The new MICHELIN Guide app has won over the Webby Awards jury

The Webby Awards have just awarded you the "Webby Honoree" distinction in the "Apps and Software" category. What does this distinction mean to you and your team?

So many people contributed to its development that it’s gratifying to see the first project, led by the Michelin and Tablet teams, recognized by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. It also means we are among the top 20% of nearly 13,500 projects submitted in this competition. This distinction celebrates everyone’s efforts and cooperation and is just a taste of what’s to come.

Has the combined expertise from the Michelin Guide and Tablet Hotels been a real asset in the app’s development?

With more than 15,000 restaurants (Assiette MICHELIN, Bib’Gourmand, and Etoile MICHELIN) and 6,000 hotels carefully selected by MICHELIN Guide and Tablet Hotels experts around the world, there are many incredible experiences to be had. We adapted the features and design of the Tablet Hotels app to the MICHELIN Guide brand. As a result, we could quickly introduce complex features, such as direct hotel booking, to the large and passionate MICHELIN Guide audience. Although the two apps share similar features, their positioning and audiences are different. This allows us to reach a larger global market of travelers and food lovers. The shared technology also allows the Tablet team to maintain both products effectively.

How will this new app offer a unique experience to foodies and travelers?

The new tool, which was developed by the MICHELIN Guide and Tablet teams, provides access to the selections of all our inspectors and experts in a single app covering more than 30 destinations in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

Food lovers can now find and book the best hotel experiences in the world within the same interface. And hotel lovers can now easily combine their travels with a MICHELIN Guide dining experience. All the data is updated in real time to provide users with the best possible experience.

What is the app’s most unique feature?

Connecting MICHELIN Guide readers is probably the most interesting and significant feature we’ve introduced. We don’t just provide a rating for users to consider when choosing their restaurant or hotel. We also bring together a passionate and loyal community that we had in mind when creating this tool. App users can also create personalized lists based on the selections, share them with friends, family, and colleagues, and maybe even recommend their favorites in the future. This collective intelligence creates a conversation that strengthens engagement and encourages “word of mouth” among users. While the features (Listing/Liking) are not new, we’ve applied them in an original context.