For the first time, 123 Michelin Keys have been awarded to hotels in Great Britain and Ireland

Andrea Thompson

ByAndrea Thompson

October 2, 2024

Michelin is pleased to present the very first MICHELIN Key selection for Great Britain & Ireland.

Awarding 123 properties offering the most outstanding stays throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, this inaugural British and Irish selection presents 14 hotels with Three MICHELIN Keys, 37 with Two MICHELIN Keys and 72 with One MICHELIN Key.

Offering an ever more comprehensive service, the MICHELIN Guide’s hotel selection provides users with recommendations for a complete travel experience.  They aim to guide travellers to accommodations that stand out for their unique hospitality concept, distinctive character, warm welcome and extremely high level of service.

“For our latest European release, we are absolutely thrilled to present to world travellers our very first MICHELIN Key selection for Great Britain & Ireland.  From boutique hotels or flagship luxury properties located in eclectic London to country houses nestled in dramatic Irish countryside; from stunning Scottish manor houses to tranquil Welsh retreats: every hotel awarded One, Two or Three MICHELIN Keys is a gem sculpted by talented professionals. Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the MICHELIN Guides

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

One MICHELIN Key: a very special stay

Two MICHELIN Keys: an exceptional stay

Three MICHELIN Keys: an extraordinary stay

14 unique hotels awarded Three MICHELIN Keys, London alone boasts no less than eight of these awarded properties, some of which are iconic, world-renowned names such Claridge’s, The Connaught and The Savoy. The capital is not short of international-branded hotels either – Bvlgari Hotel London, Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Raffles London at The OWO and The Peninsula London – whose extraordinary stays and impeccable service have impressed the Inspectors.

In the English countryside, three hotels are also awarded Three MICHELIN Keys. In Great Milton, Oxfordshire, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel is the English brainchild of celebrated French Chef Raymond Blanc.  In the midst of the scenic Cotswolds, six miles from Bath and just outside the village of Colerne, Lucknam Park is another example of a charming country house hotel.

In Scotland, The Gleneagles Hotel also receives the highest MICHELIN Guide Hotel distinction.  In the Republic of Ireland, Adare Manor and Ballyfin Demesne are both hotels located on 19th-century estates.

Two MICHELIN Keys presented to 37 exceptional properties, including The Fife Arms, a Victorian-era coaching inn and in Edinburgh, The Balmoral. In the Republic of Ireland, Cashel Palace (Cashel) is a Palladian manor house dating from 1728.  In Dublin, The Merrion comprises four meticulously restored Georgian townhouses just across from the Irish Government offices.
Finally,  among the 32 Two MICHELIN Key properties, travellers can choose between London boutique hotels from the Firmdale collection (Haymarket Hotel, Covent Garden Hotel or Ham Yard Hotel), luxury grand hotels (Rosewood London, The Dorchester), outstanding Spa resorts (The Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa, in Bath) or stunning, relaxed country house hotels (Gidleigh Park in Chagford or Lympstone Manor in Exmouth).
72 hotels receive One MICHELIN Key, Dylan and Wilder Townhouse in Dublin or Beaverbrook Town House, Flemings Mayfair and Broadwick Soho in London – to more traditional or bohemian ones –Gleneagles Townhouse or Prestonfield in Edinburgh – to more extravagant places – L’oscar in London and 100 Princes Street in Edinburgh – each capital city offers a wide hospitality kaleidoscope of hotels which are true gateways to discover their own cultures and charms.

For a closer connection to nature and the countryside, Welsh hotel Penmaenuchaf provides the perfect setting.  In Ardmore, Cliff House Hotel is a stunning, contemporary hotel for seascape lovers.  Just a few examples are Dromoland Castle (Newmarket on Fergus, Republic of Ireland), Thornbury Castle (England), Glenapp Castle (Ballantrae, Scotland) and Palé Hall (Bala, Wales). These wonderfully contrast with more eccentric and irreverent hotel designs, to be found in Artist Residence Oxfordshire (Oxford, England) and The Swan Southwold (Southwold, England).