What to look for when booking a hotel
There is so much to choose from when booking a hotel that it would be a shame to overlook the smaller, independent ones. These might be able to provide you with something the more well-known chain brands can’t. You can, of course, trust well-established businesses like Marriott or Hilton.
To assist visitors in determining a hotel’s quality, the star system was developed. This represents the degree of standards a visitor might expect from an internationally recognized star rating system. On a scale of 1 to 5, the following factors are taken into consideration:
- Service quality,
- Facilities,
- Room size and condition,
- Safety and security,
- Ambiance,
- Food and drink quality,
- Hotel presence,
- and staff productivity.
1 Star
Realistic accommodation. Expect little more than the bare essentials. Although the shower room can be down the hall, keep in mind that this is the least expensive lodging option. One-star hotels are a great option if you want to save money and don’t mind staying somewhere without bathrooms. Only inspect the space first. Choose a hotel with clean linens and a pleasant neighborhood. Although it may be inexpensive, you shouldn’t slum it close to a crack house!
2 Star
This is fine unless you don’t mind sharing the shower room with other guests at certain hotels, even though many have en-suite bathrooms. You will enjoy a comfy bed, a color television, and a dining area/restaurant for breakfast and dinner.
3 Star
Private bathrooms in the (often modest) room, color television, a phone, and laundry service (optional). You’ll expect a more formal style of service. It is also possible to expect room service at certain hours.
4 Star
These hotels are roomy and offer basic amenities with a touch of extravagance, such as private bathrooms. They also have a strong focus on food and drink, round-the-clock room service, and a dry cleaning service. More often in convenient places.
5 Star
These are the absolute best. The interiors will be of the highest standards, opulent, fashionable, and the height of luxury. For visitors, nothing is too much. The norm is exceptional comfort, and round-the-clock hotel service. This includes posh amenities like spas or star-rated restaurants providing delectable cuisine. If it’s legal, the concierge will be more than delighted to fulfill your requests at any time of the day. The attentive, competent team will make you feel very well taken care of while giving excellent service. The level of opulence that exists here is enough to form the most pleasant of dreams.
Without global agreement, stars are only a general guide
Since there isn’t yet a clear global standardization, the star definitions should only be used as a broad reference on what to expect from a star-rated hotel.
This makes it vulnerable to abuse, and you can wind up booking a hotel that doesn’t meet the standards you believe are consistent with its ratings.
You can find yourself staying in a three-star hotel abroad that may be superior to a three-star hotel in your home country because hotel ratings are inconsistent throughout the world. But be cautious—it might go either way, and you can end yourself at a hotel with the same star rating that you don’t particularly want.
Remember that you have the right to inspect a room before booking it.
Recommendation when booking a hotel
If you’re considering reserving a hotel but are unsure of what to expect, I advice you to heed these following steps.
- Consult reliable friends who share your tastes about a location:
- Run a search for the name of the hotel you want to stay at and read unbiased hotel reviews from visitors.
You may read reviews at https://www.reviewcentre.com/
On the other hand, you may also go to https://www.booking.com/
Please accept a word of warning on some reviews I came across. I blindly devoured these reviews thinking I was going to find what was described, only to be disappointed beyond belief. In my books, who wrote them remains a mystery as I certainly didn’t find anything as was described. I felt badly cheated. The bottom line here is not to take what people write here as the Gospel.
It would be a total disaster if you are of limited financial means, like a pension, and have saved for ages for your holiday. If you can find somebody who has been personally, try to get their honest feedback when booking a hotel. This, believe me, would be much better.
