California Leads the Nation in Hotels Earning Top Michelin Ratings

The L'Ermitage Hotel is shown in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Aug. 26, 2003. Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

California predominated the Michelin Guide’s inaugural Michelin Keys list in which distinguished hotels are ranked with one to three keys. Michelin Keys are similar to Michelin Stars for restaurants and appear in the French tire company’s guides, which have been published since 1900.

While California led with 31 hotels making the list, New York placed second with 27. Other locations that made the lists include Atlanta, Chicago, Colorado, Florida, and Washington DC.

As the French tire company points out, California had a leg up on the competition thanks to its “sheer breadth of size and variety” with hotels on the coast, in cities, and in wine country.

Michelin ranks hotels based on five categories: architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for price, and guest experience.

An array of places to stay made the list. Michelin highlighted the Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur (Three Keys) and Ventana (Two Keys) for its unique architectural beauty set among giant redwoods. The Georgian (One Key) in luxurious Santa Monica, which features gorgeous beach and city views, has stood on Ocean Avenue since the 1930s and under new owners has been restored to an “old Hollywood glamour” style reminiscent of its past.

7 California Hotels Earned Three Keys

• Beverly Hills: The Beverly Hills Hotel, Dorchester Collection
• Big Sur: Post Ranch Inn
• Healdsburg: SingleThread Inn
• Los Angeles: Hotel Bel-Air, Dorchester Collection
• Rutherford: Auberge du Soleil, Auberge Resorts Collection
• St. Helena: Meadowood Napa Valley
• Woodside: Canyon Ranch Woodside

The Dorchester Collection Fashion Prize at The Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on April 4, 2013. Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Dorchester Collection

18 California Hotels Earned Two Keys

• Beverly Hills: L'Ermitage Beverly Hills
• Beverly Hills: The Maybourne Beverly Hills
• Beverly Hills: The Peninsula Beverly Hills
• Carmel Valley: Bernardus Lodge & Spa
• Big Sur: Ventana Big Sur
• Guerneville: The Stavrand
• Healdsburg: Montage Healdsburg
• Healdsburg: The Madrona
• Laguna Beach: Montage Laguna Beach
• Montecito: Rosewood Miramar Beach
• Napa: Milliken Creek Inn & Spa
• San Francisco: Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco at Embarcadero
• San Francisco: The Battery
• Sausalito: Cavallo Point Lodge
• West Hollywood: Chateau Marmont
• West Hollywood: Pendry West Hollywood
• Yountville: Bardessono
• Yountville: North Block

31 California Hotels Earned One Key

• Calistoga: Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley
• Elk: Harbor House
• Los Angeles: Downtown LA Proper Hotel
• Los Angeles: Soho Warehouse DTLA
• Los Angeles: The Aster
• Los Angeles: The Paramour Estate
• Los Angeles: The Prospect Hollywood
• Napa: Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection
• Newport Beach: Pendry Newport Beach
• Palm Springs: Dive Palm Springs
• Palm Springs: Holiday House Palm Springs
• Palm Springs: La Serena Villas
• Palm Springs: Sparrows Lodge
• Rutherford: Rancho Caymus Inn
• San Francisco: 1 Hotel San Francisco
• San Francisco: Hotel Drisco
• San Luis Obispo: Hotel San Luis Obispo
• San Luis Obispo: San Luis Creek Lodge
• Santa Barbara: El Encanto, A Belmond Hotel, Santa Barbara
• Santa Monica: Casa Del Mar
• Santa Monica: Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
• Santa Monica: Santa Monica Proper Hotel
• Santa Monica: Shutters on the Beach
• Santa Monica: The Georgian
• Sea Ranch: The Sea Ranch Lodge
• West Hollywood: Chamberlain West Hollywood
• West Hollywood: Hotel 850 SVB
• West Hollywood: Palihouse West Hollywood
• West Hollywood: Soho House Holloway
• West Hollywood: Sunset Tower Hotel
• West Hollywood: The Charlie

Check out the rest of the list at Michelin Guides.