Much Ado About Hotel Ratings

For some people, a five-star hotel would mean a luxurious bed, high-end toiletries (preferably the brand names also patronized by celebrities), and large towels. For others, it would mean having at least 200 TV channels, CD and DVD players, and high-speed internet access. While these factors are taken into consideration in hotel ratings, things are not quite as comfortably standardized as we would like them to be.

A hotel rated as a four-star by one online travel guide could turn out to be a dud when it comes to 24-hour service or wireless internet connection. And it could just as well be rated as a mere three-star by another travel site. On the other hand, a one-star hotel could offer charming accommodation with a helpful staff and adequate amenities all for a much cheaper rate.

So why the disparity in hotel ratings? The answer lies in the varying criteria used by different agencies. There simply isn't a standard rating system that is applied universally. Hotel ratings also vary according to each country and/or city. In European countries, the star ratings are usually given by local governments and private agencies and may include such extraneous factors (as far as the customer is concerned anyway) as the amount of tax that a particular hotel pays. In France, the government-sanctioned rating system only gives a maximum of four stars, that's for a luxury hotel, and a minimum of one star for a modest inn. Hotels are judged according to room size, amenities, plumbing, renovations, elevators, dining options, etc. Germany and other Scandinavian countries adhere to the one- to five-star scale and the ratings are only valid for a period of three years, after which hotels must undergo another round of inspection.

In the United Kingdom, steps were taken to produce a more uniform hotel rating system and a complete standardization is aimed for by 2008. All grading agencies are expected to adhere to the criteria called the National Quality Assurance Standards, which follows the five-star system and further categorizes hotels into full service formal accommodations, country houses, small hotels, town houses, and metro hotels. Some of the basis for scoring the accommodations are cleanliness and housekeeping, service, common rooms, guest rooms, bathrooms, food quality, safety and security, interior and exterior design, and maintenance.

Hotels in Latin America are also rated according to government-sanctioned rankings. The ratings range from zero to five stars although in some countries such as Mexico, six stars may given to ultra-luxury hotels (read: personal butler, private pool, and limousine or even helicopter service). Unfortunately, these government ratings are often not reviewed periodically so a hotel may still retain a four-star grade and yet deteriorate in quality.

Asian hotels are just as diversely rated as in other continents. In China, the government gives the ratings and includes the English-speaking capabilities of hotel staff in its criteria. In Hong Kong, meanwhile, hotels are grouped according to their respective tariff brackets. Singapore also follows the star-rating system while in the Middle East, two hotels defied standard grading and declared themselves as seven-star accommodations. The first one to do so is the Burj Al Arab in Dubai which currently holds the record as the world's tallest hotel and is constructed on its own private artificial island. The other one is The Centaurus in Islamabad, Pakistan which is still under construction and is scheduled to be completed in 2010. Hotels in Asia generally have a higher staff-to-guest ratio compared with their counterparts in Europe and North America due to lower labor costs.

In the United States, one of the most popular grading body is the American Automobile Association which employs diamonds to express its ratings instead of stars. Its hotel ratings are based on management style, exterior and interior appearance, furnishing and fixtures, security, service and maintenance, ambiance, and supplies. Hotel booking websites and online travel guides also have their own ratings. The more popular ones are Sidestep.com, Expedia, Hotwire.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Priceline, Travelweb, and Orbitz.

Though considerably confusing, hotel ratings still function as a guide for travelers and vacationers. They provide an overview of a hotel's amenities as well as its price range. When combined with other helpful information and a little common sense, these grading systems enable customers to make intelligent hotel booking decisions.

Kristien Wilkinson is an online writer and contributor to http://www.buckhead.com