Image courtesy of Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France
Michelin’s second year of hotel awards continues to celebrate places that go beyond great service, rewarding hotels with heart, design, and a real sense of place. In the Caribbean and Central America, this year’s Michelin Key recipients range from storied island icons to rainforest hideaways, each showing how exceptional hospitality can feel both luxurious and laid-back.
Three Michelin Keys
Just two hotels across the Caribbean and Central America earned the top honor this year—one where jungle mist meets hot springs, the other where rosé flows by the sea.
Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France, St. Barth
Image courtesy of Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France
St. Barth’s most iconic address still feels delightfully intimate. Set on Flamands Beach, Cheval Blanc balances French art-de-vivre with the easy rhythm of island life. Whitewashed rooms spill onto private terraces, long lunches fade into sunset cocktails, and Guerlain spa rituals unfold to the sound of the waves. It’s not about formality here—it’s about knowing exactly what guests want before they do. Warm, graceful, and unmistakably St. Barth. For more insider tips, check out our Destination Debrief: St. Barth's.
Fora Perks include complimentary round-trip airport transfers with meet & greet service, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Nayara Springs, Costa Rica
Image courtesy of Nayara Springs
Deep in the Arenal rainforest, Nayara Springs feels like a secret world of its own. The adults-only villas are tucked among palms and heliconias, each with a private plunge pool fed by natural hot springs. Mornings start with birdsong and volcano views, afternoons drift between jungle walks and open-air massages, and evenings mean candlelit dinners surrounded by fireflies. Bridges weave through the canopy, connecting villas to the spa and the rainforest beyond. Read about Fora Advisors’ favorite things to do in Costa Rica here.
Fora Perks include a $100 food and beverage credit, daily breakfast, and an extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Fora Picks: Two Michelin Keys
Our two Michelin Key favorites mark the kind of hotels you remember long after you leave—places that get the details and mood just right. Dinners unfold by the sea, jungle lodges glow with lantern light, and sunsets blur into starlight from a private plunge pool.
Four Seasons Resort & Residences Anguilla
Image courtesy of Four Seasons Resort and Residences Anguilla
Anguilla’s showstopper still knows how to impress. Designed by Kelly Wearstler, the resort combines pale limestone, driftwood tones, and sea views in every direction. Villas and suites open straight onto Meads and Barnes Bays, with horizon-line pools and terraces made for barefoot breakfasts. Mornings start with paddleboarding or tennis; nights end with grilled lobster and a rum cocktail at Sunset Lounge. Families, couples, and groups all find their rhythm here—a resort that feels social yet never crowded.
When you book Four Seasons with a Fora advisor, you will enjoy exclusive Four Seasons Preferred Partner amenities.
Lovango Resort & Beach Club, US Virgin Islands
Image courtesy of Lovango Resort & Beach Club
Reachable only by boat from St. John, Lovango feels like its own private island. The Snider family, known locally for the Zozo’s restaurant group, built it as a self-sustaining hideaway powered by solar energy and sea breezes. The vibe blends island color and cosmopolitan edge: treehouses shaded by palms, a saltwater infinity pool with coral views, and a lively waterfront restaurant where yachts anchor for lunch. Read more about this stylish escape in The Beach Club Edit: Where to See and Be Seen this Summer.
Fora Reserve perks include a $100 hotel credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Boardwalk Boutique Hotel, Aruba
Image courtesy of Boardwalk Boutique Hotel
Run by sisters Kimberly and Stephanie Ritfeld, Boardwalk sits on what was once a coconut plantation just behind Palm Beach. Its 46 casitas are hand-painted in tropical hues, each with its own kitchenette, hammock, and shady patio. There’s a tiny spa, two plunge pools, and an honesty bar stocked with local beer. Guests borrow coolers for the beach, return for happy hour under the palapa, and chat with staff who always remember their favorite cocktail. Warm, relaxed, and proudly independent, it’s the island’s sweetest stay.
Fora Perks include a complimentary bottle of prosecco, a welcome drink and amenity, one complimentary breakfast per person, an extended check-out, and an upgrade whenever possible.
Rio Perdido Hotel & Thermal River, Costa Rica
Image courtesy of Rio Perdido Hotel & Thermal River
Suspended above a canyon where two thermal rivers meet, Rio Perdido feels sculpted by nature itself. Wooden walkways link stilted bungalows to forest trails, mineral pools, and a hanging bridge that sways above the water. The restaurant overlooks the river, serving tilapia with yucca from the property’s garden, and at night, lanterns light the paths through the trees. It’s one of our favorite places to stay in Costa Rica—see more in 7 Stunning Costa Rica Jungle Resorts.
Fora Reserve perks include a welcome chef amenity, a 20% discount on spa and adventure services, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Amanera, Dominican Republic
Image courtesy of Amanera
Carved into the cliffs above Playa Grande, Amanera was designed by architect John Heah as a series of clean-lined pavilions facing the Atlantic. The 25 casitas, all with private pools, feel like modernist sculptures set in the jungle. Guests split their days between the Robert Trent Jones Sr. golf course, the beach club below, and long lunches of grilled octopus at Casa Grande. Every space feels calm, sculptural, and deeply connected to the landscape. Read our Definitive Guide: Dominican Republic for more insider tips.
Fora Perks include a $100 food and beverage credit, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
The rest of the two-key winners
The Caribbean:
Le Barthélemy Hotel & Spa, St. Barth
Rosewood Le Guanahani, St. Barth
The Caves, Jamaica
Eden Roc Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
Jumby Bay Island, Antigua
Hermitage Bay, Antigua
Calabash Hotel, Grenada
Jade Mountain, St. Lucia
Cap Juluca, A Belmond Hotel, Anguilla
Malliouhana, Anguilla
Boardwalk Boutique Hotel, Aruba
Golden Rock Inn, Nevis
Secret Bay, Dominica
Central America:
Casa Chameleon Las Catalinas, Costa Rica
El Silencio Lodge & Spa, Costa Rica
Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica
Nekajui, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Costa Rica
Gaia River Lodge, Belize
Villa Bokeh, Guatemala
Isla Palenque, Panama
Bocas Bali Luxury Water Villas, Panama
Fora Picks: One Michelin Key
Our one Michelin Key favorites have personality—hotels with stories, quirks, and real sense of place. Each one balances style and substance in its own way, from a mid-century villa on Jamaica’s coast to a revived legend in Panama City.
Round Hill Resort & Villas, Jamaica
Image courtesy of Round Hill Resort & Villas
Opened in 1953 as a private seaside club, Round Hill has hosted everyone from JFK to Grace Kelly. The oceanfront villas, many designed by Ralph Lauren, mix colonial details—four-poster beds, fretwork shutters, wicker chairs—with sea breezes and views of Montego Bay. Families spread out across multi-bedroom villas, friends gather for tennis or reef snorkeling, and evenings drift into live mento music under the stars.
Fora Reserve perks include a $100 spa credit, a VIP welcome amenity, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Rosewood Baha Mar, Bahamas
Image courtesy of Rosewood Baha Mar
Rosewood brings understated luxury to Nassau’s Cable Beach with a calm, residential feel. Rooms overlook turquoise water, and the pool scene strikes the right balance between lively and laid-back. The staff remembers your name, the martinis arrive perfectly chilled, and Café Boulud serves some of the best food in the Caribbean. Sophisticated but easygoing, it’s the grown-up side of Baha Mar. For more on where to stay and what to do nearby, see our Definitive Guide: The Bahamas.
Fora's Rosewood Elite partner perks include a $125 resort credit, a welcome amenity, daily breakfast, and an upgrade whenever possible.
Palm Heights, Grand Cayman
Image courtesy of Palm Heights
A retro-modern refuge with a cult following, Palm Heights is as much an art project as a hotel. Suites channel ‘70s beach-house style—all warm wood and sand tones—while the crowd blends locals, creatives, and editors escaping the city. Mornings mean sunrise swims and espresso on the terrace, afternoons drift into long communal lunches at The Coconut Club. It feels more like a stylish friend’s beach house than a resort.
Fora Reserve perks include a $100 hotel credit, a $45 daily breakfast credit per person, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Grace Bay Club, Turks & Caicos
Image courtesy of Grace Bay Club
The island’s first luxury resort still claims the best stretch of Grace Bay. Suites spill toward the sea, each with a personal concierge on call and terraces built for sunrise coffee. The 90-foot Infinity Bar, a black-marble ribbon leading straight to the water, remains the island’s signature photo spot. Families, couples, and long-time regulars all return for the same reason—that never-ending sweep of turquoise that defines Turks & Caicos. Find it among our picks in The 9 Best Hotels in Turks & Caicos.
Fora Reserve perks include a $100-500 hotel credit, a welcome amenity, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo, Panama
Image courtesy of Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo
.In a restored 1917 social club overlooking the Pacific, Sofitel Legend layers Parisian polish over Panamanian history. Marble staircases and brass chandeliers meet rattan chairs and tiled courtyards scented with ylang-ylang. Rooms are elegant yet unfussy, service feels personal, and the location puts the city’s best bars and galleries right outside your door. Downstairs, Mayda Lounge revives the building’s jazz-age spirit with old-school cocktails and live bolero.
Fora's Accor Preferred partner perks include a $100 hotel credit, daily breakfast, and an upgrade and extended check-in/out whenever possible.
The rest of the one-key winners
The Caribbean:
Geejam, Jamaica
Rockhouse Hotel, Jamaica
Goldeneye, Jamaica
Caerula Mar Club, Bahamas
The Potlatch Club, Bahamas
The Cove, Eleuthera, Bahamas
Cobblers Cove, Barbados
Curtain Bluff, Antigua
Spice Island Beach Resort, Grenada
Six Senses La Sagesse, Grenada
Ladera Resort, St. Lucia
Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort, St. Lucia
Grace Bay Club, Turks & Caicos
COMO Parrot Cay, Turks & Caicos
Amanyara, Turks & Caicos
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman
St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, Puerto Rico
Le Martin Boutique Hôtel, St. Martin
Hotel Christopher, St. Barth
Tropical Hotel, St. Barth
Le Sereno, St. Barth
Hotel Manapany, St. Barth
Hôtel Barrière Le Carl Gustaf, St. Barth
Gyp Sea, St. Barth
Golden Rock Resort, Sint Eustatius
The Loren at Pink Beach, Bermuda
Rosewood Bermuda
Tortuga Bay, Puntacana Resort & Club, Dominican Republic
Casas Del XVI, Dominican Republic
Rosewood Little Dix Bay, British Virgin Islands
Mandarin Oriental, Canouan, St Vincent & Grenadines
Central America:
Origins Luxury Lodge, Costa Rica
Kura Boutique Hotel, Costa Rica
Rancho Pacifico, Costa Rica
Sendero Hotel, Costa Rica
Hotel Aguas Claras, Costa Rica
Lapa Rios, Costa Rica
Silvestre Nosara Hotel & Residences, Costa Rica
Rio Celeste Hideaway Hotel, Costa Rica
Esh Hotel & Spa, Costa Rica
Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica
Thatch Caye Resort, Belize
Copal Tree Lodge, a Muy'Ono Resort, Belize
Blancaneaux Lodge, Belize
Posada del Angel, Guatemala
La Lancha, Guatemala
Hotel Casa Palopo, Guatemala
Ibagari Boutique Hotel, Honduras
Morgan's Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge, Nicaragua