New Michelin ‘Keys’ list rates 4 city hotels among top in US
Hoteliers had better sleep with one eye open.
The restless restaurant gurus at Michelin have decided to cast their famously critical eyes on the world’s most luxurious hotels, establishing a key rating system for the first time — and just 124 snooze shops around the world managed to snag a slot on the tire-maker’s debut list for the US, released Wednesday.
Out of that already elite group, 11 pampering palaces — sticking to the mix of American destinations where Michelin publishes a restaurant guide — were considered worthy of the coveted “Three Keys” award, with four of them found in the Big Apple.
Aman, Casa Cipriani, Crosby Street Hotel and the Whitby Hotel were named the best in New York.
The 83-suite Aman brings the elite retreat brand — known for remote resorts around the world — into the heart of Midtown, where guests are invited to leave the city behind and disappear into the spacious hotel and spa, relax on the garden terrace or canoodle in a speakeasy-style club.
A 1906 ferry terminal at the foot of the FDR Drive might not seem like the most exclusive spot, but Casa Cipriani has wowed some of the pickiest celebrity travelers with stunning river views and an on-site supper club.
In Soho, London’s can’t-fail Firmdale Hotels knocked it out of the park with the Crosby Street Hotel — its first stateside effort — delivering one of the city’s finest stays on one of its most charming streets.
And proving Crosby Street was no one-hit wonder, Firmdale swept into Midtown with the Whitby Hotel to remind the giant palaces that predominate in the neighborhood that scale and luxury are two different things.
Main-stay guide
Michelin has been recommending hotels for years, however the key system is new.
The first key awards — for France, naturellement — were announced April 8. The US awards were revealed Wednesday at a ceremony in Manhattan.
So what do the Michelin keys mean? The publisher explains, “Just like the famous Stars that indicate the best culinary experiences in the Michelin Guide restaurant selection, the Michelin Keys reveal accommodations . . . that offer the most outstanding stays. They are a new benchmark for travelers, qualifying each hotel experience in broader terms than simple amenities.”
A one-key Michelin hotel is described as a “a true gem with its own character and personality” that “provides significantly more than similarly priced establishments.”
For one level up, a two-key hotel is “truly unique and exceptional in every way . . . . 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,” Michelin said.
Three-key stays are the cream of the crop: “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.”