Hotel Classification

* Star System

 

Hotels are often classified according to their quality using hotel ratings. These having initially the purpose of informing the travellers on the facilities each hotels offers have evolved to rate the hotel experience as a whole. 

 

Hotel rating is not standardized and a wide variety of schemes are used in different countries and by different organizations. A common scheme involves stars with the Mobil Travel Guide having launched its star rating system in 1958. A diamond based system is used by AAA for rating both hotels and restaurants. 

 

The criteria used for hotel cassification may include room variations, view, food services, entertainment, amenities, location, etc. 

 

European Hotel Stars Union

The hotel associations of seven European countries have established under the patronage of HOTREC (Hotels, Restaurants & Cafés in Europe) the European Hotel Stars Union. As of 2015 the following countries are members of the union: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Liechtenstein. The Union is providing a harmonised hotel classification with common criteria and procedures in the participating countries.

 

 

 

 

 

Great Britain

In Great Britain hotels are rated from one-star to five stars. The RAC pulled out of accommodation grading in 2008 so the only grading schemes in operation are those operated by the AA (Automobile Association) and the national tourist boards: Visit England, Visit Wales, the Scottish Tourist Board and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. The schemes were all 'harmonised' to ensure consistency between the schemes. This applies to all accommodation types apart from self catering that the AA started offering in 2009. The AA criteria are available on its website.[Stated criteria not found: verification needed][7] In addition to the usual black stars (ranging from one (the lowest) to five (the highest), the AA awards red stars to the highest-rated, which are deemed 'Inspectors' Choice'. Each of the national tourist boards have grading explanations on their web sites.