The ‘MICHELIN Star’ of Hotels Just Expanded Worldwide: Here’s What To Know
The MICHELIN Star is one of the highest compliments in the restaurant industry — a distinction synonymous with fine dining, high quality, and (oftentimes) a hefty price tag. The list, which is composed by anonymous Inspectors, is about as honorable a recognition as most chefs and establishments could ever dream of having.
Building on that reputation and brand name, MICHELIN made a bold new foray in hospitality last year, launching a new honor for the world’s best hotels to strive for — the MICHELIN Key.
Like the MICHELIN Star, the MICHELIN Key has levels of distinction. In their words — one Key denotes “a very special stay.” Two Keys, an exceptional one. Three? An extraordinary stay. And this week, for the first time since launching last year, the company issued a massive refresh.
Keys to the globe: In its first year, the Key was exclusive to the US market. But this week, the company expanded the award’s reach to the rest of the world, adding hundreds of new hotels to the list — nearly 2.5K across ~100 new countries, with 143 unlocking three Keys, 572 turning up two, and 1,742 taking home one.
- The US took home 317 of the Keys this year, with 16 hotels among them fetching three Keys — most of those located in New York and California, hotbeds of American affluence.
- Globally, France (203), Italy (188), and Germany (130) topped the upsized global list — and Japan (128), Thailand (62), and Mainland China (42) showed out beyond Europe.
Keys to Value or Excess Spend?
The MICHELIN Key might not appeal to cost-conscious travelers, especially if you’re always on the go and just need a place to crash. There’s also a case to be made that the Keys skew pretty eurocentric, but for those seeking out unique, elegant settings for their travels — personal or business — the list might have something to offer.
- Not all of the hotels are prohibitively expensive — MICHELIN even calls out a list of “the most affordable Key hotels in the world” on their new list, with rooms as low as $150/night.
- While many of the hotels on the US list are associated with major chains like Marriott or Hilton, there’s solid representation from smaller chains and independent establishments.
- With its global expansion, the Keys arguably offer the most value abroad — where rooms are often more affordable (relative to the Dollar) and could even boast greater value than many ‘Western’ hotels.
We’d like to hear from you: Have you stayed in one of the MICHELIN Key hotels? Are these places you’d be interested in trying? Are they too much or are they the right amount of value? We’re still making up our minds too — they might befit a staycation, a special occasion, or a points splurge (where possible). But if we’re paying? We might need to see that itemized receipt on the way out.