Answer the questions after the text.

According to Organization of Hotel Industry Classification & Certification (OHICC) hotels are classified into 5 Standardized Categories – each category is based on price rating and quality rating. A hotel must be rated both by pricing and quality in order to meet certification standards. Economy is mostly about cost. The main criterion is affordability. Alias for ‘Economy’ include: Tourist, Backpacker, Budget. Standard is mostly about cost, yet hotel quality is a factor. Superior is about comfort. The main criteria are facilities and hotel features. Alias for ‘Superior’ include: Comfort, Komfort. Deluxe is comfort with higher price standards. The main criterion is outstanding quality. Alias for ‘Deluxe’ include: Luxury, Luxor, 1st-Class, Executive. Elite is exclusive. The main criterion is pricing, coupled with outstanding quality. Alias for ‘Elite’ include: Exclusive and 5-Star.

Some countries have an official body with standard criteria for classifying hotels, but in many regions there are none. There have been attempts at unifying the classification system so that it becomes an internationally recognized and reliable standard but large differences exist in the quality of the accommodations within one category of hotel. Competitive marketing of hotel services to foreign customers and tourist professionals have emerged as driving forces for instituting a Standardization of local and national hotel classification system.

One Star, Two Star, and Three Star hotels are never claimed.

Some members of the hospitality industry have claimed a six star rating for their operation. The Crown Macau casino, on Taipa Island; St. Regis Shanghai Hotel in China; Setai on Miami’s South Beach; The Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast in Australia.

Seven Star Hotels Although the Burj Al Arab characterizes itself as the world’s only “7-Star Hotel”, several “7-Star” hotels are under construction: The Morgan Plaza, Beijing (China); The Flower of the East, Kish (Iran); The Centaurus Complex, Islamabad (Pakistan); The Pentominium, Manila (Philippines);
The Royalties Castle, for Davao City (Philippines).

OHICC believes that setting up an international hotel star classification scheme is an impossible task. Quantitative criteria (room size, construction standards, language proficiency) vary too much from country to country. Qualitative criteria remain highly subjective. Many on-line travel agencies have established their own rating systems, providing enhanced, current evaluations. That said, One Star, Two Star, and Three Star hotels should hold some merit but it would be nearly impossible to implement because of marketing slate and the subjective nature of the qualitative data. However, for the standardization higher ratings of Four Star, and Five Star is a feasible and the global acceptance of the star rating system should not be discounted.

We believe once a strict bar is raised for Four Star rating and that all Five Star claims be validated then the rating standards will prove beneficial for all participants.

OHICC official position on Seven Star Hotels and Six Star Hotels is that it is a marketing gimic. For them to have merit they must adhere to exclusivity to a rare collection of excellent hotels. The OHICC steering committee has approved the use of 7-star and 6-star ratings under these rules:

• OHICC members will vote on the top hotels in the world
• nominations maybe submitted from April 2008-October 2008
• all nominated hotels must have received travel industry acclaim recently
• the top earners will receive the ranking of 5 Star Plus
• 7-Star Award (limited to 7 Hotels)
• 6-Star Award (limited to 25 Hotels)

(https://www.ohicc.com/class, Hotel.php)

Questions:

1. What are the standard hotel categories?

2. What are the basic criteria the hotels are rated by?

3. What are the reasons of differences that exist in the classification system?

4. What hotels are never claimed?

5. Is it possible to establish a universal hotel rating system? Why?

6. The use of what rules of 7-star and 6-star ratings has been approved by the OHICC steering committee?