What makes a 5-star hotel? The phrase is tossed around, and I think people are confused. I met this past week with Sam Nazarian, who is opening the first SLS hotel in Beverly Hills at the location of the old Nikko/Le Meridian. This will prove to be an impressive and true 5-star property. It will not be your traditional boutique hotel, but a full-service property somewhere between a W and a 5-star property like the Hotel Bel-Air. I was prompted to write this blog due to a recent review of the Sofitel Los Angeles which ran in a travel magazine in Asia. I picked up the magazine in the EVA Air lounge in Hong Kong, and I was shocked to see this publication refer to the Sofitel as a 5-star property – it is not. Sofitel has done a magnificent job converting their sleepy (some might say dumpy) property to a hip 4-star, but it is not a five. How can a travel magazine, that claims to be an expert, refer to the Sofitel as a 5-star hotel? I think some of these magazines confuse “getting a free room” for “what is the best.” This week I am on vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, getting some R&R and some sun…enjoy your travels! -Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO **Please note that as all Global Traveler staff members were traveling last week, the blogs got off schedule. Blogs will continue regularly beginning today.**