Forbes Travel Guide | Morpheus, MGM Cotai expected to make 2020 list

Forbes Travel Guide says it has high hopes for both Morpheus hotel and MGM Cotai to rank among its Star Award winners next year.

Filip Boyen, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide, told the Times that the annual Guide has been evaluating hotels in Macau for more than a decade. Questioned on whether new hotels would make it into the Guide next year, given that the number of hotels in the region is expanding, Boyen said, “we fully expect to see more additions to the Macau list of hotel winners next year, including the futuristic Morpheus hotel and MGM’s new property, MGM Cotai.”

To calculate ratings for the guide’s yearly Star Awards, the company’s anonymous professional inspectors stay at the properties and evaluate based on up to 900 metrics.

In addition, Forbes Travel Guide recently launched Verified Lists, best-of lists compiled from the detailed data gathered by the incognito inspectors for the Star Awards. The Verified List for the World’s Best Hotel Rooms was unveiled in May and features properties with rooms and bathrooms that are “exceptionally comfortable, functional and elegantly appointed with special touches” such as high-quality linens, an array of luxurious bath amenities and well-designed technology.

The 41 winners achieved perfect scores on guest room and bathroom standards related to elements of luxury and guest comfort, and convenience. They also met core standards for cleanliness and maintenance.

This year, only two local hotel properties made it to the World’s Best Hotel Rooms list, compiled by Forbes Travel Guide: Encore Macau and Wynn Macau. The functions and amenities provided in their rooms is “what continues to set them apart,” Forbes Travel Guide notes. Additionally, the work that goes into maintaining their appearance plays a big role in their inclusion on the list.

According to Boyen, with the increasing trend for travel, particularly for affluent residents from mainland China, experiences need to provide instant gratification for this generation of travelers.

He added that these experiences can be achieved not only in design but also through service, food and entertainment.

“I think there has always been a desire to experience the newest, most forward-thinking hotel. We do not expect to see this change,” said the CEO.

“And we also know that the newest generation of affluent travelers continues to push hotels to deliver a better product experience that goes beyond just style and design, but a full immersion into a lifestyle or culture that they want to be a part of and that they can share socially with others,” he added.

Boyen said that Forbes maintains its standards annually to be globally relevant and culturally sensitive.

He explained that this is particularly important for the Guide as they are no longer a North American-based guide but now the only independent global rating system featuring more than 1,500 of the world’s best hotels, restaurants and spas in nearly 80 countries.

“We would not say we have made the standards harder, but rather, continually reflective of the demands of today’s luxury traveler. Though let it be no mistake that we recognize how exceptionally hard the properties work to provide outstanding experiences to achieve their Forbes Travel Guide awards,” Boyen explained.

The CEO pledged that the Guide would continue to offer transparency to the industry on its standards.