Star Ratings Often Hide Ambience

The number of stars a hotel boasts can be the deciding factor when it comes to book or not to book. More than 80 per cent of travellers "always" or "most times" use the star rating. And, many more say they would take it into account in the future.

However, according to some there are discrepancies in the system that could affect your enjoyment of these properties.

Some B and Bs in heritage-listed buildings are complaining that the system is prejudiced against them. They say their ambience and even locations aren't considered in the marking scheme.

Some have had problems gaining AAA star rating points for the star ratings they want. Others have complained that antique furniture cannot gain maximum points. Others comment that a B&B might offer five-star gourmet breakfasts, but this is not assessed as the AAA points only look at continental or cooked ones.

The owner of a guest house and cottage in rural NSW who preferred to remain anonymous says that whilst she thinks that the rating system is necessary, it has no room for movement.

Set on a backdrop of rolling hills, free of traffic and street lights, her establishment prides itself on its warm and secluded atmosphere. Before guests arrive their room is set up with a tea tray complete with china tea cups, fresh milk and home-made biscuits. For this pleasantry, she loses points.

The protocol says that they should be in a cupboard or plastic container to protect them from dust and insects. A cloth covering does not suffice. "They have to be in a cupboard, dust free," she says.

She lost points for not having locks on the doors of the ensuite bathrooms and for her lack of technology. "It's a quiet guest house. People want to come away for a bit of sex. Why would they need to lock the bathroom door?" she asks. "I lose points for no TV, DVD and telephone ports but that's what my guests like."

Hilltop views that always arouse a comment from guests and the impeccable service don't get a mention.

"This year my cottage lost a star because the young chap came and said that the cottage is a cosy cottage and needed a slick new kitchen. "I said to him that I advertise it as a country cottage and that a modern kitchen was not what my guests want."

Clare Keogh, who's Chair of Bed & Breakfast and Farmstay NSW-ACT, explains there are 10 different schemes, one of these being for "B&B" and another for "self-catering" (B&B, cottages, house, apartments, villas etc).

The AAA has a list of what is required for a B&B in terms of bedrooms, bathrooms, and general areas. There is no room for a subjective view - it's all to do with cleanliness and the condition of bed/bath/sheets/towels, facilities, maintenance and so on. Points are awarded by an assessor for a range of items.

To be assessed as a five-star you need between 910 and the maximum 1000 points. The number of points required drops down as the star rating drops (down to 310-360 points for one-star).

While acknowledging that she has heard complaints she doesn't believe the star rating scheme is going to "spell the end" of the cosy B&B.

"While the scheme tends to focus on the bedroom and bathroom and doesn't take into account the ambience of a property, we at BBFNSW-ACT accept that it is very difficult to assess the historic nature of a property or the ambience," Keogh says.

"Now it is possible for a brand new B&B in suburbia with large king bedroom, bathroom with spa bath, modern lounge with plasma TV, sound system etc to obtain maximum five-star points, and a multi-million dollar ocean front property with helipad, pool and tennis court to only make three star but I don't know any examples."

The organisation has 300 members in NSW and ACT and about 70 per cent choose to be rated.

"I personally have been rated for over 10 years and have been reasonably happy with the ratings I have been given. There is a cost and some smaller B&B's/Farmstays are choosing not to pay.

"In general most of our members are supportive of the star rating system as they believe it gives guests a degree of confidence/comfort in making bookings in B&B/Farmstays. The star rating system has been around for many years and has not inhibited the growth of B&B/Farmstay sector to date."

However, the national manager of STAR ratings at the AAA Paul Baumgartner does recognise that some elements have been overlooked. "Location and delivery of service is not measured," Baumgartner says. "There is a need for this rating," he adds.

He says that the difficulty lies in the measurement but does suggest that there is a solution in the pipeline. "It's not easily measured ... the more effective guest satisfaction rating could work in conjunction so there is a full suite of information on the property.

"Many properties are working very heard to differentiate from other properties. We think it's important that we recognise that," he says.

Another jibe that arises about the star ratings system "has to do with the loose use of star ratings", says the cottage owner. With the rising popularity of online bookings there are all sorts of ratings popping up, some of which aren't a valid source.

"Star ratings are internationally recognised and the general public would not know the difference between self-rated and tourism rated," the disgruntled owner tells me.

She explains: "Wotif (an online booking site), for example, lists properties according to star ratings, whether self-rated or industry rated. A local guest house has self-rated itself at four-and-a-half stars. It would not get three stars if it went for its AAA stars."

Not only does this deceive guests it undermines other local accommodation sites, she says. "It is not helpful to the public in ascertaining the quality of a property and is determinantal to properly rated properties," she says.

"If someone stays at a self-rated property which did not meet the expectations of the guest then the whole rating system falls over because that person cannot trust any rating for any property."

She feels that AAA doesn't have a method for controlling this. But Baumgartner says that a national license is provided for the use of the star system.

Under the current system 300 bits of criteria are assessed in the areas of facilities, cleanliness, maintenance, appearance and decor. An assessment occurs every 12 to 18 months.

"Typically speaking it's a two-hour assessment ... ensuring constant application of the standards," Baumgartner says. He admits that the system is subjective but says that it is evolving. "Over time consumer expectation increases," he says. "Behind the scenes there is some complexity to it but for consumers it needs to be simple."

AAP