San Francisco’s luxury hotels may have the skyline views and five-star service, but not one made the top tier in Michelin’s first-ever ranking of exceptional hospitality.
In its inaugural Michelin Key awards, the guide known for its restaurant stars introduced a parallel system for hotels, rating properties on their personality, comfort, service, style and elegance.
The highest distinction — three keys, signifying “an extraordinary stay” — went to just seven California hotels: Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur, SingleThread Inn in Healdsburg, Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford, Meadowood Napa Valley in St. Helena, the Beverly Hills Hotel and Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles, and Canyon Ranch Woodside, a wellness retreat in the redwoods south of San Francisco that announced its abrupt closure this month.
“Just as Michelin Stars celebrate the world’s most exceptional restaurants, Michelin Keys now honor hotels that offer truly remarkable stays,” Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the Michelin Guide, said in a statement. “With this new benchmark, travelers can trust they’re choosing experiences that meet the highest global standards.”
Across the United States, New York and California led the pack, each claiming multiple three-key hotels.
The Bay Area’s top honorees reflect the region’s range of luxury experiences — from design-forward Wine Country escapes to secluded coastal sanctuaries.
At SingleThread Inn in Healdsburg, Michelin inspectors praised the five-room property for its seamless blend of Japanese-inspired design, exceptional service and its connection to the acclaimed SingleThread restaurant and farm. Meadowood Napa Valley, long a mainstay of Wine Country hospitality, earned recognition for its “refined comfort,” with private cottages, a destination spa and immersive wine programming. Auberge du Soleil impressed for its effortless blend of Provence and Napa style, with terraced views of vineyards and a restaurant considered one of the best in the valley.
Each stay begins at approximately $2,000 per night.
While San Francisco missed the top honor, several of its hotels still earned recognition. The Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero and the Battery each received two keys, marking them as “exceptional stays.” Meanwhile, 1 Hotel San Francisco and Hotel Drisco earned one key, joining a small group of Bay Area lodgings praised for their distinctive character and attentive service.
Globally, Michelin inspectors reviewed more than 7,000 hotels and awarded 2,457 keys across 120 countries — including 143 three-key properties, 572 two-key hotels and 1,742 one-key stays.
The new system, Michelin said, is meant to redefine luxury by spotlighting both grand resorts and intimate hideaways that offer “unforgettable moments.”
The debut of the Michelin Key program marks a major expansion for the 125-year-old guide, which built its reputation on restaurant stars before relaunching its global hotel selection in 2024.