8 Austin Hotels Get Michelin Keys Awards

The Michelin Guide announced the recipients of its Michelin Keys 2024 in Austin, Texas on September 12. This includes eight Austin hotels receiving the equivalent of the international rating system’s stars, but for accommodations.

For Austin, these include:

One Michelin Key

• Hotel ZaZa (which includes restaurant and bar Group Therapy)
• Austin Proper Hotel (which includes several restaurants and bars run by the McGuire Moorman Lambert Hospitality (MML) group like Mediterranean restaurant the Peacock and Mexican restaurant La Piscina; the blurb describes the food and drinks as “seem[ing] well under control” and that MML has “a firm hand on the wheel here”)
• The Fairmont (but its specific gold experience which allows access to specific floors and a lounge with food and drinks; the hotel includes several dining and drinking spots including fine-dining restaurant Garrison)
• Soho House Austin (the private members' restaurant doesn’t include any public-facing dining and drinking)
• Hotel Saint Cecilia (another hotel with no public-facing dining and drinking)
• Arrive Austin (which is going through some restaurant changes; the blurb references the now-closed restaurant Vixen’s Wedding, but in fact, Spanish tapas restaurant Kalimotxo is taking over the space)
• The Heywood Hotel (the only independent hotel from Austin with no on-site restaurants/bars)

Two Michelin Keys

• Commodore Perry Estates (which includes restaurant Lutie’s)

Three Michelin Keys

• Zero

The only San Antonio awardee is Hotel Emma, which received two keys.

These hotels were judged on several factors determined by the anonymous Michelin inspectors: how the hotels fit into and represent their cities, the design and architecture, the service consistency, the price value, and the personality of the property. The hotel key guide covers America, Mexico, and Canada. The whole idea of expanding into recognizing hotels falls in line with the initial intent of Michelin’s dining guide — encouraging international travel.

The first batch of Michelin Keys was announced in April, highlighting California, Washington, D.C., and New York. There’s also a separate general guide of selected hotels, which already covered Austin.

Michelin announced back in July that it would come to Texas for the first time ever. The organization will recognize restaurants in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Fort Worth. Restaurants and dining experiences will be able to receive one, two, or three of the guide’s coveted stars — indicating high qualities of food, perspective, and hospitality — or one of its other designations: the Bib Gourmands (given to more affordable restaurants), the Michelin Green Stars (for restaurants that implement eco-friendly and/or sustainable practices), and then its more general recommended list. The full guide will be published later in 2024.