The star and diamond ratings given to establishments on this website are English Tourism Council (ETC)/VisitBritain standards which operate in parallel with the AA and RAC standards. When accommodation has stars or diamonds from the ETC, AA or RAC you know it has been visited and inspected by qualified, independent assessors to enable you to find the accommodation that meets your expectations. ‘Stars’ are used to represent Hotel standards and ‘Diamonds’ for Guest Accommodation (Guest Houses, Inns, Farmhouses and Bed & Breakfast). Self Catering establishments and Caravan Parks are both represented by ‘Stars’. Highlighted below is a brief outline of the individual ratings.

Hotels are assessed and awarded a Star rating according to the level of service, range of facilities and quality of guest care they provide. Hotels are required to meet progressively higher standards as they move up the scale from one to five Stars.

ONE STAR 
A ONE STAR hotel will have:

• practical accommodation with a limited range of facilities and services, but a high standard of cleanliness throughout.
• Friendly and courteous staff to give help and information customers need to enjoy their stay
• restaurant/eating area open for breakfast
• alcoholic drinks will be served in a bar or lounge
• 75% of bedrooms with en-suite or private facilities.

TWO STARS 
A TWO STAR hotel will have (in addition to what is provided at a ONE STAR hotel)

• good overnight accommodation with more comfortable and better equipped bedrooms - all with en-suite or private facilities and colour TV
• a relatively straightforward range of services, including food and drink and a personal style of service
• a restaurant/dining room for breakfast seven days a week and dinner at least five days a week
• a lift may be available.

THREE STARS 
A THREE STAR hotel will have (in addition to what is provided at TWO STAR hotels)

• possibly larger establishments, but all offering significantly greater quality and range of facilities and services, and usually more spacious public areas and bedrooms
• a more formal style of service with a receptionist on duty and staff responding well to needs and requests
• room service of continental breakfast laundry service available
• a wide selection of drinks, light lunch and snacks served in a bar or lounge.

FOUR STARS 
A FOUR STAR hotel will have (in addition to what is provided at THREE STAR hotels)

• accommodation offering excellent comfort and quality;
• all bedrooms with en-suite bath, fitted overhead shower and WC
• spacious and very well appointed public areas and a strong emphasis on food and drink
• staff with very good technical and social skills, anticipating and responding to needs and requests
• room service of all meals and 24 hour drinks, refreshments and snacks dry cleaning service available.

FIVE STARS 
A FIVE STAR hotel will have (in addition to what is provided at FOUR STAR hotels)

• a luxurious establishment offering the highest international quality of accommodation, facilities, services and cuisine
• striking accommodation throughout, with a range of extra facilities
• the customer will feel very well cared for by professional, attentive staff providing flawless guest services the highest international standards for the industry, with an air of luxury, exceptional comfort and a sophisticated ambience.

Gold and Silver Awards
Gold and Silver Awards are given to establishments achieving the highest levels of quality within their Star rating. While the overall rating is based on a combination of quality, range of facilities and level of services offered, the Gold and Silver Awards are based solely on quality across the whole operation.

The ETC Diamond ratings for Guest Accommodation reflect consumer expectations of the sector, with quality seen as more important to visitors than facilities and services. As a result, Guest Accommodation establishments are required to meet progressively higher standards of quality and guest care as they move up the scale from one to five Diamonds.

ONE DIAMOND 
guest accommodation will have:

• an acceptable overall level of quality, offering, as a minimum, a full cooked or continental breakfast. Other meals, where provided, will be freshly prepared.

TWO DIAMOND 
guest accommodation will have (in addition to what is provided at One Diamond guest accommodation):

• a good, overall level of quality and comfort, with greater emphasis on guest care in all areas.

THREE DIAMOND 
guest accommodation will have (in addition to what is provided at Two Diamond guest accommodation):

• a very good overall level of quality
• comfortable and well maintained bedrooms
• a good choice of quality items available for breakfast
• customer care and all-round comfort.

FOUR DIAMOND 
guest accommodation will have (in addition to what is provided at Three Diamond guest accommodation):

• an excellent overall level of quality in all areas customer care and attention to detail evident in all areas.

FIVE DIAMOND 
guest accommodation will have (in addition to what is provided at Four Diamond guest accommodation):

• an exceptional overall level of quality. For example, high quality furniture, excellent interior design
• outstanding customer care, anticipating every need.

Gold and Silver Awards
Gold and Silver Awards are given to establishments that not only achieve the overall levels of quality within their Diamond rating, but also reach the highest levels of quality in specific areas identified by guests as being really important to them. Gold and Silver Awards reflect the quality of comfort and cleanliness found in bedrooms and bathrooms as well as the quality of service enjoyed by guests.

VisitBritain's (formerly the English Tourism Council) Star ratings offer consumers the reliability of a set level of quality. Accommodation is assessed on its quality, including comfort, space, facilities and most important of all, cleanliness. The more Stars an establishment achieves, the higher the overall level of quality. All properties have to meet an extensive list of minimum requirements before they can be considered for a Star rating. Establishments at higher rating levels have to meet additional requirements for facilities.

All Star-rated properties provide the following:

• high standard of cleanliness throughout
• pricing and conditions of booking made clear
• local information to help guests make the best of their stay
• comfortable accommodation with a range of furniture to meet guest needs
• colour television (where signal available) at no extra charge
• kitchen equipment to meet all essential requirements.

ONE STAR   self-catering accommodation will have:

• an acceptable overall level of quality adequate provision of furniture, furnishings and fittings.

TWO STAR   self-catering accommodation will have (in addition to what is provided at One Star)

• a good overall level of quality
• all accommodation self-contained.

THREE STAR   self-catering accommodation will have (in addition to what is provided at Two Star)

• a good to very good overall level of quality
• a good standard of maintenance and decoration
• ample space and good quality furniture
• all double beds with access from both sides
• microwaves

FOUR STAR   self-catering accommodation will have (in addition to what is provided at Three Star)

• an excellent overall level of quality
• very good care and attention to detail obvious throughout
• either access to washing machine and drier, if not provided in the unit, or a 24 hour laundry service.

FIVE STAR   self-catering accommodation will have (in addition to what is provided at Four Star)

• an exceptional overall level of quality
• high levels of décor, fixtures and fittings, together with excellent standards of management efficiency and guest services
• excellent range of accessories and personal touches.

The Star rating standard for holiday, caravan and camping parks has been developed to reflect consumer expectations and has quality at its heart. The ratings have been developed in response to extensive research into what visitors are looking for and reflect the overall quality of the park.

Parks are visited annually by trained, impartial assessors. A rating of from one to five Stars is awarded, based on over 50 separate aspects including cleanliness, environment and the quality of facilities and service provided. The highest rating of Five Star is reserved for those parks of exceptional quality which also provide specific key facilities and services.

What standards to expect at each rating level

• ONE STAR - Acceptable: to achieve this grade, the Park must be clean with good standards of maintenance and customer care.
  
  
• TWO STAR - Good: all the above plus an improved level of landscaping, lighting, refuse disposal and maintenance. May be less expensive than more highly rated Parks.
  
  
• THREE STAR - Very Good: most Parks fall within this category; Three Stars represent the industry standard. The range of facilities provided may vary from Park to Park, but they will be of very good standard and will be well maintained.
  
  
• FOUR STAR - Excellent quality will be found at this level. You can expect careful attention to detail in the provision of all services and facilities. Four Star Parks rank among the industry's best.
  
  
• FIVE STAR - Exceptional quality standards can be expected from Parks within this grading. Highest levels of customer care will be provided. All facilities will be maintained in pristine condition in attractive surroundings.

The following awards recognise those English tourism businesses that excel in their field. The Awards promote healthy competition and help to raise standards - ingredients that are vital to ensure England's place as a world-class destination:

• Excellence in England Awards - The annual Excellence in Awards celebrate the very best of English tourism
  
  
• Gold & Silver Awards - These are given to establishments in recognition of exceptional quality within their Star or Diamond rating, properties therefore already need to be accredited in order to enter these awards.
  
  
• Rose Awards - These highlight and promote selected high quality holiday caravan parks that also provide a good proportion of first class caravan holiday homes for hire. This award cannot be attained unless the establishment is already part of the accommodation scheme.
  
  

For further information on the ETC/VisitBritain quality rating system, visit http://www.visitbritain.com