From stars to keys: Michelin’s new hotel ranking sparks debate in China

What happened The little red book known for “starring” the world’s top restaurants has turned its gaze to hotels. Michelin has officially unveiled its first global “Michelin Keys” selection, replacing stars with keys to unlock a new chapter in high-end hospitality. The inaugural list spans nearly 100 destinations and includes 2,457 hotels worldwide, with 143 earning the highest distinction of Three Keys. For the first time, China joins the Michelin hotel map. A total of 64 properties received Michelin Key recognition, with two earning the top honor. The Rosewood Hong Kong, situated along Victoria Harbour, was lauded for its art-filled interiors and discreet urban luxury, while Rissai Valley, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Sichuan’s Jiuzhaigou, was celebrated for its poetic blend of nature and culture. Another 13 hotels earned Two Keys, and 49 received One Key, spanning Hong Kong, Sichuan, Hangzhou, Shanghai, and Sanya. According to Michelin, the Keys are awarded based on five pillars — architecture and interior design, service quality, cultural expression, uniqueness, and value for money — highlighting experiences “worth a special journey.” Three Keys signal a “life-changing stay,” Two Keys denote an “exceptional experience,” and One Key marks a “special stay.” Michelin also acknowledged for the first time that it has financial partnerships with certain tourism boards and destination agencies, suggesting that some local organizations may have contributed funding to support the evaluation and promotion process. Michelin’s road to stars The story of the Michelin Guide begins with two French brothers. In 1899, André and Édouard Michelin founded the now-famous tire company. At the time, cars were still a rarity. To encourage people to drive more — and, by extension, buy more tires — they came up with an idea: a free travel guide. The original guide wasn’t for gourmets. It was a practical handbook filled with maps, repair shops, gas stations, and places to rest along the road. As travel gradually became a pursuit of pleasure rather than a necessity, the guide introduced a restaurant rating system. In 1926, the first stars appeared, marking restaurants deemed “worth a special journey.” Over time, the Michelin star became the highest distinction in gastronomy, and “earning a star” became synonymous with culinary excellence. The Jing Take However, Michelin's introduction of Michelin Keys for hotels sparked a far more divided public response. In China, the list was dominated by already famous luxury properties — names that hardly needed another stamp of prestige. Meanwhile, Chinese travelers have long relied on local platforms such as Ctrip (Trip.com), Meituan, and Dianping for rankings rooted in real experiences and value for money. Compared with these crowd-sourced, experience-driven systems, the Michelin Keys feel abstract, even detached. For many travelers, a guide to “where to stay well for less” would have been far more useful than yet another map of obvious luxury. Industry observers argue that Michelin’s hotel project misreads the modern traveler’s mindset. Today’s guests seek a balance between design and comfort, culture and service, price and emotional value. The Keys don’t so much redefine excellence as repurpose an old idea of luxury. But that notion of luxury — exclusive, absolute, hierarchical — no longer holds the same appeal. Who decides what’s worth a stay? Michelin’s attempt to judge hotels the way it judges restaurants reveals a deeper flaw. A meal can be assessed in a few hours; a stay unfolds across countless small moments. It’s the air conditioning that hums too cold at night, an extra smile at the front desk, or the sudden rain outside your window. These fragments of memory can’t be measured by a “key” or standardized by any system of stars. With the Keys, Michelin hopes to unlock a new chapter in travel. Yet in doing so, it risks overlooking the essence of travel itself — not consumption, but connection. A good journey, like a good life, is not certified by authority. It’s found in the quiet act of arriving and departing and discovering a piece of yourself in between. The Jing Take reports on a piece of the leading news and presents our editorial team’s analysis of the key implications for the luxury industry. In the recurring column, we analyze everything from product drops and mergers to heated debate sprouting on Chinese social media.

What Michelin Keys misunderstands about today’s Chinese traveler

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What Michelin Keys misunderstands about today’s Chinese traveler