Shanica Knowles, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Miley Cyrus, Cody Linley, Jason Earles and Moisés Arias attend the premiere of Disney’s ‘Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special’ on March 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Brianna Bryson/WireImage)
Montana
From Mauritius To Montana, Forbes Travel Guide’s 2024 Star Award Winners
The 66th annual hospitality awards celebrate the world’s best hotels, spas, restaurants and ocean cruises.
By Jennifer Kester, Contributor
Following the pandemic, travelers flocked to big, iconic destinations, like Paris, Rome and the Maldives. While those destinations will always have their allure, vacationers are now seeking out more meaningful trips where they can embark on once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like a safari. They also are booking trips to smaller metropolitan areas, cities rich with culture, gastronomy and activities but without the crowds.
Forbes Travel Guide’s 2024 Star Awards reflect these trending tastes among travelers. For the 66th annual list of the best hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruises, FTG explored destinations offering meaningful experiences as well as smaller U.S. cities that are often overlooked. The awards also expanded to new destinations, including Azerbaijan, Curacao, Iceland, Kenya, Sardinia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
FTG compiles its ratings using an objective, independent and data-driven process. Incognito inspectors pose as everyday guests and stay at hotels, board cruises, receive spa services and dine at fine restaurants around the world. They test some 900 exacting standards—such as whether a room is designed to promote sleep quality or whether the food-and-beverage choices support a guest’s well-being—emphasizing exceptional service, which accounts for 70 percent of a property’s rating. Newer standards focus on the guest experience, such as ensuring “cocktails are dynamically interesting and photogenic” and even asking if the inspector would “readily recommend this property to others.” The remaining 30 percent comes from the quality and condition of the facilities. Finally, inspectors are now required to reflect on whether there was great value in the experience.
See the complete list of 2024 Star Awards winners here, and learn more about the newest additions to the collection below.
Raffles Doha
Great Gains in the Middle East
The Middle East emerged as the region with the most new Five-Star awards. Waldorf Astoria Kuwait won the top honor for both its art-deco-influenced hotel and its 13,560-square-foot spa. Talise Spa at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa in Kuwait also received Five Stars for its water-themed haven. Over in Qatar, established local favorite Four Seasons Hotel Doha and newcomer Raffles Doha earned Five-Star ratings.
For the second consecutive year, Macau held onto its grip as the city with the most Five-Star hotels in the world—it clocks in at 22 with the new addition of Paiza Lofts, an all-suite, French-themed hotel inside The Parisian Macao. But Dubai gave a strong showing, logging more new Five-Star hotels than any other location worldwide: Address Beach Resort, home to the world’s tallest infinity pool; Armani Hotel Dubai, a stylish designer stay inside the Burj Khalifa; Atlantis, The Royal, a new architectural feat; The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai, a family-friendly oceanfront oasis; and The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm, a gilded getaway with a rooftop of destination dining, pushed Dubai’s Five-Star hotel tally to 12.
Several Dubai restaurants also made their debut on the 2024 list. Armani/Ristorante Dubai, which serves sophisticated Italian fare overlooking the Dubai Fountain, and Stay by Yannick Alléno, a French institution at One&Only The Palm, earned Four-Star accolades.
One&Only Gorilla’s Nest
A Sense of Adventure
As travelers seek out more once-in-a-lifetime adventures, there are more luxurious options than ever. Rwanda debuted on the list with two Five-Star winners: One&Only Gorilla’s Nest, a basecamp in the foothills of the Virunga Mountains for gorilla treks, and One&Only Nyungwe House, a retreat on a tea plantation close to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Viking Sky
For those who want to get closer to the animals, stay with the long-necked residents at Nairobi’s Four-Star Giraffe Manor—and don’t miss breakfast with them. Meanwhile, Fairmont Mount Kenya Safari Club will take guests on guided safaris at the nearby Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy.
Adventurous travelers can also find a safari at sea aboard the Viking Neptune or the Four-Star Seven Seas Splendor, which offer Arctic expeditions along the shores of countries like Iceland and Norway, with possible polar bear sightings along the way. And for the ultimate around-the-world adventure, opt for the Viking Sky, which covers up to 37 countries in 180 days.
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
Triple Five-Star Standouts
Several hotels joined the elite ranks of the triple Five-Stars, a group of 15 properties that earned the highest rating for three different outlets under its roof (typically, it’s a hotel, restaurant and spa that earn the Five Stars). The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman is the first property in the Caribbean to attain triple Five-Star status. Sprawled across 144 acres along Seven Mile Beach, the resort earned the top rating along with its Blue by Eric Ripert, a seafood-focused restaurant from the celebrated chef, and The Ritz-Carlton Spa, Grand Cayman, a 20,000-square-foot ultra-modern sanctuary.
Stateside, Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, California, garnered triple Five-Star recognition with Sense, A Rosewood Spa at Miramar Beach, which features treatments using extraordinary local plants and flowers, and Caruso’s, a Southern Italian fine-dining spot overlooking the ocean. An hour from Washington, D.C., Salamander Middleburg gives travelers a luxurious place to stay in Virginia’s horse and wine country, with Harrimans Grill (which serves seasonal Southern cuisine) and the state’s only Five-Star spa on its 340 pastoral acres.
Christian Horan Photography; Montage Big Sky
The Only Five-Star Hotel Brand
Montage Big Sky, an alpine ski retreat in Southwestern Montana that opened in 2021, picked up its inaugural top rating. The win marked a Five-Star sweep for Montage Hotels & Resorts across its seven properties, giving it the title of the world’s only all-Five-Star hotel brand. The Montage collection spans from Bluffton, South Carolina, to Los Cabos with a strong presence on the West Coast with properties in Sonoma, Laguna Beach and Park City, Utah.
The U.S.-based company is a longtime luxury hospitality purveyor—it celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2023 and boasts the longest-running Five-Star spa. California’s Spa Montage Laguna Beach was the first spa to earn the Five-Star distinction in 2005 and has maintained the rating ever since.
Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans
The Rise of Smaller Cities
One of the biggest travel trends for 2024 is the surge of smaller metro areas in the United States that are ready for larger crowds. In Nashville, JW Marriott Nashville lures them in with chef Michael Mina’s Bourbon Sky Lounge, the city’s highest rooftop restaurant and bar. Conrad Nashville caters to those who prioritize well-being with Wellness Rooms that come with a Peloton bike, an Echelon Reflect Fitness Mirror, free weights and a healthy minibar.
Four Seasons New Orleans
Elsewhere in the South, The Charleston Place reigns as Charleston’s grande dame, but the boutique hotel is forward-looking with seasonal offerings like a dream concierge for better sleep and a book butler who works with a local bookstore.
And as New Orleans gets ready for Mardi Gras, there are other reasons to celebrate the Crescent City. Two properties snagged new Four-Star awards: Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, with restaurants from famed local chefs Donald Link and Alon Shaya and the glittering Chandelier Bar, and The Ritz-Carlton Spa, New Orleans, the largest spa in the city is a bathed-in-gray refuge with locally inspired treatments like the Voodoo Ritual.
R&R MVPs
For those who scour FTG’s Star Awards list for stunning beach getaways, there are plenty of newly minted Five-Star hotels, including the private island hideaway Hurawalhi Island Resort and eco-friendly LUX South Ari Atoll in the Maldives; newly renovated LUX Belle Mare and tropical paradise Royal Palm Beachcomber Luxury in Mauritius; art-driven La Casa de la Playa and sleek, modern Nizuc Resort & Spa in Mexico; and exclusive all-suite Mandarin Oriental, Canouan in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Mandarin Oriental, Canouan
Well-being continues to be a priority for travelers. Those seeking to recharge physically and mentally can check out new Five-Star spas like The St. Regis Spa Chicago, which opened in the world’s third-tallest building last year; The Spa at Seafire in Grand Cayman, where guests can unwind in a mosaic hammam; The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen, a 68th-floor haven that blends Eastern and Western therapies; Evian Spa at Palace Hotel Tokyo, a unique facility from the mineral water brand; and SpaHalekulani Okinawa, also in Japan, that draws from Okinawan and Hawaiian traditions for its bliss-inducing treatments.
MORE FROM FORBES
Montana
Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Big Sky Bonus results for June 26, 2026
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 26, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 26 drawing
05-13-30-33-52, Mega Ball: 06
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from June 26 drawing
07-08-20-22, Bonus: 12
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Montana
EXCLUSIVE: 2 ‘Exceptionally Rare’ Ski-In, Ski-Out Montana Mansions Head to Auction in Big Sky—and Could Sell for a Serious Steal
A pair of stunning Montana ski homes are going under the hammer in the exclusive resort of Big Sky—where they could sell for well below their market value, having been offered up with no reserve.
Currently listed for a combined total of $13 million, the “exceptionally rare” dwellings are both located within the exclusive Spanish Peaks Mountain Club community—and come complete with full access to all of the incredible amenities that the private club has to offer, including “a Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole Championship Golf Course, a 10-hole Par 3 course, preferred access to Montage Big Sky, and a private clubhouse featuring dining, a bar, fitness center, pro shop, pool, and hot tub.”
Now, the properties will be sold off to the highest bidder when they are auctioned off with Trayor Lesnock, founder and president of Platinum Luxury Auctions, in cooperation with listing agents Greg Smith and Amelia Turbyfill of Engel & Völkers.
The larger of the two residences, which are both currently owned by Mark and Jennifer Kozubal, was placed on the market for $7.25 million in 2025, having been completed in 2023. It was more recently listed for the reduced price of $6.68 million.
Spanning more than 4,200 square feet, it features five bedrooms and five bathrooms, as well as a beautiful chef’s kitchen, ideal for hosting large groups. There are also “multiple living areas designed for entertaining and hosting family and friends,” according to the listing.
Combining classic Alpine style with “sleek, modern finishes,” the property offers both comfort and elegance, as well as incredible privacy, thanks to its plum location at the end of a quiet street.
Boasting incredible proximity to both the club’s golf courses and the Big Sky slopes, the property features an array of amenities designed to create a relaxing sanctuary where owners and their guests can retreat after a busy day of sporting activity.
“After a day on the ski slopes or a round of golf, relax in your private hot tub, cozy up by the fireplace, or cook a meal in the chef-inspired kitchen,” the description states.
The second property offers just under 3,000 square feet of living space, including four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms—as well as “direct ski-in, ski-out access with groomed connectivity to Big Sky Resort terrain,” according to its listing.
Much like the other residence, the second dwelling—which was brought to the market in January with an asking price of $6.25 million—has been designed specifically for those with a passion for outdoor living, providing the ideal setting in which to unwind after a long day of skiing or golfing.
“The residence includes open-concept living spaces designed for gathering after skiing, hiking, or riding, complemented by warm mountain finishes throughout,” the listing notes.
For those seeking to enjoy year-round life on the mountain, the property has been outfitted with a number of unique features that ensure a comfortable, luxurious experience no matter the weather, including “whole-home humidification and water purification systems.”
Beyond the impressive infrastructure, other alluring amenities include a “full-home audio and visual system,” as well as a dedicated eight-locker ski boot room that opens directly onto the nearest ski trail.
“Outdoor amenities include beautiful landscaping and a stone fireplace seating area positioned along the ski trail, with expansive views to the surrounding mountains,” the listing description continues.
However, perhaps the most tempting aspect of both properties is the fact that they could be sold for well below market value—presenting a truly rare opportunity for buyers to secure property in an area where luxury home sales are booming and price tags are regularly set in the seven-figure range.
“Opportunities like these are exceptionally rare in Big Sky,” seller Mark Kozubal explains. “These two Spanish Peaks Highlands homes offer true ski-in/ski-out access to a lightly used lift that connects directly into Big Sky Resort, creating an almost private ski experience with little to no wait.
“Combined with the privacy, beauty, and prestige of Spanish Peaks, these properties stand apart as truly unique mountain residences.”
Both properties are conveniently located within one of the most exclusive enclaves in Big Sky, offering proximity to both the area’s stunning ski resorts and the Yellowstone Club, which has long been one of the most star-studded neighborhoods in the area.
Among those celebrities who are rumored to have purchased properties at the Yellowstone club are NFL star Tom Brady, musician Justin Timberlake and his actress wife Jessica Biel, and Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.
“Spanish Peaks is one of the premier private residential clubs in the West,” the club’s website notes. “Here, you can experience world-class skiing and golf, fine food and drink, spectacular natural beauty and so much more. This is mountain living at its best.”
Auctioneer Lesnock emphasizes that the opportunity to secure homes in such a luxury-leaning market for what could be a truly bargain price is not something that happens very often.
“Single-family homes within Spanish Peaks have solidly maintained an entry point of at least $5 million, so the ability for buyers to ‘name their price’ in these without reserve auctions represents a substantial purchase opportunity compared to this status quo,” he explains.
“In addition to the high caliber of each property, the community’s world-class golf, ski and wellness amenities are integral parts of the overall formula that continues to attract affluent, second-home buyers to Spanish Peaks from around the world.”
As for why the owners have chosen to pursue an auction, rather than waiting for the homes to sell in a more traditional manner, Lesnock says this process will help them to secure a sale in a timely manner, without having to hang around for months on end in the hopes that a buyer will come forward.
“Under the luxury auction process, we’re giving buyers not only that economic purchase opportunity, but also the guarantee of a seamless, non-contingent sale, free of the haggling and aggravations that can plague traditional, luxury property transactions,” he shares.
“The sellers also benefit in accord, knowing they have a date-certain sale and a clear path to their ‘Next Step.’”
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Montana
‘Hannah Montana’s Mitchel Musso On Why He Missed 20th Anniversary
After Miley Cyrus reunited with her alter ego for the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special in March, one of her co-stars is explaining his absence.
Mitchel Musso, who played Hannah’s friend Oliver Oken on the Disney Channel show, noted he had a scheduling conflict, but he would have made time for the reunion if it was a new episode of the 2006-’11 series or a movie.
“The kid in me was banking on it, like ‘I can’t wait for us to all be on set again,’ and it just didn’t work out that way,” he said on the Joe Vulpis Podcast. “Do something other than what was done. Like, do an episode. Do the show. The set’s still there. Or it can be dressed very quick with somebody who’s a pro, and they did that for that and just did it differently.”
Musso continued, “It is what it is. But it wasn’t the right thing and I was busy doing something that was more important, right? But it would have been way more important if it would have just been an episode, or a movie, or a whatever. Of course, that would have been more important.”
The actor said he would have “dropped everything” if it meant getting back into character as Oliver. “It would have been everything,” he said.
“It didn’t turn out that way… Of course they asked me. But like I said, it wasn’t presented correctly,” added Musso. “And I’ve been waiting 10 years. You know, the people they say 20. My break’s been 10. So, it’s too long of a wait to do it in a way that isn’t even close to, in my opinion, correct.”
Emily Osment, who played Miley and Oliver’s friend Lilly Truscott, was also absent from the reunion special, noting she was busy filming Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage but feels “lucky to have been a part of this once-in-a-generation goliath of a television show” like Hannah Montana.
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