Hotel ratings are often used to classify hotels according to their quality. From the initial purpose of informing travelers on basic facilities that can be expected, the objectives of hotel rating have expanded into a focus on the hotel experience as a whole.
Why Hotel star rating
The other significant reason for Hotel Star rating is to help reduce the chances of getting what you did not bargain for, countries, including our own, have a system of rating establishments.
Kenya, like most major reviewing bodies, uses the five-star system for grading done by the Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA), a corporate body established under section 4 of the Tourism Act No.28 of 2011. The Authority periodically undertakes the National classification of all regulated tourism activities and services to ensure high standards and quality of services. A Standardisation and Classification Committee comprising members from both the public and private sectors oversee the classification exercises. This is based on the approved criteria for each category of establishments.
Some countries adopt letter grading, from A to F or simply a ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ footnote for accommodation such as hostels and motels to grade accommodation. Others use terms such as Deluxe/Luxury, First Class/Superior, Tourist Class/Standard, and Budget Class/Economy.
Those that use diamonds and stars to show ratings, nonetheless, are more widely accepted. Generally, star ratings run from one-star to five-star, and contrary to popular belief, there is no such rating as six-star or seven-star. Even the world’s super luxurious establishments like The Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai – the first hotel being widely described as a “Seven-Star” property, discourages the use of the term. Some resorts, however, do not necessarily conform to any typical hotel-star-rating system.
To get the most out of your next vacation, approach those stars with a savvy eye to make informed decisions about your hotel. To place ratings in context, here are simplified definitions of each star.
One-Star hotel (meets basic needs)
Economy, Simple, no-frills accommodation. Expect a small hotel managed and operated by the owner. The atmosphere will be more personal and the accommodations basic. Restaurant service should be within walking distance, as well as nearby public transportation, major intersections, and entertainment that is reasonable in price.
Two-Star hotel (meets basic needs)
Affordable, basic, clean, comfortable, and Value. These hotels are generally part of a chain that offers consistent quality and limited amenities. They are small or medium in size and rooms will have a phone and TV. While you will not have the convenience of room service, there should be a small restaurant on site.
Three-Star hotel (Comfort/high service with additional amenities)
Mid-scale, convenience plus comfort, style, quality, comfort, personalized service usually located near a major expressway, business center, and/or shopping area, these hotels offer nice, spacious rooms and decorative lobbies. On-site restaurants may be average in size but will offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Valet and room service, a small fitness center and a pool are often available.
Four-Star hotel (First-Class superior property with a variety of amenities)
Superior, Deluxe/upscale comfort plus high quality Formal, large hotels, with top-notch service. There will usually be other hotels of the same caliber clustered nearby, as well as shopping, dining, and entertainment. Above-average service, beautifully furnished rooms, restaurants, room service, valet parking, fitness center, and a concierge are some amenities to expect.
Five-Star Hotel(Luxury setting, flawless guest services)
Finest luxury establishment, superlative service, highest comfort standards well equipped, first-class services, and state of the art facilities A luxurious hotel, offering the highest degree of personal service. Elegance and style abound, and rooms are equipped with quality linens, stereo, TV, Jacuzzi tub. There are multiple restaurants on-site with extensive, gourmet menus, and room service is also available 24-7. A fitness center, valet parking, and concierge service round out the experience.
Named are a few of the five-star hotels in Malindi: Leopard Point Luxury Beach Resort & Spa – Malindi, Diamonds Dream of Africa, Malindi, and Ocean Beach Resort
Hotel Review
While away from home, you want to be happy. You want to be comfortable. You want to enjoy yourself. You want the place where you are staying to meet your satisfaction.
But there is a problem. You’ve never been to that place before. You’ve only seen it in a directory and read about it on paper. You don’t know what it is really like. Is this place really clean? Are the employees really nice? How do I know what to expect?
Reviews can be the answer. Almost all properties have at least some reviews already written about them. As a potential customer, you can compare and contrast each of the reviews that have already been written, and determine based on the words of others if issues that have been reported are a problem for you.
Reviews versus hotel rating system
Many review sites have customers rate the place on a scale of 1-5, and perhaps will print the average satisfaction rating of all customers. Be aware that this does not correspond with the hotel rating systems that are designed by large corporations. These are simply the points of view of individual customers. A cheap, roadside motel can be rated quite high by its customers, and a highly luxurious hotel to have many dissatisfied customers. Although the reader can get more information about the hotel from a review to see if it would suit them.
When trying to decide on a place to stay do not sorely depend on the star ratings, include customer reviews in your research. Here are things to consider when choosing accommodations for your next trip.