3* vs 4* - What's the Difference ???

[BEAV]

Priceline this week upgraded both the Hyatt and Sheraton within the San Francisco Airport zone from 3 stars to 4 stars, probably on the same day. So what amenities did both hotels add that would justify them to be upgraded on the same day? I doubt either hotel made any changes to legitimately warrant a change in quality level. Or possibly only one of them added an amenity or service, and Priceline, to protect opacity at the 4 star level within the zone, decided to upgrade the other one too, despite no amenity changes. Last week the Hyatt, Sheraton, Marriott, Doubletree and Holiday Inn were all rated 3 stars within this zone. This week, what does the now 4* Hyatt & Sheraton offer over the 3* Marriott to justify their upgraded rating? My guess? Nothing.

A similar change in the Emeryville-Berkeley zone (SF East Bay Area) was made quite some time ago, with the 3 star Doubletree being downgraded to 2.5 stars. Previous to the downgrading, the Doubletree was the only 3 star property in the zone. It is suspected the downgrading occured to protect opacity at the 3 star level by merging with other 2.5 hotels within the zone. This is despite the fact the Berkeley Doubletree meets Priceline's qualifications for a 3 star rating.

Whatever the reasons for the ratings changes in these examples, you can bet they have little, or nothing to do with actual amenities and/or services being added or removed, which would justify their rerating.

So from the consumer end, how can the Priceline hotel customer make any differentiation between 3 stars and 4 stars when deciding on which quality level to bid? There is obviously a very fine line between 3 and 4 stars. So fine that it's impossible to detect. If I bid a 4 star hotel, I expect it to offer more amenities than a 3 star. I'd like to have some idea of what those differences are, so that I can make an intelligent decision whether I'd be satisfied with a 3 star hotel or want to move up to 4 stars.

No doubt these types of reratings occur in many different zones aside from my own local, familiar territory.

To each their own, but in my opinion this practice by Priceline serves to enhance Hotwire's hotel product. At least with Hotwire, you can better differentiate what amenities/services are offered over Priceline. If price is your sole factor, you may feel differently. As I said, to each their own.

Priceline is compromising their hotel product by rerating hotels for their own advantage, or at the request of various hotel suppliers. Ratings should be assigned any given property by the amenities and services it offers, and nothing else.

[TeaEarleGreyHot]

BEAV, well said!

[BEAV]

One more comment.....

The title of my thread actually should have read, 2.5* vs 3* vs 4*..What's the Difference?

Reason is, what's to say the 2.5* Berkeley Doubletree (formerly 3*) offers identical amenities as the 4* SFO Hyatt & Sheraton (also both formerly 3*) ????

What does that tell you about having confidence in knowing the difference between 4* vs 2.5* ???

[TeaEarleGreyHot]

As I understand it, on priceline you can't be 3 or 4-star without having a full service restaurant. So that is one clear difference.

[BEAV]

As I understand it, on priceline you can't be 3 or 4-star without having a full service restaurant. So that is one clear difference.

You're absolutely right, but in the case of the 2.5 star Berkeley Doubletree, it has a full service restaurant & bar. The point being, the 2.5 star rating isn't given because it doesn't meet the requirements of a 3 star property, but because the parent company probably doesn't want it to be the lone 3 star hotel in the zone. The property clearly meets all the Priceline's requirements of a 3 star property.