The Most Inspiring Hotels Around the World

For more than a century, the Michelin Guide has told us where to eat. Now, it’s telling us where to stay.

The Michelin Keys, the hotel world’s answer to Michelin Stars. are only in their second year, and the 2025 edition is their most ambitious yet. This year’s release expands across nearly 100 new countries, spotlighting more than 2,400 hotels that excel not only in luxury and service, but in soul, sense of place, and originality.

Some of these hotels are timeless icons; others are jungle lodges, beach hideaways, or design-led retreats that feel like works of art. And a few happen to be personal favorites I love sending my travelers to.

The Icons

It’s no surprise that Aman New York and The Fifth Avenue Hotel both earned top recognition this year, two completely different visions of luxury, yet equally magnetic. Aman is moody and minimal, a cocoon of calm above the city, while The Fifth Avenue Hotel is its colorful, theatrical opposite: velvet, whimsy, and pure personality.

And on the other side of the East River, the fantastic Wythe Hotel earns its stripes, proof that industrial charm and warm hospitality can coexist beautifully in Brooklyn.

In Brazil, Copacabana Palace still reigns supreme. Nearly a century after it opened, this Rio landmark remains the definition of old-world glamour, now with Two Keys to match its legendary reputation. And in Europe, Rosewood Amsterdam is one of the most anticipated openings of the year, set to bring a fresh chapter of understated Dutch luxury to the canals.

In Cartagena, Colombia, Casa San Agustín continues to capture everything magical about the city, grace, Caribbean light, and service that feels genuinely personal.

Nature & Adventure, Elevated

If 2025 proved anything, it’s that luxury and nature are no longer opposites. The year’s most inspiring Key winners blur the lines between comfort and wilderness.

In Costa Rica, Nayara Springs became the country’s first Three-Key hotel, pairing rainforest villas and open-air spas with the kind of warm hospitality that makes guests lifelong fans. Over in Belize, Blancaneaux Lodge, one of my personal all-time favorites, remains as cinematic as ever: waterfalls, horseback rides, and that slow, sun-dappled rhythm that’s uniquely Belizean.

Further along Central America’s wild edges, Morgan’s Rock in Nicaragua keeps sustainability effortless, with private bungalows tucked between forest and sea, while Ibagari in Honduras charms with its intimacy, local art, and endless Caribbean sunsets.

In the Caribbean, Secret Bay in Dominica continues to stand out, a collection of cliffside villas surrounded by rainforest and sea, offering both barefoot luxury and deep privacy.

Then there’s South America, where Explora Rapa Nui on Chile’s Easter Island offers a rare blend of adventure and anthropology, every day a guided journey through ancient landscapes. In southern Chile, Tierra Patagonia feels like part of the earth itself: a sculptural lodge that disappears into Torres del Paine’s windswept steppe, offering quiet luxury at the edge of the world.

Unexpected Delights

Not all Michelin Key hotels are opulent; some are simply full of heart. Boardwalk Boutique Hotel in Aruba is living proof, cheerful, colorful, and proudly independent, it’s a bright spot on the island that now stands among the world’s best. In Guatemala, Villa Bokéh captures the country’s artistic spirit in a garden-framed estate on the edge of Antigua. And back in Belize, Gaia Riverlodge, perched above a waterfall, turns simple, sustainable hospitality into something truly special.

Design, Culture & Wellness

Some hotels tell their story through architecture and atmosphere. In Vienna, Altstadt remains one of Europe’s great small hotels, a townhouse filled with art, individuality, and warmth (and yes, the afternoon tea with candy bowls is as charming as ever).

In Central Europe, Kimpton BEM Budapest brings a playful energy to the city’s grand architecture, a fresh take on design-forward comfort with a local twist.

In Lech, Austria, Severin’s brings Alpine precision to comfort, while Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains continues to enchant with its blend of local craftsmanship and generous spirit.

Also in Morocco, La Fiermontina Ocean made headlines as the winner of Michelin’s Local Gateway Award, recognizing hotels that redefine community-based luxury. Farther south, Kisawa Sanctuary in Mozambique proves that design and environmental care can co-exist beautifully, its thatched pavilions and hand-crafted details are as thoughtful as they are stunning.

And in the Andes, Las Casitas became Peru’s first Three-Key hotel, a peaceful retreat in the Colca Valley, surrounded by mountains, alpacas, and quiet moments that linger long after you’ve left.

The Wider World

Beyond the Americas and Europe, this year’s Michelin list celebrates hotels that are reimagining luxury across Asia, Africa, and the Pacific.

In Thailand, Aman Nai Lert Bangkok isn’t even open yet and is already a nominee for Opening of the Year, a serene urban sanctuary set amid tropical gardens in the heart of the city. In Sri Lanka, Ceylon Tea Trails earned Three Keys for its timeless collection of colonial-era bungalows scattered through the misty tea hills, where days unfold with treks, tastings, and gin-and-tonics by the fire.

In South Africa, Royal Malewane remains the pinnacle of safari elegance: vast suites, exceptional guides, and that rare feeling of being exactly where you’re meant to be. And in French Polynesia, The Brando, once Marlon Brando’s private island, stands as the ultimate expression of eco-luxury, where sustainability and barefoot beauty are one and the same.

Michelin’s New Special Hotel Awards

Michelin also introduced four new global awards this year, honoring excellence in distinct dimensions of hospitality:

Architecture & Design Award: Atlantis The Royal, Dubai

Wellness Award: Bürgenstock Resort, Switzerland

Local Gateway Award: La Fiermontina Ocean, Morocco

Opening of the Year: The Burman Hotel, Tallinn, Estonia

Why It Matters

The 2025 Michelin Key list makes one thing clear: true luxury isn’t about formality or extravagance, it’s about connection. To place, to people, to the feeling that you’ve landed somewhere that stays with you.

From a rainforest spa in Costa Rica to a Viennese townhouse filled with art, these are the hotels that remind us why travel matters.

And if one of them is calling your name, I’d love to help you experience it, the way Michelin intended: with care, curiosity, and a few extra perks.

My take on the Michelin Keys 2025