The MICHELIN Guide is building on its already established authority in the culinary scene and expanding into hospitality further by focussing on luxury hotels and stays, architecture and design.
Aiming to honour excellence in a selection of categories in hospitality, the MICHELIN Guide has embraced a new global initiative in the form of the MICHELIN Keys and a suite of Special Awards, which as of this month includes the inaugural Architecture & Design Award. This category recognises hotels whose architecture and design do more than impress, they transform the guest experience.
The MICHELIN Architecture & Design Award is a brand new award category, with the winner to be announced at an awards ceremony on October 8, 2025, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.
And amongst the five nominees for the inaugural award is Saudi Arabia's world famous, Shebara Resort in The Red Sea.
Nominees for MICHELIN Architecture & Design Award
Shebara Resort, Saudi Arabia
MICHELIN Description: Futuristic chrome pearls camouflaged by the Red Sea.
Selected by MICHELIN inspectors is Shebara Resort, the futuristic eco-retreat in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea region. With its shimmering, futuristic, orb-like villas and marine-conscious engineering, Shebara is not just a resort, it has become a statement of the Kingdom's intent. Part of the ambitious Red Sea Project, the luxury resort features 73 villas, 38 of which float above pristine coral reefs on slender columns designed to minimise seabed disruption. Built off-site and transported nearly complete, the structures reflect sunlight and sea, blending into their surroundings with quiet elegance. Powered by solar energy and equipped with its own desalination and reverse osmosis systems, Shebara has earned a LEED Platinum rating, underscoring its commitment to sustainability.
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Atlantis The Royal, Dubai
MICHELIN Description: Stacked geometry redefining Dubai's skyline.
A radical reimagining of the traditional skyscraper, this ultra-luxury hotel comprises six interlocking towers with cantilevered blocks that create shaded, naturally ventilated outdoor spaces, and offer guests sweeping balconies with expansive views over Palm Jumeirah or the Arabian Gulf. With 795 rooms, 15 restaurants - including several MICHELIN starred-premises, a sky-high Dolce & Gabbana infinity pool and a dramatic skybridge, Atlantis The Royal is a vertical neighbourhood that merges colossal design and spectacle with sustainability.
Benesse House, Japan
MICHELIN Description: Tadao Ando's art-hotel masterpiece on a tiny Japanese island.
Part museum, part hotel, Benesse House on Japan’s Naoshima Island, allows guests to live within an art piece. Designed by Tadao Ando, its minimalist architecture complements the island’s installations, creating a meditative cultural escape. Built on elevated terrain overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, its minimalist concrete structure features large apertures and terraced layouts that blur the boundaries between interior and nature. The complex integrates site-specific artworks throughout its galleries and lodging spaces, creating a seamless experience where architecture, art, and the natural environment coexist in quiet harmony.
Rosewood Sao Paolo, Brazil
MICHELIN Description: A vertical indigenous forest by Jean Nouvel rising from the city.
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel with interiors by Philippe Starck, the property integrates over 10,000 native trees and features more than 450 site-specific artworks by Brazilian artists. This trellised skyscraper is found wrapped in native greenery, and stands beside the restored maternity hospital below, creating a striking visual dialogue between past and future. Sustainability and cultural preservation are central to its design, making it both a tribute to Brazil’s past and a bold statement of its creative future.
Villa Nai 3.3, Croatia
MICHELIN Description: Yacht-sleek interiors carved directly into the Adriatic shoreline.
Seamlessly embedded into the terrain of Dugi Otok Island, with its geometric structure following the natural contours of a 40,000 sqm organic olive grove, Villa Nai 3.3 is an impactful design from the repertoire of acclaimed Croatian architect Nikola Bašić. Built using stone excavated directly from the site, the resort blends sustainability with craftsmanship, achieving an A+ energy rating and minimising environmental impact. The interiors feature Italian designer furnishings, marble bathrooms by Agape, and panoramic views that connect guests to the surrounding sea and landscape in quiet harmony.
What Will This New Award Category Recognise?
A newly announced category to the growing MICHELIN Guide portfolio, this award celebrates hotels where architecture and design are not just visual statements but immersive, purposeful elements of the stay, adding to the guest experience and perhaps even being one of the top draws for visitors. A panel of MICHELIN inspectors have evaluated the nominees based on how the physical space enhances the emotional and experiential quality of hospitality.
Key considerations for this award category include:
- Innovation and originality in design
- Integration with the environment or cultural context
- Functionality and comfort
- Sustainability and material use
- How the design contributes to a memorable guest experience
