Do you know what hotel stars mean? The basic difference we all know, the more stars the more luxurious the hotel. However, behind all these stars are certain standards that hotels need to meet.
At the level of the European Union, a hotel standardization should have been established and accepted in all member states. But although it was drafted, it has not become mandatory, but only serves as a guideline. EHU, The European Hotelstar Union, is based on the German system, which has significantly influenced the classification of hotels in Central Europe. This system abolished the minimum size of a room for a certain category and created a catalog of criteria that includes up to 270 elements, some of which are mandatory if the hotel wants to receive a certain star. Each of these elements carries a certain number of points, and the points are finally aggregated and hotel stars are given based on the values obtained.
Tourist or 1 *
Hotels marked with 1 * are generally referred to as budget hotels. They are intended for people who do not want luxury or a bed that is too comfortable. All rooms must have a private bathroom with shower or bathtub. It is mandatory to clean the room daily. The room should have a bed, a table and chair, soap and color TV with remote control. The reception of a one-star hotel should be available at least eight hours a day, and a fax machine and telephone should be available at the reception. Breakfast must be served at the hotel and drinks must be available to guests throughout the day. Of course not for free.
Standard or 2 *
In addition to everything listed in the previous category, if you have two stars, it is not enough to just offer breakfast at the hotel, but a buffet is mandatory. In the rooms, in addition to the obligatory color TV, there should also be a light next to the bed so that you can read and a cupboard for storing things. In the bathrooms there should be shower gel and towels instead of soap and some personal hygiene items. In addition to a fax machine and telephone, credit card payments should be possible at the reception of these hotels.
Comfort or 3 *
All conditions that apply to hotels with 1 and 2 also apply to hotels with 3 *. But here the rules are tightened and the reception, except for fax, telephone and card payment, should work longer, at least 14 hours a day, and the telephone connection with the staff must be available 24 hours a day. The reception staff must speak at least one foreign language. There should also be at least three seats and a luggage storage room next to the reception.
The regulations for rooms will also be tightened. Each room should have a mini-bar or drinks, telephone and internet access. Although heating in the bathroom is not obligatory in the lower categories, 3 * hotels should have a radiator in the bathroom and a hair dryer. The room should also have a large mirror and storage space for a suitcase. A mini sewing kit, a shoe-polishing kit and the possibility to give clothes for washing and ironing are also obligatory. A 3 * hotel should provide the guest with an extra pillow and a blanket. This type of hotel must have a well developed customer service system.
First class or 4 * hotel
Everything is the same as for the three-star category, except that the reception should be open at least 18 hours a day. The lobby should have a bar as well as three seating sets. In these hotels, breakfast should be served in the room and the minibar should always be full.
A room in a 4* hotel should have a bed, table with chair and cupboard as well as an armchair or sofa and a small table. A bathrobe and slippers should be available in every room, and if they are not in the room, they should be available on request. The bathroom should be more luxurious, it should also have a shower cap, a makeup mirror and various personal hygiene products. Earlier categories did not require a restaurant but only a dining room, 4 * hotels should have an a la carte restaurant that works seven days a week.
Luxury or 5 *Hotel
In 5 * hotels the reception should be open 24 hours a day and all guests should have a concierge or a person responsible for parking the car. In these hotels there should also be staff to carry the luggage to the room. The lobby should be spacious, with a sitting area and a bar. Upon arrival, each guest should find fresh flowers, chocolate or another welcome gift. The rooms should have a personal strongbox. High speed internet access is available in the rooms. The hotel should have an ironing service that will iron your clothes within one hour.
Super luxury or 7 *Hotel
There are hotels that meet even the strictest requirements, which is why they have been awarded seven stars. The first hotel in the world with this category is the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, which opened in 1998. In this hotel every room has its own butler. It is difficult to describe what conditions such a hotel should meet.
Officially this categorization does not exist, but due to the luxury in which guests can enjoy certain hotels, such as designer furniture, elite drinks and other pleasures for the rich, it is clear that they are very different from five-star hotels.
This question is often asked: When choosing a hotel, must you trust the number of stars? The answer would be that you should take everything with a grain of salt, especially since the classification of hotels is not unique in the world.
