The Michelin Guide has awarded its hotel-grading Michelin Keys to four new London hotels this year, recognising exceptional hospitality in the capital. The properties are Six Senses London in Bayswater, The Newman in Fitzrovia, The Chancery Rosewood in Mayfair, and Pan Pacific London in the City.
Introduced in 2024, the Michelin Keys mirror the famous Michelin Star system used for restaurants. The guide was founded in 1900 by a French tyre-manufacturing company. At the time, few cars were on the road, and the brothers behind the guide wanted to change this. The Michelin Stars encouraged Parisians to travel to dining destinations, boosting tyre sales. One star meant a good stop; two demanded a detour; three meant the food was worth an entire trip. This translates to hotels: one key is special, two is exceptional, and three is an extraordinary destination in its own right.
The Newman and The Chancery Rosewood
The Newman, Fitzrovia's newest hotel, holds one Michelin Key. The 81-bedroom boutique stay sits in the heart of the city, moments from Soho, Oxford Street shopping, and Marylebone's pubs. It is the first hotel from British hospitality brand Kinsfolk & Co, with a subterranean wellness floor, a European brasserie, and a 1920s-speakeasy-style bar. Art Deco interiors nod to Fitzrovia's heyday, populated with black-and-white photographs of the area, illustrations of fashionable bohemians, and contemporary images of residents and business owners captured over a year of street walking.
The Chancery Rosewood now has two Michelin Keys, despite opening just a year ago. The 1960s building once housed the US Embassy but has been transformed into one of Mayfair's most luxurious and exclusive properties. It is home to 144 bespoke luxury suites and private houses, with rates starting at least £2,000 per night. The all-suite hotel has eight restaurants and bars, plus a subterranean wellness space with a 5-metre indoor lap pool, a vitality pool, hot and cold plunge pools, an ice bath, a traditional sauna, a steam room, and heated marble loungers.
Six Senses London and Pan Pacific London
Six Senses London, one of the year's most anticipated openings, is in the Grade II-listed Whiteleys building on Queensway. The 100-year facade, dome, and grand central staircase have been carefully restored. The 2,300-square-metre wellness area includes an indoor pool, thermal suite, sauna, steam room, and magnesium plunge pool. Clinical treatments span longevity and biohacking, and Six Senses Place, the brand's first members club, gives non-guests access to co-working areas, wellness rooms, and an exclusive restaurant. The Standard's beauty director, Rose Beer, reviewed the wellness facilities and said: 'Here, as it should be, wellness is considered to be an emotional matter as much as a physical one. The aim is to meet clients where they are, then to restore, surprise and delight them. Arriving topped-up with cortisol and carrying a hefty sleep deficit, I was swiftly put to work — if you can call it that — to slow down, regroup and reconnect with myself.'
Pan Pacific London, a five-star hotel minutes from Liverpool Street Station, blends British and Asian influences in minimalist design. The sleek skyscraper offers views of one of London's busiest postcodes. Awarded one Michelin Key, the property has 237 rooms and suites, multiple restaurants, and a wellness area. Its refined interiors and sleep program, including mattress pads and weighted blankets, make it popular among business travellers. The fusion restaurant Straits Kitchen is worth a visit, particularly for its £29 two-course express lunch.
Downgrades and Retained Keys
While these four hotels were celebrated, others lost status. The Bvlgari Hotel London and Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane dropped from three to two keys, the Covent Garden Hotel fell from two to one, and the Knightsbridge Hotel lost its one key.
Claridge's, Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, Raffles London at The OWO, The Connaught, The Peninsula London, and The Savoy all retained three Michelin Keys. The Dorchester, 45 Park Lane, The Ritz London, The Berkeley, The Langham, Corinthia, Brown's, Ham Yard Hotel, Haymarket Hotel, Hotel Café Royal, Mandarin Oriental Mayfair, The Beaumont, The Cadogan, and The Lanesborough have all kept their two Michelin Keys.
