Edinburgh Guest Houses

While many hotels and guest houses across the UK are rated, and given a fair bit of attention by people looking for accommodation, there is no actual legal requirement for such accommodation to be rated. One of the problems with rating guest houses is that there is no agreed national standard. The two main rating agencies however, the AA and VisitBritain which also includes Scotland and Wales use the same criteria to rate accommodation. Effectively speaking, if accommodation is given a 3 star rating by the AA then it should also have the same rating from VisitBritain. By the same token, guest houses and hotels can also give themselves a star rating and even some of the larger, better known hotels rate themselves, it’’s not limited to the small bed and breakfast place.

One of the problems for visitors looking for accommodation is that there is no real way of assessing the quality of accommodation and the level of service they offer just because they display a 3 star rating on their brochures and websites. The most that a star rating can do is act as a guide to the possible quality and level of service at a guest house or hotel.

Probably the best guide to the quality of accommodation and the level of service they offer is to read independent customer reviews of a place. There is nothing quite like first hand experience of accommodation to give you a better understanding of what you can really expect from a particular guest house or hotel. VisitBritain actually provide a guide to their ratings so that you can see what it is they consider when they award accommodation a 3 star rating.

The Rating Criteria for Hotels and Guest Houses is not Exactly the Same

Hotels are usually bigger and they are rated mostly on the facilities that they offer, WiFi access, bars and restaurants and the facilities available in rooms. Guest houses on the other hand, which are generally much smaller, tend to be rated on the level of service that they provide rather than the facilities they offer. Guest house ratings from VisitBritain are as follows:

• One star – simple accommodation no frills
• Two star -Well presented and well run
• Three star – All rooms have wash basins
• Four star – At least half the rooms will have ensuite facilities
• Five star – All rooms have ensuites and the level of other facilities and service is very high.

While the AA use much the same criteria in their ratings as VisitBritain they do give a more thorough summary of what the various star ratings are meant to cover. They also produce booklets, one for hotels and one for guest houses that explains the level of facilities and services they need to meet if they want AA star ratings. If it is an AA rating or a VisitBritain rating you will have some idea of what to expect from the accommodation, if accommodation is self starred then it is not always clear what you can expect.