Hotel product and hotel ratings - hotel categories
Hotels are among the most important
tourist facilities that tourists need when they travel to any country. However,
tourists may face difficulty in determining the quality of the hotel they want
to stay in, because there are many different grades that are assigned to
hotels. Therefore, visitors must know some information about the hotel
product, evaluate this product (hotel grades), the entities or institutions
that grant these hotel grades, and also how to determine the appropriate grade
for their financial capabilities.
First: the hotel product
The hotel product refers to
the services and facilities provided by the hotel to its guests. The hotel
product includes several elements, the most important of which are:
1. Rooms: These include the rooms available to guests
in the hotel, which vary according to the grade and category. Rooms also
include the facilities available in them, such as the bathroom, air
conditioning, heating, Wi-Fi, television, and others.
2. Public facilities: The hotel product also
includes the public facilities available in the hotel, such as the swimming
pool, gym, restaurants, cafes, hotel gardens, and others.
3. Services: These include the services provided by
the hotel to its guests, such as room service, reception and check-in
services, transportation services, and others.
4. Location: The location is also considered part
of the hotel product, where the hotel is located in a convenient and easily
accessible location, close to tourist attractions and vital places.
5. Safety and cleanliness: Safety and cleanliness
are an essential part of the hotel product, where the hotel must have high
cleanliness and guaranteed safety for its guests.
6. Entertainment and leisure: The hotel product may
also include entertainment and leisure activities provided by the
hotel to its guests, such as theater performances, music concerts, or sports
activities.
The hotel product is designed
to meet the needs of hotel guests and make their stay more comfortable and
luxurious. Typically, the quality of the hotel product is evaluated through guest
ratings and reviews left on travel and online hotel booking websites. The
hotel product is an important factor in attracting and retaining guests and
represents a competitive advantage among different hotels.
Second: the hotel evaluation or hotel class
Hotel rating is a classification
system that evaluates the quality of the hotel product and assigns it a grade
by determining several criteria and standards. Hotels are classified based on
the degree of comfort and available services, and hotel rating is one of
the primary factors that travelers rely on when choosing the hotel they want to
stay in.
Although there is no unified
international standard for hotel classification that can describe or
determine the level of comfort, luxury, and hospitality provided by hotels,
some countries follow their own standards that are verified by their tourism
ministries. Others adhere to international standardized classification
at the regional level. However, some hotels prefer to classify themselves
according to their own criteria, although the common grades are usually the
same in many countries worldwide, especially in Europe, some parts of Asia,
Arab countries, and some African countries. Below are the most common hotel
ratings in ascending order:
· Unclassified or 1-star hotels: These hotels offer simple services
and cheap prices and are usually located in cheap tourist areas and
economical residential areas, providing varying levels of luxury and service.
· 2-star hotels: These hotels provide a basic level of services and
facilities, such as simple and clean rooms, and some basic services such as
breakfast and internet connectivity.
· 3-star hotels: These hotels provide a better level of services and
facilities in addition to facilities such as restaurants, pools, and fitness
centers.
· 4-star hotels: These hotels offer a more advanced level of services
and facilities, including spacious and elegant rooms, 24-hour room service, and
some luxurious facilities such as restaurants, pools, fitness centers, and
spas.
· 5-star hotels: These hotels provide a very luxurious and advanced
level of services and facilities, including luxurious rooms, private
facilities, luxurious restaurants, health clubs, and indoor pools.
· 6-star or 7-star hotels: Hotels are usually classified
between two and five stars, and there is no official rating for 6-star or
7-star hotels. However, there are some luxury hotels that are considered among
the best hotels in the world and provide a very luxurious experience for
guests, and use special classifications to describe their luxurious and
extravagant level, where they feature spacious and luxurious rooms, luxurious
facilities, and upscale services.
What are the awarding organizations for hotel evaluation or hotel class?
There are many awarding organizations
for hotel evaluation or hotel class all over the world, and
perhaps the most famous of these organizations are the following:
1. AAA Diamond: The top-rated luxury Five Diamond hotels
feature the highest levels of luxury, personalized service, comfort, and
meticulous detailing. The Four Diamond hotels are characterized by
high-quality service, upscale facilities, and meticulous details. While the
very high score (Three Diamond) is given to hotels that provide good
service, good facilities, and average details, travelers can rely on this
rating to determine the best, most quality, and comfortable hotels in the
United States and Canada. Information about the AAA diamond rating of
hotels can be obtained through the AAA website, where users can search
for rated hotels and learn about the level of comfort and quality
available in each hotel.
2. The Michelin Organization: (Michelin) The Michelin organization
uses a unique system for rating restaurants, as it awards the restaurant
stars based on its level of quality and services. The organization is
known for awarding famous stars to restaurants, which represent high and
excellent levels of quality. Restaurants are rated by a team of highly trained inspectors,
whose identity is revealed confidentially upon visit, and the restaurant is
evaluated based on many specific criteria, such as food quality,
service, decor, and value for money. You can learn about the various activities
of the Michelin organization by visiting its official website from here.
3. World Travel Awards Organization: The World Travel Awards
Organization is one of the most important hotel evaluation awarding
organizations in the world, as it gives awards to the best hotels in every
continent and category. Founded in 1993, the organization aims to
recognize and honor outstanding achievement in the travel and tourism
industry around the world. The World Travel Awards organization is one of
the most famous and well-known organizations in this field, and awards are
given out annually to the best hotels, resorts, airlines, travel
agencies and others all over the world. All details, results and winners of the
World Travel Awards can be found on the official WTA website here.
4. Trip Advisor: The Trip Advisor organization is one of the most
famous organizations that give hotel ratings in the world, where travelers
can rate hotels and add their comments about the services and experience they
got, and the organization rates hotels based on those ratings and
comments. Millions of users rely on it to make their travel decisions. The
organization is characterized by accuracy and comprehensiveness in the evaluations,
as it uses artificial intelligence techniques and data analysis to
analyze and classify the evaluations and opinions available on the platform,
which helps provide a better tourism experience for users. The Trip
Advisor organization can be reached through the official website from here.
5. Forbes Travel Guide: Forbes Travel Guide is a leading organization
in the classification of luxury hotels and resorts in the world,
and grants its ratings through secret visits to its expert inspectors,
and its ratings are based on strict standards of quality, service
and luxury. Forbes Travel Guide products include a guide to luxury hotels,
resorts and restaurants. The organization evaluates luxury tourist
facilities around the world and classifies them based on high standards of
quality, hospitality, service and decoration. The organization provides accurate
and objective evaluations of luxury tourist facilities around the world,
and helps visitors and tourists choose hotels and restaurants that enjoy the
highest levels of quality and hospitality. The organization also
provides training and consultations for hotels and restaurants wishing
to improve the quality of their services and develop their business. You
can learn about the various activities offered by the Forbes Travel
Guide organization through its official website from here.
The importance of hotel ratings in determining the quality of hotel services:
A. Provides standardized criteria: Hotel ratings provide standardized
criteria for hotel services around the world, making it easier for visitors
to determine the level of service they can expect from the hotel.
B. Determines the level of luxury: Hotel ratings provide visitors
with information about the level of luxury available in the hotel, such as room
size and available facilities, which helps them make the best decision when
choosing a hotel that suits their needs.
C. Determines the level of service: Hotel ratings reflect the level
of service that visitors can expect to receive, such as room service,
breakfast, and room cleaning, which helps visitors determine the overall
quality of the hotel.
D. Builds trust: Hotel ratings enhance trust between visitors and
hotels, as obtaining a high rating is considered a sign of quality service
and comfort available in the hotel, which helps visitors recommend the hotel to
others.
Hotel ratings help
determine the level of service, luxury, and quality available in the hotel, and
assist visitors in making the right decision when choosing a hotel that
suits their needs.
How to choose the right hotel rating based on your budget?
Determining
the appropriate hotel rating for your financial capabilities requires
some careful planning and thoughtful consideration, following some comparisons
and the following steps:
1) Realistically determine your available budget
for your vacation: Before searching for a
hotel, you should determine the budget you want to spend on your stay during
the vacation. Hotel prices can vary greatly depending on the area you
want to travel to, the time you plan to travel, and the duration of your vacation.
2) Determine your needs accurately according to
your goals and the size of your family: Before
choosing a hotel, you should think about what you want to get from your stay.
Do you need extra space in your room? Do you need free meals? Do you need
special facilities like a swimming pool or a gym? You should clearly define
your needs before searching for a hotel.
3) Compare prices between available hotels in your
travel area: Once you have determined
your budget and needs, you can search for hotels that are suitable for you,
using tourism booking sites to compare prices and the available services
offered in different hotels.
4) Read reviews:
Before booking a hotel or resort for your vacation, you should read
reviews and ratings from previous guests. Reviews and ratings can
provide valuable information about the quality of service, cleanliness,
and facilities in the hotel or resort, which can help you make a
decision that matches your desires and expectations.
5) Choose the appropriate hotel or resort: After searching, comparing, and reading reviews, you can now choose
the hotel or resort that suits your financial capabilities, needs,
and expectations. You should make sure to select the appropriate hotel
rating for your financial capabilities, which can range from five-star hotels
to boutique hotels or serviced apartments.
What are the types of hotels?
There are
many different types of hotels that vary according to the services they offer,
the level they target, and the location they are located in. Among the most
common types of hotels are:
a) Business Hotels: These are hotels that target business travelers who want to
stay in a place that provides them with everything they need to do their work,
such as meeting rooms, internet, and other business facilities.
b) Resort Hotels:
These are hotels that provide comfortable accommodation for visitors
who want to relax and enjoy leisure activities such as swimming pools,
beaches, and health centers.
c) Serviced Apartments: These are hotels that provide fully equipped apartments and
target travelers who want to stay for long periods and prefer to have a
larger space and kitchen facilities.
d) Boutique Hotels: These are small hotels with unique design, personal and
flexible service, and target travelers who want to experience a unique
and different hotel experience.
e) Palace Hotels:
These are luxury hotels that provide luxurious services and facilities,
and target visitors who want to experience a luxurious and high-end
hotel experience.
What can be done to make the most of hotel ratings?
a. Do your pre-research and survey: Before booking any hotel, research and read reviews from previous
guests to get an idea of their experience with the hotel. You can do this
through booking websites or review sites.
b. Choose the room that fits your needs and
expectations: Choose a room that meets
your needs and preferences, such as a view or the size of the room or the
available amenities.
c. Inquire about hotel facilities: Make sure to inquire about the facilities available in the hotel, such
as the swimming pool, sauna, or fitness center, and use them to enhance your
experience.
d. Take advantage of the additional services: Make sure to use the additional services provided by the hotel, such
as room service, free Wi-Fi, or transportation services.
e. Treat the staff nicely: Treating the hotel staff nicely can greatly impact your hotel
experience since they can provide tips, recommendations, and assistance to meet
your needs.
f. Enjoy the surrounding area: Take advantage of your time to explore the surrounding area of the
hotel and enjoy the tourist attractions, restaurants, and various activities.
g. Plan your trip in advance: You can plan your trip in advance, identify the activities and
attractions you want to visit, and the places you want to go to achieve an
ideal hotel stay experience.
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Conclusion:
When seeking a comfortable and
exceptional hotel experience, it's important to consider important
factors such as determining your budget, selecting the appropriate hotel
rating (category) that fits within your budget, researching and surveying previous
guest ratings, and paying attention to the hotel facilities and
special offers available. During your stay, it's important to treat the hotel
staff with kindness and respect, as this can greatly enhance your hotel
experience. Lastly, take advantage of your time to explore the surrounding area
of the hotel and enjoy the tourist attractions, restaurants, and various
activities available.