Three Hotel Rating Systems to Help You When Choosing Hotels

Using certain rating systems, hotels are ranked by some associations and travel websites. To guide you with your hotel selection, you need to understand hotel star ratings, find out about diamond ratings, and identify hotels with descriptive ratings. When choosing a hotel, your expectations can become reality if you understand the rating criteria.

It is difficult to choose which hotel could best serve your needs, your budget, and your expectations because there are numerous hotels in your area of preference. You will have an overview about the kind of hotels available for stay and relaxation through the hotel ratings system. These are just three rating systems that are out there:

How to navigate hotel rating systems

Hotels are rated with the star system, 1 star for the least luxurious and 5 for the most. On a scale of one to five, a hotel with minimal facilities would earn one star. On the other end, a five star rating suggests very prestigious accommodations, facilities, and services. Some associations and websites ratings include half point stars, while others rate up to six or seven stars for remarkably luxurious hotels.

Come learn about what diamond ratings are

Another rating system, instead of the star system, is the diamond system. Using the diamond system many North American and Caribbean hotels are rated by AAA which means the American Automobile Association. Hotels make an application to AAA for granting them evaluation, whereas other independent rating organizations award ratings to hotels on their own. Hotels must meet certain criteria prescribed by AAA to be considered for rating.

Descriptive ratings will help identify hotels

In addition to the star rating, the rate may include word descriptions. Two-star standard hotels have some better rooms and service than those found in economy one-star hotels, which are often in quite distant locations. Hotels with a three-star rating, or first-class, are often found near airports and terminals A four-star hotel is described as a superior hotel, with comfort exceeding the normal expectations. Finally, five star hotels are commonly called deluxe or luxury hotels have classy rooms, exceptional service, and more amenities than most other hotels.

Make sure you know how the rating is achieved

The criteria used for evaluating a hotel are established by the travel industry and include: quality of customer service, such as staff friendliness, concierge, valet parking, and room service; the features of the rooms; the elegance of the hotel decor; the amenities available, including swimming pool, business center, gaming room, children's play area, and fitness gym. A hotel's ratings are also judged by accessibility to shopping, business, leisure and dining. Four star hotels Las Vegas lists, for example, may yield a far greater number of hotels than two or three star hotels because of the popularity of the place.

There may be a number of associations scoring a certain hotel, thus the ratings may differ. Nevertheless, these ratings are more or less the same, with probably half or one star difference with another rating. It is always advisable to log on to three or four ratings and reviews of hotels so as to ensure for yourself that you arrive at the best rating and evaluation.