There are many people on this forum who throw the terms "5 star" and "4 star" like they know what they're talking about. Someone will stay at some Hyatt and say that "they always stay at "5 star" hotels. There are only about 20 "5 star" hotels/resorts in the U.S. Most Ritz Carltons are not "5 star" only a few Four Seasons are "5 star" Mobile gives the "star" ratings and chances say the hotel you said was 5 star is not. The Bellagio in Las Vegas is not 5 star it is 4. The Plaza in New York is 4 stars. The famous Drake hotel in Chicago recieved 3 stars. Some people say that certain hotels in Hawaii are "5 star" Mobile doesn't even rate the hotels in Hawaii; AAA does, but they give diamond awards not star awards. Look at exxonmobiltravel.com for the star rating of any particular hotel.

mtsod, get over yourself. Does it really matter? Is it really important in the scheme of things? 5 stars in another way of saying 'very nice hotel'. I think the only one taking this literally is YOU.

Good God, mtsod, who give a good damn?

WOW.
That post about the Bellagio really got you worked up didn't it, mtsod.

How many people are using the Mobile star system of rating hotels? I've never even heard of Mobile. I know there are different systems like AAA and their diamond system but is the star system exclusively known to be from Mobile?

There are several different listings for the number of stars for a hotel and sometimes they are very different. All the websites: orbitz, expedia, travelocity, etc give their own ratings. Mobile is not the only star rating. There is also a big difference between a 4 star hotel in the U.S. versus Europe. The Ritz, Four Seasons and Penninsula in Chicago are all 5 star hotels or pretty damn close.

mtsod

If you know so much, why don't you know that it is quite common in everyday language to refer to the diamond ratings that AAA gives as "Stars".

I book hotel reservations for a living and would never correct someone for saying "stars" instead of "diamonds".

As for the difference between 4 and 5 star ratings, it is often a slight difference (like room service is offered 20 hrs p/day instead of 24hrs).

So, maybe you do not know that much either.

I love it. This jackass is spouting off when he can't even SPELL the name of the company! Mobile is a city in Alabama. MOBIL is the name of the big oil company AND the ratings guides to which you refer. So, you can be a Mobile 5 star hotel only in Alabama but a Mobil 5 star anywhere. Got it!??!

mtsod

If you know so much, why don't you know that it is quite common in everyday language to refer to the diamond ratings that AAA gives as "Stars".

I book hotel reservations for a living and would never correct someone for saying "stars" instead of "diamonds".

As for the difference between 4 and 5 star ratings, it is often a slight difference (like room service is offered 20 hrs p/day instead of 24hrs).

So, maybe you do not know that much either.

Thanks for the repeat post, Cat. We've established that mtsod is an idiot or a bad troll.

mtsod, i never even knew that exxonmobil.com existed. i just checked it out. i don't even know if i can afford a five star yet, but i'd never know if you hadn't pointed me in the right dot com direction. hey, information is information and that's what i'm doin' here. i guess people just don't like bein' told that "they don't know what they're talking about". personally, the bellagio, the mark hopkins and the plaza still rank pretty high with me so i'm looking forward to checking out exxonmobil to see what i'm missing. keep the info flowing and stay as sweet as you are.

mtsod--Haven't you lived on this planet long enough to perceive that the term "5-star" has now become a GENERIC term for a top-of-the-line hotel/resort and has absolutely NOTHING to do with Mobil?!? Oh, and by the way, the Ritz-Carlton hotels/resorts ARE 5-star properties!!

As someone else stated, ratings are greatly determined by the amenities offered (pools,spas,24 room service...). They can also be influenced by the person making the rating.Who cares anyways, shouldn't it only matter to yourself?

MTSOD,

You are absolutely correct and have proven the ignorance of this board. They are probably a bunch of TA's who tell all their clients that they are staying in 4-star hotels when they are not. If Cat really books travel, then he/she is swindling clients if not being forthright as to what level of hotel they really are getting. Mobil does handle the star ratings, no one else. It's funny how often people claim the Bellagio is a 5-star hotel when it absolutely is not, Four Seasons is the only 5-star in Vegas. Travel website star ratings are hogwash, look at the difference between priceline and hotwire ratings. If you need to feel better about yourself because you're really staying in a 4 star and want your friends to think you only stay in 5 star hotels then have a great life and welcome to the board!

Very funny!
I love it when people open second and third threads to pound their point in, then answer themselves!!!
It is like living in an asylum full of Sybils!!!!

I like to stay in 6 star hotels. My favorite one is outside of Cleveland.

There is no one "official" rating system. Anyone can start a rating system ! As a mater of fact I have started my own. Four beer bottles is the best rating, while one crushed beer can is the lowest rating ! Does anyone else have a rating system ?

topping for PLM

Tom, From the wording of your note, I understood you to mean Ritz Carlton hotels, as you put it, "ARE 5-star properties", and not just the perception of top of the line. I don't believe I misread you. In fact, of Ritz's 17 hotels, only one, Vanderbilt Beach (Naples), is 5 star. 4 Seasons has 15 hotels, of which 4 are 5-star, putting them a cut above RC in quality.

I know what you mean about perceived quality though, and how "5-*" has become a generic term for the best of the hotels, but mtsod has a point too. Why strive and strive to achieve that 5th star, jumping through all the hoops Mobil or AAA requires, if all these 4 * properties get lumped with you despite what you've achieved and maintained, over and above them?