Hotel star-rating

There are a lot of hotels all over the world and all of them are of different levels. Hotels in the lowest category offer practical accommodation and are probably small with a family atmosphere. Facilities and meals are simple. Some bed­rooms do not have an en suite bath or shower room, although maintenance, cleanliness and comfort need to be of an acceptable standard.

Two-star hotels are typically small to medium sized and offer more exten­sive facilities than at the one-star level. Guests can find more comfortable and well-equipped accommodation, usually with an en suite bath or shower room and colour TV. Hotel staff will offer a more professional service than at the one-star level.

Hotels of three stars are usually larger and provide a greater quality and range of facilities than at the lower levels. All bedrooms have a complete en suite bath or shower room and offer a better standard of comfort and equipment, such as a direct-dial telephone, a hairdryer and toiletries in the bathroom. Room service is also provided and staff responds well to guests' needs.

A degree of luxury is included at the four-star level. Public areas and bed­rooms are more spacious with quality furnishings and decor and satellite TV. The en suite bathrooms are fully equipped. A variety of services is provided, such as porter service, 24-hour room service, laundry and dry-cleaning. Staff will have very good technical and social skills, anticipating and responding to guests' needs.

Hotels in the five-star category provide luxury and exceptional comfort. The restaurant has a high level of technical skill, producing dishes to the highest inter­national standards. Staff is well trained in customer care and is especially attentive, efficient and courteous.

As the examples I’d like to say a few words about some Amsterdam hotels. If you are a student and want to visit Amsterdam for few days, you haven’t a lot of money and need a clean and single room you can visit Van Onna. The hotel con­tains an attractive staircase and breakfast room, and neat, modern rooms with en suite bathrooms.

Then if you are looking a hotel for the members of your company who have a business trip, Swissotel Amsterdam is just what they need. This smart hotel is popular with business people who are looking for something more intimate than a large chain hotel. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in it. There are modem and well-equipped bedrooms with bathrooms.

If you want to celebrate some event and are looking for a big hotel with fam­ily bedrooms, you have children and even dogs in your company, you need Esthe- rea. It occupies four elegant 17^th houses. It is within walking distance of Dam square and Spui.

At last if you want a hotel for your retired parents and think it needs to have a lift and old-fashioned service, the Canal House is the most elegant of all the city's small hotels. It occupies two old houses, and all the rooms have magnificent views. Downstairs there is a bar, breakfast room and a lounge. The bedrooms at the front have views of the canal, while back rooms overlook a garden. To preserve the am­bience there are no televisions and children are not welcome.

Questions:

1. What do the hotels of lowest category offer?

2. What is the main difference between one-star hotels and two-star hotels?

3. What are the facilities of three-star hotels?

4. What services are provided at the four-star level?

5. Say some words about the hotels in the five-star category.

6. Imagine you are a student, what hotel may be suitable for you?

7. What is Swissotel Amsterdam popular with?

8. If you have the retired parents, what hotel do you choose for them?

9. What can you say about the Canal House?

10. What hotel of your city would you recommend to the visitors?

THE HOTEL BUSINESS

The hotel business is characterized by a great degree of risk, which primarily , is the result of two factors: the cyclical nature of demand and the high degree of capital investment. A great proportion of profit comes from the manipulation of real estate rather than from the sale of rooms.

The hotels may be classified according to location, prices, and type of services offered. According to their location, hotels may be central, that are situated in the city center; resort situated in exotic locations; airport offered for all passengers and freeway located on the highways. According to the prices, hotels may be luxury, up-scale, mid-scale and budget. According to the services offered, hotels may be classified into full-service providing all sorts of services; economy offering clean, reasonably sized and furnished rooms; residential available for long-term guests; all-suite hotels having rooms with adjacent lounge and kitchenette area.

A hotel is a temporary home for people who are travelling. In a hotel the traveler can rest and has access to food and drink. The hotel may offer facilities for recreation, such as swimming pool, a golf course or a beach. In many cases the hotel also provides free space for the traveler’s means of transportation. All of these services are designed to accommodate the traveler, so the hotel business is often referred to as the accommodations industry.

Bed and breakfast (B&B) is a possible way of enjoying good, comfortable accommodation with a home-from-home feeling. Most B&B accommodation is owned and run by families. It is available in towns and in the open countryside. Self-catering apartments are ideal for those on a budget and need fully-equipped flats. Visiting country houses the travelers are offered bed and breakfast and many houses offer evening meals. Self-catering holidays give the freedom that no other type of holiday provides.

Hotels come in all shapes and sizes and in every kind of location. In major towns and holiday areas there are larger hotels with swimming pools, leisure facilities and children’s entertainment. Breakfast may not be served in a traditional way; it could be in a caf6 next door or from the bar, but for the budget-conscious such hotels offer a superb deal. There are hotels with dormitory beds, including breakfast and linen. There are twin and family rooms; a lounge with 100-channel TV and an internet suite. Then there are the smaller hotel groups with excellent pub-restaurants and ale-and-pie house on the ground floor.

A wide range of accommodation includes hostels and university campus. The premises are unique and reflect the individuality of the owners and the diversity of the country. They provide clean, friendly, value for money accommodation and such activities as horse-riding, canoeing, music sessions, and so on. This accommodation caters for individual travelers as well as for families and large groups.

Questions:

1. What is the hotel business characterized by?

2. How are the hotels classified according to their location?

3. What can the hotels be according to the prices?

4. What types of hotels are marked out according to the services offered?

5. What is accommodations industry?

6. Say what is meant under B&B accommodation and self-catering apartments?

7. What can be offered in different hotels?

8. Speak about accommodation provided by hostels and university campus.

9. What kind of hotel is suitable for you if you decided to visit some European country?

10. Speak about the main different features typical to various hotels.