From Budget to Luxury: The Difference Between 1-5 Star Hotels

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hotels are a popular choice for travelers to stay during their journey. In addition to providing adequate facilities, hotels are usually located in convenient places to help travelers get around. However, there are many factors to consider when choosing a hotel, one of which is its star rating.

Hotel star ratings are based on indicators of quality, cleanliness, and internationally accepted hotel standards. The higher the star rating, the more facilities can be expected from the hotel. A 1-star hotel usually offers no-frills accommodation, while a 5-star hotel provides a luxurious, top-class experience.

Hotel star ratings are an independent and objective assessment, making it a reliable system that helps guests understand what they can reasonably expect during their stay at a hotel.

History of the Hotel Star Rating System

According to the Hospitality.ge website, an international hospitality consultant, the hotel star rating system was first established in 1958 by the Mobil Corporation, an American oil company. Initially, the system emerged through the Mobil Travel Guide, a travel guide created to encourage overland travel in the United States. In this guide, hotels were rated with stars based on specific criteria.

Over time, the Mobil Travel Guide was renamed to Forbes Travel Guide and began to evaluate hotels worldwide. Anonymous inspectors conducted evaluations based on specific standards. As a result, hotels could receive ratings ranging from one star (basic) to five stars (the most prestigious), a rating held only by the finest hotels.

Although some organizations in the hotel industry have made efforts, there is still no international standard for hotel star ratings. However, individual guides such as the Forbes Travel Guide mentioned above have their own criteria for rating hotels, and the star rating system is the most common system for evaluating hotels.

Some countries have hotel star rating systems regulated by domestic hotel industry associations, with Germany being a prominent example. However, some companies and hotel raters use different systems, such as awarding hotels a specific number of diamonds or letter grades, with 'A' being the best and 'F' being the worst.

Meaning of Each Hotel Star Rating

Hotels can receive ratings ranging from one to five stars. While most people know that five-star hotels are highly recommended, it is important to understand the meaning of each rating accurately.

1-Star Hotels

A 1-star hotel is the lowest rating given by guides such as the Forbes Travel Guide. This type of hotel offers only the necessities: a room with a bed and a bathroom. There will be no additional facilities on-site, including a hotel restaurant. Most hotels with this rating are budget hotels suitable for travelers with simple needs.

2-Star Hotels

2-star hotels are still aimed at budget-conscious travelers while providing basic amenities such as rooms, beds, and bathrooms. On-site dining may be available, and the rooms may have additional facilities such as a television. Compared to one-star hotels, reception services are more comprehensive, and there are additional services, which are usually offered at an extra cost.

3-Star Hotels

For a hotel to achieve 3-star status, management must focus on providing comprehensive services. In addition to larger hotel rooms with quality furnishings, 3-star properties will offer additional services and facilities, including a fitness center, swimming pool, on-site restaurants, public Wi-Fi, and conference spaces.

4-Star Hotels

A 4-star rating indicates that a hotel offers an excellent guest experience. The hotel rooms are spacious, luxurious, and beautifully decorated. They are also equipped with many additional amenities. There will be significant investment in hotel technology, and customer service will be a top priority. On-site restaurants will provide a highly enjoyable dining experience, while the additional facilities and services will surpass those offered by 3-star hotels.

5-Star Hotels

5 stars are awarded to the best hotels in the world. These spacious properties offer luxurious amenities and rooms. Cleanliness and customer service will be top-notch, and there will be on-site fitness centers, swimming pools, restaurants, and bars. These hotels often showcase the best designs and may be based on unique architecture.

New 7-Star Hotel Rating

What is higher than luxury hotels? Many notable or extraordinary properties are awarded a 7-star hotel rating. This concept is often driven by the tourism body of a particular country or by the business itself to showcase its exclusivity.

One of the hotels frequently dubbed a 7-star hotel is the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. This hotel offers Rolls-Royce chauffeur services, a personal butler for each room, and its unique architecture, among other attributes. The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi also claims a 7-star status. In reality, luxury hotels like these are actually still considered 5-star properties.

Hotel Rating Determination

Hotel ratings are independently and objectively determined, so hotels cannot rate their properties themselves. In Australia, for example, hotel star ratings are assessed based on over 200 criteria compiled by Australian tourists. The star symbol is a licensed trademark that can only be used by properties that are licensed by the reliable Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC).

The criteria used to rate hotels include facilities, property quality, cleanliness, food service, entertainment, views, room variety, ease of access, location, and more.

Unfortunately, since there is no universal rating system, this one can be confusing. A 5-star hotel in the United States and a 5-star hotel in Europe, for example, may have different facilities. However, higher star ratings indicate that the hotel offers a better experience.