Kenya:
The service industry is cashing in on the brisk business the holiday season
brings. Kenyans are increasingly opting to spend their holidays away from home,
and not necessarily in the village as was the norm before. With more than 500
licensed hotels that range from small town hotels to five-star bush, beach and
city accommodation to choose from locally, how do you know a ‘good’ hotel from
a ‘bad’ one?
To help
reduce the chances of receiving less than you bargained for, various systems
are used to rate establishments. This grading is done by the responsible
ministries in respective countries, respected bodies such as Forbes, trusted
travel writers, and consumers through feedback on forums such as the Trip
Advisor website. However, keep in mind that these customer forums are more
likely to represent how much a person liked a hotel rather than the level of
luxury offered. Some countries adopt letter grading from ‘A’ to ‘F’, or simply
a ‘satisfactory’ or ‘unsatisfactory’ footnote for accommodation such as hostels
and motels. However, the use of terms such as Deluxe/Luxury, First
Class/Superior, Tourist Class/Standard, and Budget Class/Economy and symbols
such as diamonds and stars is more widely accepted.
Universal standard Kenya
uses the star system of grading. However, even within this classification,
there are many grading standards. It is no wonder that hotel rating systems
have been criticised as being overly complex and too difficult for laypersons
to understand. It has also been suggested that the lack of a universal standard
may undermine the usability of rating schemes. One feature, however, that cuts
through the different star rating systems is that the number of stars awarded
is indicative of the range of facilities available, and not necessarily equated
to the degree of luxuriousness of the hotel. Food services, number of
restaurants, entertainment, view and room variations are some of the
considerations. Also taken into account are spa and fitness centres, business
centres and conference facilities, 24-hour room service, ease of access and
location. Some consider this disadvantageous to smaller hotels, whose lack of a
facility such as an elevator or valet parking would prevent them from being
placed in a higher category. Even though star ratings can seem arbitrary, they
can help to provide information on a hotel. Generally, star ratings run from
one-star to five-star, and contrary to popular belief, there is no such rating
as six-star or seven-star. Even the world’s super luxurious establishments
(like the The Burj Al Arab in Dubai that boasts a servant for every room, and
the first hotel widely described as ‘seven-star’) discourage the use of these
terms
Basically,
a five-star rating is reserved for the country’s highest end chain and boutique
hotels. Expect to pay a premium for this luxury. This explains why some hotels
are said to bribe their way into this category. Even then, one and two star
hotels will usually have all the amenities you require for a good night’s
sleep. It is important to note that one reviewer could rate a hotel a ‘four’,
while another gives the same hotel five stars. A third might even rate it a
‘one’, although this is highly unlikely — while respected travel writers see
things differently, they look at the same basic criteria. Some resorts,
however, do not necessarily conform to any typical hotel star rating system.
This includes vacation clubs like Kilifi’s Vipingo Ridge, where visitors choose
their accommodation based on what they specifically want during their stay. The
advantage of the five-star system is the ease of comparing and contrasting
various opinions of the same hotel. However, remember that not all sources are
trustworthy. To get the most out of your next vacation, approach those stars
with a savvy eye to make educated decisions about your hotel.
