What Is a Michelin Key?

The Michelin Key is a new rating system for the most exceptional hotels worldwide. It evaluates Michelin Guide hotels for providing guests with an experience beyond accommodation, dining and a booking and review process.

In other words, the Michelin Key is to hotels what Michelin Stars is to restaurants. Similarly, there are one, two and three Michelin Keys.

How does this recent annual listing benefit hotels and influence guests’ perceptions? This blog has the answers.

RatingSignificanceExperience
Michelin One KeyVery special stayA high level of comfortGreat personalityStands out within the category
Michelin Two KeyExceptional stayPremier service, design, and location
Michelin Three KeyExtraordinary stayPinnacle of hospitalityUnparalleled service, design, and locationA unique and unforgettable experience
Tabulation: Michelin Keys — A Comparison

Why Is Michelin Key Important to Hotels?

Michelin Key sets a new standard of excellence in hospitality. This distinction:

  1. Enhances Reputation and Visibility

The Michelin brand is trusted the world over for its rigorous standards. So, naturally, when a hotel receives the Michelin Key, its visibility and appeal go up instantaneously. It becomes easier for the hotel to land more bookings and do more impressive business. 

  1. Encourages Consistent Improvement

Though Michelin Guide hotels are already world-class, the Michelin Key pushes them to consistently make improvements in:

  • Architectural Design: 

The Michelin Key motivates hotels to stay ahead of design trends, and not succumb to the hyper-standardisation of accommodation. It invokes the hotels to bring out their unique personality in design to enhance guest experience.

For example: A hotel’s design and décor may feature locally sourced materials and artwork to reflect the surrounding culture and environment. Such thought in design can easily differentiate the hotel and also make guests curious about the region’s heritage.

  • Professional Know-How: 

The rating expects the hotel staff to stay updated with the hospitality management practices and technologies

For example: A hotel can implement booking systems that personalise guest experiences, like remembering guest preferences or offering tailored recommendations for activities and dining. 

  • Service Quality: 

The hotel ensures that the staff consistently follows the best practices.

For example: Hotels can conduct regular workshops on cultural sensitivity or updates on new service technologies.

Why Is Michelin Key Important to Travellers?

Earlier, travellers relied on online reviews and recommendations. Often these could be overwhelming, inconsistent and unreliable. And, travellers would be disappointed when hotels did not meet expectations.

Over decades, people have trusted the Michelin Guide for its culinary accolades. This trust extends to its hotel ratings intuitively. A Michelin Key naturally becomes a dependable marker of high quality

How Does Michelin Guide Evaluate Hotels?

The Michelin Guide team anonymously stays in hotels so that it can evaluate them objectively. It has three goals:

  • To help travellers complement their dining experiences with memorable hotel stays.
  • To guide guests to boutique accommodations that offer more than just a room for the night.
  • To provide an independent platform to choose, book, and share hotel experiences.

The Michelin inspectors assess hotels based on the following five criteria:

  1. A sense of place: The hotel must be in a place in harmony with its surroundings. It must connect guests to the local culture. It must be a destination itself even if for a night.
  1. Outstanding design and architecture: The hotel must reflect a high level of aesthetic and functional quality. No element of design can be boring.
  1. Unique character: The hotel must have a clear and compelling personality and authenticity. More like a cultural ambassador. 
  1. Consistency: The hotel must offer exceptional service and comfort on an everyday basis.
  1. Value for money: The hotel must unfailingly deliver on the promise of distinctive experience and align it well with the cost.

The team also keeps up with industry trends and publications. It also takes suggestions from Michelin Guide restaurant inspectors and users.

FAQs

  1. When was the Michelin Key introduced?

The Michelin Guide introduced Michelin Key in April 2024

  1. Who is part of the Michelin Guide team for hotels?

The team consists of experienced travellers and experts in international design, architecture, service standards, and global hospitality cultures.

  1. Are Michelin Key hotels the most expensive?

Not necessarily. The Michelin inspectors choose Michelin Guide hotels across different styles and budget. The selection includes internationally reputed hotels, recent discoveries and new openings. Hotels that offer exceptional food experiences or follow sustainable practices receive special attention.

  1. Can I book Michelin Key hotels from the Michelin Guide?

The Michelin Guide has an integrated platform to view room options, check availability, and make reservations. You can also leave a review and help others make informed decisions.

The guide features more than 5,000 accommodations around the world and offer options for every budget — from luxurious resorts to budget-friendly hotels. 

  1. Do Michelin Key Hotels have Michelin Star restaurants?

It’s possible for Michelin Key hotels to also have Michelin Rated Restaurants. But the Michelin Guide selects hotels and restaurants independently of each other. 

Nic Vanderbeeken

Chef Nic Vanderbeeken has over 20 years of experience leading teams in fine dining and Michelin Star restaurants. He is the current executive chef at Apéritif Restaurant based in Ubud, Bali and is known for his progressive and multifaceted cooking philosophy.

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