Rating in the hospitality business is a very important mechanism for giving visibility to a hotel that is providing the services needed by guests to know places where they can lodge while traveling. Here are some 5-star hotels around the world.
- &BEYOND MNEMBA ISLAND, ZANZIBAR, TANZANIA.
- BELMOND HOTEL CARUSO, AMALFI COAST, ITALY.
- SIX SENSES ZIGHY BAY, OMAN.
- ROYAL MALEWANE, SOUTH AFRICA.
- AMAN SVETI STEFAN, MONTENEGRO.
- SONEVA FUSHI, MALDIVES.
- TIME + TIDE MIAVANA, MADAGASCAR.
- SONEVA KIRI, THAILAND.
Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host, wherein the host receives the guest with some amount of goodwill, including the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers.
The hospitality industry is a broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, food and drink service, event planning, theme parks, travel, and tourism. It includes hotels, tourism agencies, restaurants, and bars.
In Nigeria, the hospitality sector is growing at a rapid rate and major hotel chains are berthing here.
Accommodation plays a key role in both leisure and business travel but in a situation where a hotel advertised as luxurious turns out to be a roach motel, it becomes a nasty experience for most people who lodge at such places.
What is a hotel star rating?
Hotel star ratings are an internationally-accepted indicator of a hotel’s quality, cleanliness, and standards. The higher the star rating the more you can expect from the hotel, with one-star hotels offering a no-frills stay and five-star hotels providing a high-end luxury experience.
Categorizing hotels is done according to the quality such hotels offer. 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. Today the terms ‘grading’, ‘rating’, and ‘classification’ are used to generally refer to the same concept, that is to categorize hotels.
There are a wide variety of rating schemes used by different organizations around the world. Many have a system involving stars, with a greater number of stars indicating greater luxury.
Why is a rating system for hotels important?
A hotel star rating is an independent and objective grading, so it’s a reliable system that helps guests understand what they can expect when staying at a hotel.
A common understanding of the quality of a hotel also makes it easier for guests to compare hotels and make booking decisions. For example, guests might want to understand which five-star hotel is most affordable. Or whether it’s worth it to pay extra for a five-star hotel compared to a three-star hotel. The star information facilitates these comparisons and decisions.
How is a hotel’s star rating determined?
The most important feature of a star rating system is that it is independent and objective – so a hotel can’t self-rate their property. Guests need unbiased ratings when making decisions.
A hotel’s star rating is judged by more than 200 criteria which have been ranked by travelers. The star symbols are a licensed trademark and can only be used by properties that have been licensed – meaning guests can have confidence in the rating system.
Criteria used to rank hotels include amenities, property quality, cleanliness, food services, entertainment, view, room variations, ease of access, location and more.
Unfortunately, there is no one universal rating system, which can make the system a little confusing when comparing a five star hotel in the United States to one in Europe, for example. However, provided the hotels guests are comparing are judged independently against set criteria and according to the same rating system, the information they provide is extremely useful to those looking to book accommodation.
What does it mean to be a five-star hotel?
From the iconic Transcorp Hilton in Abuja to the George Lagos Hotels, then the historic The Westin Excelsior in Rome, the five-star hotel category includes some of the most luxurious and celebrated hotels around the world.
Service, amenities, architecture, design and furnishings – everything about a five-star hotel is premium and personalised. Guests will only need to relax and enjoy the comfort and extravagance of their surroundings as the hotel’s flawless service meets and anticipates their every need.
Even the little details touches and details are provided for, including things like:
- High-end toiletries
- Nightly turndown service
- Robes and slippers
- Medical team on call
- Smart TV with complimentary streaming services
- Selection of daily newspapers
- Night room lighting
- Pillow menu
- Blockout shades
- Poolside service
