From stars to keys -- the Michelin Guide will start rating hotels in the same way as restaurants, it announced on Thursday. 

The editors say they want to create a "trusted reference" that helps travellers cut through the vast array of online hotel suggestions.

Director Gwendal Poullennec said the original Michelin Guide, launched in 1900, "was created to enlighten travellers at a time when there was a lack of information.

"Today, by contrast, they find themselves confronted by a mass of information. Our users spend on average 10 hours in front of screens to prepare a trip and consult more than 10 platforms -- it's an obstacle course," he said.

Poullennec took over the guide in 2018, the same year it bought Tablet Hotels, a US-based site offering boutique hotel stays around the world.

Their teams have been working together to create an initial selection of 5,300 hotels across 120 countries, with the best due to receive their awards in the first half of 2024. 

Rather than the stars awarded to the top restaurants, the best hotels will get keys based on several criteria including architecture, individuality, service, comfort and price. 

As with restaurants, these will be decided by teams of anonymous inspectors. 

These days, the Michelin Guide makes most of its money through referrals from its website, taking one euro per reservation. 

Hotels will pay a 10 to 15 percent commission to Michelin for reservations through its site, Poullennec said, vowing that editorial and sales team will operate independently.

sr/er/js