It’s a big year for Texas and MICHELIN. On November 11, 2024, Inspectors announced their first selection of MICHELIN restaurants in the Lone Star State. And just weeks earlier, MICHELIN Inspectors revealed the country's first hotel honors in the form of the MICHELIN Key — including 20 hotels in Texas. New to the Guide as of 2024, the Key denotes the most outstanding hotels in our selection. Put simply: the Key is the hotel version of the MICHELIN Star.
Go ahead, check out the restaurant list, here. We won’t blame you for leaving. Then, when you’ve decided you need a night or several in Texas, return to this page, where you’ll find a breakdown of the best hotels in the state. Head here for the full MICHELIN selection of hotels in Texas.
The Two Key Hotels
Like the Star, hotels may gain between One, Two, and Three MICHELIN Keys, with the Three Key our highest honor. Our Inspectors revealed no Three Keys in Texas in 2024, but several phenomenal accommodations gained the coveted Two Star. The three best hotels in their respective cities, the hotels below are something like the Platonic ideal of the urban staycation: impeccable options for travelers looking for a splurge without leaving the city.It’s not just that these hotels have spas, or rooftop pools, or concerts, art classes, private museum tours, penthouse suites with private balconies, or MICHELIN restaurants — though they each have some combination of those amenities, and many beyond. More than just immersive experiences and jumping off points for all the cultural experiences in Texas, the Two Key hotels below are bursting with the history and personality of their cities. They’re oft-matched with high price tags, but look to mid-week or low seasons for more affordable stays. Reach out to our customer service team for assistance booking, and dig into each of these top hotels at the links below.
Austin: Commodore Perry Estate, Auberge Resorts Collection
Fort Worth: Bowie House, Auberge Resorts Collection
San Antonio: Hotel Emma
The One Key Hotels
17 hotels gained One Key in Texas. Like the Two Keys, they’re clustered mostly around the larger cities, with seven Key hotels in Austin, four in Dallas, and three in Houston. As always, we love to point out the exceptions: the places that may spur travelers to a city otherwise off their radar. Proof of concept is our only Key hotel in West Texas. Set in a 1930s Art Deco skyscraper in El Paso, the Plaza Hotel Pioneer Park was once known as the pre-jet-era hideout of the Hollywood class. Today, it combines that historic glamor (just look at the facade or the marble bathrooms) with contemporary flair in spacious and well-appointed rooms — a tremendous value for the price.On the other side of the state entirely, the Carr Mansion is the island city of Galveston’s bed and breakfast extraordinaire. The only true B&B you’ll find on this page has a historic setting itself, a Greek Revival mansion blocks from the beach.
Find all the One Key hotels in Texas, below, and check back in throughout the coming year for immersive guides to everything MICHELIN in Texas.
Austin: ARRIVE Austin
Austin: Austin Proper Hotel
Austin: Fairmont Austin Gold Experience
Austin: Hotel Saint Cecilia
Austin: Hotel ZaZa Austin
Austin: Soho House Austin
Austin: The Heywood Hotel
Fort Worth: Hotel Drover
Dallas: Casa Duro
Dallas: Hotel Swexan
Dallas: Hotel ZaZa Dallas
Dallas: Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek
Galveston: Carr Mansion
Houston: Hotel ZaZa Memorial City
Houston: Hotel ZaZa Museum District
Houston: The Post Oak Hotel at Uptown Houston
Hero image: Bowie House in Fort Worth, Texas
