The Hot's aren't too bad...I got them super cheap from the rel when I worked in a shop (three quid each). My experience of Michelin tyres has always been pretty good...I used Comp 16's.
They did seem to get left behind as the lines between DH and XC got blurred, also they didn't go down the sexy route of tacky tyres like Maxxis (whose tyres I actually really rate) and they were expensive over here. I also think they got complacent...they came up with a great couple of tyres but didn't develop them, allowing the likes of Maxxis to steal a march on them.