Raffles Makati Earns Two Michelin Keys as the Philippines Crosses a Threshold

Raffles Makati has been promoted to Two Michelin Keys in the 2026 Michelin Guide hotel selection, giving the Philippines its first properties at that level. El Nido Resorts Lagen Island in Palawan received Two Keys as a new entry, while the Makati all-suite hotel moved up from One Key.

For guests, Two Keys signal what the Guide calls an exceptional stay. Inspectors judge architecture and interiors, service consistency, personality, value, and how well a hotel opens up its destination. Raffles Makati earned the upgrade on the strength of its residential scale: dark wood and marble suites, private butler service, Writers Bar, afternoon tea, and a private pool that keeps the city at arm's length without pretending Makati is a resort.

What Two Keys change for a Manila stay

Makati is where many international trips begin and end. A higher Key rating does not invent butler service that was not already there, but it does make the hotel easier to compare against other urban flags when you are booking a Philippines itinerary that mixes city nights with island time. The Raffles brand's suite-only format suits that use case: longer stays, quiet evenings, and arrival days when you want service density without a beach transfer.

The Guide also kept Amanpulo and Fairmont Makati at One Key, and awarded One Key for the first time to Hotel Okura Manila, El Nido Resorts Pangulasian Island, NUSTAR Hotel Cebu, and Manami Resort in Negros Occidental. The Philippines now has nine Key hotels in total, spanning city towers and island resorts.

How the Key map now reads for travelers

Two Keys at both a capital all-suite hotel and a Bacuit Bay cove resort give the country a clearer high end: one address for business and culture in Manila, another for limestone lagoons in El Nido. If you are building a split trip, that pairing is now easier to justify on paper to a travel advisor or loyalty desk.

The Key system sits beside Michelin Stars for restaurants, but it is not a restaurant score. Guests still need to judge dining, spa depth, and transfer logistics property by property. What changed this week is the official signal that Raffles Makati and Lagen Island cleared a higher bar for overall stay quality in the Guide's second global Key cycle.