best Hotels named just two Australian winners: The Calile in Brisbane and The Tasman in Hobart.
No Sydney.
No Melbourne.
As I was planning a trip Down Under, I checked them out. Both were stylish, full of local flavor, and packed with energy. Still, I wondered: How did they land on the list, and what does it take to make the cut?
Turns out I’m not the only one asking. In a widely shared New York Magazine piece, journalist Ben Ryder Howe pulled back the curtain on the “hotel ranking industrial complex,” spotlighting the economics, politics, and PR driving today’s lists. Among those quoted was Financial Times travel editor Maria Shollenbarger, who echoed concerns about transparency and credibility.
Add in influencer hype, AI-generated content, and whispers of pay-for-play, and even the pros are questioning the rankings.
So I went straight to the source: the list-makers themselves, the PR pros who track them, and the travel advisors, to see how much sway they really have.
(The Calile)
How Do These Lists?
Forbes Travel Guide
Forbes Travel Guide remains the gold standard, prized for rigor and consistency. Its anonymous inspectors rate properties against 700 detailed standards, from check-in efficiency to spa quality.
“Our goal is to provide hotels with a roadmap for excellence that is both highly detailed and completely impartial,” explains Amanda Frasier, president of ratings at Forbes Travel Guide.
Forbes now evaluates nearly 900 hotels worldwide. Reviews are merit-based, not voted on, and, while anonymous, the detailed reports can later be purchased by hotels for training.
Michelin Guide
By 2024, Michelin was already recommending 5,300 hotels in 110 countries before adding its new Key designation — one, two, or three Keys — bringing the same aura of prestige long associated with its restaurant stars.
“No fees are incurred for hotels within our selection, and Michelin is not paid for highlighting particular hotels, as our selection process is completely independent,” according to its anonymous chief inspector for North America.
Still, industry insiders note that partnerships with tourism boards can influence which regions receive attention. Michelin now doubles as a booking platform too, promising perks via its €99 annual membership.
The World’s 50 Best Hotels
Launched just two years ago, 50 Best is already one of the industry’s buzziest rankings. More than 800 voters — from hoteliers to journalists, advisors, influencers, and seasoned luxury travelers — submit their seven best hotel stays from the prior 18 months. Thirteen regional Academy Chairs oversee the process, with 25% of voters rotated each year.
“Voting is strictly confidential and anonymous,” Emma Sleight, the head of content for 50 Best, emphasizes. “None of our employees or sponsors have any influence over the results.”
Still, publicists I chatted with on the condition of anonymity quietly suggest that hosting the right people can help, something the brand firmly denies. For travel advisors, that tension matters, because even if clients don’t know the mechanics, they may arrive with 50 Best hotels already circled on their wish lists.
And with no codified criteria, the results often skew toward newer properties, likely because that’s when journalists and influencers are most often visiting. This may explain why relative newcomers like The Calile and The Tasman made the list, while icons in Sydney and Melbourne did not.
La Liste
Instead of juries or inspectors, La Liste takes a different approach.
“Several opinions are better than one,” says Jörg Zipprick, La Liste’s editor-in-chief.
Rather than relying on a small circle of reviewers, the ranking uses a transparent algorithm that aggregates reviews from 368 vetted hotel sources worldwide, weighting each for credibility, reliability, and editorial quality.
The process blends professional critiques with public sentiment and even applies bonuses for verified sustainability, while deducting points for misconduct such as staff mistreatment or fraudulent sourcing claims. Zipprick notes this ensures “excellence never excuses unethical behavior.”
The result is less about one authoritative voice and more about a comprehensive snapshot of consensus. In 2025, La Liste identified the top 1,000 hotels globally and introduced its Special Hotel Awards, which recognize standout openings, pioneering hospitality concepts in design or sustainability, and undiscovered gems.
With a thousand hotels on the list, it’s a good thing the site can be searched by destination.
Working the System: How PR Pros Shape the Lists
For hotels, landing on a list isn’t just about delivering great service; it’s about being seen.
“Award tracking and recognition is a core pillar of our PR services at Quinn,” says Florence Quinn, president of Quinn PR.
Her team keeps a meticulous calendar of deadlines to ensure clients stay in the running. The payoff can be huge: one client, the Deer Path Inn outside Chicago, has been named to Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best six times.
“Their mention on the Travel + Leisure World’s Best page has driven more web traffic and direct revenue than any other piece of earned coverage,” Quinn notes.
She also points to Palm House in Palm Beach. Having only opened last year, the boutique resort landed on the Travel + Leisure IT List, TIME’s World’s Greatest Places, Esquire’s Best New Hotels in the World, and even scored La Liste’s Hotel Opening of the Year.
“These kinds of accolades don’t just bring prestige,” Quinn explains. “They drive bookings.”
Laura Davidson, CEO of LDPR, stresses that visibility matters as much as quality.
“Forbes and Michelin have a set system for how they rate hotels through their own anonymous reviewers,” she explains. “50 Best is still fairly new, but it’s already gotten a lot of buzz. The process feels different because their judges are often writers, travel advisors, and industry influencers, and it’s no secret some are being hosted by properties. The feeling is, the more people you host, the better your chances of making the list.”
Awareness is everything. When The Boca Raton debuted its new Beach Club, LDPR ensured a Condé Nast Traveler editor was first through the door to meet the Hot List deadline. The property made the list, and the owners were thrilled.
Bottom line? PR pros aren’t just pitching stories. They’re working the system.
“It’s about making sure a property is in the conversation, so when readers, reviewers, or judges weigh in, it’s already top of mind,” Davidson said.
(The Boca Raton Beach Club)
Do Travelers Actually Care? Ask the Advisors
Here’s the twist: While lists make a splash, luxury travel advisors say their clients care more about trust and firsthand experience.
“In 20 years of selling luxury travel, I’ve never had a client ask me to book a hotel solely because of a list,” says Stacy Small, founder of Elite Travel Club. “They may mention seeing it, but ultimately they trust my recommendations more than any ranking.”
She does find Forbes Travel Guide particularly credible because of its strict standards: “It isn’t pay-to-play, which gives it an edge.”
Karen Magee, president of Valerie Wilson Travel, sees lists as useful, especially the “hot” or “new” lists, but certainly not defining.
“Rankings can highlight notable properties or trends, but they’re just one tool,” Magee says. “We rely most on our own expertise and client relationships.”
For her team, lists serve as validation or inspiration, not gospel.
“Lists don’t drive our recommendations; what matters most is what’s right for the client and the context of the trip,” adds Erina Pindar, chief operating officer of SmartFlyer.
She notes that clients today face “a sheer volume of information — some helpful, some not — that makes a trusted advisor more essential than ever.”
Even more skeptical is Global Travel Collection’s Christy Danforth, who admits she takes rankings “with a semi-large grain of salt.” Instead, she relies on firsthand stays and intel from colleagues.
And in a world where AI churns out endless content, advisors argue their edge is sharper than ever.
“No algorithm can replace a well-traveled human who knows your taste,” Small quipped. “We’ve actually experienced the property and peeked under the beds.”
Together, these advisors paint a clear picture: Lists may boost visibility and provide SEO clout, but at the high end of the market, they don’t replace the power of firsthand knowledge.
List Fatigue Is Real
Journalist Ben Ryder Howe, whose recent New York Magazine piece went viral, agrees. He points out that lists have exploded in popularity over the past five years, becoming a huge revenue stream for publishers even as their transparency is questioned.
“They’re transactional,” he cautions, noting that behind the glossy rankings lie economic incentives, partnerships, and, in some cases, judges being hosted, compromising integrity.
That’s why, he says, travelers are wise to look beyond the headlines and lean on trusted advisors.
For travel advisors, the takeaway is clear: Lists may shape headlines and client wish lists, but they don’t replace the value of personal expertise. In fact, as AI and influencer content flood the space, your role as a trusted guide has never been more critical.
Because at the end of the day, who really ranks? It’s not the lists.
It’s you.
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