Not Just Restaurants: Five Hotels in Kazakhstan Receive MICHELIN Keys
Kazakhstan has made its debut on the MICHELIN hotel map. A total of 14 hotels from the country have been included in the MICHELIN Key Selection 2026.
Five of them received One MICHELIN Key, the first level of MICHELIN’s hotel distinction, awarded to properties that offer an especially memorable stay.
In Astana, the Keys went to The Veil Hotel, The St. Regis Astana and The Ritz-Carlton, Astana. In Almaty, they were awarded to The Ritz-Carlton, Almaty and Tenir Eco Hotel (Shymbulak Mountain Resort).
The other nine hotels were included in the MICHELIN Guide Selection. They are Sheraton Astana Hotel, Swissôtel Wellness Resort Alatau Almaty, Qazaq Auyl Eco Hotel, Qazaq Garden, Donatello Premium Almaty, Radisson Blu Hotel Almaty Airport, Zvezdnaya Eco-Hotel, YURTA Boutique Hotel and Medina Palace Hotel in Turkistan.
The MICHELIN Key system was introduced in 2024. It has three levels: One, Two and Three MICHELIN Keys.
Unlike the MICHELIN Stars awarded to restaurants, the MICHELIN Key focuses on the overall guest experience. Inspectors visit hotels anonymously and assess their architecture and design, service, atmosphere, character, value for money and connection to their destination.
These are Kazakhstan’s first-ever distinctions in the MICHELIN Key system. The country was among 10 new destinations added to the guide in 2026, alongside Armenia, Botswana, Mongolia, Rwanda and others.
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