Hotels are usually rated with a star system, which takes into account their amenities and levels of service. The higher the star rating, the better the quality of hotel. However, many hotels and hospitality professionals have questioned the effectiveness of the star rating. For example, the Midland Hotel in Manchester, United Kingdom, is the most luxurious in the city but has four stars rather than five because it lacks parking. This calls into question the effectiveness of the star system.
Hotels can be grouped into categories, rather than rated, to give guests a feel of the quality of their accommodations. These include bed and breakfasts, guest houses, country house hotels and a host of other classifications. RV parks or motels are a more common classification in the United States.
The quality of a hotel can also be judged by the Michelin star rating of its eating establishments. Just one Michelin star is an achievement for any restaurant, but three, which is the maximum, shows that a hotel will provide its customers with the utmost luxury. In the UK, hotel restaurants are given a Rosette rating of one to five Rosettes, with five being the best.
Certain websites offer their own rating systems, which they use exclusively to rate hotels. For example, Cranley.com has a 12-point rating system for hotels.
