To highlight establishments offering exceptional hotel and travel experiences, the Michelin Guide unveils the Michelin Key, a special distinction which will be implemented beginning in 2024.
“The Michelin Key is a clear, reliable indication for travelers," Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, said in a statement. "Just as the Michelin Star distinguishes those restaurants that are at the peak of their art, the Michelin Key recognizes the most exceptional hotels throughout the world. It is also an acknowledgment of the teamwork of committed enthusiastic hospitality professionals."
After four years of work, the Michelin Guide teams have rethought their hotel selection. Like restaurants, the Michelin Guide intends to independently recommend establishments that constitute true destinations. The guide puts its expertise at the service of travelers to support them in their search for personalized experiences. In response to the hyper standardization of accommodation (design, interior decoration, attention to detail in the room, etc.), Michelin hopes to arouse the emotion of customers by directing them towards establishments that excel in all areas—architectural choices, the art of craftsmanship and detail to doing a job and asserting your own personality.
The new selection of the Michelin Guide recommends more than 5,000 hotels in 120 countries, with varied price ranges and diverse styles. It is based on five criteria:
- A destination unto itself: The hotel contributes to the local experience.
- Excellence in architecture and interior design.
- Quality and regularity of service, comfort and maintenance.
- Singularity reflecting the personality of the establishment, its unique character.
- Consistency between the quality of the experience and the price paid.
With its selection, developed independently of existing labels and without pre-established quotas, the Michelin Guide has three objectives:
- Guide travelers to boutique accommodations that offer much more than a room for a night.
- Precede or extend a gastronomic outing with a memorable hotel stay.
- Allow you to choose, book and comment on your stay on a single independent platform.
Clients can explore selections on the Michelin Guide website and mobile app, taking inspiration from the magazine section, choose between accommodations using a filter search, reserve a room, pay online, and provide feedback or share their experiences. The platform is ad-free and future travelers can also enjoy customer service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as well as the assistance of a team of travel experts who specialize in offering tailored guidance.
Each year, the Michelin Key will distinguish exceptional establishments led by teams with unique forms of knowledge. The Michelin Key will be awarded following one or several stays conducted anonymously by The Michelin Guide selection teams, who are currently in the field. The first Michelin Key selection will be revealed in the first half of 2024.