The people at Michelin are famous for their restaurant reviews, which have been going on for decades. They got into the hotel review business a few years ago, and now put out a yearly ranking of the best places to stay around the world.
The highest ranking is three keys, followed by two and then one. Even one key represents a place with everything you would want in a hotel.
The 2026 hotel guide for Canada lists 42 properties in Canada; almost exclusively but not entirely in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec. I wish there was more geographic variety, but there you go.
Here’s the full list for Michelin-rated hotels in Canada for this year.
The Fogo Island Inn in Newfoundland. JIM BYERS PHOTO
THREE KEY
Fogo Island Inn, Joe Batt’s Arm, Newfoundland and Labrador
Clayuquot Wilderness Lodge, British Columbia
TWO KEY
Four Seasons Hotel, Montreal
Manoir Hovey, Eastern Townships, Quebec
Auberge Saint-Antoine, Quebec City (history and style combined)
Four Seasons Hotel Toronto at Yorkville
The Hazelton Hotel, Toronto (great rooms, and the city’s best patio)
Rosewood Hotel Georgia, Vancouver (quiet elegance)
Fairmont Chateau Whistler, British Columbia
Four Seasons Resort Whistler, British Columbia
The patio at the Hazelton Hotel in Toronto.
ONE KEY
Le Germain Charlevoix Hotel and Spa, Baie St. Paul, Quebec (beautiful rooms, fabulous food)
Fairmont Banff Springs (the queen of Canadian hotels)
The Dorian, Marriott Autograph Collection, Calgary, Alberta (so stylish)
Fairmont HOtel Macdonald, Edmonton
Muir, Marriott Autograph Collection, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta
Post Hotel and Spa, Lake Louise, Alberta
The Lodge at Bow Lake, Lake Louise, Alberta
Hotel Quintessence, Mont Tremblant, Quebec
Hotel William Gray, Montreal, Quebec (gorgeous)
The Ritz-Carlton, Montreal, Quebec
Le Mount Stephen, Montreal, Quebec
La Place d’Armes Hotel and Suites, Montreal, Quebec
Le Fairmont Richelieu, Quebec
Fairmont Chateau Laurier Gold Experience, Ottawa, Ontario (luxury digs in the nation’s capital)
The Fairmont Chateau Laurier in Ottawa at dusk. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Merrill House, Picton, Ontario
The Royal Hotel, Picton, Ontario
Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City, Quebec (a place that makes you feel you’ve really arrived)
Wickaninnish Inn, Tofino, British Columbia (super relaxed and super beautiful)
The Smith Hotel, Kingston, Ontario
The Belvedere Hotel, Kingston, Ontario
The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto, Ontario (remarkable hotel with amazing food)
1 Hotel, Toronto, Ontario (eco-friendly, and great food options)
The Ace Hotel, Toronto, Ontario (uber trendy)
Bisha Hotel, Toronto, Ontario (dark and sexy)
Park Hyatt, Toronto, Ontario (elegance, with a fine rooftop bar)
Shangri-La Hotel, Toronto, Ontario (refined style, with maybe the best lobby in the city)
OTHER MICHELIN KEYS OF NOTE
Regent Santa Monica Beach Hotel. Tanveer Badal Photo.
As a big fan of California in general and Santa Monica in particular (I lived there for my final year of college at UCLA), I note that six hotels in the city received a Michelin key. Those are the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows, Shutters on the Beach, Regent Santa Monica, Santa Monica Proper Hotel, Casa Del Mar and The Georgian.
I also adore Hawai’i. Michelin handed out three-key status to Kona Village, a Rosewood Resort (Hawai’i Big Island) and two-key status to Halekulani on Waikiki Beach on O’ahu and to The Resort at Kapalua Bay, Maui, and the magnificent Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawai’i Big Island. Michelin found the following hotels to be worthy of one key: Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea (lovely), 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, Kauai (spectacular place I stayed last year), the Ritz Carlton Residences, Honolulu, O’ahu, Four Seasons Resort, O’ahu at Ko Olina (great family resort), Four Seasons Resort, Lana’i (truly spectacular), Mauna Lani, Auberge Collectio, Hawai’i Big Island, and Timbers Kauai Ocean Club and Residences.
