Hotel Star Ratings Overview

Hotel Star Ratings

• Star ratings vary significantly between rating organizations, with no consistent industry regulation.
• Different organizations use varying criteria and methods for evaluating hotels.
• Booking.com relies on hotel self-assessment, while Forbes Travel Guide utilizes professional, anonymous inspectors.
• Frommer's awards ratings from "recommended" (one star) to "exceptional" (three stars).
• The number of organizations awarding stars is increasing, leading to inconsistencies.

Star Rating Systems Across the Globe

• Many organizations, including magazines, guidebooks, and websites, contribute to the proliferation of star ratings.
• Governments, tourism boards, and industry councils in regions like Australia, India, and Dubai also award ratings.
• The Hotelstars Union in Europe aims to standardize star ratings across 20 countries, impacting over 22,000 hotels.
• Europe's major tourist destinations (France, Spain, and Italy) are not part of this system, maintaining their own national or regional rating systems.
• The UK uses similar criteria for awarding star ratings by the AA and Visit England, which are available together on RatedTrips.com.
• A previous “World Hotel Rating” project has stalled on standardization.

Value of Star Ratings to Travelers

• Star ratings remain valuable to travelers, serving as a crucial initial filter in online hotel searches.
• Star ratings provide travelers with a basic expectation of quality and pricing, although reviews are becoming more influential.
• Online reviews are increasingly important, with 86% of Tripadvisor users finding them helpful for booking decisions.
• Users average around nine reviews per decision, prioritizing newer reviews more.
• Online reviews supplement, not replace, star ratings.
• Other traveller preferences include 'reader's choice awards'.

Defining a True Five-Star Hotel

• "Six-star" or "seven-star" designations are often media-driven exaggerations.
• Hentschel notes that significantly increasing the star rating would require extraordinary improvements.
• A "true" five-star experience involves luxurious amenities such as lavish bedding, large bathrooms made of granite and marble, unique artwork, butler services, valet parking, gourmet restaurants, spas, fitness centres and sometimes golf or tennis areas.
• Capella Singapore's general manager, Stray, highlights 3 key characteristics for a legitimate 5-star hotel, which include; immaculate physical space, staff members understanding guest needs, and generating an emotional connection with guests.
• A new requirement for 5-star hotels in Dubai now requires hotels to have written sustainability policies. This includes energy efficiency, water conservation, and use of local, fair-trade and environmentally friendly goods.