Michelin Guide Awards Coveted "Keys" to Miami and Miami Beach Hotels

Everyone is familiar with the Michelin Guide's star ratings for restaurants, but did you know there's a similar system for hotels?

The French tire company has announced its inaugural Michelin Keys for hotels in the United States, and the winners include several Miami and Miami Beach hotels.

The awards range from one to three keys; no South Florida hotels earned the top distinction this year.

Two-key awards went to:

• Mayfair House Hotel & Garden in Coconut Grove
• Faena Hotel Miami Beach
  
• The Setai Miami Beach
  
• The Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club in Surfside

One-key awards went to:

• The Mandarin Oriental Miami in Brickell Key
• Mr. C Miami in Coconut Grove
• 1 Hotel South Beach
• Esmé Miami Beach
• Hotel Greystone
• The Betsy South Beach

Other Florida hotels to earn Michelin keys this year (all were awarded one key):

• the Ette Hotel Orlando
• the Lake Nona Wave Hotel Orlando
• the Ritz-Carlton Orlando Grande Lakes
• the Palihouse Hyde Park Village Tampa
• the Tampa Edition

(One wonders how they're taking it at the original Edition hotel in Miami Beach. Talk about a snub.)

The Michelin Guide's history of hotel recommendations goes back to the 1920s, and the guide has been recommending spots in Europe and Asia ever since.

Four years ago, Michelin undertook a revamp that included expanding its reach. Similarly to the star system for restaurants, hotels are awarded keys based on five criteria: excellence in architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and significant contribution to the neighborhood or setting.

The company describes its rating system as follows:

• One key: a very special stay
• Two keys: an exceptional stay
• Three keys: an extraordinary stay

Hotels of all budgets and sizes are eligible to be rated and reviewed by a team independent of those who evaluate restaurants. Thus, a hotel doesn't need to house a Michelin-starred restaurant to qualify for a key.

For the complete list of Michelin Key hotels in the United States, visit guide.michelin.com.