The New Michelin Hotels Awards

2 de novembro de 2025

Michelin has accustomed us to its meticulous selection of restaurants awarded with Stars, and any lover of fine cuisine knows that its Guide has been a map of the restaurants with the best dining experiences worldwide for over a century.

Now, since April 2024, Michelin is adding Keys to the coveted Stars in haute cuisine and fine dining, for the Hotel category.

Discerning travelers can now be guided by the brand's rigorous standards to discover extraordinary accommodations, following the presentation of the first set of Michelin Key hotels worldwide. At a ceremony held in Paris on October 8th, the first global list was revealed, encompassing more than 2,400 hotels in 26 countries. 143 hotels were awarded with the highest Michelin distinction, the Three Keys, 23 located in France, 16 in the USA, and 14 in the UK.

A Brief History of Michelin

One of the world's most iconic and oldest brands, Michelin was founded in 1889 by brothers Édouard and André Michelin in Clermont-Ferrand, France, as a tire manufacturer.

At a time when there were only 3,000 vehicles in France, the Michelin brothers quickly realized they needed to encourage the French to travel more and consequently boost sales. For this reason, they began to develop a guide to travel, hotels and restaurants, and useful information for those who took to the road, such as car repair shops, which they distributed free of charge, in the year 1900.

Twenty years later, the Michelin Guide began to be sold for 7 francs, and not distributed for free, since the brothers realized that what is paid for is valued more than what is free.

In 1926, the guide began to award stars to sophisticated restaurants, initially giving them only one star. Five years later, a hierarchy of zero, one, two, and three stars was introduced, and in 1936, the criteria for star ratings were published. To this end, the Michelin brothers recruited a team of mystery diners to visit and anonymously evaluate restaurants.

For over a century, the Michelin Guide has become an unparalleled bestseller: the guide currently rates more than 30,000 establishments in over 30 territories across three continents, and more than 30 million Michelin Guides have been sold worldwide.

The famous Red Guide has gained global relevance and prestige, and is now one of the most coveted awards for restaurants, and now also hotels, worldwide.

Michelin Keys Hotels

In a process similar to that used by Michelin restaurant critics, anonymous hotel inspectors use five universal criteria to evaluate properties: architecture and design, connection to local life, welcoming service, value for money, and authenticity, according to the prestigious brand. An “extraordinary” stay that represents the “ultimate in comfort, service, style and elegance,” the French company stated in its press release, adding that these hotels are “pure examples of dazzling indulgence and indulgence.”

The Michelin Guide’s widely recognized, rigorous inspection system offers travelers a more reliable source of hotel recommendations; in the age of social media, where everything is rated, the Guide remains more trustworthy. Just as the Stars have long guided people to the best gastronomic experiences, the Keys have the potential to become a familiar and trusted seal of quality for travelers.