Crown Melbourne and Perth win five-star Forbes rating with Crown Sydney now racing for a trifecta

In a week marred by scandal, Crown is hoping to win another spot among the world’s top hotels in the Forbes Travel Guide.

Exclusive: In a result which bodes well for its new Sydney namesake, Crown Towers has today been awarded a global gold standard by the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide for its Perth and Melbourne properties.

Sydney’s tallest building is now vying for a trifecta, as staycationers and foodies flock to be among the first to experience Crown Sydney since its opening in late December.

Forbes’ announcement comes on the back of last week’s landmark inquiry denying Crown permission to open its $2.2 billion casino in Sydney.

Fallout from the NSW gambling regulator’s probe into money laundering at Crown’s Melbourne and Perth casinos continues, with the resignation of its CEO Ken Barton on Monday.

Despite casino doors remaining shut, the restaurants, spa and accommodation are open and flourishing in the wake of recent lockdowns.

Attractions in the glistening 275m-high tower span from harbourside suites to a decadent spa, infinity pool and outdoor tennis court.

Its 14 bars and restaurants include the latest outpost of premium Japanese chain, Nobu, a line-up overseen by food royalty, with Guillaume Brahimi as culinary ambassador.

Crown is the only hotel group in Australia to win the elite Forbes ranking for multiple hotels, but Sydney cannot rely on big names and glitzy facilities alone to secure its spot.

Luxury hotels must meet close to 900 stringent standards, predominantly related to service delivery, in the only global rating system for luxury hotels.

“Yes, you need a luxurious world-class asset to begin with, but service and experience comes down to people and impeccable training,” Forbes Travel Guide executive vice president of standards and ratings, Amanda Frasier, says.

Crown Hotels CEO Peter Crinis says the group is setting a new standard for the industry as a whole.

“These are local hotels that compete with the best in the world,” Crinis says.

WORLD’S MOST LUXURIOUS HOTELS

From underwater suites to 24-carat gold embellishments, there’s some serious eye candy to be found among the Forbes star-rated hotels. With today’s announcement that Crown Towers Perth and Melbourne have both made it into the prestigious ranks this year, Crown Sydney also has its eye on the prize. Here are some of the highlights on the list.

CONRAD MALDIVES RANGALI ISLAND

Sprawling across - and beneath - the glittering South Ari Atoll in the Indian Ocean, this spectacular resort has lured the likes of Roger Federer and Paul McCartney with a lavish undersea residence and underwater restaurant.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. Picture: Supplied

BURJ AL ARAB JUMEIRAH

Landing on the rooftop helipad is a fitting arrival to what has been touted as the world’s first seven-star hotel. On a man-made island in the Persian Gulf, Dubai, the Burj rises almost as high as the Empire State Building. Here, guests are dazzled by 24-carat gilded interiors and sleep beneath eiderdown quilts sourced from the abandoned nests of rare Icelandic ducks.

Burj al Arab hotel, Dubai. Picture: iStock

CROWN TOWERS PERTH AND MELBOURNE

In a major coup, Crown is the only hotel group to hold multiple Forbes five-star ratings in Australia. In Melbourne, its grandiose art deco details would impress Gatsby himself, while Crown Towers Perth is one of the country’s most expensive hotel builds, with an enormous lagoon pool and an 8000-piece mural in its foyer.

The lobby of Crown Towers Melbourne. Picture supplied.

TRUMP INTERNATIONAL HOTEL & TOWER

Perhaps the world’s most expensive pet-friendly getaway, this Big Apple hideaway welcomes pampered pooches to its marble and gold-adorned suites. With Central Park across the road, and three Michelin star Jean-Georges on site, it’s clearly a trump card among the former US president’s international property holdings.

Trump Tower, New York.

CIPRIANI, A BELMOND HOTEL

Its city may be sinking, but luxury is truly afloat in this Venetian palazzo across the lagoon from famed St Mark’s Basilica. Fragrances from the property’s gardens are carried on canal breezes, along with the faint hum of church bells in this elegant showcase of antiques and Murano glass.

Belmond Hotel Cipriani, Venice. Picture: Tyson Sadlo/Belmond

Originally published as Crown Melbourne and Perth win five-star Forbes rating with Crown Sydney now racing for a trifecta