Spanish hotels now have their own distinction

After its inaugural announcements in France on April 8^th, and the US on April 25^th, Michelin is pleased to unveil today its very first selection of hotels awarded MICHELIN Keys in Spain. A total of 97 hotels have been awarded One, Two or Three MICHELIN Keys, highlighting the most outstanding experiences and stays throughout the country.

Offering an ever more comprehensive service, the MICHELIN Guide's hotel selection provides users with recommendations for a complete travel experience. Awarded by the MICHELIN Guide inspection team based on anonymous stays or visits - independently of existing labels, tourism stars and pre-established quotas - the MICHELIN Keys are a new international benchmark for travelers. They aim to guide them to accommodations that stand out for their unique hospitality concept, distinctive character, warm welcome and extremely high level of service.

97 hotels and accomodations receive One, Two or Three MICHELIN Keys in Spain

In this first Spanish selection, and second selection in Europe, 97 accommodations have earned distinctions out of almost 300 hotels recommended by the MICHELIN Guide across the country: 5 received Three MICHELIN Keys, 12 Two MICHELIN Keys and 80 One MICHELIN Key. This selection brings together a wide range of concepts and accommodations, from hotels in historic buildings, to trendy urban boutiques, relaxing and intimate hideaways, and spectacular, world-renowned palaces.

Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guide commented : “With this new distinction, the MICHELIN Guide has opened up a brand-new chapter in the service it provides for travelers, which has been its lifeblood for the past 124 years. Steadfast in our field-based approach, the MICHELIN Guide inspectors drew up this unprecedented list to share their best hotel experiences in Spain. Every establishment awarded One, Two or Three MICHELIN Keys is a gem sculpted by talented professionals. Using the MICHELIN Guide digital platforms, travelers can filter their search and book awarded hotels for stays that we hope will be unforgettable.”

One, Two and Three MICHELIN Keys

Just like the Stars that indicate the best culinary experiences in the MICHELIN Guide restaurant selection, the MICHELIN Keys reveal accommodations in the Guide’s hotel selection that offer the most outstanding stays. They are a new benchmark for travelers, qualifying each hotel experience in broader terms than simple amenities.

One MICHELIN Key: a very special stay

This is a true gem with its own character and personality. It may break the mould, offer something different or simply be one of the best of its type. Service always goes the extra mile and provides significantly more than similarly priced establishments.

Two MICHELIN stars: an exceptional stay

Somewhere truly unique and exceptional in every way, where a memorable experience is always guaranteed. A hotel of character, personality and charm that’s operated with obvious pride and considerable care. Eye-catching design or architecture, and a real sense of the locale make this an exceptional place to stay.

Three MICHELIN Keys: an extraordinary stay

It’s all about astonishment and indulgence here – this is the ultimate in comfort and service, style and elegance. It is one of the world’s most remarkable and extraordinary hotels and a destination in itself for that trip of a lifetime. All the elements of truly great hospitality are here to ensure any stay will live long in the memory and hearts.

5 hotels awarded Three MICHELIN Keys establish themselves as world’s most extraordinary places

Three MICHELIN Keys indicate an extraordinary stay, worthy of a specific trip. 5 hotels, located in Aragon, Castile and Leon, Catalonia, Estremadura and Madrid, received the highest hotel accolade of the MICHELIN Guide.

Set back on the inland side of a small mountain range, in the Aragonese region of Matarraña, Torre del Marqués Hotel Spa & Winery (Teruel) is nested in a beautifully restored 18th-century tower. Its 18 rooms, which are a perfect marriage of weathered stone walls and contemporary interior design, offer a farmhouse-style escape, with views of olive groves and vineyards, as well as an environmentally friendly approach and a zero-kilometer cooking philosophy. In Sardón de Duero, in the heart of the Duero Valley, Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine is a first rate contemporary luxury boutique hotel that architect Maro Serra has set in a carefully preserved 12^th century monatery. Surrounded by 500 acres of vineyards, the hotel is also home to MICHELIN Star and Green Star restaurant Refectorio, run by chef Marc Segarra Sauné. In the spectacular Montsant national park, in the tiny city of Escaladei, Terra Dominicata- Hotel & Winery is located in the farm buildings of a former 12th century monastery. The style is upscale modern elegance, and the rooms retain more than a little bit of rustic character, from the beamed ceilings to the hardwood floors to the occasional original stone wall. Fully integrated within its natural – and historical – environment, the hotel invites travelers to enjoy a peaceful, silent retreat surrounded by impressive scenery. Atrio Restaurante Hotel offers one of the most ultimate stay experience - combining outstanding hospitality with a unique culinary journey. A temple of Spanish gastronomy run by chef Toño Pérez and awarded Three MICHELIN Stars, the establishment also stands out for the refinement and quality of its 14 modern, clean-lined rooms that have been masterfully integrated into the stone facade of a much older building in the ancient walled city of Cáceres. The hotel is also home to an impressive art collection, of which Andy Warhol and Georg Baselitz are the highlights. Finally, and in very different style, Mandarin Oriental Ritz, in Madrid, is a Belle Époque palace that remains a crucial pillar in the Spanish capital’s hospitality scene. Its location, within the Golden Triangle defined by the city’s most famous museums, and its architecture — both inside and out — are nothing short of monumental. Providing a perfect and careful service, the hotel has also recently added a lavish subterranean fitness and wellness complex, while offering an impressive selection of restaurants and bars. One of these establishments, Deessa — run by Chef Quique Dacosta — has been awarded Two MICHELIN Stars.

Two MICHELIN Keys for exceptional stays are awarded to 12 hotel.

Highlighting an exceptional stay, worth a detour, 12 hotels have been awarded Two MICHELIN Keys.

Within that category, travelers can find recommendations in Andalusia, Catalonia, Madrid, Galicia, Balearic Islands, and the Basque Country. In Majorca, Cap Rocat and its 24 rooms are located in a reconstructed 19th century fortress overlooking the beautiful bay of Palma. It is a boutique hotel with unique personality, thanks to architect Antonio Obrador, with luxe contemporary lodgings that open seasonally. Still in Majorca, La Residencia, A Belmond Hotel is set in a 16^th and 17^th-century villa and offers one of the best views of the idyllic village of Deià and the Mediterranean. Each room is individually decorated and outfitted with sumptuous traditional Mallorquin furnishings.

In A Coruña, a town located in Spain’s Rías Baixas wine region, Casa Beatnik is a boutique hotel located in a 18th century villa. The interiors, inspired by Yves Saint Laurent and influences from France, Italy, and Morocco, are riotously eclectic and bursting with personality. The 13 rooms and suites are joined with 6 luxury yurts in the garden. In the middle of the country, Rosewood Villa Magna, in Madrid, is a former palatial residence renovated with a subtle opulence and a discreet dedication to silent efficiency. The 150 guest rooms maintain an air of classic elegance. At Marbella Club Hotel, the rooms and exclusive villas — hidden behind private gardens and pools — offer the atmosphere of a princely residence among acres of tropical gardens. In Pontevedra, Pepe Vieira restaurant & Hotel, whose restaurant has been awarded the Two MICHELIN Star and MICHELIN Green Star, offers an experience which brings guests deep into the vision of Chef Xosé Torres Cannas: to provide an immersion in nature in a sober minimalist luxe setting. Mas de Torrent Hotel & Spa in Girona is a luxury hotel converted from an 18th century farmhouse, but with a unique, classic style decorated with well-chosen antiques and rugs. The hotel offers chic bungalows and a restaurant with seasonal seafood.

80 hotels received One MICHELIN Key

Within the MICHELIN Guide hotel selection, One MICHELIN Key recognizes a very special stay.

Among the 80 establishments that received One MICHELIN Key, there is great diversity in both geography and offerings. The selection includes properties such as Torralbenc, in Cala en Porter, which opens seasonally in a former farm, restored into stylish modern bedrooms amidst age-old gardens. In another stunning location, the Westin Palace Madrid has for decades been one of the most elegant hotels in Spain, with its impressive, original stained-glass dome still dazzling above reception. It is distinctly old guard — with a vision straight from the Belle Epoque. Hotel María Cristina is a classic grand hotel and San Sebastian’s most luxurious, located in a massive Belle Epoque mansion where rooms are a mix of a up-to-date modern conveniences and charming antique décor. In Santander, in the foothills of Spain’s Pasiego Valley, Helguera Palacio Boutique & Antique offers 11 rooms within 17th-century palace. The hotel invites its guests to an atmosphere of antique elegance and modern style, crafted by interior designer Malales Martínez Canut.

For a peaceful journey and unique escape, Hotel Cortijo del Marqués is a country house hotel set in an Andalusian manor near Granada. Small enough to feel like a private residence with its 15 rooms surrounded by olive groves, the hotel is full of ancient charm. Not far, Hotel Mercer Sevilla feels a bit like a riad with the inside-out courtyard residences of North Africa in a unique Andalusian style.

Promoting a committed and sustainable vision of hospitality, Can Mascort Eco Hotel deserves a special highlight. Located in the medieval town of Palafrugell, in a 17th century restored building, its renovation is a model of sustainability, using only local, natural materials and making conscious choices to minimize energy use. It is also one of the most affordable hotels of MICHELIN Key selection. The hotel propose healthy and sustainable breakfast and an “eco-apothecary,” executing its sustainable vision without any sacrifices to guest comfort.

With some of the most incredible architecture and interior designs, Soho House Barcelona, one of the 15 hotels awarded One MICHELIN Key in Barcelona, put an unmistakably Catalan accent on the eclectic, bohemian-inspired London-brand house style. Design enthusiasts should also look to Hotel Marqués de Riscal, in Elciego. This distinctive Frank Gehry building, a titanium-clad mother ship, is an unmissable architectural statement. Rooms in the main building are eclectically shaped, following the contours of the building, with huge windows canted outward, and providing views through a web of steel supports and titanium ribbons. Rooms in the outbuilding, by contrast, are more traditional in plan, with views that frame a front-row view of the gleaming Gehry-designed building. In Madrid, CoolRooms Palacio de Atocha is a luxury hotel that makes its home in a 19th-century palace-house, with richly decorated molded walls and ceilings to go with bright and spacious rooms and suites.

Finally, for a full Michelin experience, the Monument Hotel in Barcelona is an elegant hotel located in a 19th century building with a modern interior vaguely reminiscent of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia — and with two restaurants, the One MICHELIN Star Oria and the Three MICHELIN Star Lasarte.

All MICHELIN Guide hotel recommendations are available for free on the MICHELIN Guide website and mobile application. On these digital platforms, all recommended hotels can be booked directly at the best market price. To assist travelers throughout their stay, the MICHELIN Guide also provides a concierge service run by travel experts employed by the MICHELIN Guide.

After France, the United States (Atlanta, California, Chicago, Colorado, Florida, New York, Washington DC) and Spain, the MICHELIN Keys will be announced in Italy on May 7 and Japan on July 4, 2024. Other destinations will follow during the year.

Find the pictures of the Press Conference Announcement