HOTEL STAR RATING GUIDE- CATEGORIES AND REQUIREMENTS
Top
Hotel Star rating Awarding Authorities
So the question comes about the awarding
bodies for the 5-star rating.
There is no definitive list of who gives a
Star Rating to a hotel.
There are a few highly recognized Hotel star
rating systems set by reputed organizations.
There are hundreds of organizations and
media firms with new star rating guides which are not that reliable.
Here we list few of the most reliable Hotel
Star Rating systems around the globe.
Your Star Hotel must have these names
inscribed besides their star rating.
1.
AA – The
Automobile Association founded in 1905 rates Hotels from a Star category of 1-5
and is a British firm. Other organizations like Visit Britain, Visit Wales and
Visit Scotland have joined AA to have a unified system of Hotel star rating in
the UK.
2.
AAA- American
Automobile Association is the most popular star rating Association in North
America and especially in the USA. The AAA rate in terms of diamonds with 5
Diamonds pointing to luxury properties. Less than 0.5% (out of close to 30,000
hotels reviewed) get a five-diamond classification. Check more about
Diamond classifications at the official newsroom of AAA.
3.
Forbes Travel Guide – The
star rating system by Forbes has a legacy of over 5 decades and is popular
across the globe. The new 2020 edition of star rating by Forbes is out
now. Check the official listing page by Forbes to
see the new entrants to the elite 5-star league. You can also explore star
hotels from the country of your choice through the above-mentioned star rating
listing from Forbes.
4.
Australian Auto Clubs- Clubs
like RAA, NRMA etc. rate all lodging properties in Australia under the brand of
Australian Auto Clubs. Physical inspection is one of the over 200 points in
consideration for granting various star ratings to hotels.
5.
HOTREC – The
Hotel, restaurant association guides the star rating systems of over two dozen organizations
in Europe.
Hotel
Star Rating Categories and Specifications
5-Star Hotels
To garner the 5-star hotel rating, you must
offer the industry’s highest level of services and accommodation.
All hotels in this category provide the
highest degree of personal services.
· These
hotels are usually located in exclusive areas or suburban neighborhood.
· Garden
tubs, in-room video library, large LED TVs, marble baths, exquisite interior
decor are few of the features of rooms in the Five-star category
· 24/7
room services is a must for a 5 Star rating
· Heated
pools, Jacuzzis, and much more are just but a glimpse of what these world-class
hotels offer.
· Natural
Greenery and Plants in lobby areas and common areas is another key feature in 5
Star Hotels
· Reception
must be open for 24 hours and should be manned with members speaking multiple
languages
· These
hotels normally would have concierge as well as Butler services
· Turndown
services and other housekeeping services on demand must be on offer to gain a 5
Star rating
· 5
Star hotels must have multi-cuisine restaurants and Cafes (and arguably should
also have Bars with exceptions available)
These hotels are expected to exceed luxury
expectations of guests to enjoy continued patronage.
These hotels ensure that they understand the latest trends in the hospitality industry to ensure that the expectations of customers are exceeded.
Think of the most beautiful hotels in the
world, most expensive hotels in the world and Luxury resorts of the
world when you think of 5 Star rating of Hotels.
Requirements for Gaining 5 Star
Hotel Rating
Garnering a 5-star hotel rating do wonders
to a hotel, and of course, it’s brand.
You can charge more without worrying that
you will lose customers. Customers are prepared to pay as far as they get
value for money in terms of luxury and customer service.
That’s the magical allure of 5-star hotel
rating. So, how can a hotel rev up its game to get that lucrative 5-star
rating?
1.
Meet and Greet- Though most hotels
(including lower-rated ones) offer “meet and greet” service, you need to take
it up a notch. According to Forbes, a hotel should meet and assist a guest
within 60 seconds of arrival.
2.
Deliver wake-up calls within 2 minutes of
the requested time
3.
You should not put a guest’s call on hold
for more than 30 seconds
4.
Offer top-notch services: here, think in the
line of large pools, marble baths, heated pools, and much more.
5.
To be a five-star hotel, think of suites.
All five-star hotels definitely have suites with at least 2 bedrooms.
6.
A temperature-controlled swimming pool makes
a strong contention for a 5-star rating.
To be a 5 star rated hotel, the organizations
must think of luxury that is unparalleled.
So, What Does 5-star Hotel
Rating Mean?
5 Star rating would include all that gives
hotels the coveted luxury tag.
With a lot of buzz around the 5-star hotel rating,
it has always elicited a teensy bit of debate.
But, what does it actually mean?
Much akin to any industry, the hotel
industry has crafted a rating system based on quality.
As you might expect, hoteliers invite
industry experts to assess their establishment, services, and staff.
In the end, they award the hotel a numerical
value, with the 1-star rating being the lowest and 5-stars rating the highest
and the most lucrative. In the USA, Hotels are awarded Diamonds instead of
Stars by AAA.
Even right from the outset, you have to
understand that a 1-star rated hotel isn’t exactly a sign that the
establishment is shoddy; it’s all in satisfying all criteria for 5-star hotel
rating.
Also, the 5-hotel star rating standard is
always evolving as more and better hotel amenities come into the big picture.
Is there a 7 Star Hotel rating?
– The answer in one word is ‘No’.
A lot of hotels around the world claim to
have the unique 7 Star rating but these are unofficial and not backed by
international bodies.
One of the most famous Seven Star hotels is
said to be the Burj Al Arab, Dubai. However, it does not claim this to be
an official certification.
On the contrary, this super luxury Hotel
claims to have received this accolade from a media person and not through one
of the recognized hotel rating systems.
Officially the hotel claims to have a BAA
five star rating.
4-Star
Hotels
As we move down the hierarchy in hotel star
categories, necessity is now converting to luxury in 4 Star hotels.
These are large and usually formal hotels
that boast decorated lobby areas. They often offer bellhop services.
Here are the basic services and requirements
for achieving a 4-star rating.
· The
rooms are usually spacious well lit and outstandingly furnished.
· These
rooms feature a raft of amenities, from large bathtubs to LED TVs and
everything fabulous in between
· The
mini-bar and cosmetic products are a couple of the many additions to this star
category
· Reception
is to be open for longer hours with beverage services at the hotel lobby or
common area
· Seating
area in Lobby with the availability of Newspapers and Magazines
· They
usually include one or two restaurants that offer services from breakfast all
the way to dinner.
You won’t also miss Valet parking services,
concierge services, fully equipped fitness centers, and large swimming pools.
Here, you can think of several hotels of
Hyatt and Marriott hotel chains.
A lot of most beautiful Boutique Hotels
boast of Four-star rating.
More often than not, you’ll find a group of
4-star hotels located in the same business district or even street.
Gold Coast area in Australia boasts of over
200 4-Star hotels in the same area.
3-Star
Hotels
Right off the bat, these hotels feature
large rooms and highly decorated lobbies.
A lot of hotels of Hilton, Radisson Blu and
Holiday Inn hotel chains should come to your mind when you think of the
three-star category.
While they may still not offer Bellhop
services, they are usually located close to business centers, major
transportation hubs, shopping spots, and moderately priced.
These are the basic amenities and services
one can expect out of a 3-star hotel:
· Duty
Manager and complaint management system
· Fitness
centers
· Valet
parking and luggage services
· Swimming
pools
· More
amenities in rooms including ironing and laundry facilities, mirrors, shoe
polish, hairdryer to mention a few
· Telephone
in the rooms
· Room
service during the daytime should be available
· 24
hours Reception support available with receptionists speaking more than one
language
They also feature medium-sized restaurants
that operate full day.
2-Star
Hotels
Next down is two-star rated hotels.
These are generally smaller establishments
owned and run by the proprietors.
Typically, these hotels boast up to 4
stories and offer more personal ambience and spaces.
In essence, they usually feature the
following amenities. A basic star rating lookup of a two-star hotel would fetch
us the below details. Have a look!
· Onsite
payment via a card
· Reading
light on a nightstand
· Toiletries,
sanitary facilities, linen shelves
· Breakfast
buffet
· Wi-Fi
in rooms or in public areas
· And
sometimes TVs and telephones.
More often than not, 2 Star Hotels are
located in close proximity to the public transport network, affordable tourist
sites, and major intersections.
Although they might not feature a
fully-fledged restaurant, there is always one close by.
It’s not only the proprietors but also hotel
chains that have properties in this category.
A lot of Ibis Hotels, Day Inn hotel chain,
Ginger Hotels by Taj etc. are a perfect example of 2-star rated hotels.
A lot of hotel chains like these have hotels
in both 2 star and 3-star categories. Ibis Hotel has even moved to the luxury
category in South East Asian Countries.
1-Star Hotels
Needless to say, these are the hotel
establishments that are at the bottom of hotel industry pyramid.
However, 1-star Hotels are way better than
non-star hotels as they still need a few criteria to fulfill to ensure guest
satisfaction.
In this category, think in the line of Motel
6, Formula One or Ecolodge.
Image
of a Motel 6 in Los Angeles
1-star hotel rating usually underscores name
brand and independent establishments that offer consistent quality amenities.
Here are the basic things to expect at 1
Star Hotels:
· At
least daily room cleaning
· Rooms
fitted with WC, a table and chair, bath towels and soap at the washbasin
· Reception
services
· At
least Limited restaurant services with breakfast option
· Safe-deposit
options in the room or anywhere in the hotel
· Phone
calling facility available in the room or public areas
and so forth.
Hotels in this class are usually small to
medium-sized and are often located in propinquity to decently priced landmarks
or attractions.
One common feature is that bellhop and room
services aren’t always provided.
Conclusion
As is evident from the details in this
article, getting a 5-star hotel rating is not easy.
However, thankfully the global star rating
system is based on proper guidelines and is mostly uniform all across the
globe.
The rating authorities clearly describe
requirements and award ratings based on the same. We have tried to list a lot
of details here that can be useful to explore the same.
Hope you found the Hotel star rating guide
interesting and informative.
In order to attract more customers to the
hotel, all hotels need to ensure they are rated the best by the agencies. Even travelers
refer to these ratings before they decide to book a hotel room.
Hopefully, by now, you know which organization
to approach and what amenities to have to be into the coveted 5 Star rated
hotel club.
Hospitality Guide(For All Department information)
www.hospitalityguidebd.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment