Two luxurious hotels that reside right here in Cowtown now have the distinction of being recognized on a newly released Michelin curated list of the best hotels in the nation.
As of September 12, both the Bowie House, a hotel under the Auberge Resorts Collection, and the Hotel Drover made this highly coveted list, which is curated each year by a panel of anonymous critics.
However, instead of Michelin Stars, which are usually reserved for the culinary field, Michelin for the second year ever, has released a guide of Michelin Keys. The key system, just like the stars, goes from three, being the top tier, to one key.
Bowie House happened to garner a two-key distinction in this guide of the most outstanding hotels in the country.
“It just might be the most stylish building in Fort Worth, Texas; it’s surely the city’s most extraordinary luxury hotel,” The Guide read. “You certainly can’t say it hasn’t been painstakingly localized, from cowhide armchairs in the lobby to the local artworks and upscale Texan cuisine. The rooms and suites are spectacular, as is the pool terrace, and the rest of Bowie House’s common spaces are as inviting as they are impressive.”
Further on down the troth, but still in the conversation, is the Hotel Drover, which garnered a One Key distinction. But this isn't in any way a slight to this Stockyard’s establishment, actually quite the opposite.
The Michelin Guide states that the Hotel Drover is surprisingly successful at striking a balance between Old West character and contemporary boutique-hotel style.
“It’s surprisingly successful — unmistakably Texan but without crossing too far into kitsch, and sophisticated enough to balance out the broad rustic gestures,” the Michelin review read. “There’s a backyard featuring a swimming pool, a hot tub, and plenty of lounge space and outdoor games; restaurants include the upscale 97 West.”
Not bad for a guide that includes over 5,000 hotels across the world that aren’t your typical one-night stay kind of places. In fact, the hotels that make up the guide are places that should significantly add to one’s experience as a traveler.
Each hotel in the guide were judged by five categories: architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, overall personality and character, value for the price, and a significant contribution to the guest experience in a particular setting.
This is where the Key rating system comes into play. After countless hours of evaluation by the team experts, the Key hotels mentioned in the guide represent the highlights of a broader selection. This just means, much like the Michelin Stars for restaurants, the Michelin Keys represent the most outstanding hotels.
This recent Michelin list includes 16 Three Key hotels, 70 Two Key hotels, and 207 One Key Hotels. All-in-all Texas came out with 20 Key hotels.
Michelin, a French tire company of the same name, announced in July that it would be including restaurants from the Lone Star State for the first time in nearly 20 years in this year’s upcoming guide. Michelin will cover five cities in Texas including Fort Worth, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Houston.
Fort Worth's inclusion will last at least three years, according to Mitch Whitten, chief operating officer of Visit Fort Worth, which partnered with Texas Tourism to bring Michelin to the city.
“Fort Worth is the [12th] biggest city in the country now,” says chef Jon Bonnell. “It’s about time we got a little bit of credit for our expansive and vibrant restaurant scene. I'm absolutely thrilled.”
For a complete list of all of the hotels on the Michelin Key list, click here.
