In my dual roles as a travel writer and travel advisor, I stay at a lot of hotels. So when the Michelin awards came out recently, I paid special attention to the newest winners, several of whom I had the pleasure of staying in!
Here are a few of my favorites in the South, personally vouched for, which I can book for you, all of which have one key.
1. The Collector Luxury Inn & Gardens, St. Augustine, Florida
I stayed here on a recent visit to St. Augustine and loved the layout, made up of several historic homes on one campus. The site was formerly the Dow Museum of Historic Houses and dates back to 1790. The adults-only hotel has daily breakfast, valet parking, and an on-site bar and outdoor pool.
2. Hotel Clermont, Atlanta, Georgia
This hotel has been my favorite in Atlanta since it opened, and its status remains unchanged. The vibe is playful, pulling from midcentury elements, inside the storied 1924 building. It’s home to an award-winning restaurant, Tiny Lou’s, as well as an infamous basement dive bar, the Clermont Lounge. You can even bring a group to the bunk rooms!
3. The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, Greensboro, Georgia
The area between Atlanta and Athens is a welcome escape from the city pace, and this Ritz-Carlton is ideal for exactly that. It feels like a luxury lake house, where you can go paddleboarding, fishing, and swimming while taking advantage of five-star dining. It’s also known for its golf course, but I personally opted for the spa.
4. Proximity Hotel, Greensboro, North Carolina
Set in suburban Greensboro, Proximity Hotel holds the distinction of being one of the first LEED Platinum certified hotels in the United States. The interior design, furnishings, and art are custom and locally inspired, not to mention carefully selected for their environmental impact. Don’t skip Print Works Bistro, a restaurant offering modern European-style cuisine.
5. ARRIVE Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina
I stayed here right after it opened (as in the restaurant wasn’t open yet!), and I loved that it used to be a hotel big with the local film industry. Guest rooms feature luxury details such as Bellino fine linens, marble‑accented bathrooms, Apple TVs, and Grown Alchemist bath amenities.
6. Post House Inn, Charleston, South Carolina
Originally the circa 1896 Post Office in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village, the Post House Inn is the perfect stay in what’s one of Charleston’s most charming neighborhoods. Rooms are individually designed, and the downstairs restaurant has a lively tavern feel with upscale coastal cuisine. This is also a great spot if you’re an Outer Banks fan, as several filming locations are around the corner.
7. The Hotel Chalet at the Choo Choo, Chattanooga, Tennessee
My sister spent several years living right across the street, so you could say I paid special attention to the renovation of what became Hotel Chalet at the Chattanooga Choo Choo. It combines traditional hotel rooms, adjacent to the historic train station, with restored train cars. It has a seasonal pool, a lobby coffee shop, and Elsie’s Daughter, a buzzy restaurant.
Honorable Mentions
Let’s start with our two key properties! The Hornibrook Mansion, Empress of Little Rock, is an incredible 1888 Victorian mansion in the Arkansas capital. It’s in the Governor’s Mansion Historic District.
I love a Rosewood, and the Rosewood Washington, D.C., is high on my list, set in the charming Georgetown neighborhood. Enjoy a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, a rooftop pool, and perks like daily breakfast.
The two-key Montage Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton is absolutely beautiful, and I’ve only ever gotten to drive around, not actually stay there. Set on the water, it has inn rooms and cottages plus dining, a spa, and golf. You may also recall that the Biebers got married here!
Charleston has several excellent hotels, but The Loutrel is the first to nab two key status. Guests enjoy daily breakfast, a rooftop lounge, and attentive service. It was also named the #1 Hotel in Charleston by Travel + Leisure in 2022.
Tennessee has two properties with two keys as well. Nashville’s The Hermitage Hotel, which opened in 1910. Since then, it’s been connected to several important historic moments, including women’s suffrage. It also has a Jean-Georges restaurant and a popular bar.
Blackberry Farm in Walland, on the edge of the Smokies, almost needs no introduction. The rural farm resort gets guests from around the globe for its fine dining cuisine and luxurious accommodations.
The biggest additions to the list are in the one key category, starting with Forth Hotel Atlanta, a chic hotel and social club with a rooftop bar and an Italian restaurant steps away from the Beltline.
I only popped into Hotel Genevieve in Louisville on my last visit, but I definitely need to stay there next time. The Bunkhouse property is decorated like my house, with a rooftop bar, a secret speakeasy, and the best restaurants of NuLu just steps away.
Hotel Peter and Paul is part of the Ash group, another favorite of mine, set in four historic 19th-century buildings in New Orleans. It has 71 rooms, each slightly different in style, located in the Marigny, a neighborhood where you’ll find more locals than tourists.
Poised to become the next great luxury resort, Southall Farm and Inn in Franklin, just outside of Nashville, is on over 300 acres. Its restaurant is already getting buzz, originally opened by Chef Sean Brock.
Caroline Eubanks 