The Michelin Guide is branching out.
The venerable travel publication has announced that it will begin applying its expertise to hotels, according to Bloomberg. Michelin expects to release its first list of the world’s finest lodgings during the first half of 2024.
The announcement was made at a special event held by the French tiremaker that publishes the guide in Paris on Thursday night. The hotels deemed to be among the very best won’t be awarded stars like their culinary counterparts, though. Instead, they’ll be given a “key” emblem. Recognition will be based on five criteria—contribution to the local experience, excellence in interior design and architecture, individuality, quality and consistency of service, and comfort and consistency between the level of the experience and price.
The first hotels to receive keys will come from a list of over 5,000 pre-selected establishments across 120 countries in a “broad range of prices and styles,” according to Michelin. The guide hasn’t said whether lodgings will be able to earn more than one key. A restaurant can earn up to three stars, with one signifying that it is “worth a stop,” two that it is “worth a diversion” and three that it is “worth a special journey.”
The announcement comes five years after Michelin acquired Tablet Hotels, a booking website for boutique and luxury establishments, according to Bloomberg. The Michelin website currently includes a portal of curated hotels that visitors can book through Tablet. All the hotels eligible for keys—many of which are connected to Michelin-rated restaurants— will be bookable through the guide’s website, with the publication earning a commission from reservations.
It is not much of a surprise to see Michelin expand its purview to hotels. In addition to owning Tablet, the travel market is currently at an all-time high, according to the financial news wire. Additionally, some of the guide’s restaurant-rating peers, World’s 50 Best and La Liste, have also released hotel lists in recent months.
