In a startling omission that might have left San Francisco's grandest hotels feeling a touch overlooked, Michelin's first foray into the world of hospitality rankings sidestepped the city's luxurious skyline landmarks, handing out its prestigious three-key designation to places with a bit less urban sheen. Like its renowned restaurant star system, the Michelin Key awards crowned just seven hotels in all of California with the accolade, earmarking them for "an extraordinary stay," per the San Francisco Chronicle.
While spots like the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur and the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles received the guide's nod for top-tier stays, it's the Canyon Ranch Woodside that managed to steal some local limelight, yet also announced its sudden closure earlier this month, which could leave some would-be visitors scratching their heads, according to the SFGATE. Gwendal Poullennec, Michelin Guide's international director, described the key system as a means for travelers to trust they're choosing experiences that meet the highest global standards, signaling perhaps a shifting definition of what luxury means in today's hospitality scene.
Despite the snub at the three-key level, San Francisco's accommodations weren't entirely forsaken; some prestigious names still featured in the two-key category, like The Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero and The Battery, both acclaimed for providing an exceptional stay. Also cutting with one key were the 1 Hotel San Francisco and the Hotel Drisco, which were recognized for their unique character and commendable service. They joined an array of Bay Area establishments praised for distinctive offerings.
Michelin's global sweep of 7,000 hotels distilled down to 143 three-key winners, with New York matching California's cloud in the hospitality sphere, both states boasting multiple establishments that seemingly deliver beyond the typical luxury experience offering something that, while not well defined by Michelin, suggests exclusivity might be a card played by regions outside the expected metropolitan hotspots worldwide, inspectors endorsed a total of 2,457 hotels with key distinctions, which also included 572 two-key hotels and 1,742 one-key stays, as reported by the SFGATE.
