MICHELIN Unveils the Inaugural Special Category Winners
In a landmark moment for the global hospitality industry, MICHELIN revealed the winners of its very first Special Category Awards for hotels. Spanning four distinct pillars—Architecture & Design, Wellness, Local Gateway, and Opening of the Year—the awards celebrate properties that elevate hospitality beyond traditional benchmarks. The ceremony, held in Paris on October 8, 2025, gathered hoteliers and industry leaders as the latest MICHELIN Keys were unveiled. Here, we break down the winners and the nominees that helped shape a year of bold experimentation in hotel design and guest experience.
Architecture & Design Award: A redefined skyline
Winner: Atlantis the Royal — Dubai, UAE
Architecture is the experience in MICHELIN’s Architecture & Design Award, and Atlantis the Royal embodies that ideal. The hotel presents a radical reimagining of the skyscraper, with six interconnected towers whose cantilevered blocks form an integrated indoor/outdoor community within the Dubai skyline. The result is a living habitat for guests, where spatial fluidity and tactile materials invite exploration rather than passivity. The formal language here is as much a narrative as a structure, reflecting a city that routinely redefines its own horizons.
Other nominees included Shebara Resort, Rosewood Sao Paulo, Benesse House, and Villa Nai 3.3, each contributing a distinctive voice to the conversation about how architecture and interior design influence guest perception and memory.
Wellness Award: Transformative spa cultures
Winner: Bürgenstock Resort — Bürgenstock, Switzerland
Wellness takes center stage when the natural environment becomes a daily ritual. The winner’s location—Switzerland’s crisp alpine air—provides a pristine backdrop for one of Europe’s largest spa facilities. The resort embodies a holistic approach that blends physical well-being with mental clarity, offering programs that feel both luxurious and meaningful. The award recognizes properties where wellness is not a separate amenity but a central ethos woven into every touchpoint of the stay.
The finalists—Canyon Ranch Tucson, JOALI BEING, Lily of The Valley, and The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland—showcase a spectrum of wellness philosophies, from retreat-centered sanctuaries to integrative spa cultures that invite guests to reset, renew, and reconnect with themselves.
Local Gateway Award: Authentic, place-based experiences
Winner: La Fiermontina Ocean — Larache, Morocco
Local Gateway honors hotels that unlock the most authentic experiences of a region. La Fiermontina Ocean pairs a coastal setting with a strong local collaboration to weave community involvement into the guest journey. By partnering with a local nonprofit, the property demonstrates how tourism can be a force for good, creating meaningful interactions that extend beyond the guest room. The award underscores a growing trend: hotels as gateways to culture, cuisine, crafts, and conservation efforts that guests can actively participate in.
Nominees such as Longitude 131, Tierra Patagonia Hotel & Spa, Zannier Sonop, and Post Ranch Inn illustrate the wide range of landscapes and cultures that MICHELIN aims to spotlight—from arid deserts to rugged coastlines to forested highlands.
Opening of the Year Award: Fresh visions, immediate impact
Winner: The Burman Hotel — Tallinn, Estonia
Openings at the edge of tradition and novelty define this category. The Burman Hotel, with 17 rooms, demonstrates how a boutique scale can support a vibrant hub for dining and entertainment while anchoring itself in UNESCO-listed Old Town. The property proves that a new brand can quickly become a cultural canvas for a city, offering a compact yet dynamic experience that resonates with both locals and visitors.
Other nominees—Aman Nai Lert Bangkok, Collegio alla Querce, Auberge Collection, Domaine Le Mouflon D’Or, and Cheval Blanc Seychelles—reflect a global appetite for innovative hospitality that launches with purpose and personality.
Why These Awards Matter for Guests and Hoteliers
MICHELIN’s Special Category Awards illuminate how architecture, wellness, locality, and newness intersect to shape what guests seek in contemporary travel. They highlight properties that not only meet high standards but redefine them, offering travelers immersive experiences that go beyond a standard hotel stay. For hoteliers, the recognition signals a shifting landscape where design thinking, wellness philosophy, community engagement, and bold openings converge to create truly memorable journeys.
What’s Next
As the MICHELIN Guide expands its hotel coverage, the Special Category Awards provide a forward-looking map of hospitality excellence. Expect further nominations and a growing ecosystem of hotels that see travel as an invitation to live differently—through architecture you live in, wellness you feel, local culture you participate in, and new ideas you experience from the moment you check in.
