'Hoteliers are reinventing the stay experience': Four Irish hotels newly awarded Michelin Keys 

Created in April 2024, the Michelin Keys aims to highlight hotels that excel in design, architecture, service and personality

The Glenlo Abbey is among the Irish hotels to receive a Michelin Key in the 2026 awards.

Four Irish hotels have been newly awarded Michelin Keys in the Guide's 2026 awards, including in Dublin, Galway and Wexford.

Michelin Keys are a prestigious hotel distinction awarded to the world’s most outstanding accommodations, similar to Michelin Stars for restaurants. There are three levels of the distinction: one key, two keys and three keys, with three keys being the top award.

Created in April 2024, the award aims to highlight hotels that excel in design, architecture, service and personality.

This year, the Michelin Guide inspectors selected 470 new hotels across 79 destinations. The 2026 selection also introduced Michelin Keys in 10 destinations for the first time, while more than 80 hotels were promoted within the selection. The global selection now includes 2,832 Michelin Key hotels: 155 three-key hotels, 657 two-key hotels, and 2,020 one-key hotels.

The Lounge at The Fitzwilliam Hotel.

The selection spans a wide range of properties, from historic landmarks and grand hotels to independent boutiques, remote retreats and innovative new openings.

In Ireland, four hotels were newly awarded Michelin Keys. 

The Leinster in Co Dublin, the Fitzwilliam Hotel in Co Dublin, Glenlo Abbey Hotel in Co Galway and Marlfield House Hotel in Co Wexford each received One Key distinctions.

Pullman, the Galway restaurant housed in two decommissioned Orient Express carriages on the grounds of Glenlo Abbey and overlooking Lough Corrib.

Two hotels retained their three key distinctions in this year's list: Adare Manor in Co Limerick and Ballyfin Demesne in Co Laois.

Five hotels retained their two-key distinction from last year too, including Cashel Palace in Co Tipperary and The Merrion in Co Dublin.

The full list of Irish hotels with keys includes:

Three Key Hotels

• Adare Manor, Co Limerick 
• Ballyfin Demesne, Co Laois 

Two Key Hotels

• Cashel Palace, Co Tipperary 
• Ashford Castle, Co Mayo 
• Park Hotel Kenmare, Co Kerry 
• Sheen Falls Lodge, Co Kerry 
• The Merrion, Co Dublin

One Key Hotels

• Castlemartyr Resort, Co Cork 
• Gregans Castle Hotel, Co Clare 
• Dromoland Castle, Co Clare 
• The Leinster, Co Dublin 
• The Fitzwilliam Hotel, Co Dublin 
• Dylan, Co Dublin 
• The Wilder Townhouse, Co Dublin 
• Glenlo Abbey Hotel, Co Galway 
• The Killarney Park, Co Kerry 
• The Victoria, Co Kerry 
• No. 1 Pery Square, Co Limerick 
• Marlfield House Hotel, Co Wexford 
• Regency House, Belfast

For Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide, the growth of the hotel selection comes at a particularly interesting moment for the industry.

As the Guide expands its presence across the world of hospitality and lifestyle, he points to the role of independent and boutique hotels in keeping the sector moving forward.

The Leinster Suite at The Leinster in Co Dublin.

“This second global selection of the Michelin Keys reflects the extraordinary momentum driving the hospitality sector once again this year. With nearly 470 newly distinguished establishments, we are witnessing a continuous upscaling of the offering, driven by even more creative and ambitious projects. All around the world, hoteliers are reinventing the stay experience through more immersive, personalised, and experiential concepts,” he said.

“This capacity for innovation is expressed both in must-visit destinations and in emerging tourist markets. Often driven by visionary independent hotelkeepers, this evolution in concepts is now inspiring the industry as a whole.

“It is also supported by investments from major international groups, which are helping to accelerate this transformation. The 2026 selection thus celebrates the diversity, vitality, and excellence of an ever-evolving sector, one that continues to push the boundaries of the hospitality experience and invite travellers to discover new destinations.” 

More than 2,200 hotels have been added to the global selection since last year’s Michelin Key announcement in October 2025.

Europe and Asia recorded the largest numbers of new additions. There was significant growth in France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom, as well as in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and Saudi Arabia.

The Americas also saw notable additions in Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and the United States, while Inspectors were particularly impressed by the strength of this year’s new selections across Africa and Oceania.

The Michelin Key is also reaching new destinations such as Armenia, Benin, Botswana, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Mongolia, Myanmar, Rwanda, Slovakia and Zimbabwe.