He Michelin Guide is famous for rating restaurants, but has been sending inspectors to accommodations around the world to evaluate the “key” ratings of its new hotels.
Having given key awards to hotels in France, Spain, Italy, Japan, the United States, Canada, Mexico and Thailand, the world-famous guide has given key ratings to 123 hotels in Great Britain and Ireland.
Selected properties receive one, two, or three keys. One key means the inspector had a “very special stay,” two are “an exceptional stay,” and three are “an extraordinary stay.”
For its inaugural British and Irish awards, 14 hotels received three keys, 37 two and 72 hotels received one Michelin key.
Of the total, 91 award-winning hotels are located in England, 15 in Scotland, three in Wales and 14 in the Republic of Ireland. Here are some of the key results…
Adare Manor in the Republic of Ireland receives three Michelin keys
A KEY
Of the 72 newly awarded single key hotels, three are located in Wales, 12 in Scotland, 48 in England and nine in the Republic of Ireland.
Among single-key hotels, travelers “seeking urban exploration will be pleased to find plenty of options in Dublin, Edinburgh and London,” the guide states.
He continued: ‘Of modern and elegant properties – Dylan and Wilder Townhouse in Dublin or Beaverbrook Town House, Mayfair Flamingos and BroadwickSoho in London – to more traditional or bohemian ones, such as Townhouse in Gleneagles either prestonfield In Edinburgh, each capital offers a wide kaleidoscope of hotels that are true gateways to discover their own cultures and charms.’
Many rural hotels also received unique ratings, including the Welsh hotel Penmaenuchaflocated on the south side of Snowdonia National Park, and Acantilado House Hotellocated on a cliff off the south coast of Ireland. Michelin described this hotel as “a stunning, contemporary hotel for seascape lovers” with an “incredibly photogenic” pool.
The guide adds that many one-key hotels are located in old castles, stately homes or on aristocratic estates, such as Dromoland Castle (Newmarket in Fergus, Republic of Ireland), Thornbury Castle (England), Glenapp Castle (Ballantrae, Scotland) and Pale Lounge (Bala, Wales).
“Finally,” the guide said, “those who wish to relax on an island retreat can book a stay at Longueville Mansion either Kinloch Cottage. Located in Jersey, the former is a tranquil 30-room hotel set on an 18-acre estate, while the latter is housed in a humble 16th-century hunting lodge. The 19 rooms are luxurious, but with a beautiful old style.’
TWO KEYS
Cashel Palace in Cashel, in the Republic of Ireland, has been awarded two Michelin keys (two images above)
Of the 37 hotels awarded two Michelin keys, two are located in Scotland, three in the Republic of Ireland and the rest in England.
Highlights in a highlights ranking include The arms of the fife in Braemar in the Scottish Highlands (‘full of stunning art and Scottish references’); The Balmoral in Edinburgh (‘heritage architecture combined with contemporary luxury furnishings’), Cashel Palace at Cashel in the Republic of Ireland (‘a Palladian manor house dating from 1728’) and several hotels in London, including London rosewood, The Dorchester and Ham Yard Hotel.
THREE KEYS
The Connaught Hotel in Mayfair, London, receives three Michelin keys
Somerset’s The Newt, “a country house set on a 300-year-old estate”, has three keys
London is home to eight of the 14 properties awarded three keys.
These are Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Savoyalong with five international brand hotels – Bvlgari Hotel London, Four Seasons Hotel London on Park Lane, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Raffles London at The OWO and The London Peninsula.
The guide says its inspectors enjoyed “impeccable service” at these properties.
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel has three Michelin keys
In the English countryside, three hotels receive three Michelin keys: Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, a Belmond hotel (‘gorgeous’); The newt in Somerset (‘a country house situated on a 300-year-old estate’); and Lucknam Park in the Cotswolds (‘lovely’).
In Scotland, Gleneagles Hotel It also receives the Michelin Guide’s highest hotel distinction (‘the best of Scottish hospitality’), while in the Republic of Ireland, Adare Mansion and Ballyfin Property earn three key honors. The first is a “neo-Gothic manor house surrounded by 840 acres of formal French gardens” and the second “a spectacularly well-preserved Regency house.”
Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guides, says: “For our latest European launch, we are absolutely delighted to introduce travelers around the world to our first Michelin Key Picks for Great Britain and Ireland.
‘With no less than 123 exceptional hotels, this selection is an invitation to explore the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, visit its historically rich cities, relax in its charming countryside and picturesque landscapes and enjoy, for a few nights, a timeless experience . lifestyle in centuries-old castles and stately homes.
‘From boutique hotels or iconic luxury properties located in eclectic London to country houses located in the spectacular Irish countryside; From stunning Scottish stately homes to tranquil Welsh retreats, each hotel awarded one, two or three Michelin keys is a gem sculpted by talented professionals.’
