Discovering the Italian hotels awarded with Michelin keys

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There are 146 Italian hotels that have received one, two or three Michelin keys, a reward for the high quality standards they offer. After France, the United States and Spain, the inspectors of the famous guide began searching for those uniquenesses in service that make the stay unforgettable. 146 hotels out of over 500 recommended were thus awarded: 8 received Michelin “Three Keys”, 31 “Two Keys” and 107 “One Key”. There are five criteria used to select the winners: excellence in architecture and interior design, individuality, personality and authenticity, the quality and solidity of service, comfort and maintenance, the relevance of the structure within the locality where it is located, ending with the coherence between the price and the experience offered.

Interpret the keys

A hotel that has won “A Key” offers a special stay, can break the mold, offer something different or simply be one of the best of its kind. The service is always up to par and offers much more than similarly priced establishments. The one with “Two Michelin keys” in addition to an exceptional stay is an extraordinary place from every point of view, which offers a memorable experience. A hotel of character, personality and charm, managed with passion and considerable care. Valuable design or architecture and a strong bond with the area in which it is located are the elements that allow you to experience an exceptional stay. At the pinnacle are the “Three Keys”. Here we talk regarding the uniqueness of the stay: the ultimate in comfort, service, style and elegance. A destination in itself for the trip of a lifetime with all the elements to make every stay truly unforgettable.

The elite of the “Three Keys” in Italy

They are few and can be counted on the fingers of two hands. There are eight unique hotels selected by Guide inspectors. Among these, the JK Place Capri stands out, an elegant boutique hotel by the sea, located on a cliff overlooking the port of Marina Grande. Its 22 rooms are designed by architect Michele Bönan in a classic style with English country touches, pastel colors and patterned wallpapers. The Penthouse suite has a long private terrace with a breathtaking panoramic view of the Gulf of Naples, while the other rooms have small balconies facing the sea. Not far away, on the Amalfi Coast, the San Pietro di Positano is perched on the cliff and offers an incomparable view from every room. The spacious rooms have been individually designed in a simple, tasteful style and feature a private terrace. In addition to the swimming pool, carved into the cliff, the structure also has an elevator that leads from the hall to the private beach. In the medieval village of Civita di Bagnoregio, Corte Della Maestà is a five-room boutique hotel housed in the ancient bishop’s residence. Lovingly restored and furnished with the owners’ collection of art and antiques, it offers a personalized stay in an environment of unique charm. The Reschio Castle, in Lisciano Niccone, has also been the subject of a careful restoration by the owners. Located on a vast estate among the picturesque hills of Umbria, this ancient 10th-century castle welcomes guests in personalized and impeccably designed rooms and suites. Some suites occupy the sacristy of the church, but the most particular extends over the five floors of the ancient castle tower. With a spectacular swimming pool that appears to be carved directly into the lawn, guests find all the amenities of the 21st century in a historic setting. In Modena, Casa Maria Luigia is an intimate country house designed by three-starred chef Massimo Bottura. The 12 rooms, furnished with contemporary taste and lively interior design, are complemented by gardens, a swimming pool, a tennis court and the striking fitness center that doubles as an art gallery. Rosewood Castiglion Del Bosco, in Montalcino, in addition to its Michelin-starred restaurant, has an organic vegetable garden and a cooking school. This hotel, set on a 2,000-hectare agricultural estate that also includes a winery, welcomes guests in rooms and suites that often offer large terraces, thus incorporating the color palette of the inimitable Tuscan landscape into the travel experience. Finally, in Venice Aman Venice, a meticulously preserved Renaissance palace, offers first-rate accommodation, which combines period details with the most modern comforts imaginable. The best rooms have a view of the Grand Canal at the palace’s front door. In the same city, Palazzo Vendramin, a 15th century aristocratic residence included in the Cipriani, Belmond Hotel, is also awarded Three Michelin Keys. Its retro-style rooms in classic Venetian pastel colors offer private butler service. The hotel also offers an exceptional and probably the most romantic breakfast in the world.

There are 31 hotels that have won the “Two Keys” with structures in Campania, Tuscany, Valle d’Aosta, Lazio, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige, Sicily, Umbria and Veneto. In Rome, for example, there is the Hotel Vilon is one of the best boutique hotels and aims to provide not only luxury hotel services and comforts, but also charm and intimacy. In this sixteenth-century house annexed to Palazzo Borghese, each room was designed by the architect Giampiero Panepinto and decorated by the set designer Paolo Bonfini, for a truly cinematic final effect. In Florence, travelers will find many hotel options, from the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, housed in a Renaissance palace, to Palazzo Portinari Salviati Residenza d’Epoca, which occupies a 15th century palace built on the site of the ancient residence of Beatrice Portinari, the Dante’s muse. In addition to the romanticism of literary suggestions, the hotel offers a luxury spa and the Michelin-starred restaurant Atto by Vito Mollica. Also in Tuscany is the Borgo San Felice Resort, a five-star hotel owned by the Allianz Group which in the past was awarded the Red Star in 2020 and the Green Star in 2022 at the Il Poggio Rosso Restaurant and now obtains the Two Keys.

The 2024 edition of the Guide

In the Michelin Guide Italy 2024 there are 526 hotels, of which 146 have received one, two or three Keys. In the ranking of Keys by region, Tuscany stands out with 32 hotels, followed by Campania with 18 hotels while on the third step of the podium we find Lazio with 17 hotels. At the foot of the podium we find Lombardy and Trentino Alto-Adige tied with 16 award-winning hotels. All of the Guide’s hotel recommendations are available for free on the website and app. On these digital platforms, recommended hotels can be booked directly. To assist travelers during their stay, the Guide also provides a Customer Service managed by the Guide’s travel experts. «With this new recognition, the Michelin Guide has opened a new chapter in the service it has provided to travelers for 124 years. With the consolidated field approach, the inspectors of the Michelin Guide have drawn up this new list to share their best hotel experiences in Italy – comments Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the guide -. Each structure awarded with one, two or three Keys is a jewel managed with talent by great professionals. Using the Michelin Guide’s digital platforms, travelers can filter their search and book selected hotels for stays that we hope will be unforgettable.” Among other things, the Michelin Guide has the ambition of becoming the first independent platform in the world for restaurant and hotel bookings.