The Keys to Luxury: Michelin Debuts New Rating System For France’s Finest Hotels

Michelin on Monday awarded 24 French hotels with “Three Keys” – its highest rating in a new hotel rating system that will be rolling out globally this year.   

The “key” system mirrors Michelin’s restaurant star system, with one key denoting a “special” hotel, two keys for “exceptional,” and the coveted three keys awarded to “extraordinary” establishments.

Michelin named 38 Two Key hotels, and 127 One Key hotels. Several palace hotels received three keys, including the Four Seasons George V. Chateau. The list also covers country accommodations, including Lafauri-Peyraguey and Chateau de la Gaude, which earned two stars, and several quirky boutique hotels dotted the one key list, including Hôtel Le Ballu, La Fantaisie, and Les Bains. See Michelin’s full list.

Michelin said that its goal is to evaluate hotels beyond basic amenities, placing a premium on their restaurants, design, and service. It said it is focusing on the local character, individuality, and an overall memorable guest experience. 

Michelin plans to reveal its picks for top U.S. luxury hotels on April 24, for Spain on April 29, for Italy in early May, and for Japan and Korea in July.

Helping Classify Luxury Hotels

The luxury hotel industry is closely watching how Michelin will go about evaluating hotels and the potential impact on business. Some are hopeful.

“I welcome any organization that has the ambition to bring clarity in this world of confusion in how to evaluate true luxury hotels,” said Valeriano Antonioli, the CEO of the Lungarno Collection, a collection of small luxury hotels owned by the Ferragamo family and that include the Portrait brand hotels.

“If you’re a small player like us, you are an unknown brand to, say, a Chinese customer visiting Europe for the first time. A rating system that’s well known could help the customer recognize the brand that truly delivers the best experience for the money,” Antonioli said.

Antonioli also says that the guide could help create a more globally recognized framework for comparing hotels across different countries.

“There’s a certain level of confusion from the regulatory standpoint that makes it very difficult to compare a five-star hotel in, say, the United States with one in Italy and even between regions within Italy,” he said. 

The biggest player in the field currently is Forbes Travel Guide, and Michelin’s new ratings will provide new competition in the space.

While it remains to be seen how the hotel ratings will be adopted globally, the established brand recognition and focus on quality positions Michelin to be a significant player.