The term "hotel" refers to an establishment that provides paid lodging for a short time period. The basic provisions of a regular hotel room usually include a bed, cupboard, a small table and a washstand. Other provisions and amenities, depending on the hotel category, may include a private bathroom, color TV, telephone, air conditioning, small refrigerator, safety deposit box, daily maid service, 24 hours front desk and swimming pool. Each hotel in North America is rated a diamond category from one to five by the American Automobile Association (AAA). Other independent organizations assign hotels from one to five stars, though standards vary by country.
Budget hotels, or economy hotels, are the most inexpensive hotels, but they may not have a very clean atmosphere and the security factor is also questionable. These hotels do not offer leisure facilities, and their chief purpose is to provide an inexpensive place for the tourists to spend the night.
Suite hotels are ideally suited for family vacations and small business trips. They typically offer one or two bedroom suites for families, and include amenities like kitchens, a microwave, high speed Internet access, separate phone lines and weekly housekeeping. Some of these hotels may also have fitness centers and offer free use of washers and dryers.
Boutique hotels are typically trendy, hip and mostly upscale. Most boutique hotels may be classified as either three or four stars. Most of the boutique hotel chains are located in several places, for instance, in the U.S., Morgans Hotel Group, Hotel Indigo and Affina Hotels come under this category. The amenities typically include health and fitness centers, housekeeping and laundry services, airline desks, rent-a-car services, live entertainment, business center, Internet access and ATMs.
Luxury hotels are upscale accommodations, typically rated four to five stars. They can be luxury beach hotels, luxury suites and luxury romantic hotels for getaways, family trips and honeymoons. They cost more than boutique hotels and offer a much wider range of amenities like 24-hour room service, wireless Internet, concierge, flat screen HDTV, lavish decorations and upscale furniture.
Resorts, usually rated between three and five stars, are designed for tourists on vacations. A typical resort offers necessary amenities like entertainment, recreation and food on the premises. They include island resorts, beach resorts, golf resorts, spa resorts, tropical resorts and ski resorts.
Corporate hotels too range between three and four stars. They are intended for business travelers so their chief focus is on providing business facilities including business centers, high speed Internet connections, meeting and conference rooms, work desks, voicemail facility, copy and fax service as well post/parcel service. Marriott, Crown Plaza and Doubletree Hotels are some of the corporate hotels.
Airport hotels range from three to five stars, and are available for travelers on a business trip or those on connecting flights. Some of these may be really cheap and affordable accommodations, depending on the country you're in. They are conveniently located inside or near the immediate airport area. They typically also offer free shuttles and transportation service to and from the airport.
