Eight North Carolina hotels among ‘most outstanding’ in the world, new rankings show
If you’re considering a luxurious getaway close to home, you may be in luck.
That’s because North Carolina is home to eight of the world’s “most outstanding” places to stay, new rankings show.
The hotels — in Charlotte, the Triangle and the mountains — were praised for offering top-notch service in high-quality settings.
Here are the ranked North Carolina hotels, which won Star Awards from Forbes Travel Guide:
- The Ballantyne in Charlotte
- The Fearrington House Inn in Pittsboro
- The Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville
- The Ivey’s Hotel in Charlotte
- Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands
- The Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte
- The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary
- Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club in Durham
To create the list of best hotels, Forbes Travel Guide said teams fanned out to restaurants, hotels, spas and cruise ships around the world. Each place received scores across more than 900 criteria that impact visitors, a spokesperson told McClatchy News in an email.
“Our anonymous professional inspectors evaluate based on hundreds of exacting standards, with an emphasis on exceptional service, to help discerning travelers select the world’s best experiences,” Forbes Travel Guide wrote in a Feb. 7 news release.
Hotels include one five-star winner
In the hotel category, only one North Carolina destination scored a “coveted” five-star rating. The recognition — given to places that “deliver an outstanding experience and consistently offer a highly customized level of service” — went to The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary.
“The Umstead offers a full-service, sophisticated stay with an upscale restaurant, a graceful spa and miles of trails to hike and explore,” Forbes Travel Guide wrote.
Several other North Carolina hotels received four-star ratings, including:
The remaining three North Carolina hotels were “recommended,” defined as “excellent properties with consistently good service and facilities.” Those destinations were:
In addition to having eight top-ranking hotels, North Carolina is home to six restaurants and one spa that landed on the worldwide list.
Across the globe, Forbes Travel Guide said more than 2,000 travel destinations made it into the rankings. Of those, over 1,400 were hotels.
This story was originally published February 16, 2024 at 10:18 AM with the headline "Eight North Carolina hotels among ‘most outstanding’ in the world, new rankings show."
