Taking spots in the guide are Nay Palad, Crimson Mactan, Amanpulo, Hotel Okura, Admiral MGallery, and The Peninsula Manila.
Michelin Guide is famous for its star rating for restaurants, bringing prestige to the chef and signifying high quality and excellence for the restaurant. Lesser known but almost as old is the Michelin Guide Hotels, a list they have been releasing since the 1920s.
Running from mortgage-breaking prices per night to affordable luxury, the current guide features over 5,000 hotels across the world. The Michelin hotel team vetted and selected properties over a four-year period using five criteria: excellence in architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and a significant contribution to the neighborhood or setting.
“Out of these thousands of hotels, those offering the most outstanding stays (are) awarded the special Michelin Key distinction.” The selected hotels—like the restaurants— can earn one key, which signifies a very special stay; two keys for an exceptional stay; and three keys for an extraordinary stay. “Our One and Two Key distinctions denote some of the best places in our selection. And if you’re anywhere, anytime, and you can make it to a Three Key hotel—do whatever you can to get there for a night. It’s one of the most outstanding experiences in the world.”
In the Philippines, Michelin Guide recommends six resorts and hotels. Among them, two are homegrown brands: Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan by Chroma Hospitality of the Filinvest Group; and Nay Palad Hideaway in Siargao, formerly Dedon Island, founded by German entrepreneur Robert Dekeyser.
The four others are part of international hotel chains: Amanpulo by the Aman Group, the luxury brand started by Indonesian hotelier Adrian Zecha in 1988, which transferred ownership in 2014 and currently headquartered in Switzerland; the Japanese brand Hotel Okura at Newport World Resorts by Andrew Tan’s Alliance Global Inc.; The Peninsula Manila of the Peninsula luxury chain operated by Hong Kong and Shanghai Hotels, and founded by the Kadoorie family; and Admiral Hotel MGallery, one of Accor Group’s 55 brands in its portfolio, which includes Banyan Tree, Raffles, Fairmont, Swissotel and Novotel.
Of the inaugural list from the Philippines, Hotel Okura Manila is the only property within an integrated casino resort complex. Here’s a quick guide to the Michelin-recommended hotels in the Philippines.
Nay Palad Hideaway
Founder Robert Dekeyser, a Belgian-German entrepreneur and former footballer, calls it a “barefoot luxury.” Dekeyser is owner of the outdoor furniture company Dedon, which he started in 1990, and in 1994 began manufacturing Dedon in Cebu.
Known for its stunning outdoor pieces fusing technology and handweaving, Dedon is used in luxury resorts and hotels across 80 countries. Dekeyser also built Dedon Island in Siargao, which was later renamed Nay Palad Hideaway. Dekeyser and architect Daniel Pouzet have rebuilt the luxury resort after it was devastated by typhoon Odette in December 2021.
Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan
Reopened last year after three years of renovation also due to typhoon Odette, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan has 40 villas and 250 guestrooms spread across a garden setting in six hectares on Mactan island. Modern conveniences such as swimming pools, a children’s playroom and fitness center, a house reef, and restaurants by award-winning chefs offer a laid-back, luxury stay only 20 minutes from the airport.
The infinity pool blends right in with the serene Hilutungan Channel, while Aum Spa offers relaxing treatments. The resort can also arrange water activities for guests like diving and snorkeling, and offers a shuttle service to Cebu City.
Amanpulo
Located on Pamalican island in the Cuyo Archipelago of Palawan, Amanpulo is set against white sand beaches and pristine reefs. Since 2014, the Aman brand has been owned solely by Russian real estate billionaire Vladislav Doronin. Amanpulo’s accommodations range from beachfront villas (including one with four bedrooms and a private pool) to spacious casitas. The design is anchored on modern elegance and traditional Filipino craftsmanship.
Personalized itineraries, serene escape into the sea, and bespoke wellness treatments at the Aman Spa are among the resort’s signature services. One of the most secluded island resorts in the Philippines, Amanpulo leads the country in the super-luxury category.
Hotel Okura Manila
Located at the 25-hectare Newport World Resorts, Hotel Okura Manila of the illustrious Okura Nikko Hotels & Resorts brand from Japan has earned industry accolades for its signature fine-dining Japanese restaurant Yamazato.
The hotel brings together the mindfulness of Japanese omotenashi (Japanese hospitality) and the warmth of Filipino hospitality. This signature service has also earned the 11-storey hotel a coveted Travelers’ Choice Award from TripAdvisor in 2024.
The Peninsula Manila
Located in the center of Makati, The Peninsula Manila has set the benchmark for luxury and sophistication for over four decades. Like its counterparts in key cities around the world, it is a luxurious hotel in the middle of the business district, boasting the Peninsula brand of service, quality and fine cuisine.
For the second year, The Peninsula Manila was also awarded the coveted Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating—the only hotel in the principal central business districts of Makati and Bonifacio Global City to receive the coveted ranking.
Admiral Hotel MGallery
MGallery Hotels around the world are boutique properties with one-off designs and “intriguing stories to tell.” Located in historic buildings and cities such as Sapporo, Sydney, Paris, Versailles and Saigon, Manila’s Admiral Hotel MGallery sits on historic Roxas Boulevard in the Bay Area.
The hotel is the first MGallery in the Philippines. Its interiors reinterpret classic Spanish design and contemporary Filipino architectural elements for a narrative that is truly local.
Browse the 2024 Michelin Guide Hotels and book here.