Eight Colorado hotels, three in Denver, win new Michelin Key award

Eight Colorado hotels won the new Michelin Keys on Wednesday, according to the Michelin Key hotel guide.

Each of these Colorado hotels received one Michelin Key. Three of the winning hotels are in Denver — the Clayton Hotel and Members Club, Four Seasons Denver and the Crawford Hotel. Three hotels in Aspen — Hotel Jerome, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, the Little Nell and Mollie Aspen — and two in Vail — Four Seasons Vail and Sonnenalp Hotel — were also awarded the distinction.

“Michelin is a prestigious organization and being one of only eight hotels in Colorado to receive a Key is a great honor,” Thierry Kennel, Four Seasons Hotel Denver regional vice president and general manager, said.

According to Michelin, hotels with One Michelin Key offer a very special stay. “This is a true gem with its own character and personality. It may break the mold, offer something different or simply be one of the best of its type,” a Wednesday Michelin news release states. “Service always goes the extra mile and provides significantly more than similarly priced establishments.” Two keys denote an exceptional stay, while three keys denote an extraordinary stay.

Awarded based on anonymous visits made by Michelin staff, the Michelin Key was created to guide travelers to accommodations that stand out for their warm welcomes, unique hospitality concepts, distinctive characters and high levels of service, according to the release.

The first Michelin Key winners were announced in France on April 8. On Wednesday, Michelin unveiled the 124 hotels in the United States, selected out of almost 1,000 U.S. hotels in the Michelin Guide, that were awarded one, two, or three Michelin Keys. Similar to Michelin Stars, U.S. hotels in Atlanta, California, Chicago, Colorado, Florida, New York and Washington, D.C., were eligible for the award.

“We are honored to have been awarded one of the first Michelin Guide ‘Keys,’” Ed Blair, the Crawford Hotel’s area general manager, said. “We are continuing to elevate the Crawford guest experience and are excited to celebrate the entire Denver Union Station refresh with our community this July.”