Only use official hotel ratings as a guide
I've spoken to a number of people who tell me that they book hotels on the basis of the official ratings awarded by tourist boards. This always strikes me as being rather worrying, as such ratings certainly don't tell the whole story.
The problem is that ratings are usually assigned on a regional or national level. That means that each country, or maybe even each region within a country, has its own standards that it uses to grade hotels.
As you might imagine, this can cause inconsistencies. Is it safe to presume, for example, that a 4-star hotel in Spain is equivalent to a similarly rated hotel in Scotland? Not necessarily.
That's one of the reasons why such ratings should only be used as a simple guide, rather than taken as gospel. But it's not the only reason.
Another concern is that hotel inspectors may not have the chance to see every hotel on a regular basis. This is unfortunate because hotel standards can sometimes increase or decrease quite quickly, possibly due to a change of management, building work or staffing issues.
In effect, the official rating may simply suggest the standard that the hotel reached 12 months previously. Is this an accurate guide?
A better approach to booking a hotel is often to listen to what previous guests have said about their stays. Independent online reviews can help you to do this. By making good use of them, you can identify whether a hotel is really performing at the level indicated by its official rating.
In some instances you'll find that seemingly highly rated hotels should be avoided. On the other hand, you may discover some real bargains.
The key here is not simply to rely on the official ratings. Take account of what previous guests have said and use your own discretion before making a booking.
The problem is that ratings are usually assigned on a regional or national level. That means that each country, or maybe even each region within a country, has its own standards that it uses to grade hotels.
As you might imagine, this can cause inconsistencies. Is it safe to presume, for example, that a 4-star hotel in Spain is equivalent to a similarly rated hotel in Scotland? Not necessarily.
That's one of the reasons why such ratings should only be used as a simple guide, rather than taken as gospel. But it's not the only reason.
Another concern is that hotel inspectors may not have the chance to see every hotel on a regular basis. This is unfortunate because hotel standards can sometimes increase or decrease quite quickly, possibly due to a change of management, building work or staffing issues.
In effect, the official rating may simply suggest the standard that the hotel reached 12 months previously. Is this an accurate guide?
A better approach to booking a hotel is often to listen to what previous guests have said about their stays. Independent online reviews can help you to do this. By making good use of them, you can identify whether a hotel is really performing at the level indicated by its official rating.
In some instances you'll find that seemingly highly rated hotels should be avoided. On the other hand, you may discover some real bargains.
The key here is not simply to rely on the official ratings. Take account of what previous guests have said and use your own discretion before making a booking.
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