Hotels
 

I have noticed that the hotels in Europe are generally inferior to the hotels in the States. For example, what they advertise as 3 star hotels are two star properties here, four star properties in Europe are three star hotels in the States etc. Generally you always have to assume that you will be one star below in Europe. Obviously there are some exceptions and a Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental will probably be equal to the cousins in the States but in general that is not the case with most properties.

Just wanted to get everyone's opinion on this.

Also, it seems like you get more bang for your buck in the States than in Europe. That applies to the food, room size, availability of pools, gyms etc.

Every country has its own rating system, so the U.S. rating system is meaningless when trying to figure out the hotel quality of other countries. For example, the French hotel rating system stops at 4-stars, yet the Hôtel George V was recently rated the best hotel in the world.

I think hotel quality varies somewhat from country to country - can't really say that the US hotels are better than European ones. Certainly, hotel rooms in Europe tend to be smaller, but I've always found the ammenities where available (restaurants, lounges, fitness centers, service, staff) to be comparable at the least.

But -you've only posted 2 messages on this board (this and one on the Europe forum) - and both seem to be aimed at stirring up some controversy! Your Europe board post did have some hotel recommendations - but also a lot of complaints.

Since you were very complimentary of the hotels you stayed in in Europe, perhaps you could give some examples of what you mean by "generally inferior to the hotels in the States."

oops = just realized both your posts were on the Europe board.

I try to stay at Mariotts whenever I travel and so far I had good luck with this chain. However, many of my friend and relatived have stayed at various hotels in Europe and complained of small rooms and lack of amenities. I stayed at a Tulip hotel in Amsterdam and the room was smaller than my closet. I also noticed that Best Western is heavily represented in Europe. I would not stay at their hotels in the US.

OK, here's my opinion:

your generalizations about hotels in Europe are just that: generalizations and your assumptions are assumptions.

I'm not convinced that either are based on having stayed in a wide variety of hotels in Europe.

There are quite a few "exceptions" to your notion that the hotels are "inferior" to those in other countries just as there are to your notion that most of the hotel rooms in European hotels are "small."

It depends on which hotels you stay in.

I've been in many European hotels which had very large rooms.

Perhaps when you've traveled as extensively as some others you'll change your mind.

The US has no official star rating system - so I'm not sure what you're comparing.

Generally hotels in europe are older than in the US - and so may have more eccentric arrrangements with bathrooms and closets - which often had to be added long after the hotel was built.

And I don;t think you get less for your stars than in the US - but you do definitely get less for your money - even comparing apples and apples ie New York to London - and defiitely apples to oranges - ie a smaller city to a world capitol.).

I'll probably get blasted for saying this, but the problem with some Americans travelling abroad is that they expect things to be just like they are at home. And, if that's the case why bother going overseas.

I would argue that hotels are different in Europe not necessairly inferior.

I have stayed in motels on desert highways in Nevada and Utah, and I very much wish that such establishments were of the same quality as isolated hotels in Europe.

jsims: How many European countries have you visited, how many hotels in Europe have you stayed in and have you ever stayed in a hotel (especially in Europe) that is not part of a chain? Your broad generalisations suggest that the answers to questions one and two are "a few" and the answer to question three is "almost never".

As for Best Westerns, I'm not sure I'd stay at a Best Western in the US again (the ones I've stayed in are rather downmarket and bland), but quite a few of them are very nice in Europe. They often are hotels that were once independently run and have now become part of the BW franchise. Travellers benefit from the easy BW booking (and cancellation system) and the hotels often have more charm and character than you would expect of an American-style chain hotel. Some are of quite good quality, although I'm not sure any of them would match a so-called 5* hotel in Europe, North America.

The buildings that contain many European hotels are often a couple hundred years old, have odd shapes and code restrictions that contribute to the variables you'll find in rooms there. American hotels are very often newer construction, cookie-cutter design, and very predictable. Try going to India - your 'American' expectations will get a jolt for sure.

French hotel star ratings are based on amenities, not necessarily the quality of the Hotel. You could have one of the nicest Hotels, but still be rated 3 star, for example, if it was missing a restaurant, or meal service. I have found thta Hotels throughout Europe can and are much nicer than MANY of the best of the US, maybe its just that you have not been to them yet.
Maybe it would be best to consult a Michelin guide for Hotels.

Judge everything by American standards, and of course American hotels will come out top. If I deduct a star for the lack of tea-making facilities, they aren't doing so well.

Am I being trivial?

In response to Kate W: Bulgaria, Romania, Greece (twice), Holland, Germany, Russia, England, France, Belgium, Turkey.

Stayed at non-chain hotels and was very disappointed by rooms & amenities.

Since I primarilly travel with my family I do extensive research before booking a hotel to make sure it meets my requirements which can be quite different from other people's needs.

your "Impressions" of manners in France were based on misunderstandings/false assumptions, and now you misunderstand hotel rating systems.

If gyms, pools, and American chains is what you need - then maybe you will be happier traveling in the states. At least they will speak English to you.

I'm not one of those who think everything European is "good" and everything American is "bad" - but a comfortable 2 or 3 star hotel w/ french windows and hand-held shower would be my choice over a corporate sterile US chain hotel every time . . . .

Your two threads make me sad - to be able to travel to such great places and only have complaints and kvetch about everything . . . . .

If you did "extensive research" before going to those countries, how come you picked crappy hotels?

Jsims, if you really have a closet bigger than a hotel room...then there's not a cure for your problem. Oh, well, maybe spending a bit more money can do the trick.
My room at home (spain) is smaller than most rooms in European hotels...so I'm always happy.

The question is: do you want a luxury hotel with huge rooms in a terrible place, or a modest (perhaps less vulgar) hotel with moderately-sized rooms in one of the many excellent destinations in Europe?

Cleanliness, not too much noise, a good bed, a proper bathroom, and a place to hang my clothes, and I'm happy. Locate that room in Paris or Rome or Budapest or Barcelona or any one of a long list of other places, and I'm almost ecstatic.

I don't stay in expensive hotels but I don't have any arguments about what jsims is saying. I do think there is a disparity between 'like' hotels in Europe and the US(still, a somewhat sweeping generalization). I think it doesn't bother me as much because I'm not spending as much.

for instance, when I go to San Antonio in July I will spend $130/night for a Holiday Inn Express that is very nice, clean, has an outdoor pool, a workout room, Wifi, free breakfast, etc. My usual 3* hotel in Paris will cost me $123/night including a less extensive breakfast, no pool, no workout, pay wifi, smaller room, smaller TV, older decor and so on.

Some people travel to experience another way of looking at the world, and to appreciate differences, some bad, but mostly good, or at least interesting.

Others travel to prove to themselves that "their" culture, and way of life is superior.

Judging by the 2 messages jsims has posted, he/she is clearly the second type, or even more likely, just intent on riling-up the board...

~Liz

Clearly you're a quantity over quality sort of traveler.

You've done all that traveling and extensive research and you didn't know that:

Star ratings are completely different in the USA and Europe?

Best Westerns in the USA cannot be compared in any way with Best Westerns in Europe?

And since you stay at Marriotts if at all possible, what's your basis for comparison?

Judging from this and your previous posting, you clearly cannot cope with the realities of other cultures, which for most people on this board is precisely why they're traveling. Hardly anyone I know, or whose posts I read on this board, for example, would ever choose to stay in an American chain hotel in La Défense, given the absolutely marvelous selection of hotels all over Paris that aren't in totally stale surroundings.

And in what way do you "get more bang for your buck" in the USA than in Europe with respect for food? No all-you-can-eat-buffets in Europe?

It must be very taxing for you to have to put so much effort into avoiding the very things most people travel for. A real shame.

Sorry if my post was unclear. I didn;t mean to be critical of european hotels - we've been more than happy with most places we've stayed.

I was just trying to point out 2 things:

Hotels in europe are not as someone said "cookie cutter" but tend to be somewhat more eccentric, since they're usually older (which I find charming)

Due to the poor value of the dollar - and the fact that in europe you're often staying in world capitols - you often get more for your money in the US (but then you're in Orlando rather than Florence).

So - there may be a perceived better value in the US (but - Orlando versus Florence - no comparison)!

Maybe the comparison should be between NYC, Chicago, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Francisco.. :) And even then, I don't think (except maybe NYC) that terrain is sooo expensive and it's easier there to build a pool and to have space for big rooms :)
A friend of mine when she came from the States said that her room at the hotel in NYC was like "a ballroom".

I'm surprised that the confusion over Best Westerns still persists. BW is not a brand. It is a consortium used for purposes of booking and advertising, and in some cases, purchasing. In the US, as well as in any other country.

It is a mistake to avoid BWs anywhere. I've had the best time in a lovely one in Phoenix/Scottsdale that came highly recommended on the US board.

The best thing to do when one sees the BW prefix, in my opinion, is to ignore it. It will get you neither uniformly horrible or uniformly great hotels. All BW branded hotels should be judged on individual merits. Using the BW booking engine is ok, but all the hotels that have Internet presence of their own can be dealt with individually.

I have a relationship with one in Venice, and I never book there through BW.

We try out best to avoid the major US-type chain hotels (Mariott, Hilton, Sheraton), preferring smaller boutique hotels, B&Bs, or well-known local favorites (Cape Grace, Bristol, Kismet).

We don't care if the hotel has a pool, or a workout room, or internet connections in the room. Some sort of restaurant or bar is good, and a mini-fridge in the room is a big plus, but by no means a deal-breaker.

Location is our top consideration, and since we prefer to stay in the city-center (or close to our area of interest), these hotels are often in older buildings that requires a unique and often interesting use of space!

There are a few "chains" that we have used that we actually like (Movenpick, Penninsula), but I've never found these to be "cookie cutter" type chain hotels. All of them had a very unique atmosphere.

So - are European hotels inferior to the hotels in the US? Not in my opinion....they're just different and when travelling abroad - different is what I expect to have.

Thanks to Travelnut. He/she understood what I was talking about.