Published on: October 16, 2025, 01:39h.
Updated on: October 16, 2025, 01:54h.
- Fontainebleau Las Vegas is recognized as the first casino resort in the city to earn a distinguished Michelin Guide key.
- Similar to Michelin stars awarded for dining, keys denote properties that offer outstanding service.
- Both the Four Seasons and Waldorf Astoria in Las Vegas have received keys, but neither features a casino.
Fontainebleau Las Vegas has proudly attained a “One Key” designation from the “2025 Michelin Guide,” establishing itself as the only gaming resort in Nevada with this recognition. Last April, non-gaming properties such as the Waldorf Astoria and Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas were also awarded single Michelin keys, coinciding with the initiation of the hotel awards program.
The Michelin keys are designed to recognize exceptional hotels worldwide, evaluated on various criteria including architecture, service quality, unique character, value for money, and contribution to the local community.
Initially awarded in a ceremony held in Paris last April, Michelin keys are inspired by the star system for restaurants. A single key marks a stay as “very special,” two keys indicate “exceptional,” while three keys signify “extraordinary.”
Fontainebleau Las Vegas earned its key recognition on October 8, along with 37 other hotels across the United States, during the Michelin Guide’s first update of its key recipients. In total, 317 US hotels have received keys thus far (232 have one key, 69 have two, and 16 have three).
Properties may gain, maintain, or lose their keys based on continuous assessments (Michelin does not disclose when keys are removed).
Distinctive Recognition for Hotels
It’s important to note that Michelin keys differ from Michelin stars in one significant aspect: Las Vegas establishments qualify for them.
Restaurants aspiring for a Michelin star must be situated in cities where a Michelin Guide is published, and Las Vegas was only included in that category for two years.
The Michelin Guide, launched by the French tire company in 1900, originally aimed to increase consumer demand for automobiles—and the tires to accompany them—by highlighting travel-worthy destinations.
In 2008, the Michelin Guide made its debut in Las Vegas, and by the following year, 17 restaurants held one or more stars. However, the guide was discontinued in 2009, attributed to the economic impact of the Great Recession on the region.
Since then, Michelin has not reinstated the Las Vegas guide, remaining vague about the reasons. When approached by Casino.org, a spokesperson stated, “While the Guide aims to do globally what we do, we must ensure sustainable long-term development, which is why we are not present in every state or city at this moment.”
Currently, Michelin Guides are only available in select US cities including New York, California, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Colorado, and Washington, DC.