Hotel star

Above: Hotel sign for The Leading Hotels of the World Association.
Below: Hotel stars on an official DEHOGA sign

The hotel star is a rating symbol used in different countries to classify hotels according to certain criteria . The classification is based on quality and performance features such as infrastructure , equipment of the rooms, reception and lounges and the service offered.

Stars were already mentioned in Florence in 1334 as a commercial categorization feature for accommodation establishments in the Statuti dell'arte degli Albergatori della Città e Contado di Firenze . There the innkeepers were prescribed minimum standards in dealing with their guests and at the same time the use of a vermilion-colored, eight-pointed star as a guild sign: "Quod nulles possit tenere insignam albergariae nisi fuerit de hac arte." In modern times it was the German Karl Baedeker who in the year In 1853, for his later legendary travel guide with a red cover, he first used stars for what was particularly noteworthy.

Since there are no internationally standardized certifications, officially awarded hotel stars are not always congruent with the stars or other symbols that are cited in travel guides, travel catalogs, magazines and the like. Occasionally up to seven stars were shown, but today - at least in the higher classes - a worldwide comparable system up to a maximum of five stars, sometimes with subclasses, is being used. This makes four-star and five-star hotels the epitome of luxury hotels .

In addition, the star systems will be extended to other aspects of the hotel industry, such as wellness facilities , resorts and villas .

Europe

In most countries in Europe Hotels are classified by an authority or a professional association. It is prescribed by law in Belgium , Denmark , Greece , Italy , Malta , the Netherlands , Poland , Portugal , Spain and Hungary . It is optional in all other European countries. Sweden only introduced a classification in 2003, in Finland and Norway there are no official standardized categorization systems.

The history of the stars for classification picks up on developments in other areas, for example the Michelin Guide has rated restaurants and hotels since 1900 and differentiated them since 1926 by assigning stars, which the operators liked to advertise. With the advent of mass tourism , tourism associations and authorities have classified the hotels and published them in lists. The first system to be defined according to formal criteria and supported by the hoteliers themselves was created in Switzerland in 1979. This influenced the development of hotel classifications in other countries, especially in Austria and Germany. The DEHOGA ( German Hotel and Restaurant Association ) star system was introduced on August 1, 1996 and has proven to be very successful (80% of hotel guests state that the stars are the main criterion when choosing a hotel). This influenced the design of a transnational star system in Europe by the Hotelstars Union.

Hotel Stars Union

The national classification systems for hotel ratings show some serious differences. Classification is compulsory in some countries, voluntary in others, some states only know regional standards and others do not have them at all. In Spain, the hotels are rated decentrally according to 17 different regional classification laws. In Finland and Norway there is no official system to this day. A real comparability of the offer evaluation is therefore only possible to a limited extent for the guest on this basis.

One reason for this are the different wishes and expectations of the guests. Southern Europeans usually place less value on the length and width of the beds than northern Europeans. In densely populated Tokyo, the rooms, but also the bathrooms, of a five-star hotel can be smaller than that of an American overland motel in the lower category. The French expect a restaurant in the hotel, but not an ice machine on the floor, which in turn is part of the upscale hotel culture in the USA. Neither the size and quality of a bed, let alone the size of the room, nor the furnishings of the bathroom and the like are uniformly defined across the cultural areas.

Even if uniform hotel stars in the European sky were a distant vision until recently, their implementation began on December 14, 2009. On the way to uniform hotel stars in Europe, an important foundation stone was laid on that day in Prague: The hotel associations from Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Hungary founded the “Hotelstars Union”. Under the patronage of HOTREC - the European umbrella association for hotels, restaurants and cafés - the members introduced a common classification system in their countries from January 2010.

One year after the founding of the Hotelstars Union, four new members were added: On January 1, 2011, the hotel associations of the three Baltic countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania became full members of the Hotelstars Union; Luxembourg followed in the same year. Malta joined in 2012, Greece, Belgium and Denmark in 2013, Liechtenstein in 2015 and Slovenia in 2017. The Union now has 17 member states.

The basis of the agreement are the 21 principles of HOTREC for the further development of hotel classification systems, which all members of the “Hotelstars Union” declared to be binding. With the 21 principles, the states agreed on basic standards for hotel classification: five categories, awarding of stars only after the operation has been checked, compliance with legal provisions, cleanliness and a good general condition, regular review of the criteria, adaptation to market needs, easily accessible Information etc.

Star categories according to Hotelstars Union

The hotel categories meet the following basic profiles:

Star class			Assessment criteria
${\ displaystyle \ bigstar}$	A star	tourist	Simple equipment, d. This means that the facilities that are necessary for the normal length of stay in the company are offered in a clean and immaculate state. Very price-conscious class of guests who are primarily looking for overnight accommodation.
	One-star superior	tourist	More hardware and / or services if the minimum criteria for the next higher category are not met. No incognito test (mystery guesting) required.
${\ displaystyle \ bigstar \ bigstar}$	Two-star	default	Appropriate equipment with comfort, price-conscious class of guests who are looking for a limited offer (TV, drinks, etc.) in addition to the mere overnight stay. Differentiation from single star: the rooms are more comfortable and are equipped with color TV sets and wet rooms. Differentiation from Dreistern: The quality of the equipment is measured by its functionality and cleanliness, the materials used are less important.
	Two-star superior	default	More hardware and / or services if the minimum criteria for the next higher category are not met.
${\ displaystyle \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar}$	Three-star	Comfort	Upscale and uniform furnishings with a homely character. Guest class with demands beyond pure overnight accommodation and modest comfort (bath / shower, food, drinks etc.), high-quality services (reception / reception, drinks, snacks etc.). Differentiation to two stars: solid materials, larger space, possibility to stay (e.g. sitting area, desk) in the room and in the general lounge. Differentiation from four-star: smaller areas, older furnishings are also possible if they are in good condition.
${\ displaystyle \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar \ mathbf {S}}$	Three-star superior	Comfort	Superior stands - on the basis of very good, upscale and contemporary hardware in the entire operating area - for a significant increase in service offerings, quality-checked by an incognito test (mystery guest check) as part of the classification.
${\ displaystyle \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar}$	Four star	First class	First class equipment, d. H. Generous space with high quality, contemporary equipment, good sound insulation. Especially in the holiday hotel industry, there is often extensive business offer (e.g. wellness , sport, gastronomy , seminar facilities), high level of service. Differentiation from Dreistern: more generous space, very high quality of the furnishings, very good condition due to high maintenance costs. The guests expect high quality and intensity of service.
${\ displaystyle \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar \ mathbf {S}}$	Four star superior	First class	Superior - based on first-class, high-quality, flawless and contemporary uniform 4 * hardware in the entire hotel area - stands for a significant increase in the range of services and services, quality-checked by an incognito test (mystery guest check) as part of the classification.
${\ displaystyle \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar \ bigstar}$	Five star	De Luxe	Exclusive, luxurious equipment, d. H. noble, high quality and elegant materials with consistent design. Architecture, equipment, ambience, range of services as well as the guest class of the international luxury hotel industry . Differentiation from four-star: Luxurious, unmistakable operational character, immaculate condition of all hardware. Spatial generosity in the room area, for example through structurally separated sleeping and living areas ( suites ). The guests expect international luxury hotels without compromise. Perfect service quality with a very high level of staff commitment, quality checked by an incognito test (mystery guest check) as part of the classification.
	Five-star superior	De Luxe	Superior stands here - on the basis of luxurious, high-quality, noble, flawless and contemporary end-to-end hardware - for a significant increase in the range of services and services, quality-checked by an incognito test (mystery guest check) as part of the classification.

Germany

A hotel classification in Germany has been carried out by the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA) since 1996 . The classification is chargeable, takes place on a voluntary basis and remains valid for three years. The scale ranges from 1-star to 5-star. One star stands for the lowest category (tourist), five stars for the highest ( luxury ). Within each category, the additional rating Superior can also be acquired if the quality of the service is well above what is required in this category, but still below the requirements of the next higher category. The additional rating “Superior” distinguishes companies that offer significantly more service and service quality than required and customary in this quality category. Another special form is the bed and breakfast hotel. This is a hotel that offers accommodation, breakfast, drinks and at most small dishes.

The standardized hotel classification system Hotelstars Union for Germany has been in effect for DEHOGA Hotels since January 1st, 2010 . At the end of 2012, the signs were also converted to a uniform European standard.

France

Up until 2009 , the hotel classification in France was the responsibility of a tourism commission of the department , which was subordinate to the State Secretariat for Tourism . It took place on a voluntary basis, carried out annually. The scale ranged from 0-star (recorded but not classified) to 4-star with the additional category 4-star "L" (for luxury), which corresponded to the 5-star category of other systems. More luxurious hotels with elaborate high quality services have been and will continue to unofficially as " Palaces called" (hotel palaces).

From 2009 this system was replaced by a classification of 1–5 stars ( Atout France ). This system has come under strong criticism in recent years, as the classification - based on 250 criteria - is carried out by up to 50 accredited testing companies and has to be paid for by the hotel. There are fears of inconsistent measurement, courtesy reports and dumping. In addition, the state must provide fines (up to 15,000 euros) as an anti-fraud measure, which the Ministry does not want to impose for the time being.

Austria

Austria started in the 1950s with a categorization according to the letters A to F. In the 1970s the 1- to 6-star system was introduced. Since 1984 there has been the current form until 2010, according to which 76% of the accommodation establishments (as of 2009) could be categorized. The classification ranged from 1 to 6-star establishments, whereby the intermediate level superior was introduced in the 4-star category .

The standardized hotel classification system Hotelstars Union has been in effect for Austria since January 1st, 2010 . The classification in a star class is carried out at the request of the company by an independent commission. Regular checks and a system of annual self-checks ensure quality. Member companies can voluntarily use this service of the hotel industry or the hotel industry association of the Chamber of Commerce .

Switzerland

The most comprehensive hotel classification in Switzerland is carried out by the umbrella association of the Swiss hotel industry hotelleriesuisse . The classification is voluntary, but chargeable and associated with membership. The scale ranges from 0 to 5 stars. In the 3-, 4- and 5-star categories, the addition of superior is given to hotels that have an à-la-carte restaurant and whose equipment, furnishings and comfort are above average for their respective category.

The standardized hotel classification system Hotelstars Union has been in effect for Switzerland since 2011 .

Africa

In some African countries (including South Africa , Namibia ) there are accommodation classification systems based on the European model. 12 member states of the Regional Tourism Organization of Southern Africa (RETOSA) plan to implement a common system by 2015.

Namibia

The registration and classification of hotels (and other tourist companies) in Namibia is carried out by the Namibia Tourism Board , taking into account the National Tourist Accommodation Star Grading Scheme , which has been in use in its current version since February 2012. Participation in the classification is voluntary. The use of stars granted before 2012 was only allowed for a transitional period of 12 months.

A completely new star system, the "National Tourist Accommodation Star Grading Scheme", was developed from 2009 to 2009 together with the Scottish hotel classification. In contrast to the old system, it mainly takes into account non-measurable conditions and services as well as local conditions. The implementation has not been completed (as of 2014).

5 stars: outstanding quality and luxury
4 stars: superior quality and excellent comfort
3 stars: very good quality
2 stars: good quality
1 star: average to good, acceptable quality

Until the end of the 1990s, only hotels (maximum five stars), guest farms and rest camps (maximum three stars) were rated within the classification system that has existed since 1973. There was no star classification between the late 1990s and the late 2000s.

Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone , West Africa , the National Tourist Board officially divides accommodation into five classes; Class 1 is the highest, class 5 the lowest level that can be achieved. The system is based on the ECOWAS Hotel Classification System with comments from the World Tourism Organization since 2000.

The classification is mandatory as part of the annual registration of an accommodation.

South Africa

In South Africa , accommodation is classified by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA). It is an independent body. Event centers are also rated. There is a fee for this, which depends on the size of the company (e.g. number of hotel rooms). Participation is voluntary. Up to five stars are awarded in several accommodation categories. The system is of the highest international standard and is handled extremely strictly.

International associations, marketing associations and brands

Internationally, at least the higher classes are roughly comparable today.

Historically more common than the indication of stars is membership in the group The Leading Hotels of the World , with which luxury hotels document a regular review. This marketing organization has existed since 1928 and introduced an extensive inspection system in 1971. Qualifications in the 5-star category are a prerequisite for membership. The Small Luxury Hotels of the World offshoot brings together smaller hotels in the upscale 4 to 5 star category.
The Five Star Alliance is an international hotel directory that is classified comparable worldwide. Great Hotels of the World brings together 4 to 5 star properties. The Global Hotel Alliance is an association of luxury hotels from larger hotel chains.

In the meantime, individual hotel chains are also displaying their luxury segment under their own brands, such as the Luxury Collection of the Starwood Group , Four Points by Sheraton , or well-known brands in a chain are principally positioned as upscale ( Westin , Rocco Forte , Taj , etc.).

Seven stars

There are a number of hotels that are advertised with more than five stars. The first hotel with alleged seven stars was the Burj-al-Arab -Hotel in Dubai, opened in 1999, is a servant in which for each room. However, the hotel itself does not advertise it and states that the seven stars are a journalist's invention. The same applies to the Emirates Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi, opened in 2005, which itself only has five stars.

The Town House Galleria in Milan opened in 2007 and received a seven-star certificate from SGS Italy. However, the SGS only has five stars in its general hotel categorization; the reference remains on a certificate from 2008, not shown.

Web links

Hotelstars Union , hotelstars.eu
British Hotel Classification, Visit Britain, tourismtrade.org.uk
Danish hotel classification , danischehotels.de
German hotel classification , hotelstars.eu/de/deutschland/
French hotel classification , Hôtels de France, hotel-france.com
Austrian hotel classification , professional association for the hotel industry, hotelsterne.at
Swedish Hotel Classification, SHR, hotelsinsweden.com
Swiss hotel classification , swisshotels, hotelsterne.ch
South African hotel classification , TGC, tourismgrading.co.za
Namibian Hotel Classification, namibiatourism.com.na

Individual evidence

↑ Fernando Sartini (ed.): Statuti dell'Arte degli Albergatori della Città e Contado di Firenze (1324-1342) . Florence 1953.

^ Contribution to Karl Baedeker . In: The Most Famous Hotels in the World , accessed February 5, 2015.

↑ Rozporządzenie o obiektach hotelarskich - Ordinance on Hotel Objects (Polish)

↑ ^a ^b “History and Development” , hotelsterne.ch, accessed November 14, 2010, “In 1979 hotelleriesuisse (Swiss Hotelier Association) introduced the hotel classification. It was the first and only private-sector system of this kind in the world. The system is considered exemplary internationally and has been used on various occasions as the basis for developing its own classification system (e.g. Germany, Austria). "

↑ "A Success Story: Ten Years of German Hotel Classification " , press release, hotelsterne.de, July 27, 2006, accessed November 14, 2010 - "On August 1, 2006, the German Hotel Classification will celebrate its tenth anniversary." - "80 percent of guests give it suggests that the stars are the main criterion when choosing a hotel, because they offer transparency and security "

↑ Literally quotes categories. In: classification. Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Association of the Hotel Industry, accessed on January 28, 2010 .

↑ [1]

↑ ^a ^b Elisabeth Pinther: Austria and Germany set new standards in hotel classification. Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Hotel Association, December 14, 2009, accessed on August 25, 2014 .

↑ Site officiel du classement des hébergements touristiques , Atout France (classement.atout-france.fr)

^ Hôtellerie: le nouveau classement sera amélioré . In: Le Parisien online, July 23, 2012.
“That is insufficient” - France's hotel industry is threatened with star fiasco , orf.at/stories, July 27, 2012.

↑ unit control since early 2010 , orf.at/stories, 27 July 2012

↑ The hotel stars of the future - What will be new on January 1, 2010? ( Memento from February 22, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) . Folder, wko.at (pdf), accessed February 12, 2014.

^ "Classification" , hotelleriesuisse.ch, accessed April 19, 2014

^ Harmonized grading on the cards for the region. (PDF; 5.0 MB) Southern African Tourism Update, June / July 2011, issue 219, p. 2.

↑ National Star Grading Regulations relating to accommodation establishments: Namibia Tourism Board Act, 2000. Government Gazette Republic of Namibia, August 8, 2012, No. 5009, p. 4ff.

↑ Star grading promises clarity for all, Tourbrief.com, March 4, 2010

^ "Stars" grading in limbo. Informanté, July 31, 2014. ( Memento from November 1, 2016 in the Internet Archive )

↑ Tourism directory 2012/13. (No longer available online.) National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone, December 10, 2012, archived from the original on February 21, 2014 ; Retrieved August 26, 2014 .

^ Strategic Action Plan Contract: Tourism Development - Sierra Leone. Public Administration International, October 2008, p. 23f. ( Memento from March 19, 2015 in the Internet Archive )

^ Grading Criteria. Tourism Grading Council of South Africa. Retrieved October 30, 2016.

↑ First 7-star hotel in the world opened. Tagesspiegel Online , March 9, 2007, accessed August 26, 2014 .

[1] Fernando Sartini (ed.): Statuti dell'Arte degli Albergatori della Città e Contado di Firenze (1324-1342) . Florence 1953.

[2] Contribution to Karl Baedeker . In: The Most Famous Hotels in the World , accessed February 5, 2015.

[3] Rozporządzenie o obiektach hotelarskich - Ordinance on Hotel Objects (Polish)

[hotelleriesuisse-4] “History and Development” , hotelsterne.ch, accessed November 14, 2010, “In 1979 hotelleriesuisse (Swiss Hotelier Association) introduced the hotel classification. It was the first and only private-sector system of this kind in the world. The system is considered exemplary internationally and has been used on various occasions as the basis for developing its own classification system (e.g. Germany, Austria). "