18 Never has quality meant so much
All the accommodation featured in this guide has been quality-assessed by either VisitEngland* or the AA, or has recently applied for a rating and is awaiting assessment. Please be aware that ratings may change throughout the year.
All the national assessing bodies (VisitEngland*, VisitScotland, Visit Wales, Northern Ireland and the AA) now assess hotels, guest accommodation (including B&Bs) and self catering properties to the same criteria and award one to five stars. The star ratings reflect the overall quality of the experience.
When choosing your accommodation look for the Quality Rose, the official marque of the VisitEngland national tourist board rating scheme.
The VisitEngland professional assessors visit every year, carrying out a routine day visit or an overnight stay in the case of serviced accommodation. On these occasions, they book in as you would, as a normal guest and test all the facilities and services. A quality score is awarded for every aspect of the experience including the comfort of the bed, the quality of the breakfast and dinner and, most importantly, the cleanliness. They also score the warmth of welcome.
Places that ‘go the extra mile’ to make your stay a special one will be awarded a high star rating and may achieve a Gold or Silver Award for Guest Accommodation and Hotels or a Gold Award for Self-catering.
Higher star-rated accommodation tends to have more spacious bedrooms and bathrooms, and in hotels a higher staff to guest ratio, so service should be very attentive. At five star, you can really expect to be pampered in luxurious surroundings!
Breakfast Award This award recognises those hotels and B&Bs where the owners, managers, chefs and staff have gone the extra mile to ensure the breakfast will exceed expectations. The areas we concentrate on are the choice of starters and main courses available, the quality of all the ingredients used, the overall presentation of the meal including the buffet, and the service and hospitality.
For serviced accommodation, there are two separate schemes – one for Hotels and one for Guest Accommodation.
Hotel Categories: Hotels are serviced accommodation providing hotel services with a minimum of 5 bedrooms. Small Hotels have a maximum of 20 bedrooms. Likely to be personally run by the proprietor.
Country House Hotels have ample grounds or gardens, in a rural or semi-rural situation with an emphasis on peace and quiet. Town House Hotels are high quality town/city centre properties of individual and distinctive style with a maximum of 50 bedrooms. High staff-to-guest ratio. Public areas may be limited. Possibly no dinner served but room service available instead. Metro Hotels are found in town/city locations providing full hotel services with the exception of dinner. Will be within easy walking distance of a range of places to eat.
Budget Hotels – this is a scheme designed for national group hotels. Different criteria apply since this type of hotel is not awarded a star rating.
Hotels have to provide certain additional facilities and services at the higher star levels. These include: Dinner served at least five nights a week Dinner served at least six nights a week. Room service available. Wi-Fi available in public areas. At least one restaurant open for dinner seven nights a week. 24-hour room service. Wi-Fi or internet connection provided in bedrooms. Enhanced services such a concierge, leisure facilities, spa, choice of restaurants.
Of course, many lower star-rated hotels may offer some of the above, but just do not meet all of the expectations for the higher star ratings. Sometimes a hotel has exceptional bedrooms and bathrooms and offers its guests a very special welcome, but cannot achieve a higher star rating because, for example, it does not offer dinner every evening or room service (three star) or does not have a night porter/night manager (four star).
tGuest Accommodation categories: Bed and Breakfasts - Accommodation provided in a private house, run by the owner. Guest Houses - Usually a larger property than a bed and breakfast possibly employing staff.
Farmhouses - B&B or guest house accommodation provided on a working farm or smallholding. Inns - An inn is an establishment with a full liquor license. Being open to residents and non-residents, the food and beverage is a significant part of the operation, with bar and restaurant available at lunchtimes and evenings. The guest accommodation element will be a relatively minor part of the operation by comparison. The facilities and services provided for the guests will have more in common with B&B style operations. Those’ inns; which provide traditional hotel style accommodation and service may prefer to be assessed under the hotel scheme and have a hotel star rating. Restaurants with Rooms- A destination restaurant offering overnight accommodation with restaurant being the main business and open to non- residents. The restaurant will be open at least 5 nights per week and food and service will be of a high standard. Room Only - Accommodation which generally does not offer breakfast. If breakfast is offered, this may be a continental, self-service option, a breakfast left in the fridge in the room or a separately purchased breakfast pack. Guest Accommodation - Alternative designator often chosen instead of B&B or Guest House.
Guest accommodation owners have to provide certain additional facilities and services at the higher star levels. These include: Bathrooms/shower rooms cannot be shared with the proprietor, and if the room is not en suite it will have a washbasin in every guest bedroom.
50% of guest bedrooms to be en-suite or with private facilities. All guest bedrooms to be en-suite or with private facilities.
Sometimes a bed and breakfast or guest house has exceptional bedrooms and bathrooms and offers guests a very special welcome, but cannot achieve a higher star rating because, for example, they do not have any en suite bedrooms, nor can they easily put wash basins in the bedrooms (three star). This is sometimes the case with period properties. They might not have the minimum 50% of bathrooms with bath and shower (four star). Of course, you will find accommodation with 100% en suite bedrooms at all the star ratings, so refer to the descriptions in this guide to help you make your choice.
For self-catering accommodation, the layout and design of the accommodation and the range and quality of the kitchen equipment is assessed, as well as the quality and comfort of the bedrooms and bathrooms and most importantly, the cleanliness. Campus VisitEngland’s campus scheme covers the universities and colleges that are able to accommodate visitors during the vacation periods on a bed and breakfast basis. Generally the rooms are en suite and there will be plenty of single rooms for large groups. Campus accommodation is star-rated one to five, reflecting the quality of the accommodation or ‘approved’, which means they meet minimum standards. Hostels Hostels provide safe, budget-priced accommodation for young people, families and larger groups and are star-rated. Higher rated accommodation often provides en suite rooms. Holiday, touring, and camping parks and holiday villages: VisitEngland awards star ratings reflecting the overall quality of the park from one to five stars – five stars being reserved for parks of exceptional quality.
If you choose to stay in any of VisitEngland’s quality-assessed accommodation, you can be confident that it has been checked out before you check in. For more information on the VisitEngland Quality assessment schemes and the star ratings, go to
www.VisitEngland.com
*VisitEngland is the official tourism body for England. Its role is to work in partnership with government and industry creating a national tourism strategy, optimising marketing investment, and developing the visitor experience across England. Enjoy England is the consumer-facing brand used in the domestic market. VisitEngland assesses more than 23,000 accommodation businesses across nine different VisitEngland schemes. These assessments are provided by Quality in Tourism on VisitEngland’s behalf.
Quality in Tourism Security House, Alexandra Way, Ashchurch, Tewkesbury Gloucestershire, GL20 8NB Email:
qualityintourism@uk.g4s.com Tel: 0845 300 6996 Need to check a rating on our website:
www.qualityintourism.com
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