Houston is home to the only hotel in Texas to receive one of the world’s most prestigious awards for exceptional stays. The Michelin Guide has awarded a coveted Michelin Key to the Hotel Saint Augustine, the boutique property in Montrose from the Austin-based Bunkhouse Hotels that opened in late 2024.

In its entry on the Michelin website, the guide hails the 71 room property:

Tucked into Montrose’s leafy streets, Hotel Saint Augustine is a thoughtfully composed stay with a strong design point of view. Spread across five buildings, it mixes eras and materials like burled walnut, red lacquer, Calacatta Viola, with sculptural furniture and vintage finds. Guest rooms offer a softer counterpoint to the richness of the public spaces, some with screened porches set among the trees. It is smart, well-made, and exactly what this part of Houston was missing.

Earning a Michelin Key is only the latest recognition for the year-old hotel. In April, both Esquire and Travel + Leisure named the property to their best new hotel lists. Last month, Bon Appetit included Perseid, the hotel’s French restaurant that’s led by chef Aaron Bludorn, on its list of America’s 20 best new restaurants.

"Receiving the Michelin Key so early in our journey is both an incredible honor and a humbling moment for everyone at Hotel Saint Augustine," general manager Omar Abreu said in response to CultureMap's request for comment. "It’s a recognition not just of the spaces we’ve created, but of the team’s dedication to crafting experiences that feel personal, thoughtful, and memorable for every guest. We’re proud to bring the distinctive experience of a Bunkhouse Hotel stay to life here in Houston, and this accolade motivates us to continue pushing boundaries, setting new standards, and sharing the unique spirit of the Bayou City with our guests from around the world."

Announced on Wednesday, October 8, Michelin added 37 hotels nationwide to its roster of Michelin Key-worth properties, bringing the total in the U.S. to over 300. Hotel Saint Augustine joins Houston’s three other Michelin Key properties, which were among the inaugural class that Michelin announced last year — The Post Oak Hotel, Hotel ZaZa Houston (Museum District), and Hotel ZaZa Memorial City. The Carr Mansion in Galveston also holds one Michelin Key.

Similar to the famous Michelin Stars awarded to restaurants, hotels may receive one, two, or three keys, which is defined as follows:

• One Michelin Key for hotels that offer "very special" stays with service that "provides significantly more than similarly priced establishments."
• Two Michelin Keys for "exceptional stays" where memorable guest experiences are "always guaranteed" with a special emphasis on the hotel's design or architecture.
• Three Michelin Keys for hotels that provide "extraordinary stays" for "the ultimate in comfort and service, style and elegance."

As part of last night’s announcement, the guide did not add any properties to America’s roster of just 16, three-key hotels. It did, however, add four new, two-key selections, including the Inn at Little Washington, which is home to three-star restaurant of the same name.

No properties in Texas hold three Michelin Keys. The states’s only two key properties are the Commodore Perry Estate (Austin), the Bowie House (Fort Worth), and Hotel Emma (San Antonio).