Is It Worth Getting a Tourist Board Star Rating?
For travellers looking for somewhere to stay, the choice of holiday cottages to choose from can be overwhelming. Historically, travellers have used tourist board star ratings to evaluate accommodation – but are they still relevant when people are influenced by online reviews?
Applying for a star rating isn’t cheap, plus the thought of your holiday cottage being scrutinised by an assessor can seem like a scary prospect. So before you invest the time and resources to meet the grading criteria we discuss the pros/cons and whether it’s worth getting a star rating.
What is an assessment scheme?
Self-catering assessment schemes, such as VisitEngland, assess the standards of holiday cottage accommodation. Owners then gain membership to the accreditation scheme to show that they have met an appropriate standard and may also receive a star rating.
Benefits of signing up to holiday cottage tourism star rating schemes
Official endorsement
When you’re new to holiday letting, you don’t have the benefit of repeat clientele to fill your availability. A VisitEngland or AA star rating logo is easily recognisable and reassures potential guests that they can expect a certain level of quality when staying at your cottage. It shows would-be guests the high standards you live up to and have been assessed on. This can encourage holidaymakers to book with you.
A recognised trusted logo
Most holiday cottages are in highly competitive areas with many alternative offerings that travellers can choose from. If you are one of a handful of self-catering cottages that are star-rated, you will stand out from your competitors that are not star-rated. Certain travellers are reassured by star ratings and are willing to pay more.
The tourism accreditation scheme logos are a fantastic marketing tool to increase visibility.
Expert advice
VisitEngland assessors are experts in their field. They provide valuable advice on the specific criteria for each star level, give objective feedback on improvements to enhance your guest offering and increase your business. They also keep you updated on the relevant legislation requirements. Overall, their experience and knowledge can be invaluable.
The cons
It’s stressful
Preparing for the assessment can be stressful and time-consuming. The rating criteria is strict and the assessor will put your holiday cottage under the microscope. You’ll also need to ensure all your paperwork such as an access statement and fire risk assessment are updated.
There’s a cost
The cost of joining and the annual membership isn’t cheap (currently over £300). There may also be costs in making any improvements suggested by the assesor to achieve the grade.
Is a 5-star grading essential?
There’s no denying that certain guests are prepared to pay a premium for holiday cottages with a 5-star grading as this guarantees a high standard of accommodation. However, some guests who book 5-star accommodation have high expectations and can be critical of minor details if the property fails to meet the exceptional standards they were expecting.
Therefore, even though your property is 5-star in your opinion, it may be better to aim for a 4-star grading, then your guests will be delighted to find your holiday cottage is better than they expected.
What are the alternatives?
Using an experienced holiday letting agent in your area is another way to communicate the quality of your self-catering accommodation. Most letting agents have their own rating systems that reflect the overall experience of what guests can expect.
Nowadays, travellers also rely on your reviews on listing sites where you advertise like Airbnb and your social media accounts. However, you can’t always rely on reviews as an objective evaluation of the standard of accommodation.
Self-catering grading scheme options
Here are the three different VisitEngland membership options for self-catering accommodation.
Quality star rated
You’ll be visited and rated by a trained professional who will assess against seven key areas: bedrooms, bathrooms, cleanliness, public areas, kitchens, exterior, and management efficiency. A star rating (from 3 to 5) will be awarded if the criteria are met. As well as your holiday cottage having a page on RatedTrips.com, you’ll have access to VisitEngland logos and a range of signage, and marketing benefits.
Quality assessed
This accreditation level involves a full assessment testing all services to ensure minimum quality standards are met, but with no star rating awarded. Properties are eligible for, and may achieve, other associated awards such as Welcome scheme accolades.
Visitor ready
This is a free, entry-level accreditation scheme that will provide your business with a digital badge to verify that all mandatory legal requirements are being met. Displaying the badge on your website will show that you are a safe and trusted venue to visit.
Your Visitor Ready account can also be used as a secure online wallet for your compliance documents, and you can receive reminders for when documents need to be renewed.
Further information:
https://business.ratedtrips.com/assessment/visitengland-quality-standards/how-are-self-catering-accommodations-rated
https://business.ratedtrips.com/join/aa-quality-assessment-scheme/self-catering
Visit Wales grading scheme information
The VisitScotland quality assurance scheme is no longer accepting new entrants and will be retired on 31 March 2025.
So are star ratings worth it?
When starting out having professional guidance and objective feedback from a VisitEngland accessor can be invaluable. Such advice should ultimately help you improve your guest experience, increase bookings and allow you to charge a premium rate.
Also, a star rating can be particularly useful if your holiday let is in an area with plenty of competing self-catering lets. Having a high VisitEngland rating can make a huge difference, allowing you to stand out in a crowded market, especially if other properties have a low rating.
However, you may decide that once you’ve built up a solid client base of returning guests and lots of reviews, the benefits of a VisitEngland rating don’t justify the cost.
Ultimately it comes down to whether a star rating increases bookings. The only way to find out is by asking your guests if your star rating influenced their decision to stay with you.
Share your thoughts…
Accommodation providers – do star rating increase your bookings?
Travellers – do you book a property based on its star rating?
4 Comments
I have been letting holiday homes for over twenty years . When there were no star ratings to the present time. I consider the star grading is now becoming ridiculous and as a home owner, expensive. A few years ago two or three star was good. Now four star gold is normal and guests are encouraged to expect more and more at the cost to the home owner, as the holiday maker still looks to pay as little as possible . This is becoming increasingly depressing to me as I strive for ‘excellence’ the bar’ is raised every year with more and more almost ridiculous rules to include pets, cyclist, walkers ,etc .Each Visit England inspection gets more and more demanding year on year, just as you achieve a certain level they add extras . They demand so much and seem to be totally oblivious to the cost to the owner. They should be helping and encouraging and listening to home owners but instead every year’s visit leaves me feel angry and depressed.
Thanks for you comment. Do you still pay for the grading? Do they help with getting bookings?
I’m with Marion above. We’ve been in the business 13years. Accommodation is spacious, the setting glorious and although furnishings are dark wood and not contemporary, guests commonly say that ours is the best self-catering accommodation that they’ve stayed in.
What guests want is cleanliness, comfort, appliances that work, heating that works, a safe environment.
What Visit England promotes beyond this is STYLE. They say not, but on the contrary they want coordinated this and coordinated that, neutral flooring, curtains, paintwork, light coloured furniture,. I could go on. Angry and insulted is how I feel and very depressed.
Yes, many thousands of pounds would achieve a splendid update but, that expense would never be recuperated from lettings.
A competitive market yes, but for the financial benefit of the agencies and Visit Britain not for the owners.
Unless the assessor stays overnight in the accommodation then the ratings are not anywhere near as valid as they ought to be.
I have stayed in 3 different 4 star gold rated properties in the last 8 months and they are all badly flawed in a number of ways, flaws which become quite apparent when you actually spend a night at the property. Simple things like heating not working, joke showers, old mattresses, sewage smells, badly fitting doors, no appliance instructions, terrible access and such like.. Obviously they are not important to your assessor. Crazy.
Stay overnight and conduct a proper review! Your reviews are next to worthless otherwise.
Regards
Graham