Overview the seven strars rating hotel industry

The Hotel industry is a part of Hospitality industry. Hospitality comes from the French word "hospice," meaning to take care of those traveling and provide for the weary. The history of this industry is long as hospitality providers have been around at least as early as 40 B.C. Hospitality has changed dramatically through the years in response to influences such as wars, economic fluctuations and social changes. The earliest record of the hospitality industry lies with the Romans. Roman men traveled for business and were the first to travel for leisure as well. Once the Roman Empire fell, much of the hospitality industry fell to religious orders such as monasteries who welcomed travelers. With the increased use of the stage coach, English travelers stayed in inns, which were actually private homes that provided a room and meal.
Hotel Classification Systems Early hotels and inns were little more than an available bed and something barely palatable to eat. The emergence of tourism in the latter half of the 19th century brought with it an improvement of the standards of the early inns. Some pressure was placed on these facilities to offer some minimum standards where the consumer was able to identify a property with specific amenities. The rating system emerged out of efforts by the Automobile and cycling clubs in Europe, who in their tour books displayed hotels, which they recommended to their membership, based on the guaranteed facilities which these hotels/inns offered. This led to the establishment of rating systems such as the Automobile Association (AA) and its American counterpart the (AAA) and the Michellin tyre company’s – Michellin Red Guide and other mobile guides.

Minimum Requirements for AA Recognition

One Star Hotels Hotels in this classification are likely to be small and independently owned, with a family atmosphere. Services may be provided by the owner and family on an informal basis. There may be a limited range of facilities and meals may be fairly simple. Lunch, for example, may not be served. Some bedrooms may not have en suite bath/shower rooms. Maintenance, cleanliness and comfort should, however, always be of an acceptable standard.

Two Star Hotels In this classification hotels will typically be small to medium sized and offer more extensive facilities than at the one star level. Some business hotels come into the two star classification and guests can expect comfortable, well equipped, overnight accommodation, usually with an en-suite bath/shower room. Reception and other staff will aim for a more professional presentation than at the one star level, and offer a wider range of straightforward services, including food and drink.

Three Star Hotels At this level, hotels are usually of a size to support higher staffing levels, and a significantly greater quality and range of facilities than at the lower star classifications.

Reception and the other public rooms will be more spacious and the restaurant will normally also cater for nonresidents. All bedrooms will have fully en suite bath and shower rooms and offer a good standard of comfort and equipment, such as a hair dryer, direct dial telephone, toiletries in the bathroom. Some room service can be expected, and some provision for business travelers.

Four Star Hotels Expectations at this level include a degree of luxury as well as quality in the furnishings, decor and equipment, in every area of the hotel. Bedrooms will also usually offer more space than at the lower star levels, and well designed, coordinated furnishings and decor. The en-suite bathrooms will have both bath and fixed shower. There will be a high enough ratio of staff to guests to provide services like porterage, 24-hour room service, laundry and dry-cleaning. The restaurant will demonstrate a serious approach to its cuisine.

Five Star Hotels Here you should find spacious and luxurious accommodation throughout the hotel, matching the best international standards. Interior design should impress with its quality and attention to detail, comfort and elegance. Furnishings should be immaculate. Services should be formal, well supervised and flawless in attention to guests' needs, without being intrusive. The restaurant will demonstrate a high level of technical skill, producing dishes to the highest international standards. Staff will be knowledgeable, helpful, well versed in all aspects of customer care, combining efficiency with courtesy.

Red Star Awards AA star classifications are usually depicted in black on signs and in the AA's guides and electronic products. However, at each of the five classification levels, the AA recognizes exceptional quality of accommodation and hospitality by awarding Red Stars for excellence. A hotel with Red Stars, therefore, has been judged to be the best in its star classification and recognizes that the hotel offers outstanding levels of comfort, hospitality and customer care.

Country House Hotels Country House Hotels offer a relaxed, informal atmosphere, with an emphasis on personal welcome. They are usually, but not always, in a secluded or rural setting and should offer peace and quiet regardless of location.

Town House Accommodation This classification denotes small, personally run hotels which afford a high degree of privacy, concentrate on luxuriously furnished bedrooms and suites, with high- quality room service rather than the public rooms or formal dining rooms usually associated with hotels, but they are usually in areas well served by restaurants. All fall within the Four or Five Star classification.

Travel Accommodation (Lodges) This classification denotes budget accommodation, suitable for an overnight stay usually in purpose-built units close to main roads and motorways, often forming part of motorway service areas. They provide consistent levels of accommodation and  service, matching today's expectations.

Guesthouse/Private Hotels The term guest-house can lead to some confusion, particularly when many include the word hotel in their name. For AA purposes, small and private hotels are included in this category when they cannot offer all the services required for the AA hotel star rating system. The term does not imply that guesthouses are inferior to hotels, just that they are different. Many, indeed, offer a very high standard of accommodation. It is not unusual to be offered en suite bathrooms, for instance, or to find a direct-dial telephone and a colour television in your room. Some guest-houses offer bed and breakfast only, so guests must go out for the evening meal. These facilities should state clearly if there are any restrictions to your access to the house, and whether they offer any meals. This should be communicated to the customer when booking.