Italian hotels: what stars talk about

The average tourist is accustomed to navigate the world of hotels in the stars. Everyone knows, for example, five stars are better than four, and even more so than three. Under the clue, however, it turns out that hotels with the same number of stars may differ from one another as the sky and land in terms of services provided and the status of the hotel even inside one country. What is the case? In the permissiveness of hoteliers? No matter how.

The main problem is that for a long time there was no international agreement on the classification of hotels. It was absent even within the framework of the European Union, where it, in theory, can not be, therefore, each country steering how she likes and in any. As a result, we had something: In the UK, the system was five-star, four-star in France, in Finland, a relative, and the Germans stars were put in time, but in general, they wanted to spit on them. However, in early 2010, representatives of seven European countries decided to put an end to this Yeralsha and met in order to consider this problem more closely and, perhaps, to agree on at least minimal rules for the classification of hotels.

When comparing the systems of different countries, it turned out that the worst state of affairs exists not somewhere, but in Italy: the star classification of hotels seems to be, but the system is generally such that, in Italian national traditions, it will be broken in it. So, in the country side-side with natural three-star barracks there are freshly released "Tryshi" With all the modern packaging, which are able to lose the nose of the average "four stars", At the same time, everything legally and no one violates anything. It comes to funny: Italian tour operators themselves are knocked out in this wagon-malass and nothing can guarantee their customers.

The fact is that in Italy since 2001, the classification of hotels and in general all tourism are given to the sputum of regions, and not regulated centrally from above. And regions in Italy, as you know, twenty pieces, and five of them and autonomous. Therefore, each of these huts have their own personal rattles, which makes it quite complicated by a difficult situation, because in the country, in addition, there are also several different ways to classify hotels.

The very first system is valid since 1937 and divides hotels for five license room categories, each of which has its own specific details. However, the law 217 of 1983 says that from 1/01/1985 despite the presence or absence of regional rules and regulations regarding hotels, all hotel categories should take a star classification: luxury hotels are renamed to five star, the first category gets four stars , the second – three, the third – two, and the fourth one is one. Luxury Hotels with international class requisites receive rank "Five stars lux". This system is still valid in Lazio, Molise and Basilicate: hotels have climbed the stars, but the requirements for the stars in these three regions will be different from the requirements in other places, since they are based on the old state of categories, and not on the new, we are talking about which will go below.

The second system was adopted in the eighties of the last century and "issued" Stars, respectively, the total number of points received by the hotel for the presence or absence of certain obligations for each star details – from thirty points for one-star hotel to three hundred forty in the case of the Higher Italian Category "Five stars lux". Here are the regions where this system is valid: Abruzzo, Campania, Calabria, Liguria, Sardinia and Valle d’Aosta.

The third system, the most damned, was adopted in the nineties of the twentieth century and prescribes a minimum of mandatory details for each category of star. Today, this system operates in the remaining eleven regions: Trentino – Alto Adige, Friuli Venice-Julia, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Mark, Piedmont, Apulia, Sicily, Tuscany, Umbria and Veneto. It’s small things: find out what these most minimal requirements are. Still, thanks to regional self-sufficiency, you can only talk about something very, very averaged, but let’s consider at least this approximate alignment.

Singling hotels

Single hotels are required to provide only basic services. In the room there must be a bed, a mirror, a wardrobe, a bedside table, a chair and a trash can. The hotel gives the client with soap and towels that will change twice a week – unlike bed linen, on which, if the owner saves on the laundry, you can sleep with permanently for quite a long time, but in any case no more than seven days in a row. Heating must be in working condition in all rooms of the hotel. There must also be a telephone and TV – at least in the lobby. Customer registration should be carried out around the clock. Also necessarily have at least one bathroom for every ten customers.

Two-star hotels

Two-star hotels differ little from one-room. The difference is that the towels must change every two days, and bed linen is no less often than twice a week. The hotel is required to have an elevator and bar. As for the toilets, there must be at least one for every eight people of tourists.

Three star hotels

Three-star hotels, the most common category of Italian hotels, the differences are much more: each room must be equipped with a telephone, and the client, in addition to soap, is also issued to the shower gel. Bed linen must change every other day, and towels – daily. Also clients must be guaranteed access to fax and any Internet access. As for the delivery of baggage to the room, the hotel must provide these services twelve hours a day. The hotel staff is obliged to own at least one foreign language. The reception is running 16 hours from 24, and the sorts should have a minimum one for every four persons. I emphasize, for every four persons, and not for each number. That is, according to the current rules, you can come to an Italian hotel 1-2-3 stars and get BEMC there in the form "Facilities on the floor", that is, public toilet in the general corridor. And do not think that it is only on paper: such hotels really still exist throughout the country. By the way, about physiology: breakfast in the room in "Treshke" You have the right to demand exclusively in Puglia, Umbria, Veneto and Valle Daead, for the rest of the regions it is possible only in hotels from four stars and above. And resent the lack of television and air conditioning in a three-star hotel you are right only in Sicily.

Four star hotels

In four stars, the room must be removed twice a day plus hotel provides laundry services. Each room must be on TV and bathroom. Towels and bed linen change daily. The movie works 16 hours from the 24th, and the rest of the time it is necessary to have a night receptionist – but not in the provinces of Bolzano and Trento, where he, in local orders, is optional. Bar and Rum-Service, like delivery of luggage in the room, are presented to be guaranteed to provide sixteen hours a day. The hotel must have air conditioning and spa. The hotel staff should be dressed in uniform and must know at least two foreign languages. Unfortunately, the level of ownership of these languages ​​does not specify the law, and the spa can be represented by a lonely incoming massage therapist..

Five Star Hotels

Five-star hotels – the only one in the rooms there must be safe and satellite TV, as well as only here you can order a suite with adjacent rooms. Swiss and luggage delivery to the room are required to work around the clock, also necessarily having a private parking lot. In addition to all available in four stars, a conference room must certainly be in a five-star hotel, and in the rooms – sound insulation. I translate: formally, outraged what you can hear how your neighbors breathe, you can only in five stars, the remaining categories of hotels can not worry about their cardboard walls (which happens almost throughout Italy).

Separate paragraph – the quality of the specified details. Any sensible person understands that a cracked bath can not have a cracked bathtub in a modern high-class hotel, and an unlucky balcony door, and if it is also available and for some reason it is not possible to replace everything instantly, the prices for accommodation must be significantly reduced. Italy does not work in Italy: Only regions of Mark, Apulia and Veneto are generally considered as such as such and the condition of hotel rooms, bathrooms, holls, and other things, as well as the appearance of hotels (all this should be excellent in four and five stars, good in three , and satisfactory in two and one, and the difference "Good" from "Satisfactory" still remain on the conscience of the owner of a particular hotel). In the rest of the regions, it is optional, so the negative, greedy or simply not having money for the hotel repair, you risk getting a sticking out of the wall and watering the toilet shower without a hint of the cabin or the spill-up furniture of the seventies and nothing will not be done – by law the hotel owner has full right to leave everything as it is.

Output

Conclusion of all this one: Do not attempt to book housing, relying only by number of stars, if you do not know what exactly hides. Focus on reviews of those who have already visited the hotel challenged and left a review on one of the numerous sites on the Internet. Please note that one who rested well may pass by, but those who have a nasty service poisoned all holidays, certainly splashed their emotions in the response to the hotel and it will be much more credible than the hotel has such a columbus of stars.