The Michelin Star is a pretty well-known accolade – the ultimate badge of culinary excellence awarded to the best restaurants across Europe, Asia and North America. The Michelin Key – the hotel equivalent to the restaurant star system – is a lesser-known crown, but just as well-regarded. The 2025 keys have just been awarded to the most deserving hotels from around the world, and NSW received more than any other Australian state.
Last year, the Michelin Guide launched its hotel recognition system across 15 countries, including the UK and US. Anonymous inspectors assessed accommodations that offer exceptional experiences on five factors: design, quality of service, unique character, value for money and contribution to their local area. Like Michelin Stars, hotels can earn one to three keys: one key for “a very special stay”, two for “an exceptional stay” and three for “an extraordinary stay”.
In its second year, the Michelin Key Hotels expanded to cover every region – including Australia – recognising more than 2,400 hotels worldwide. The inaugural global award ceremony was held in Paris this week, where 35 Aussie hotels received the prestigious key. Among them, Lizard Island Resort in Queensland stood out as one of just 143 hotels globally – and the only Australian property – to earn the top-tier three keys. Nine hotels earned two keys, notably Thorngrove Manor – a gothic-style castle in the Adelaide Hills – which received an Editor’s Pick shout-out. Another 25 properties were awarded one key, with NSW leading the Aussie key tally at 14 hotels, followed by Victoria with six, and Queensland and Tasmania with five each.
The NSW stays awarded include nine city stays (including The Eve, The Langham, Park Hyatt and Wildlife Retreat at Taronga – each receiving one Michelin key) and five regional stays, including a gorgeous new "seaside inn" in Yamba, Lord Howe's stunning Capella Lodge and Osborn House, the designer country escape just outside of Sydney.
You can check out the full list of Australian inclusions in the 2025 Michelin Key Hotels guide below.
The Australian hotels awarded Michelin Keys in 2025
Three Michelin Keys
- Lizard Island Resort, Lizard Island, QLD
Two Michelin Keys
- Jackalope Hotel, Mornington Peninsula, VIC
- Spicers Sangoma Retreat, Blue Mountains, NSW
- Capella Lodge, Lord Howe Island, NSW
- Silky Oaks Lodge, Daintree Rainforest, QLD
- Spicers Peak Lodge, Maryvale, QLD
- Thorngrove Manor, Adelaide, SA
- Southern Ocean Lodge, Kangaroo Island, SA
- Saffire Freycinet, Coles Bay, TAS
- Longitude 131, Yulara, NT
One Michelin Key
- The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC
- The Interlude, Melbourne, VIC
- Melbourne Place, Melbourne, VIC
- Drift House, Port Fairy, VIC
- 1 Hotel Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC
- QT Sydney, Sydney, NSW
- Ace Hotel, Sydney, NSW
- The Eve Hotel, Redfern, NSW
- Basq House, Byron Bay, NSW
- Il Delfino Seaside Inn, Yamba, NSW
- Wildlife Retreat at Taronga, Mosman, NSW
- Capella Sydney, Sydney, NSW
- The Langham, Sydney, NSW
- Park Hyatt, Sydney, NSW
- Osborn House, Bundanoon, NSW
- Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, Sydney, NSW
- Crystalbrook Albion, Surry Hills, NSW
- Qualia, Hamilton Island, QLD
- The Calile Hotel, Brisbane, QLD
- Empire Spa Retreat, Yallingup, WA
- COMO The Treasury, Perth, WA
- Henry Jones Art Hotel, Hobart, TAS
- The Islington Hotel, Hobart, TAS
- The Tasman Hotel, Hobart, TAS
- MACq 01 Hotel, Hobart, TAS
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