Can hotels shine without stars?
October 2, 2006
The latest ABTN newsletter has a piece about the Hoxton Hotel. It has garnered some online buzz but given its target market, I think it could be trying harder to connect with bloggers and web commentators.
My eye was caught by this quote from the GM half way down:
And while The Hoxton doesn’t yet have a star rating it’s not something that director and general manager Stephen Lloyd believes is necessary. “I think it’s outdated and outmoded and doesn’t mean much in the age of boutique hotels. They tend to stand apart in their own brand.
I don’t think this just applies to boutique hotels. There is still a place for official star ratings but they will be increasingly marginalised by online review sites. If I am picking a hotel I am much more interested if 20 people have reported it gave them a five star experience than if the English Tourist Board saw fit to award it three.