Hotel Quality Ratings

Five Stars: These luxury hotels offer the pinnacle of service and pampering. Pristine surroundings often include manicured landscaping and famed works of art. Guests may expect multilingual concierge and/or butler services, extensive pool, spa and fitness facilities, and gourmet restaurants with world-renowned chefs. There is typically a high staff- to-guest ratio. Guestrooms feature ample space, designer linens, and special touches such as fresh flowers, champagne and flat-screen televisions. These hotels most often are located in the most desirable cities or resort destinations.

Four Stars: These exclusive properties offer sophisticated interiors and personalized concierge services such as travel arrangements and activity desks. The hotels usually feature opulent restaurants and bars with acclaimed chefs. Sophisticated guest facilities often include equipped fitness and massage centers, and one or more pools. Hotels of this caliber often offer conference facilities with advanced technology and professional event planning. Guestrooms include stylish furnishings, wireless high-speed Internet access, stocked minibars and bathrobes.

Three Stars: These mid-level hotels most often cater to traveling executives with wireless Internet access, fax and copy services, transportation assistance and conference rooms. Hotels of this caliber usually offer reputable restaurants serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, a pool and a fitness room. Accommodations often include traditional dér with spacious work desks, and signature bedding with pillowtop mattresses. Hotels are usually located near convention centers or corporate complexes.

Two Stars: Typical of chain hotels, these properties offer simple, consistent services such as expanded continental breakfasts, high-speed Internet access, and cable televisions with complimentary movie channels. These value-oriented hotels often offer outdoor pools and complimentary toiletries. Guestrooms are usually accessible by exterior entrances.

One Star: Typical of chain hotels, these properties offer simple, consistent services such as expanded continental breakfasts, high-speed Internet access, and cable televisions with complimentary movie channels. These value-oriented hotels often offer outdoor pools and complimentary toiletries. Guestrooms are usually accessible by exterior entrances

Not Yet Rated These properties have not been evaluated. These hotels are most often brand new properties, or have recently joined our site and additional research is needed to provide an accurate star rating

New Zealand and Australia ratings are provided by Qualmark.

Five Diamond: Facilities and operations exemplify an impeccable standard of excellence while exceeding guest expectations in hospitality and service. These renowned properties are both striking and luxurious, offering many extra amenities. (0.2% of hotels, 11 in California, 69 in US)

Four Diamond: Properties reflect an exceptional degree of hospitality, service and attention to detail, while offering upscale facilities and a variety of amenities (3% of hotels)

Three Diamond: Properties show a marked upgrade in physical attributes, services and comfort. Additional amenities, services and facilities may be offered (53% of hotels)

Two Diamond: Properties maintain the attributes offered at the one diamond level while showing noticeable enhancements in room decor and quality of furnishings. They target the needs of the budget-oriented traveler (34% of hotels)

One Diamond: Properties offer good but modest accommodations that meet all Listing Requirements. They are clean, safe and well maintained (7% of hotels)

Five Star: One of the best in the country. Expanded amenities and consistently superlative service. (5 in California, 25 in US)

Four Star: Outstanding -- worth a special trip. Expanded amenities and exceptional service (49 in California)

Three Star: Excellent. Well-appointed, with full services and amenities

Two Star: Very good. Comfortable hotel with expanded services.

One Star: Good. Clean, convenient, limited service hotel.

These ratings need to be treated with a “grain of salt” as dissatisified customers are more likely to rate a hotel, and hotel owners and staff are known to submit “fake” reviews and ratings. Pay attention to the number of reviews submitted also—more reviews are usually result in more accurate ratings.