Taste
These 5 design hotels compete for the MICHELIN Award
A hotel can be comfortable, stylish or spectacular. But sometimes the building itself is reason enough to visit. These are the five nominees for the MICHELIN Guide Architecture & Design Award 2026.
Mandarin Oriental Qianmen – Beijing, China
Not a towering landmark, but 42 traditional courtyard houses in the heart of one of Beijing's oldest hutong neighbourhoods. For Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, historic dwellings were carefully restored, preserving centuries-old bricks, roof tiles, wooden beams and original trees. Modern luxury was then subtly added. The result: you stay not just in Beijing, but become part of a centuries-old urban neighbourhood.
The Maybourne Riviera – Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, France
The Maybourne Riviera makes no apologies for its location. The modernist hotel stretches across three levels along a steep cliff face on the Côte d'Azur. Seven suites are even built into the cliff itself. Abundant glass, light mineral tones and lines that follow the landscape's contours ensure the Mediterranean Sea commands constant attention. An art collection featuring works by Louise Bourgeois completes the picture.
The Lindis – Omarama, New Zealand
The Lindis works hard to disappear. The lodge's undulating roof follows the mountains of Ahuriri Valley, while mirrored Pod rooms blend into the landscape. Inside, floor-to-ceiling windows offer an almost uninterrupted view across the valley. Behind the scenes, the design is equally considered: geothermal heat pumps, underfloor heating and specialist glass help the hotel withstand extreme weather conditions.
Desert Rock Resort – Umluj, Saudi Arabia
Why build next to a mountain when you can live inside one? Desert Rock Resort disappears almost entirely among the rock formations of the Hijaz Mountains. Accommodation ranges from villas on the desert floor to dwellings between the rocks and ten suites carved directly into the mountain. Even the stone removed during construction was recycled for stairs, bridges and pathways.
Ambiente, A Landscape Hotel – Sedona, United States
In Sedona's red-hued landscape stand forty freestanding glass cubes on stilts. These so-called Atriums are deliberately raised above the desert floor to preserve the plants and water flows beneath. Bronze-tinted windows reflect the surroundings, while the rooms themselves offer generous views of rock formations and pine forests. And for those who want more: each room has its own rooftop terrace for stargazing.
Which of these five architectural achievements will take the prize remains to be seen. The winner of the MICHELIN Architecture & Design Award 2026 will be announced on 18 September.
