The other half of the guide

Michelin Key Hotels of the World

The guide that made its name rating restaurants now rates places to stay. Here are all 2,834 hotels holding one, two or three MICHELIN Keys, in 125 countries and territories, and the story of how the Key came about.

155 an extraordinary stay
658 an exceptional stay
2,021 a very special stay
New
79 new to the selection
125
countries and territories, across 1,399 towns and cities

How it started

A bed for the night, from the very first guide

The 1900 Michelin guide was written for motorists, and a driver on a long trip needs a bed as much as a meal. So next to the garages and fuel stops, the first guides told readers where to stay.1 Michelin has recommended places to sleep for as long as it has recommended places to eat.2

In 2018 Michelin bought Tablet Hotels, and Tablet became the guide's official hotel selection.2 Five years later came the step that puts hotels on the same footing as restaurants: an award of their own, the MICHELIN Key, meant to do for places to stay what the star does for kitchens.3

  1. 1900

    Somewhere to sleep

    The first guide covered where to stay the night as well as where to eat and refuel.1

  2. 2018

    Tablet joins Michelin

    Michelin bought Tablet Hotels, which became the guide's official hotel selection.2

  3. 2023

    The Key is announced

    In October Michelin announced a hotel award to sit alongside the restaurant stars, to be given after anonymous stays by its hotel experts.3

  4. 2024

    France first

    The first Keys went to French hotels on 8 April. Hotels in the United States and Spain followed later that month, Italy in May and Japan in July.4

  5. 2025

    Worldwide

    After rolling the Keys out in 15 destinations, Michelin set 8 October for its first global Key selection, drawn from a hotel selection of more than 7,000 properties in over 125 countries.6

The rankings

What the keys mean

Michelin recommends more than 9,000 hotels around the world, and every one of them is in the running for a Key.5 The Key marks the ones that stand out.

A very special stay5

A hotel with real character, where the staff go further than they need to and you get more than the price suggests.

2,021 hotels

An exceptional stay5

Somewhere with a personality all its own, run with care, and a stay you will still be describing to people afterwards.

658 hotels

An extraordinary stay5

Among the most remarkable places to stay anywhere. Here the hotel is the reason for the trip.

155 hotels

The five criteria

Inspectors hold all of Michelin's hotels to the same five.3,7

  1. It connects you with the place it is in
  2. Architecture and interior design of real quality
  3. A personality and authenticity of its own
  4. Service, comfort and upkeep that stay consistent
  5. An experience in step with what you pay

The inspectors

The selection is decided by Michelin's hotel inspectors, hospitality professionals who work anonymously and independently and judge every hotel by the same method.7 A Key is only awarded after anonymous stays.3

By the numbers

Where the keys are

The United States has the most Key hotels and London is the city with the most. Each bar counts Key hotels; the figure in red is how many of them hold three keys.

Countries with the most Key hotels
  1. United States 359 15
  2. Italy 224 17
  3. France 220 25
  4. Japan 145 7
  5. United Kingdom 131 9
  6. Germany 130 6
  7. Spain 122 5
  8. Mexico 98 3
Cities with the most Key hotels
  1. London 48 6
  2. Paris 41 9
  3. New York City 29 4
  4. Los Angeles Area 25 2
  5. Tokyo 25 3
  6. Mallorca 24 0
  7. Rome 21 1
  8. Bangkok 19 3

Find a room

Every Michelin Key hotel

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Hotel data from the Michelin Guide. The selection changes over time, so check the Guide or the hotel before you book. The MICHELIN Key and the Michelin Guide are trademarks of Michelin, which has no connection with this site.

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