No Tourist Board Rating?
 

Hello England experts,

I have been contacting some self-catering cottages in West Yorkshire to get details. One of them I noticed didn't have an ETC rating listed on their website, so I asked what their rating was. This is the response I got:

By ETC I assume you mean the tourist board rating? We were at 4* but have left the scheme now as it was not giving a good service and now most advertising is done via websites.

Does this sound legitimate? This is one of the few self-catering cottages right in the town we want to stay in, and we won't have a car. The place that looks most appealing is unfortunately about a mile and a half outside of town, which might be a bit of walk with luggage or bags of groceries, especially if it's cold and rainy.

Thanks!

Why not contact the ETB and ask if the place has ever been listed. Granted their systems may not be able to tell you.

MANY cottages are not part of the ratings scheme - and many have never participated. That alone wouldn't bother me one way or the other - wouldn't come into the equation. If a place I like is rated - great. But if not, that is OK too.

(many fine B&Bs are also not in the local TIC lists - there are fees involved in both cases)

Hi JG,

Ratings are based on "amenities", eg, conference room, not on quality.

What's the namme of the cottage?

Have you checked it at www.tripadvisor.com?

((I))

Thanks for the information. Janis, I realize now that I was asking the question not because it is a place that I really like that isn't rated, but because it is a place that I don't really like that I was trying to find an excuse not to stay at! I am quite taken with the less practical choice - a charming, cozy 17th century cottage a little ways outside of town that would require a bus or taxi if it were raining or we were in a hurry. But since I posted, I've since e-mailed the owner and she said there is a little shop and two pubs quite near the cottage, and regular buses, so I think we are going to do it. After all, if you can't go with your heart's desire on a trip to England, when can you?

the ratings work this way.

if you own a B+B / cottage etc you have to pay for someone to come out and rate you and then to list you in the guide book. So not everyone does it. as has been said ratings are on amenities - a dump with a rude owner but with a sminning pool will get a higher rating than a nice place with polite owners but no pool.

In remote parts the cost of being a member and thus being rated, may be more than the extra business generated. Especially recently (at least in Scotland) when the scheme details changed.

In France there is no charge for being rated by the Préfecture. It is very strict to get stars. The apartment is checked every 5 years and one can lose stars if one doesn't meet the requirements anymore.
A very nice flat with a shower instead of a bath will get less stars for ex, that is why some owners don't want to be rated. The owner with a rated accommodation has to pay for the visitor tax every year (like hotels according to the number of stars he has)

coco :-)

coco, that's very interesting about French ratings systems for private apartments, but where are these listed? I have never seen a French vacation apt. rental with a govt. star listing on it, even when I have dealt with French agencies.

Hi Christina,
Only to mention Cote d'Or department my apartment and many other rated ones can be found on www.cotedor-tourisme.com
In French search for "meublés de tourisme classés" or in English "self catering accommodations" (but the French version is much more detailed)
Voilà! :-)

Thank you for the information, but I guess most places that rent private apartments don't have any govt. rating, as even the ones listed on the Paris tourist information website (locations meubless) do not have any ratings.

Christina, maybe the market is too big in Paris, the waiting list would be too long. :-)