Rating systems
A vast array of incompatible rating systems purport to evaluate restaurants, hotels and travel accommodation in individual countries or worldwide. The values of these systems, much like the criteria used to generate the ratings, vary widely.
In their original format, establishments were visited by professional reviewers on behalf of guide book publishers; an establishment which met a reviewer's minimum expectations under established criteria received a very brief printed description and a shorthand rating as a number of stars (some automobile associations use diamonds). In most reputable guides, an establishment of poor quality simply didn't get listed at all. The latter is also (for the most part) policy here at Wikivoyage.
UnderstandThe original star ratings were introduced by the Michelin Guides for restaurants in 1933. There were only three levels, defined in terms of how a driver might reach them since Michelin is a tire company:
AfricaEstablishments in South Africa may choose to have themselves graded by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa on a 5-star scale.
AmericasCanada Select, an industry-based organization, is the largest Canadian rating agency.
EuropeThe Hotelstars Union seeks to harmonize hotel rating standards and criteria among its member countries: Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Liechtenstein,…
OceaniaStar Ratings Australia is a 1–5-star system operated by Australian Tourism Industry Council.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Rating systems" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0