Michelin Guide Launches New Michelin Keys Program for Hotels

Michelin Guide, best known for doling out Michelin Stars to top-performing restaurants throughout the world, now has a distinction for hotels. 

It’s called the Michelin Keys program. Though hotels have appeared in the Michelin Guide for decades, this is the first time they will earn a rating like Michelin Stars of one, two, or three Keys. 

Hotels earn the Keys based on their performance in five categories: “excellence in architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and a significant contribution to the neighborhood or setting.” A Michelin Key hotel does not necessarily have a Michelin Star restaurant in it; they are judged on their own merit. 

Earlier this month, Michelin awarded Keys to 189 hotels in France, with two dozen earning the top honor. Some of those Three Key hotels in France include Ritz Paris, Les Sources de Caudalie in Bordeaux, Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, and La Reserve Ramatuelle in Saint Tropez. 

On April 24, Michelin named 124 United States hotels to the Michelin Key list, with hotels in seven states eligible in this first round. In the Three Key category, all 11 U.S. hotels are in New York City and California. The Two Key list also has many New York and California properties, but also includes hotels in Washington D.C., Chicago, and Florida. The One Keys add Georgia and Colorado to the mix. 

Here’s one hotel that earned Michelin Keys from each eligible state. 

California: The Beverly Hills Hotel, Dorchester Collection (Three Keys) 
The 210-room, classic-yet-contemporary Beverly Hills Hotel is a showstopping destination all on its own. Dubbed “The Pink Palace,” this iconic building on Sunset Boulevard underwent a hundred-million-dollar renovation to get it where it is today, and Michelin Guide says it’s “every bit as fine as when Marilyn Monroe and Yves Montand stayed here (ostensibly separately) in 1960.” Guests go here for the true Hollywood ambiance and experience, complete with its famous pool and private cabanas. 

New York City: Casa Cipriani New York (Three Keys) 
At just 47 rooms, this luxury boutique hotel is a quiet escape into excellent modern Italian design. The property is in the Battery Maritime Building, a historic ferry terminal in the Financial District, and offers a member’s club and a jazz cafe with live music. Michelin Guide says the river-facing rooms and suites “offer a view unlike any other hotel in town.” 

Washington, D.C.: Rosewood Washington, D.C.  (Two Keys) 
For some of the best views in D.C., guests stay at the luxurious boutique-inspired Rosewood, which has 55 rooms, 12 suites, and six townhouses. Located on the C&O Canal in Georgetown, Rosewood’s restaurants, Wolfgang Puck’s CUT and CUT Bar, overlook the canal, while the rooftop CUT Above and the indoor-outdoor pool offer views of the Potomac, the Washington Monument, and Georgetown University. 

Florida: Faena Hotel Miami Beach (Two Keys) 
Plush furnishings. Retro-inspired decor. Gold-leaf ceilings and mosaic floors. These are only a few of the bold elements guests encounter at Faena Hotel Miami Beach. The property was created by an Argentinian hotelier who brought their concept to Miami. There’s lots of Miami’s Art Deco history sprinkled throughout, as well as lots of bright red in the color scheme, and a pool that’s a tropical hot spot for those who stay here.  

Illinois: Pendry Chicago (Two Keys) 
This 364-room hotel is known for its excellence in multiple areas – from its design and amenities to its cuisine and Loop neighborhood views. Rooms boast marble bathrooms with custom-made bath products, Bluetooth speakers, Espresso machines, and well-stocked bars. The hotel’s Bar Pendry is a classic cocktail bar, plus there’s the Billiard Gallery, rooftop bar Chateau Carbide, and restaurant with an oyster bar Venteux. 

Colorado: Mollie Aspen (One Key) 
This cozy, downtown Aspen hotel offers a quiet stay that’s a shuttle ride away from the Aspen ski lifts. Mollie Aspen has a simple interior vibe to it that Michelin Guide calls a “sort of Bauhaus-meets-Japanese-Scandinavian modernism.” The property offers 68 rooms and a fashionable restaurant and bar. 

Georgia: Hotel Clermont (One Key) 
In the Poncey-Highland neighborhood of Atlanta, Hotel Clermont offers a quaint, retro-yet-updated 94 rooms. Its rooftop bar, restaurant, and nightlife venue are all big hits in town. The entire building was recently renovated to what Michelin Guide calls “sparkling clean modern lodging — albeit one that retains more than a little bit of Twenties character.”