In today’s social media and crowd-sourcing era, it’s hard to know if certain properties are really worthy of the ratings they claim. What is a five-star hotel? What makes it different from a four-star hotel or a seven-star hotel? We’re answering these questions and more in our guide to 5-star hotels.
Explore the technical definition, what has changed in the hotel rating system, and some real-life examples of five-star hotels you can use to compare and contrast your own property or book for your next vacation.
Explore the technical definition, what has changed in the hotel rating system, and some real-life examples of five-star hotels you can use to compare and contrast your own property or book for your next vacation.
What is a five-star hotel?
A five-star hotel is a luxury property with beautiful facilities, top notch services, and Instagram-worthy rooms. Five-star hotels should be run by people who are polite, accommodating, and discreet.
The hotel has a high staff to room ratio and a variety of staff members available at any time. These can include a butler, doorman, and 24-hour reception. Daily housekeeping is also provided upon request.
Other amenities include a fine dining restaurant or bar, a standalone lounge or restaurant, valet or parking options, and childcare options.
Guest rooms must be plush and welcoming at a five-star hotel. They should have high thread count sheets and a bed that is comfortable. The walls should be thick, so that you can get plenty of rest even when your neighbors are loud.
As more hotels aspire to five-star status, they are expected to improve their standards of luxury. Details such as strong Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel, complete control over room temperature, and upgraded coffeemakers are expected at this level of accommodation.
Knowing all of this, you may be surprised to find out that a five-star rating, which was previously considered the best rating a hotel could hold, is not necessarily the gold standard anymore. In fact, there are now seven-star hotels. However, seven-star hotels are few and far between, so five-star hotels are still the premium to most.
What does that mean for you? You can have a world class experience in any five-star hotel no matter where you are. Expect to indulge in an exceptional experience from booking to check out.
A five-star hotel is a luxury property with beautiful facilities, top notch services, and Instagram-worthy rooms. Five-star hotels should be run by people who are polite, accommodating, and discreet.
The hotel has a high staff to room ratio and a variety of staff members available at any time. These can include a butler, doorman, and 24-hour reception. Daily housekeeping is also provided upon request.
Other amenities include a fine dining restaurant or bar, a standalone lounge or restaurant, valet or parking options, and childcare options.
Guest rooms must be plush and welcoming at a five-star hotel. They should have high thread count sheets and a bed that is comfortable. The walls should be thick, so that you can get plenty of rest even when your neighbors are loud.
As more hotels aspire to five-star status, they are expected to improve their standards of luxury. Details such as strong Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel, complete control over room temperature, and upgraded coffeemakers are expected at this level of accommodation.
Knowing all of this, you may be surprised to find out that a five-star rating, which was previously considered the best rating a hotel could hold, is not necessarily the gold standard anymore. In fact, there are now seven-star hotels. However, seven-star hotels are few and far between, so five-star hotels are still the premium to most.
What does that mean for you? You can have a world class experience in any five-star hotel no matter where you are. Expect to indulge in an exceptional experience from booking to check out.
Ranking criteria has changed in recent years
Hotel ratings are used to describe the quality of a hotel. They were originally invented to describe the basic services a hotel offered; for example, a two-star hotel may offer food in addition to shelter. In modern times, star ratings have expanded into a more comprehensive concept, combining service options and quality.
Although there are some generally accepted qualities expected in each star category, ranking criteria is no longer standardized in the same way it once was.
Today, there are many different rating schemes used by various organizations. One of the most popular is the star rating system published by the Forbes Travel Guide. But the biggest movement towards global unification of the hotel star system comes from the World Hotel Rating project.
The objective of the World Hotel Rating project is to develop sustainable and quality hotel services. They also aim to promote celebration of all the world's cultures and heritage. As far as hotel star ratings go, the company plans to develop specialized labels to promote hotels with specific features. Past attempts at doing this were unsuccessful. However, this is one of the largest efforts to date and one that many are in support of.
While not universal, there are some systems that hotels strive to appeal to a base defined by location. In North America, AAA has a one-to-five-star rating. In Europe, the Hotel Union has a one-to-five-star rating.
The Auto Club bases its ratings on feedback from hotel guests. Each rating team's classifications are based on various factors such as guest satisfaction, safety, and cleanliness. For example, all Five Star Alliance hotels must meet specific requirements in order to gain ratings, including maintaining high satisfaction in the customer base.
Even though there is no universal classification system yet, we can make some assumptions about each hotel star rating. Here’s what people think of when they see a five-star rating on a hotel:
Hotel ratings are used to describe the quality of a hotel. They were originally invented to describe the basic services a hotel offered; for example, a two-star hotel may offer food in addition to shelter. In modern times, star ratings have expanded into a more comprehensive concept, combining service options and quality.
Although there are some generally accepted qualities expected in each star category, ranking criteria is no longer standardized in the same way it once was.
Today, there are many different rating schemes used by various organizations. One of the most popular is the star rating system published by the Forbes Travel Guide. But the biggest movement towards global unification of the hotel star system comes from the World Hotel Rating project.
The objective of the World Hotel Rating project is to develop sustainable and quality hotel services. They also aim to promote celebration of all the world's cultures and heritage. As far as hotel star ratings go, the company plans to develop specialized labels to promote hotels with specific features. Past attempts at doing this were unsuccessful. However, this is one of the largest efforts to date and one that many are in support of.
While not universal, there are some systems that hotels strive to appeal to a base defined by location. In North America, AAA has a one-to-five-star rating. In Europe, the Hotel Union has a one-to-five-star rating.
The Auto Club bases its ratings on feedback from hotel guests. Each rating team's classifications are based on various factors such as guest satisfaction, safety, and cleanliness. For example, all Five Star Alliance hotels must meet specific requirements in order to gain ratings, including maintaining high satisfaction in the customer base.
Even though there is no universal classification system yet, we can make some assumptions about each hotel star rating. Here’s what people think of when they see a five-star rating on a hotel:
1. Location
Is the hotel close to a tourist hotspot or within a walkable part of town? Or is it conveniently located by the airport or other public transportation? The less isolated a location is the higher the rating will be. You can expect a five-star rated hotel to be near the action without having to sacrifice a good night's rest.
2. Amenities
Think valet services, gyms, and onsite restaurants. The fuller the hotel experience, the higher the rating. Five-star hotels may offer all of the above, plus dry cleaning, meeting rooms, and banquet halls depending on its size.
3. Facilities
How updated are the rooms, hallways, bathrooms, and shared spaces? Do they incorporate technology or trending design styles? Are they cleaned regularly and freshly tidied? Five-star hotels are expected to go above and beyond in this department.
There are some exceptions to the rule. If the hotels are located somewhere like Catalina Island, CA, where access to construction equipment and even cars is extremely limited, you can expect to see more updates around decor than structure.
4. Room sizes
Five-star hotels should offer comfortable rooms with desks, seating areas, queen or king size beds, and mini fridges or even kitchenettes. In larger cities like New York, there might not be space for all of this despite the high rating. Keep in mind that ratings are relative when booking.
5. Customer service
All hotels strive to provide excellent customer service. So it may be hard to tell a one-star hotel apart from a five-star hotel in this category. Instead of focusing on quality, it’s better to think about access.
Is there always someone physically available at the front desk to help with check in or check out? What about a door person? Can you text the hotel team if you have requests or questions throughout the day?
All of these little things add up to a convenient level of support you should expect from a five-star hotel experience.
Is the hotel close to a tourist hotspot or within a walkable part of town? Or is it conveniently located by the airport or other public transportation? The less isolated a location is the higher the rating will be. You can expect a five-star rated hotel to be near the action without having to sacrifice a good night's rest.
2. Amenities
Think valet services, gyms, and onsite restaurants. The fuller the hotel experience, the higher the rating. Five-star hotels may offer all of the above, plus dry cleaning, meeting rooms, and banquet halls depending on its size.
3. Facilities
How updated are the rooms, hallways, bathrooms, and shared spaces? Do they incorporate technology or trending design styles? Are they cleaned regularly and freshly tidied? Five-star hotels are expected to go above and beyond in this department.
There are some exceptions to the rule. If the hotels are located somewhere like Catalina Island, CA, where access to construction equipment and even cars is extremely limited, you can expect to see more updates around decor than structure.
4. Room sizes
Five-star hotels should offer comfortable rooms with desks, seating areas, queen or king size beds, and mini fridges or even kitchenettes. In larger cities like New York, there might not be space for all of this despite the high rating. Keep in mind that ratings are relative when booking.
5. Customer service
All hotels strive to provide excellent customer service. So it may be hard to tell a one-star hotel apart from a five-star hotel in this category. Instead of focusing on quality, it’s better to think about access.
Is there always someone physically available at the front desk to help with check in or check out? What about a door person? Can you text the hotel team if you have requests or questions throughout the day?
All of these little things add up to a convenient level of support you should expect from a five-star hotel experience.