Vacation Rentals

2010-02-27T01:07:00.000Z

A scale of one to five stars is used universally to indicate the type of service travelers can expect from a hotel. Vacation rental homes have no such classification system. Star ratings on FlipKey and Tripadvisor for example, reflect guests’ overall impression of their "Stay" as opposed to advertising a property’s ability to meet predetermined criteria for each star.
Most of the time, travelers award stars in their reviews based on whether a vacation rental lives up to their expectations. Therefore, even the most basic rental property can earn a five-star review if it consistently delivers as advertised according to its description and price. Similarly, a 1 Star hotel can earn 5 stars online because it serves up everything expected of a three-star hotel. With that understanding of rankings and reviews, the key to a great reviews is evaluating where a property falls on a scale of hospitality standards.

One Star
A single star in the hotel world denotes little more than four walls, a roof, and a bed. The budget travelers who search for this type of basic lodging care more about travel activities and destinations than where they sleep.
Two Stars A two-star hotel offers guests slightly more than basic human requirements: a minimal sense of style and good location. Rental properties in an equivalent class might contain a basic kitchen, functional furniture and décor, and just enough space to relax. Travelers who seek out this type of accommodation value economy.
Three Stars
Hotels in the three-star category begin to distinguish themselves as desirable places to spend some time. An attractive country cottage/apartment or a mid-sized townhouse with comfortable furnishings could easily inhabit a similar segment of the vacation rental market. Three-star vacation rentals may not have the full-service restaurant and pool of their hotel counterpart, but will provide a certain standard for amenities and décor, while still prioritizing value.
Four Stars
Four-star hotels provide guests with style, comfort, and convenience above and beyond the norm. If you consider your rental property a four-star kind of establishment, then the “extras” are a must. comfortable living areas, quality furniture, and interesting design. Travelers staying in a four-star will give it a five-star review if they feel that all of their needs are being met even more easily than at home. Visitors are searching for a special experience, and will be grateful for every small extravagance.
Five Stars
For luxury hotels and rental homes alike, five-star service means anticipating not only guests’ needs but also their desires—even before they arrive. Rental homes in this category will present the peak of luxury: think terry-cotton robes in all the bedrooms, high thread-count sheets, access to a swimming pool or hot tub, to a gym or spa, and space to spread out and relax in a beautiful property. A five-star kitchen should have all the cookware for preparing a feast; then, of course, there must be a dining area in which to serve it.

Extracts taken and shorten from artical
by Dan Weisman February 25 2010

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Vacation Rentals