Unshakeable standards, award-winning design and gracious hospitality command top-dollar in the creme de la creme of luxury hotels, which are revered as legitimate landmarks in their cities.
Top that with 3-Michelin starred temples of gastronomy led by globally acclaimed chefs and applauded for inventive cuisine, impeccable presentation and imaginative interiors. And you have a drool-worthy list for true connoisseurs.
The BusinessClass.com guide to hotels that boast a three Michelin-starred restaurant:
Alain Ducasse by Chef Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Park Lane, London
Dark wood and leather banquettes combine with cut-glass candleholders to create a sensory extravaganza in this celebrated three-Michelin-starred restaurant, which promises superb views of the lush greenery of Hyde Park. Guests can enjoy a semi-private dining experience in Table Lumière behind a shimmering curtain of fibre optic lights suspended from the four-metre high ceiling. Seafood is the star of the gourmet experience, but the surprise package is a vegetarian tasting menu that includes dishes like fermented green asparagus with morel mushrooms. Choices vary from French classics like 'Sauté Gourmand of Lobster to original creations like fermented cabbage with caviar and juniper berries.
Luxurious and exclusive in its classical English residential style, the 250-key hotel is a West End landmark with a legacy dating 1931. The property has consistently won the favour of royalty and celebrities…in fact, this is the hotel that Prince Philip chose to host his bachelor party. Sumptuous seating and exotic floral displays mark the interiors. Large, comfortable English country house rooms have deep tubs and are decorated with floral, acorn and oak leaf motifs. Three top-floor suites feature wallpaper with beaded-glass accents.
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Aqua by Chef Sven Elverfeld at The Ritz-Carlton, Parkstraße, Wolfsburg
The aquatic theme has been brilliantly incorporated into the design of this chic 3-star Michelin restaurant, which features a waterbody in the private garden, shimmering metal curtains and an accent chandelier evoking images of imaginary sea creatures. Culinary wizardry dusted with sophistication whips up elegant yet simple tasting menus with exciting names. The showstopper is "Jean Claude Miéral", pigeon breast with aubergine, avocado, soya, Pak Choi, roasted garlic & bergamot. Signature offerings include spiced chicken skin with avocado and olive, oyster with peanut, cucumber, ginger and elderberry, and roebuck with cabbage and wild mushroom. The Champagne cream sorbet “Edition Ruinart Rosé” is to die for.
Drawing inspiration from the surrounding automotive theme park, The Ritz-Carlton Wolfsburg is a stunning circular glass and natural stone structure, with views of the four chimneys of the original 1930's Volkswagen Kraftwerk Power Station. Art, architecture, and automobiles culminate in an upscale, comfortable atmosphere. The dramatic design of the 40-metre outdoor floating pool and the constant temperature of 29 degrees promises a surreal swimming experience. 147 ultra-luxe rooms and 23 suites are dressed with leather accents. The lobby has the intimacy of an art collectors' home with fireplaces, objet d'art and photography.
Atelier by Chef Jan Hartwig at Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Promenadeplatz, Munich
Low ceilings enhance the intimate yet luxurious style of this award-winning restaurant. The gloss and matte interiors are enriched with raw wood and natural tones. A cosy Atelier private room opening onto a terrace is perfect for a small group. The five- or seven-course menu features modern European dishes dressed with international accents. Simplicity and structure strings all the elements of the culinary journey. Some must-try options are Scottish Loch Duart salmon and the guinea fowl 'excellence' cooked in Vin Jaune and chicken broth and oyster with nashi pear.
Discrete, understated with contemporary amenities and heritage glamour dating back to 1841, make up this legendary hotel commissioned by King Ludwig I of Bavaria himself. Decor drama is pumped up by the glass-domed lounge area, a hall of mirrors and an Art Deco ballroom. There are bird's eye views of the historic Frauenkirche from the 1,300 square-metre Blue Spa Bar & Lounge on the rooftop. 263 rooms and 74 suites vary from classic, colonial to opulent Parisian. The 350 square metre Penthouse Garden Suite covers the entire eighth floor. Guests can expect end-to-end pampering with an onsite nightclub, cinema lounge, five restaurants, six bars and a theatre.
Le Cinq by Chef Christian Le Squer at Four Seasons Hotel George V, Avenue George V, Paris
A period salon with resplendent rococo decor, Le Cinq recreates the bygone era of Parisian high society with elan. High ceilings, thick carpets, mirror-lined walls, gilt mouldings and elaborate sculptures are the ingredients that define standards in this plush 3-star Michelin restaurant. Classical French cuisine is paired with the rarest wines to produce signature dishes like line-caught sea bass with caviar and buttermilk, lightly smoked eel with black bread, grape juice reduction, and strawberries with white chocolate and liquorice granita. This is a dining venue glittering with indulgences of the bourgeois kind.
Glamorous, romantic and refined, this historic flagship of the Four Seasons chain is the ultimate luxury address in the City of Lights, right by the Champs-Elysées. Period interiors are marked by antiques and artworks, crystal chandeliers, and 17th-century Flanders tapestries greet guests in the 244 palatial rooms. Classic Louis XV style, vintage-styled stationery and comfy armchairs. Marble bathrooms offer indulgences like mirror television and green tea-perfumed Bulgari products. The 170-square feet Penthouse suite has the whiff of a spacious and elegant home, a 360-degree panorama of Paris and an enviable view of the Eiffel Tower.
Lung King Heen by Chef Chan Yan Tak at Four Seasons Hotel, Finance Street, Hong Kong
The world's first Chinese restaurant with a Michelin three-star rating is a Cantonese food paradise boasting jaw-dropping views of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour. During the day, natural light flooding in from the full-size glass windows shows off the rosewood interiors and silver accents. The culinary highlights are delicately crafted dim sum, succulent roast meats, crispy pork ribs, and a roving Champagne cart. Purity of oriental flavours, textures and spices come to life in the signature dishes like pineapple pork buns with barbecued pork and pine nuts, crispy scallops with fresh pear, prawn paste and yunnan ham and baked whole abalone puff with diced chicken.
This impressive harbour-front hotel has flawless service, fabulous facilities, and world-class dining options with magnificent Victoria Harbour views out the front, the heart of Hong Kong Island at its back, with the glitzy IFC mall linked by air-conditioned walkways. 399 rooms and suites rooms have authentic local artwork like silkscreens and contemporary calligraphy, temperature-regulated mattresses with down mattress toppers, lavish bathrooms and magnificent city or harbour views. The Executive Club gives access to the 45th-floor lounge, a wraparound balcony. Unwinding is easy with early morning tai chi on weekends and many therapeutic treatments in the world-class spa.
Note: Four Seasons Hong Kong has a second three Michelin-starred restaurant – Caprice. It offers a classic French savoir-faire whilst its adjacent and intimate Caprice Bar enjoys an extensive wine list – 1400 bottles, mainly Gallic - and a range of freshly imported French cheeses. Chef Guillaume Galliot takes you on a journey through France – with tongue-tazzling effect.
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Hélène Darroze by Chef Hélène Darroze at The Connaught Hotel, Mayfair, London
The imaginative decor of this much-loved, three-Michelin-starred London institution is defined by fluted oak panelled walls, curved pastel-coloured banquettes. A bespoke chandelier, two artworks by Damien Hirst and a ceiling fresco by French artist Rochegaussen add special touches to the pleasant ambience. Culinary craft oozes through a five- and seven-course menu, a blend of Asian influences and premium quality UK-sourced ingredients. Stylised fare includes the sweet Cornish crab with a clean-tasting pomelo mousse and Denbighshire pigeon. The brandy-soaked Baba dessert with a choice of Armagnacs remains an evergreen favourite.
One of London's most respected hotels occupies a prime position in posh Mayfair. The handsome red-brick townhouse hotel exudes stylish sophistication and homely flair with a collection of contemporary artworks, a solid mahogany staircase in the lobby, dark polished woods, shiny marble, and soft-coloured corniced ceilings. Standout dining experience boasts two fine restaurants and a bar with a coveted martini trolley. Elegant rooms feature deep carpets, plush upholstery, Bose docking stations, marble bathrooms, heated loo seats, and Cowshed products. The Apartment is a two-bedroom penthouse suite with a separate dining room for eight.
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Le Louis XV by Chefs Dominique Lory and Alain Ducasse at Hôtel de Paris Monte Carlo, Place du Casino, Monte Carlo
Gilded, frescoed and marbled ornate decor of the Rococo kind mirrors the opulence of the Palace of Versailles in Monaco's most prestigious three-Michelin-starred restaurant. Mediterranean haute cuisine is showcased with a contemporary flair, using flavoursome sauces, aromatic broths and fresh condiments. The typically Provençal dishes, tinged with Northern Italian and Asian influences, are designed to take guests on a culinary journey of the French Riviera. Baby pigeon with sautéed duck liver, Provençal vegetables with crushed truffles and the signature Cookpot are unmissable. Menus are complemented by exquisite wines from a cellar containing around 400,000 bottles.
This decadent 1864 Belle Époque palace standing next to the Casino and Opera House is an icon in its own right. Gilded and marbled interiors flaunt a famous glass dome and marbled colonnades. The beautiful tree-lined interior courtyard is home to Graff, Harry Winston, Omega and Stardust boutiques with exclusive pieces. 19th-century rooms make an impression with fabric panelled walls, Art Deco details, and marble bathrooms make up the 19th-century rooms. Larger rooms have a sea or harbour view. The 5,650-square-foot Prince Rainier III Suite comes with a 1,455-square-foot, split-level terrace with a 32-foot infinity pool overlooking Place du Casino for epic views of the Grand Prix.
La Pergola by Chef Heinz Beck at Rome Cavalieri, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Via Alberto Cadlolo, Rome
The city's first and only restaurant with three Michelin stars commands centre-stage on the top floor, affording guests heart-stopping views of the Eternal City and the Vatican. The decor is nothing short of grandiose with rare antiques, Aubusson tapestries and Art Nouveau lights. Italian and Mediterranean dishes are presented with passion and imagination and paired with superlative samples from a 53,000-strong wine cellar. Umbrian truffles, Tropean onion jam, Treviso radicchio, and Lazio cheeses push the flavours to the edge of perfection. Among the many dishes that impress are King prawns in tempura on purée of fried squids and Saint Peter's fish in a liquorice crust.
The grand Waldorf Astoria resort in the exclusive Monte Mario neighbourhood overlooks the Eternal City and Vatican City. 15 acres of the hotel's grounds accommodate three pools, two tennis courts, wooded parkland, manicured gardens, a palatial spa and al fresco dining. Opulence is reflected in tufted velvet, wood panelling and gold leaf, besides rich tapestry, antiques and three gorgeous Tiepolo masterpieces. All rooms come with separate living areas and private balconies, large marble bathrooms, and a wide exhaustive pillow menu. The Planetarium suite stands out with a sweeping rooftop terrace and hot tub.
La Yeon by Chef Kim Sung Il at The Shilla Seoul, Jung-gu, Seoul
Decorated with three Michelin Stars, La Yeon is a sophisticated Korean diner occupying the 23rd floor of The Shilla Hotel. Eye-popping views of Namsan Park and immaculate culinary expertise come together in a minimalist-style restaurant, which infuses age-old Hansik traditions into high-end modern cuisine. Diners have a choice of two tasting menus. The 10-course 'Feast' includes seared beef rolls and seasonal fish, and the 11-course 'Shilla' has hanwoo beef for the main course. Carpaccio of geoduck clams and eel brushed with a mild gochujang glaze and grill are worth trying.
The oldest luxury hotel in Seoul stands behind Seoul's medieval city walls, adjacent to the 23-acre, lush Jangchungdan Park. Calming beige and taupe interiors, contemporary design features and traditional patterns are the key elements of this historic property, which houses a Guerlain Spa and a quiet luxury mall. 465 chic rooms, blending Eastern and Western styles, are fitted with large beds, dark wood furnishings, yacht-style private bars and sliding rice-paper window screens. The Shilla Suite has a dining room to seat 10, an oversized living room, a kitchenette, a sauna and an uninterrupted view of Namsan Mountain from the bathtub.
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ABac by Chef Jordi Cruz at ABaC Hotel, Av. del Tibidabo, Barcelona
The two-Michelin-starred restaurant, located in the hotel's pavilion, has large windows facing the green-splashed garden outside. Modern, minimalist interiors, design lighting and dark polished floors create a relaxed yet elegant vibe. The 20-course menu includes creative dishes like cured foie gras and spicy, lavender roasted pigeon, while the 25-course version has Roman-style squid and bouillabaisse with crunchy red prawn. Pushing the envelope are the grilled eel fried brioche with "all i oli" and fresh wasabi and the roasted grouse with beetroot romesco. The desserts are pure decadence.
This intimate 15-room boutique hotel is housed in a 19th-century Catalan mansion with a Zen garden, located in Gràcia, at the base of Avenida Tibidado in northern Barcelona. A subterranean spa is fitted with a relaxation pool and submerged loungers. Avant-garde and airy guest rooms, styled in ivory-whites, have vivid blankets, velvet throws, hardwood floors and high-tech lighting sensitive to movement. The compact, divided bathrooms come with whirlpool tubs and 'rainfall' showerheads. Banquette-style sofas line the picture windows in some of the larger rooms.
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