Three star, four star, five star and luxury mean different things in different countries. Here is how we read them.
Stars are local, not global
A four-star in Vienna and a four-star in Bangkok are not the same product. Star ratings are awarded by national bodies with different criteria. We rate properties against what our travellers expect, not only against the plaque at the door.
Three star
Clean, safe, well-located, breakfast included. Smaller rooms, no pool or a token one, limited service after 10pm. Right for a trip where the hotel is somewhere to sleep between full days out.
Four star
The sweet spot for most holidays. A proper pool, a restaurant worth eating in once, reliable air conditioning, and enough room space that two adults and a child aren't tripping over luggage.
Five star
Multiple restaurants, a spa, a concierge who can actually fix things, and a location that saves you travel time. Worth the step up in cities where the good areas are expensive — Paris, Tokyo, Zurich.
Luxury
Suites, villas, butler service, private pools. Usually a destination in itself rather than a base. In the Maldives and on safari, this is effectively the only category, which is why those trips price the way they do.
Our advice
Spend on the hotel in destinations where you'll be in it — beach and island holidays — and save on it in destinations where you'll be out from eight until nine, like a European city tour.
