open dyslexic mode

⭐️ One of the most misunderstood things about hotels is the star rating system.

Many people - and me in the past included - think that 5 stars automatically means you’re staying in a luxurious hotel 💅

⚠️ BUT THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE! ⚠️

The star rating system is not only different based on what country you’re visiting, but it’s often mostly based on facilities rather than service 🏨

What does this mean?

It means a hotel may well have a pool, a restaurant, a 24 hour reception and a business centre but it may not deliver on service, or have that ‘luxury’ feel.

This explains why a 5 star hotel could seem a bit dated, or doesn’t deliver on that ‘can I get you anything?’ VIBE.

It also explains why you may have stayed at a 4 or smaller boutique star hotel that does deliver on both of these as well!

Therefore, my golden rules are:

✔️ Check your destinations definition on 5 star

✔️ Always check recent reviews for a better insight on what to expect

✔️ And honestly? The biggest giveaway about quality is nearly always… the PRICE 💸

For example, I once tested out three 5 star hotels in Turkey and one was £350 for the week, another £750 and a final one was £1200. Guess what - they all offered a completely different experience and funnily enough, the most expensive was the one that fit that ‘five star’ expectation that many of us have.

It’s not a hard fast rule, but in general it is a good indicat