Every New Country in the 2025 Michelin Key Expansion

On October 8, 2025, the Michelin Guide did something it had never done before: it unveiled a single, unified global hotel selection spanning nearly 100 countries. For the first time, travelers could see Michelin's Key ratings applied consistently from Sao Paulo to Nairobi, from Hanoi to Dublin. The expansion added 26 new countries to the Michelin Key system, bringing with them hotels that represent hospitality traditions stretching back centuries -- traditions that the French tire company's inspectors were now charged with evaluating.

The result is a more complete map of global luxury hospitality than Michelin has ever produced. Here is a country-by-country look at the most notable new additions, what they cost, and why each destination matters.

The Expansion by the Numbers

Before October 2025, Michelin had awarded Keys in approximately 15 countries, concentrated in North America, Western Europe, and parts of Asia. The global reveal expanded coverage dramatically:

• Total hotels rated: 8,425 across all tiers
• Three-Key hotels: 141 (the highest distinction, up from 118 pre-expansion)
• Two-Key hotels: 569
• One-Key hotels: 1,725
• New countries added: 26, including Brazil, India, Kenya, Morocco, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Turkey, Ireland, Peru, and Laos

For context, only 1.7% of all Michelin Key hotels earn Three Keys. The expansion did not dilute the top tier -- it enriched it with properties that bring genuinely different hospitality philosophies to the table.

Browse all Three-Key hotels worldwide

Brazil: South America's Luxury Capital Arrives

Brazil entered the Michelin hotel system with a strong showing, anchored by two Three-Key properties that represent very different sides of the country.

Rosewood Sao Paulo -- Sao Paulo | $713/night
Set in the upscale Cidade Matarazzo complex, the Rosewood occupies a restored early-20th-century maternity hospital. The property blends Brazilian modernist art with lush vertical gardens and houses multiple restaurants, including a partnership with chef Felipe Bronze. At $713 per night, it is one of the more affordable Three-Key properties in the world.

Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel -- Iguazu Falls | $995/night
The only hotel located inside Brazil's Iguazu National Park, this Belmond property provides direct access to the falls before and after the tourist crowds arrive. The pink colonial facade belies an interior that has been thoroughly modernized. It is an extraordinary location advantage that no competitor can replicate.

Explore all Michelin Key hotels in Brazil

India: Palaces That Predate Every Other Hotel on This List

India's entry into the Michelin Key system brought some of the most architecturally and historically significant hotels in the world.

Taj Lake Palace -- Udaipur | $880/night
A white marble palace built in 1746, floating on Lake Pichola. The Taj Lake Palace has been a hotel since 1971 and famously appeared in the James Bond film Octopussy. At $880 per night, it offers a kind of immersive historical experience that no newly built hotel can match -- you are sleeping in a structure that was once a royal pleasure palace.

Taj Falaknuma Palace -- Hyderabad | $453/night
Perched 2,000 feet above Hyderabad, this 19th-century palace was once the residence of the Nizam of Hyderabad, reputedly the richest man in the world at the time. Restored by the Taj Hotels group and opened in 2010, it features Venetian chandeliers, rare furniture, and a dining table that seats 101. At $453 per night, it is among the most affordable Three-Key hotels globally -- extraordinary value for a property of this caliber.

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Kenya: Where the Giraffes Come to Breakfast

Giraffe Manor -- Nairobi | $333/night

Giraffe Manor is one of the most photographed hotels on earth, and for good reason: endangered Rothschild's giraffes roam the 12-acre grounds and regularly poke their heads through the dining room windows at breakfast. The 1930s manor house has just 12 rooms, making it one of the smallest Three-Key properties in the database.

At $333 per night, it is also the fourth least expensive Three-Key hotel in the world. The value proposition is remarkable: a globally iconic experience, a Michelin Three-Key endorsement, and a nightly rate lower than many unremarkable business hotels in major cities.

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Morocco: The Crossroads of African, Arab, and European Luxury

Morocco brought two Three-Key properties that represent different facets of Moroccan hospitality.

La Mamounia -- Marrakech | $789/night
Winston Churchill called La Mamounia "the most lovely spot in the whole world." Originally built in the 1920s on gardens gifted to a prince in the 18th century, the hotel reopened in 2009 after a $175 million renovation by architect Jacques Garcia. The blend of Art Deco and traditional Moroccan craftsmanship creates something entirely unique in global hospitality.

Kasbah Tamadot -- Asni (Atlas Mountains) | $1,253/night
Owned by Richard Branson, Kasbah Tamadot sits at the foot of the Atlas Mountains. The property was originally purchased by Branson's parents in the 1990s and converted into a luxury retreat featuring Berber-style architecture, an infinity pool overlooking the mountains, and a Virgin Limited Edition level of service.

Explore all Michelin Key hotels in Morocco

Vietnam: Southeast Asia's Rising Luxury Destination

Vietnam's inclusion was one of the most anticipated additions, and it delivered two distinctive Three-Key properties.

Amanoi -- Vinh Hy Village | $1,774/night
Aman's Vietnam outpost is set within Nui Chua National Park, overlooking a turquoise bay. The pavilions blend Vietnamese architectural motifs with Aman's signature minimalism. It is remote, serene, and priced at the higher end for the region -- though well within Aman's typical range.

Capella Hanoi -- Hanoi | $687/night
A 47-room boutique hotel in Hanoi's French Quarter, Capella Hanoi is themed around the golden age of opera. The property channels 1920s theatrical glamour through its interiors while maintaining distinctly Vietnamese hospitality. At $687, it offers an accessible entry point to Three-Key luxury in a city where $50 hotel rooms are commonplace.

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Sri Lanka: Tea Country Elevated

Ceylon Tea Trails -- Interior | $1,252/night

A collection of five restored colonial-era tea planters' bungalows, each with its own staff, chef, and butler. Set on a working tea estate in Sri Lanka's central highlands, the experience is unlike any standard luxury hotel. Guests walk the tea fields, visit the factory, and take high tea on the verandah overlooking the misty mountains. The rate includes all meals, beverages, and activities.

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Turkey: Where East Meets West in a Former Ottoman Prison

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet -- Istanbul | $1,096/night

Turkey's flagship Three-Key entry is the Four Seasons at Sultanahmet, a 65-room hotel converted from a neoclassical Ottoman prison built in 1918. Located steps from Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, it occupies what may be the single most historically significant address of any Four Seasons property worldwide. The courtyard garden, once an exercise yard for political prisoners, is now one of Istanbul's most coveted dining spaces.

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Ireland: Two Country Estates Enter the Conversation

Ireland debuted with two Three-Key properties that rank among the finest country house hotels in Europe.

Ballyfin Demesne -- Ballyfin | $1,315/night
A 20-room Regency mansion set on 614 acres in County Laois. Ballyfin was meticulously restored over nearly a decade before opening in 2011. The property features original plasterwork, period antiques, an indoor pool in the former basement, and a lake. It has been called the finest country house hotel in Ireland.

Adare Manor -- Adare | $1,229/night
A neo-Gothic manor in County Limerick that underwent a $50 million renovation before reopening in 2017. The property includes a Tom Fazio-designed golf course that hosted the 2027 Ryder Cup and an 842-acre estate. Adare Manor bridges Irish country house charm with modern resort-scale amenities.

Explore all Michelin Key hotels in Ireland

Peru and Laos: Emerging Destinations

Two smaller countries each contributed a single Three-Key property that represents the best of their respective regions.

Las Casitas, A Belmond Hotel -- Arequipa, Peru | $655/night
Nestled in the Colca Canyon, this Belmond property consists of individual casitas (small houses) with private plunge pools and terraces overlooking the canyon. The setting is 3,300 meters above sea level, surrounded by terraced farmland that dates to pre-Incan times. At $655, it is one of South America's most compelling luxury values.

Rosewood Luang Prabang -- Luang Prabang, Laos | $822/night
Set along the banks of the Nam Khan River in Laos's UNESCO-protected former royal capital, this Rosewood property integrates traditional Laotian architecture into a riverside compound. The experience is deeply rooted in local culture: alms-giving ceremonies with monks at dawn, weaving workshops with local artisans, and cuisine that reflects Luang Prabang's distinct culinary heritage.

What the Expansion Means for Global Luxury Travel

The addition of 26 new countries to the Michelin Key system is significant for several reasons.

Hospitality traditions that were previously invisible to Western ranking systems now have global visibility

The Taj hotels of India, the riads and kasbahs of Morocco, the tea planters' bungalows of Sri Lanka -- these represent hospitality philosophies that developed independently of the European grand hotel tradition. Michelin's recognition legitimizes them within a framework that wealthy Western travelers already trust.

Price diversity has expanded dramatically

The new countries include some of the most affordable Three-Key hotels in the database. Giraffe Manor at $333/night and Taj Falaknuma Palace at $453/night demonstrate that world-class hospitality does not require a $2,000 nightly rate. See the full price ranking of all 141 Three-Key hotels.

The geographic balance of "the world's best" has shifted

Before the expansion, the Three-Key list skewed heavily toward France, Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. The new additions bring Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, South America, and the Middle East into the conversation. Browse the complete country-by-country breakdown to see how the distribution has changed.

All New-Country Three-Key Hotels at a Glance

Average price across new-country Three-Key hotels: $886/night -- significantly below the overall Three-Key median of $1,005.

Hotel data and prices sourced from the Michelin Key Hotels database. Prices reflect midweek rates for a standard room, two adults, in April 2026.