Are hotel star ratings getting out of hand?

At one time, staying in a “four-star hotel” meant you were experiencing the peak of luxury. Luxurious rooms, top-notch accommodations and plenty of amenities. But increasingly a four-star hotel is no longer enough, with uber-high-end properties in Europe racing to claim six or, in the case of the Burj-al-Arab in Dubai, even seven-star ratings. At what point do the hotel stars become meaningless? The BBC took a look at the hotel-star “ratings game” in a recent article, noting the jumble of competing systems and confusion it causes for consumers.

According to the BBC, the ratings have become a subjective measure of amenities depending on the place. In much of Europe for instance, stars are assigned based on random factors such as whether the property has an elevator or includes breakfast, not by factors like building age or cleanliness. There’s similar confusion in the United States, where competing organizations like AAA and Forbes Travel offer customers conflicting systems. Those in the hotel ratings business acknowledge the confusion, though minimal steps have been taken to change the process.

The next time you check into that “Five-Star Hotel,” make sure you know what you’re paying for. In a world of increasing hotel rating inflation, there’s still plenty of room for debate.

Where Are The Most Expensive Hotels? Moscow Tops The List, For One …

Airfare might be getting more affordable, but even if you get to a destination, you might not be able to get a place to stay, especially if you find yourself in Moscow, Venice, New York, Amsterdam or London. In Moscow, for instance, four-star accommodations average 332 euros a night.

But all hope’s not lost — you just might have to change your vacation plans a bit. Cape Town, South Africa; Guangzhou, China and Orlando, Florida are among the most affordable places to stay. In addition, Cairo, Frankfurt, Budapest and Berlin have the best-priced four-star accomodations. So, if you’re looking into a European vacation, travelling Eastern Europe is your best bet — Poland and Hungary in particular. Sure, there’s no Big Ben, but you’ll beat the horrific crowds too.

For more handy travel stats, check out this article.