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Paris Hotels How To Reduce Your Risk Of Being Disappointed
re the mentions "2 star" felt the subject called for an
and "3 star" hotel on educated explanation.
travel websites reliable?
Should you rely on the French The meaning of stars in the US
rating system? Written by the
Senior Editor of a renown Paris First of all, let's be clear:
guide, this article clears up the there is absolutely no
issue, and suggests 4 proven relationship whatsoever between
steps to increase your odds to the number of stars commercial
pick the right hotel. travel sites award to hotels, and
the hotel rating system in use in
Travel forums are gold mines of France.
information if you care to review
the postings of enchanted and The core business of commercial
disgruntled travelers coming back travel sites is to sell you hotel
from abroad. rooms, flight tickets, car
rentals, and cruise packages.
As Senior Editor of They purport to guide your choice
Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com, I by awarding stars to the products
often peruse these forums to find they peddle.
out about the concerns voiced by
fellow travelers headed to the When you book a room on such
'City of Lights'. sites, a significant portion of
your money goes to the travel
Among the postings which keep operator which presents the hotel
coming back, one stands out from - up to 50% on well-known
the crowd: what does a 3-star websites.
rating really mean? Travelers
tend to be confused by the many For this reason alone, you could
star-rating systems in use. I reasonably ask yourself: are
these ratings unbiased, or lawmakers without any concern for
tainted by corporate greed? profit.
To make matters more complicated, 3. Last but not least, the French
each travel website uses its own hotel rating system does not
rating method. Consumer Reports measure quality. Instead, it uses
published an enlightening article 22 measurement criteria to assess
on the topic in its November 2005 the presence or absence of
issue. certain features in the hotel.
In other words, the number of Among the main criteria used:
stars awarded by commercial
travel sites is not a fully - Room sizes and numbers
reliable yardstick for selecting - Room soundproofing
a hotel. - Heating and air-conditioning
- Design of bathroom facilities
The meaning of stars in France - Phone system
- Electrical equipment
The French hotel rating system - Elevators
works on a completely different
set of rules. Each requirement varies from one
star category to another.
1. It is a standardized system:
meaning, all hotels across France You can download the full list of
are categorized on the same criteria and a clear explanation
unique basis. of each at
Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com.
2. The rating system was not born
out of mercantile purposes: it Subjective quality vs. objective
was framed by the French quantity
The safer bet
The French rating system does not
take into account subjective To afford the best chances to
quality criteria. pick the right hotel in Paris I
recommend the following 4 steps:
And because of this limited
approach, it does not guarantee - Have a basic understanding of
your expectations will be the French rating criteria (see
fulfilled. above link to download them)
- Check guests' reviews on
First, there are keen differences www.travelocity.com
in perception between - Visit the hotel's own website
populations. For example, - Do not hesitate to e-mail your
American travellers are used to questions to the hotel.
larger sizes of rooms and beds
than the average room and bed Many travellers use
sizes offered in Parisian hotels. Travelocity.com to write reviews
This can be a source of on the hotels they stayed at. No
disappointment. hotel satisfies 100% of its
guests throughout the year, so
Moreover, the French rating both extreme judgments and
system does not measure service moderate opinions can be found on
quality - cleanliness, absence of this open forum. My advice: favor
smells, staff attitude, speed of moderate reviews with some flesh
service, etc. on the bones. They will usually
give you a useful picture of what
It may thus be chancy to base to expect from the hotel - good
your hotel choice solely on the and less good.
French rating system.
Visiting the hotel's website will
usually allow you to see multiple
views of its rooms and bathrooms. Following these 4 steps should
I insist on visiting the hotel's help you minimize the risk of
own website since it usually is being disappointed during your
the place which offers the stay in Paris. This is no
greatest number of photos. guarantee though. Remember that
cultures differ from each other,
Lastly, e-mailing your questions and your expectations of service
to the hotel owners may or may might not be fully understood. In
not get you an answer, usually such case, communicate with the
depending on the proficiency of owner. They are usually keen on
the receptionist in your serving you to the best of their
language. Receiving informative means.
answers to your questions is a
good sign that the hotel cares Have a safe and pleasant trip to
for his prospective guests. Paris!
About the Author:
Phil Chavanne and his team of Parisian writers share the goods on Paris and Paris hotels with travelers who wish to prepare well for their trip to the French capital. Meet the team at http://www.Paris-Eiffel-Tower-News.com, a Paris guide full of inside information on Paris and Paris hotels.
Source: www.isnare.com
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