Luxury travel is no longer just about expensive rooms and marble bathrooms. Today, more travellers want authentic experiences that connect them with local culture and food. Speaking at the Euronews Travel & Tourism Summit in Brussels, Marie-France Perrel from the Michelin Guide explained that modern high-end hospitality now focuses on combining great dining, wellness, and a strong connection to the destination.
Food plays a key role in this change. In the past, people treated eating and travelling as separate activities, but now they view them as part of the same journey. Many holidaymakers plan entire trips around specific culinary experiences, such as visiting a famous local restaurant or taking walking food tours. Michelin data shows that people searching for hotels in Northern Europe frequently look for nearby restaurants at the same time.
To recognize top hotel experiences, Michelin introduced the "Michelin Key" distinction in 2024. Similar to restaurant stars, keys grade hotels on quality, ranging from one key for a very special stay to three keys for an extraordinary trip. The 2026 selection features 2,832 hotels across 79 destinations, including grand hotels, boutique properties, and quiet retreats.
This broad selection shows that luxury no longer fits a single pattern. To help travellers pick their next vacation, Perrel suggests looking at travel differently: choose a hotel that inspires you first, and then visit its location.