Priceline * Ratings

[chpcruzr]

Does anyone have any insight into how Priceline determines the star ratings of hotels? It seems that in different areas the ratings can mean very different things, and even in the same area sometimes a 3* will be nicer than a 4*. I realize ammenities has something to do with it, but there are a lot of 3*s with all of the ammenities (and more) than the 4*s have. I was wondering if they use AAA or Foders or something for their ratings?

[thereuare]

I have heard that the hotels actually rate themselves based upon a standard list of criteria that is supplied by Priceline. This seems to make sense since it would be difficult (if not impossible) for Priceline to visit every one of their hotel partners in order to rate them, and then return every few months or a couple of years to make sure that the hotel maintains itself properly. Even if they did send somebody out to each property, the ultimate rating would be at the discretion of the reviewer, and there still would be no "hard and fast" rule.

I do know that in the past if Priceline received a number of complaints regarding a particular hotel they would consider adjusting the star level.

The ultimate solution is if the industry used one standard to rate hotels and appointed an independent group (funded by the hotel industry) to carry out the task of evaluating them.

[WillTravel]

It's interesting that star ratings seem to vary among sites. Expedia's star level is not necessarily the same as Priceline's. Hotwire and Priceline seem to differ. With the way Priceline describes the star levels, it seems perfectly possible that a 3* hotel could be a dump, and a 1* hotel could be quite nice. So long as the 3* meets the checklist, I guess it qualifies.

I've been using this program called TravelAxe the past few days to search various European cities. What they call the "Class" seems to have only a modest relationship to the price. TravelAxe says: The Class is a ranking for each hotel on a scale from 1 (low) to 5 (high). The class ranking is calculated by averaging the class rankings Travelaxe retrieves from many of the websites as it searches for rates.

So for example, I got a 2* hotel in London on Priceline.com.hk, Comfort Inn Vauxhall, which is also a 2* on Priceline.com. However, TravelAxe has it as a Class 3. Expedia has it as a 3*. From the reviews, Class 3 might be more accurate.

But - you have to be careful with TravelAxe. Just looking now, I saw a great rate for a London hotel that is supposedly Class 3. The catch? - it has "shared facilities." I did not know that Expedia books such hotels, but it does apparently.

I have booked Ibis hotels in Sweden. TravelAxe has them as Class 2. Expedia has them as 2*. On rec.travel.europe, posters who have stayed at them say that Ibis is a bit better than Motel 6, and always clean and comfortable. Motel 6 in the US is universally considered 1*, I think.

I know star and class ratings in Europe might be even more complex or irrational than the US.

As I've posted elsewhere, I really tend towards the lower star ratings when I am purchasing for myself. I have stayed at 3* and 4* hotels with beautiful stately lobbies that had hot water problems (I guess they were old buildings with plumbing that wasn't up to scratch), which inconvenienced me far more than missing whatever intangible ambience a modern 1* hotel is supposed to be lacking.

[WillTravel]

I don't know what this signifies, but Priceline now has an indicator of ratings on the home page that leads to the Star Level Guide (look at the middle left for the link). 1* is not listed there. But I still see cities that have 1* hotel bidding.