For years, we trusted the stars. If a resort had five stars from the industry, it meant luxury, exceptional service, and a flawless experience. But somewhere between 2020 and now, everything changed—and the industry rating system didn’t keep up.
Here’s what nobody’s telling you: Those five-star plaques hanging in hotel lobbies? Many of them are outdated, inflated, or flat-out misleading. The resorts and hotels that earned their stars a decade ago are coasting on old reputations while their service, staff, and standards have quietly declined.
I’ve spent the past 10+ years hand-selecting properties for my clients, and what I witnessed during and after COVID was eye-opening. The rise of review culture—TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, real traveler feedback—exposed a harsh truth: industry-rated five-star properties were failing to deliver five-star experiences.
The hospitality industry’s hidden crisis.
During COVID, we all thought it was temporary. Staffing issues, supply chain disruptions, pandemic protocols—it would all reset once the world reopened. But it didn’t. The decline of hospitality kept sinking. Rumors of major chains struggling to keep quality staff became reality. Luxury brands couldn’t maintain their standards. Resorts that once rolled out red carpets for valued guests started cutting corners.
Guests checking into “five-star” properties were greeted with… nothing. No welcome perks. No special treatment for loyal club members. No personalized service. Just higher price tags and declining experiences. Travelers who had paid premium prices expecting luxury were left disgruntled and disappointed.
This is when everything shifted.
Luxury travel consultants—the ones working with ultra-high-net-worth clients—started switching gears entirely. They stopped booking traditional resorts and hotels. Instead, they pivoted to private villas, private islands, and yacht charters. Why? Because the resort and hotel climate became too unpredictable. The risk of disappointing a client at a “five-star” property that no longer lived up to its rating was too high.
Meanwhile, something unexpected was happening.
While the big luxury brands stumbled, four-star and boutique resorts were absolutely nailing it. Smaller properties that always had a reputation for making each guest feel welcomed were climbing in rankings. They kept their grounds immaculate. Their atmosphere wasn’t overcrowded, so guests felt like they had their own personal concierge. They offered perks and packages that made people feel valued.
Week after week, month after month, these properties were being rated five stars by thousands of actual travelers—not by an industry board looking at amenities on paper, but by real guests experiencing real service.
And here’s what shocked me:
I started seeing properties with official “five-star” industry ratings that were performing at three-star levels—at best. I’m talking about your top resort chains, your luxury hotel brands that everyone recognizes. They were dropping fast while lesser-known boutiques were soaring.
These weren’t fake reviews. These were real travelers and clients I had personally serviced, telling me the truth about their experiences. The gap between industry perception and guest reality was staggering.
This is when I developed what I call “Double 5-Star” vetting—and I’m one of the few doing it.
Most travel agents rely on industry ratings and commission structures to guide their recommendations. I took a different approach. Over the past decade, I’ve meticulously built relationships with properties that consistently deliver excellence—not just on paper, but in reality.
A Double 5-Star property means it has earned five stars in TWO ways:
- Rated five stars by the industry (official recognition for amenities, facilities, and standards)
- Consistently rated five stars by actual guests (week after week, year after year, thousands of reviews confirming exceptional experiences)
But here’s what makes my approach different: I don’t just look at the reviews. I’ve personally cultivated relationships with these properties. I understand their standards. I’ve seen how they operate during high season and low season. I’ve witnessed how they treat my clients—and I only continue working with properties that have never let me or my clients down.
This level of curation takes years to master.
It’s not something you can do overnight. Spotting a true Double 5-Star property requires an trained eye—understanding the subtle indicators that separate genuine excellence from marketing hype. It means recognizing when a property is about to decline before the reviews catch up. It means knowing which boutique resorts will deliver luxury that rivals (or exceeds) major brands.
I’ve developed this ability over more than a decade of hands-on experience, sending hundreds of clients to thousands of properties worldwide. I’ve tracked which ones maintain their standards year after year. I’ve built a curated collection of favorites—properties I trust implicitly because they’ve proven themselves repeatedly.
These aren’t properties you’ll find on typical booking sites.
Yes, they’re listed online. But knowing which ones truly deliver? That’s insider knowledge. My Double 5-Star collection includes properties that go above and beyond for EACH client, not just during inspection visits or for influencers. They deliver excellence consistently, repeatedly, authentically—and I have the relationships to ensure my clients receive priority treatment.
Why this matters for your celebration.
When you work with me, you’re not getting generic recommendations based on commission rates or flashy marketing. You’re accessing a decade of expertise and relationships that guarantee your experience will match the promise. You’re getting properties that have been vetted through:
- My personal experience observing operations and standards
- My clients’ feedback from hundreds of stays over the years
- Consistent guest reviews showing sustained excellence (1,000+ five-star ratings annually)
- My ongoing relationships with property management ensuring accountability
This isn’t something most travel planners do. It takes time, attention to detail, and a genuine commitment to protecting clients from disappointing experiences. But it’s why my clients never come back saying “it wasn’t what I expected.” Because I’ve already done the work of ensuring these properties are exactly what they claim to be.
The bottom line?
Anyone can book a hotel. Finding a Double 5-Star property that consistently delivers exceptional experiences? That requires expertise, relationships, and an eye for quality that takes years to develop.
Your celebration deserves better than a five-star label. It deserves a Double 5-Star guarantee—backed by my decade of experience and the relationships I’ve built with properties that have never failed to exceed expectations.
This is the level of curation my clients expect. And it’s exactly what they receive. – JaQuay