(Bloomberg) -- At an event in Austin on Thursday, the Michelin Guide awarded its first complete list of honors for hotels to stay in North America.
Similar to the stars it hands out for the best culinary experiences, Michelin’s new ranking system for hotels hands out “keys”—one key marks a “very special” stay, two make it “exceptional” and three reflect hotels that offer an “extraordinary” stay.
Just 10 hotels received the highest recognition with three keys: five are in the US, three in Mexico and two in Canada. They include Canyon Ranch Tucson, Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort, One & Only Mandarina and Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge.
These new elections are in addition to the first round of hotels in major US markets that was announced in April, locations that mirror where the Michelin Guide also reviews restaurants: New York City, California, Chicago, Florida, Colorado, Atlanta and Washington, DC.
That brings the total to 412 North American hotels that now hold their first-ever Michelin Key with 292 in US, 87 in Mexico and 33 in Canada.
For the US, top winners point to properties located in beach and nature markets, including Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Montana and Utah. In Mexico, two are near Puerto Vallarta and one sits on the Caribbean coastline, while Canada’s top two are on Fogo Island and in British Columbia.
Overall, across all categories, Michelin’s first round of North American hotel awards show a more expansive list of locations that include big cities, mountainous retreats and funky lodges in small towns. “This selection shines through its incredible diversity and is a clear invitation to explore North America,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, in a release.
Michelin’s aim, of course, is for consumers to see its key system as a new benchmark, that is as ubiquitous as its restaurant rankings and the global recognition they bring. For hotel rankings, Michelin Guide’s inspection team goes on anonymous stays or visits, irrespective of a property’s past awards.
This first-ever full listing for North America shows a marked effort to recognize locations that the restaurant guides don’t currently cover, shining a light on hotel restaurants that may need the recognition to draw talent. Not least is the incentive it creates for hotels to further improve service.
The hotel picks also don’t limit themselves to other recognized rankings lists, such as the recent World’s 50 Best. Take the three-key selections for Mexico: One & Only Mandarina ranked No. 8 on the World’s 50 Best, but yoga beach resort Xinalani, 12 miles south of Puerto Vallarta with a beach reached only by boat, is not.
Still there are disparities across the rankings, which is unsurprising given the criteria is limited to “accommodations that stand out for their unique hospitality concept, distinctive character, warm welcome and extremely high level of service.”
Take the revived 1960s converted motel Tourists, in the Berkshires, which is delightful with its family-friendly atmosphere. Near its lobby are stationed a handful of wagons so you can more easily bring to your bags to your room at check-in, in lieu of a bellhop. The hotel has neither a concierge of a spa. Yet it ranks in the same key category as Blackberry Farm, a 9,200-acre all-inclusive luxurious resort in the Great Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee.
Similarly, in Canada, there are no Indigenous-owned properties featured. This is a category that would have spoken to the pillars of what makes a great hotel experience, and presented an opportunity to shine a light on well-established Indigenous hospitality offerings, which could always use more global recognition.
The next set of Michelin Keys will be handed to Thailand hotels on Sept. 25, as well as those in Great Britain and Ireland on Oct. 1, and in Germany, Austria & Switzerland on Oct. 9.
Three Keys in North America
USA
Canyon Ranch TucsonLittle Palm Island Resort & SpaKona Village, A Rosewood ResortSage LodgeAmangiri
Mexico
One & Only MandarinaHotel EsenciaXinalani
Canada
Fogo Island InnClayoquot Wilderness Lodge
Below is a small selection of the total 278 hotels in the one- and two-key category. Click here for the full list.
Two Keys
USA
TouristsThe Ivy HotelMontage Palmetto BluffBlackberry FarmRaffles Boston
Mexico
Chileno Bay Resort & Residences, Auberge Resorts CollectionChablé YucatanRosewood MayakobaMaroma, A Belmond HotelCasa Polanco
Canada
Auberge Saint-AntoineFairmont Chateau WhistlerRosewood Hotel GeorgiaManoir HoveyFour Seasons Hotel Toronto at Yorville
One KeyUSA
Royal Palms Resort and Spa, Phoenix El Portal, SedonaThe Perry Hotel Key WestThe White Elephant Palm BeachBellwether House
Mexico
Banyan Tree Cabo MarquésBoca de Agua Bacalar Casa HormigaThe Cape, A Thompson HotelWaldorf Astoria Cancun
Canada
Fairmont Banff SpringsMuir, Autograph CollectionPost Hotel & SpaHotel QuintessenceLe Petit Hotel
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