Mariarosa

In my travels, I haven't been able to consistently determine what separates a one-star from a two-star or a two-star from a three-star, etc. I remember reading that the Italian government assigns ratings based on a set of criteria (not ambiance or atmosphere), such as how many rooms have bathrooms, whether there's a restaurant on-site, whether rooms have radios, etc. Is there a website that lists the criteria or does anyone know some of these criteria? Thanks!

Patrick

Here's hoping someone will have the complete list, but here are a few things I'm pretty certain of:<BR>To be a two star a certain percentage of the rooms have to have a private bath.<BR>To be a three star, all rooms must have private bath and there must be an elevator if over 2 or 3 stories.<BR>To be a fourstar, I believe it must have a complete restaurant. This is one of the criteria which often makes me prefer a three star to a four star.<BR>And I believe all rooms must have TV and radio, plus, of course, all the things required of lower categories.<BR>Now let's see if we come up with the official list and see how many I've missed.<BR>

elaine

Hi<BR>a guidebook I have states that the number of stars (and in Italy I believe it goes to 5 stars)<BR>can also depend on criteria like<BR>size of bathrooms (not just % of rooms with bath)<BR>size of reception area or breakfast room<BR>whether or not the restaurant in the hotel has separate bathrooms for men and women<BR>number of rooms in the hotel<BR>And the higher the stars, the more the hotel has to pay in taxes <BR>some hotels have no rating because the owner never asked the gov't for a rating

Grasshopper

In the 5 star hotels in Italy the staff pretends to be French and call you "Madame". And all the other visitors are American (with a few Brits) who try to impress you with the great places they stay when they travel.

Grasshopper

Oh, and in one star hotels nothing happens when you pull the string in the shower!

Mariarosa

Grasshopper, you are too funny!<BR><BR>Elaine and Patrick, that is very helpful. Some of the cirteria is pretty funny - like whether or not the restaurant in the hotel has separate bathrooms for men and women.

Patrick

Topping this. Can't believe no one knows of a web site that will show the actual criteria. Hopefully we will get one from somebody.<BR>But one thing is for certain, there are no criteria for style or taste. There are no "fashion police" deciding that the decor in one hotel is worthy of raising it to a higher star rating.

Mariarosa

Patrick, the funny thing is I was able to find part of the criteria for the UK's ratings but, I'm still looking for the criteria for Italy.<BR><BR>For what it's worth, here's the criteria for the UK (from http://cgi.chicago.tribune.com/travel/feat/0223/rate.htm):<BR><BR>Listed: At least one bathroom for every 10 resident guests (or 1 for every 15 if all rooms have washbasins); at least one WC (toilet) for every 10 guests; provision for cooked or continental breakfast; hot water available at all reasonable times; internal room lock; meets standards for minimum floor space (at least 60 square feet for singles, 110 square feet for twin-bedded rooms) and bed sizes (6 by 2 1/2 feet for a twin, 6 by 4 feet double); adequate heat (free) and light; headboards on the beds; bedside table; at least one chair (stool OK); beds made and bedrooms cleaned daily; clean towels on request (minimum 6 square feet each); soap; minimum one window.<BR><BR>One crown: All the above with these upgrades or additions: At least one bathroom for every 10 guests (regardless of in-room washbasins); at least one WC for every eight guests; full cooked breakfast; exterior lock and room key; larger beds; no nylon bedlinen; one chair per guest; lounge or foyer; use of a phone.<BR><BR>Two crowns: All the above with the following upgrades or additions: At least 20 percent of the rooms with a private bath or shower and WC; electric razor outlet near a mirror and light; morning tea or coffee served in rooms on request; wakeup call or alarm clock available; color TV in lounge (if not in rooms); help with luggage available.<BR><BR>Three crowns: All the above with the following upgrades or additions: At least half the rooms with private bath or shower and WC; one easy chair; a full-length mirror; luggage stand; heating with in-room control; tea and coffeemaking facilities in rooms on request; hot evening meal available; hair dryers, irons and ironing boards on request; shoe-cleaning facilities; public telephone (unless rooms have direct-dial phones).<BR><BR>Four crowns: All the above with the following upgrades or additions: At least 90 percent of the rooms with private bath or shower and WC (and at least half those with both bath and shower); one bathroom and WC per floor for each six unequipped bedrooms; one easy chair per adult guest; radio and color TV; room telephone; proprietor and/or staff on call 24 hours a day; restaurant serving evening meal with choice of entrees and wines, open to the public; restaurant and guest liquor license; public telephone; elevator in buildings of four or more floors; toiletries, message-taking and newspapers available on request; laundry service available; room service from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.<BR><BR>Five crowns: All the above with the following upgrades or additions: All rooms with private bath, shower and WC; direct-dial phone(s) usable at bedside and writing desk; a writing desk; shoe-cleaning service; clothes-pressing service; one or more suites available; restaurant open for three meals and taking dinner orders until 9 p.m. or later; room service serving hot meals until midnight, snacks and drinks 24 hours; full liquor license; porters available; next-day laundry service (except weekends).

Helen Donegan

Hi Mariarosa<BR><BR>http://buffalo.bcentral.com/buffalo/stories/2001/01/29/focus4.html<BR>This site gives you some indication of the way stars are allocated in Italy. <BR><BR>Things have improved in the past few years and there is now more standardization in the allocation of stars - the infomation in the following site would be roughly applicable to Italy as well.<BR>http://www.britishbookingcenter.com/hotels.html<BR><BR>I say roughly because there are still some anomalies. Some stars are smaller than others! and I know one hotel where they want to keep their 3-star status for tax reasons.

Mariarosa

hey guys, I was able to find a nice "treatise" on the differences in service between different stars in Italy. Here's the URL:<BR><BR>http://www.umbria.org/eng/turismo/legenda.htm

Grandma

Greetings Grasshopper! I certainly know about one star bathrooms!! But.. my husband and I will be in Venice in Sept. This time we're thinking of the Europa e Regina (as a birthday treat).<BR>Are you familiar with this one... will it be all those Americanos? mille grazie

Grasshopper

Sorry, Nonna, I don't know that hotel. I have stayed in two in Venice; Hotel Londra (where they spoke French) and Hotel Marin (where they didn't respond to the string in the shower) Actually, a funny thing about Hotel Marin - the toilette was in the hall and shared but the room had a shower and a bidet. What an odd choice of plumbing.