Hotel rating system

The aim of developing hotel rating systems is to help customers select hotels efficiently, and to monitor and push hotels to keep and improve service and facilities. Many organizations from online booking sites to small hotel chains have their own hotel rating system. It’s almost impossible and unnecessary to introduce them one by one. Though well-recognized systems by travelers or industry participants are only the several below.

The AAA Five Diamond Award® Rating System

Every year AAA reviews more than 27,000 hotels, just 0.4 percent make the AAA Five Diamond list and 6.3 percent earning the Four Diamond.

American Automobile Association (AAA) five diamond rating system has spread over the world with the expending of powerful American hotel chains—Marriott, Hyatt, InterContinental, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Fairmont…. Many other countries or areas oriented hotel brands, like Shangri-La (Hong Kong), The Peninsula (Hong Kong), Banyan (Singapore), Taj (India), Auberge Resorts Collection (Mexico) and more, have joined the system.

• In 1902, AAA was introduced to classify hotels as a federation of independent motor clubs.
• In 1937, the first AAA agents were hired to inspect accommodation and restaurants.
• In 1963, AAA began assigning ratings from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’.
• In 1977, on AAA’s 75th (diamond) anniversary, the he ratings became known as the AAA Diamond Ratings System for lodgings.
• In 1989, The restaurant diamond rating system began.

Each interested hotel needs to fill several forms and pay $500 application processing fee, which is for validating property information and nonrefundable. The forms and documents are publicly available at their official site aaa.com

All properties must first meet AAA’s 34 basic requirements, covering comfort, cleanliness, and safety, before being approved and assessed by one of AAA’s 65 full-time anonymous inspectors. Once evaluated, a rating, based on AAA's guidelines about facilities, amenities and service, of One to Five Diamonds may be assigned, and revaluation will be conducted once a year at least.

Ratings are published in the AAA TourBook® guides both in print and online, and being searchable in the AAA TripTik® Travel Planner and related official sites.

AAA collects complaints submitted by its members prudently. All the complaints are compiled and forwarded to the relevant hotels to help them improve.

Donald Trump Receives AAA Five Diamonds(left) for Trump Central Park at Trump International Hotel & Tower New York on March 31, 2011 in New York City

Forbes Travel Guide (formerly Mobil Travel Guide) Star Rating System

Forbes Travel Guide (formerly known as Mobil Guide or Mobil Travel Guide), as an independent, global rating system for accommodation, food and beverage outlets, hiring anonymous professionals to travel the world to inspect hotels, restaurants, and spas based on 900 criteria.

Forbes Travel Guide, the oldest travel rating system in the United States, emphasizes quality of service—how hotel make their guests feel and what the guests will remember most.

• In 1958, Forbes Travel Guide was Founded by Mobil. The first issue covered five states in the Southwest and South Central United States.
• In 1960, revised volumes included the Northeastern States, the Great Lakes, California and the West.
• In 1962, the Northwestern states were introduced, rating system spread over the Middle Atlantic States.
• In 1965, an issue for the Southeastern States was introduced, although only one state appeared on the volume—Tennessee.
• In 2008, Forbes Travel Guide launched an international star ratings program for hotels and spas—Forbes Travel Guide Beijing and Forbes Travel Guide Hong Kong and Macau—published in print by ExxonMobil Travel Publications
• In October 2009, ExxonMobil licensed the brand to the Five Star Ratings Corporation, which is owned by WebMD founder Jeff Arnold. Soon Five Star Travel Corporation sighed a licensing agreement with Forbes Media, The star awards and guidebook series were renamed as Forbes Travel Guide.
• In 2011, Forbes Travel Guide's new home, ForbesTravelGuide.com, was online. The traditional printed guidebook series came to an end.

Forbes Travel Guide - 2019 Star Award Winners by country

5-Star		4-Star		Recommended		Total
United States	151	United States	444	United States	213	United States	808
China	77	China	105	China	33	China	215
United Kingdom	16	Canada	36	Italy	19	United Kingdom	58
France	13	United Kingdom	29	United Kingdom	13	Canada	53
Mexico	12	Mexico	27	Canada	11	Italy	52
Italy	10	Japan	26	France	10	Mexico	49
Japan	7	Italy	23	Mexico	10	France	42
Singapore	7	United Arab Emirates	23	Japan	9	Japan	42
Canada	6	Indonesia	21	Spain	8	United Arab Emirates	33
Switzerland	5	France	19	Portugal	7	Indonesia	30
Others	39	Others	150	Others	115	Others	312
Total	343	Total	903	Total	448	Total	1694

The AA ratings

The AA star rating system started in 1912, along with UK main tourist board in 2006 they brought out Common Quality Standards to examine and rate lodgings. The standards and methods are now applied throughout the England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The AA Hotel Quality Standards, regularly reviewed to keep up with consumer expectations within the industry, are measurable, consistent and reliable.

A generally universal applied rating system       

Adapted by some governments’ tourism departments and other travel services organization.  E.g.,

Star rating	Travelocity	Expedia	Orbitz
One-star	Meets budget basic needs	Economy, no-frills accommodations	Simple accommodations
Two-star	Meets basic needs	Value, clean, basic	Value, comfortable, affordable
Three-star	High service, additional amenities	Quality, style, comfort, personalized service	Mid-scale, convenience plus comfort
Four-star	Superior property, variety of amenities	Superior, upscale, high-quality	Deluxe/upscale, comfort plus quality
Five-star	Luxury setting, flawless guest services	Finest hotels, luxury, superlative service, highest comfort standards	Luxury, first-class services, well equipped and state of the art facilities

Reference

1. Stutts, Alan, T. (2006). Hotel & lodging management An introduction (2nd ed.). New York: John Wiley& Sons, Inc.
2. https://www.aaa.com
3. https://www.forbestravelguide.com
4. http://www.theaa.com
5. https://www.travelocity.com
6. https://www.expediagroup.com
7. https://www.orbitz.com