Two hotels in Oxfordshire have been recognised in a new awards scheme from the Michelin Guide.

The Michelin Keys have been created to recognise outstanding hotels around the UK which is the "culmination of countless hours of evaluation" from inspectors.

A hotel can be awarded One, Two or Three Keys, which is the equivalent of Michelin stars for a restaurant.

Discussing the Keys, the Michelin Guide explained: "These are places that significantly add to your experience as a traveller, each vetted by our hotel experts and judged excellent in 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."

The full list of the UK winners of Michelin Keys for 2024 can be found on the website here.

What Oxfordshire hotels won Michelin Keys?

The hotels recognised in the new Michelin Guide awards scheme were:

  • Great Milton, England: Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, A Belmond Hotel, Oxfordshire (Three keys)
  • Oxford: Artist Residence Oxfordshire (One key)

Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, A Belmond Hotel, Oxfordshire

The reviewers said: "It couldn't be more English, except for the fact that Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons is the brainchild of a Frenchman, the celebrated chef Raymond Blanc.

"And this Frenchman has made sure to make Le Manoir more playful than your typical English country home. Throughout there are touches designed to tweak the notorious stiff upper lip. No matter what time of day, a bottle of Champagne awaits. And the baths are naughtily large, with candles ready for lighting.

"In one room, twin baths lie side by side underneath a canopy — and Le Manoir is the first house in the country to sport bathrooms that open onto bedrooms, ensuring that your pleasure is seamless.

"But just as Le Manoir is un-English in its surroundings, it is equally un-French in its food. The self-taught chef Raymond Blanc scorns the trappings usually affiliated with haute cuisine. 'The protocol of the table kills the joy,' he explains. The vast grounds outside include the two acre kitchen garden, where he grows his own vegetables and herbs.

"And though the dishes are divine — deep sea scallops and macaroni in black truffle cream, with the Burgundy and Sancerre flowing like nectar — and the prices admittedly steep, everywhere in the dining room is the buzz of lively conversation and the relaxed expressions of people having an unpretentious good time.

"There's no gym or pool at Le Manoir; for those in dire need of exercise, there's croquet, and the hotel also hosts one of the most respected cooking schools in the country, for anyone interested in duplicating their meals at home.

"Otherwise, wander around the grounds safe in the knowledge that like in most ancient country homes, there was once a poltergeist in residence, but superstitiously-bent Blanc has had it exorcised."

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Artist Residence Oxfordshire

They said: "Right between Oxford and the Cotswolds, in the village of South Leigh, stands a 16th-century farmhouse that’s slowly evolved into a classic country pub.

"Under the Artist Residence banner, it’s a one-of-a-kind boutique inn that combines high-end comforts and a visual style that incorporates antique architecture and objects and modern furniture and contemporary art.

"Rooms feature Bramley bath products and either rain showers or roll-top tubs; the Mason Arms, the pub-style bar and restaurant, serves upscale English country fare in a dining room full of artworks, including a neon sculpture by Andy Doig."