Ratings Explained
Hotels, B&Bs and Guest Accommodation
There is now a unified rating scheme for serviced accommodation giving you a clear guide to what to expect. Properties are assessed annually by the Automobile Association, VisitBritain or RAC. The scheme uses Stars to represent Hotels and Diamonds for Guest Accommodation (guesthouses, inns, farmhouses, bed & breakfasts) and puts greater emphasis on quality in Hotels and Guest Accommodation – particularly in areas of cleanliness and guest care.
Hotels
Star ratings symbolise the level of service, range of facilities and quality of guest care that you can expect. Hotels are required to meet progressively higher standards as they move up the scale from one to five Stars.
one star rating Practical accommodation with a limited range of facilities and services, but a high standard of cleanliness throughout. Restaurant/eating area. 75% of bedrooms will have en-suite or private facilities.
two star rating Better equipped bedrooms, all with ensuite/private bathroom and a colour TV. A lift is normally available.
three star rating Higher standard of services and facilities including larger public areas and bedrooms, a receptionist, room service, laundry.
four star rating Accommodation offering superior comfort and quality; all bedrooms with en-suite bath, fitted overhead shower and WC. Spacious and well appointed public areas. More emphasis on food and drink. Room service of all meals and 24 hour drinks, refreshments and snacks. Dry cleaning service available. Excellent customer service.
five star rating A spacious, luxurious establishment offering you the highest international quality of accommodation, facilities, services and cuisine. There will be a range of extra facilities. You will feel very well cared for by professional, attentive staff providing flawless guest services.
 
Guest Accommodation
Diamond ratings for Guest Accommodation reflect visitor expectations of this sector, where quality is seen as more important than facilities and services. As a result Guest Accommodation is required to meet progressively higher standards of quality and guest care as they move up the scale from one to five Diamonds.
one diamond rating clean and comfortable accommodation, providing breakfast and helpful service.
two diamond rating An increased level of quality and comfort, with greater emphasis on guest care.
three diamond rating Well maintained, practical decor, a good choice of breakfast dishes, a higher degree of customer care and at least 40% of the bedrooms will have private or ensuite bathrooms.
four diamond rating An even higher level of quality and comfort. Good level of customer care.
five diamond rating Excellent quality in furnishing and rooms. At least 80% of bedrooms will have ensuite/private bathrooms. Excellent levels of customer care.
 
Self Catering
VisitBritain’s new star ratings assess quality, including comfort, space, facilities and most important of all, cleanliness. Establishments at higher rating levels also have to meet some additional requirements for facilities. All properties have to meet an extensive list of minimum requirements before they can be considered for a Star rating.
one star rating acceptable overall level of quality. Adequate provision of furniture, furnishings and fittings.
two star rating good overall level of quality. All units self-contained – 2 bathrooms where there are eight or more guests.
three star rating good to very good level of quality. Good standard of maintenance and decoration. Ample space and good quality furniture. All double beds with access from both sides. Microwaves.
four star rating excellent overall level of quality. Very good care and attention to detail will be obvious throughout. Either access to washing machine and drier, if not provided in the unit, or a 24 hour laundry service.
five star rating exceptional overall level of quality. High levels of décor, fixtures and fittings, together with excellent standards of management efficiency and guest services. Excellent range of accessories and personal touches.
 
Group Accommodation
This includes owned hostels, youth hostels, campus accommodation, bunkhouses and camping barns.

Hostels are rated from one to five Stars. For eligibility hostels must meet a minimum entry requirement for both the provision and quality of facilities and services, including fixtures, fittings, furnishings, decor and any other extra facilities. Progressively higher levels of quality and customer care are provided for each of Star ratings. Quite simply the more Stars, the higher the overall level of quality you can expect to find.

Bunkhouses offer a similar style of accommodation to Hostels, but usually with more limited service and facilities, usually on a self-catering basis. Bunkhouses are not Star rated.

Camping Barns provide very simple self-catering accommodation. Often referred to as ‘stone tents’, they have the advantage of being roomy and dry. Camping Barns are not Star rated.