What makes a hotel's star rating?

Essentially, to be rated, a hotel needs to meet standards regarding service, amenities, cleanliness, location, and price.

Hotel star ratings are widely recognized as a way to determine the overall quality of a hotel. However, ratings can vary considerably between countries. Typically, each country has its own way of rating hotels from 1 to 5 stars, implemented by a tourism organization or government agency. Basically, to be rated, a hotel needs to meet standards regarding service, amenities, cleanliness, location, and price.

Rankings can vary considerably between countries. Photo: Alamy.

In the UK, the most important factor for star ratings is customer service, while in France the focus is on rooms, hallways, and amenities as set by the French government. In 2007, four UK organizations decided to merge to create a unified rating system for the United Kingdom, including the Automobile Association, VisitBritain, VisitScotland, and VisitWales. Hotels in Spain are rated regionally rather than nationally, while Italy places the highest standards on hygiene throughout the entire system.

Essentially, hotel stars need to meet certain standards, such as the following:

1-star hotel

Only one type of room is available for guests. The hotel must be open 7 days a week and throughout all seasons, with staff always on duty at the reception desk to handle check-in procedures. Bathrooms may sometimes be shared, and there is no restaurant, instead, vending machines are available.

A one-star hotel only has one type of room for guests. Photo: Alamy.

2-star hotel

The requirements are similar to a 1-star hotel, but rooms must also include a TV and telephone, a private bathroom, and an on-site bar or restaurant. Furthermore, standards for cleanliness and guest service are higher and must be consistently maintained.

3-star hotel

In addition to a variety of room types for guests to choose from, there must be a restaurant, a gym, conference rooms, and a shopping area. In the UK, to qualify as a 3-star hotel, guests must have access to these services at all times of the day. Rooms and common areas must always have Wi-Fi. Guest rooms must have private bathrooms and an internal telephone connected to the reception desk.

4-star hotel

Service quality requirements must be met in all departments, especially with service staff. A variety of room types should be available for guests, including premium suites. There must be a large restaurant and bar, a swimming pool, and a gym. Staff in these areas must be on duty 24/7. In addition, room service must be available 24 hours a day, with refrigerators in each room stocked with food and beverages. Wi-Fi must be available in all rooms, and bathrooms must also feature high-end amenities.

5-star hotel

Both the guest rooms and the quality of staff service must be exceptional. Cleanliness and hygiene standards are also very high. In addition to the requirements of a 4-star hotel, a 5-star hotel needs to have a spa, valet parking, a private butler, 24/7 room service, and thoughtful afternoon tea. Furthermore, rooms for long-term guests must have at least three separate areas: a bedroom, a living room, and a bathroom, and must always be available for rent.

This hotel is considered a 7-star hotel in Dubai. Photo: Alamy.

Recently, some exceptionally high-end hotels have emerged, such as the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, which is recognized as a 7-star hotel but is still only rated 5 stars according to official standards. Essentially, the star rating system is gradually shifting to hotel associations rather than regulatory bodies as before.

According to VNE