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Michelin knows a thing or two about luxury. Its illustrious stars have been synonymous with fine dining for the past 100 years, representing one of the highest honours that can be bestowed on a restaurant. But luxurious living isn’t just about where you eat out, it’s about where you stay too.
Enter: Michelin keys. If prestige and opulence is at the top of your requirements when looking for somewhere to stay, Michelin keys exist to steer you in the right direction. And the latest recipients of the accolade have just been announced.
A total of 19 hotels, from country estate escapes to boutique retreats, have just joined the exclusive Michelin keys club for the UK and Ireland. Of course, as somewhere with more luxury lodgings than anywhere else in the country, four of those hotels are based in London. So, this is everything you need to know about Michelin keys and the London hotels that received them in 2025.
What is a Michelin key?
Michelin’s keys are to hotels what its stars are to restaurants. But while the stars have existed since 1926, Michelin only introduced keys in 2023 and handed out its first batch last year. Like Michelin stars, only the finest establishments in the land receive one, and the maximum of three is reserved for the absolute crème de la crème. The guide sums up places with one key as ‘very special’, two keys as ‘exceptional’ and three keys as ‘extraordinary’.
Anonymous Michelin inspectors judge whether hotels are worthy of a key according to five factors: architecture and interior design; quality and consistency of service; overall personality and character; value for the price; and a significant contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting.
Which London hotels have been awarded a new Michelin key?
A total of 19 new keys were handed out to hotels across the UK this year, four of which went to establishments here in the capital. The Lanesborough on Hyde Park Corner and historic London institution The Ritz were both awarded two keys for the first time.
Michelin called the Lanesborough, which boasts round-the-clock butler service, an extravagant spa and its own Siberian cat named Lilibet, ‘a destination in itself for luxury lovers’.
As for the Ritz, the guide said: ‘This is one of just a handful of hotels for which the word “iconic” ought to be reserved. The Ritz London, along with its sister in Paris, is as much a symbol as it is a physical establishment; for over a century it’s set the standard for luxury hospitality, a category that scarcely existed before it opened its doors. Aesthetically, it remains the very picture of Louis XVI opulence; its location, alongside Green Park, places it at the heart of historical London.’
At Sloane in Chelsea and The Adria in Kensington both earned one key. Michelin praised At Sloane for boasting ‘plenty of confidence’ and blending ‘bold patterns and historic charm with Parisian flair’ while The Adria was awarded a key for its ‘serene, stylish interiors and boutique charm’ and ‘personalised service’ (it got five glowing stars from us when we visited back in 2023). No new hotels where awarded the most prestigious accolade of three keys.
Every London hotel with a Michelin key 2025
Here is every London hotel that now has a Michelin key, with the new recipients bolded.
Three keys
- Bvlgari Hotel London
- Claridge’s
- Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane
- Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park
- Raffles London at The OWO
- The Connaught
- The Peninsula London
- The Savoy
Two keys
- Brown’s Hotel, a Rocco Forte Hotel
- Corinthia Hotel London
- Covent Garden Hotel, Firmdale Hotels
- 45 Park Lane, Dorchester Collection
- Ham Yard Hotel, Firmdale Hotels
- Haymarket Hotel, Firmdale Hotels
- Hotel Café Royal
- Mandarin Oriental Mayfair
- Rosewood London
- The Beaumont Hotel
- The Berkeley
- The Cadogan, A Belmond Hotel
- The Dorchester, Dorchester Collection
- The Lanesborough
- The Langham, London
- The Ritz London
- The Twenty Two
One key
- At Sloane
- Artist Residence London
- Beaverbrook Town House
- Broadwick Soho
- Charlotte Street Hotel, Firmdale Hotels
- COMO The Halkin
- Flemings Mayfair
- Four Seasons Hotel London at Tower Bridge
- Knightsbridge Hotel, Firmdale Hotels
- L'oscar London
- NoMad London
- Number Sixteen, Firmdale Hotels
- One Aldwych
- 1 Hotel Mayfair
- Redchurch Townhouse
- Shangri-La The Shard London
- Sofitel London St James
- The Adria
- The Emory
- The Soho Hotel, Firmdale Hotels
The best five-star luxury hotels in London, according to Time Out.
ICYMI: Six London restaurants were just added to the Michelin Guide.
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