No C 114/8 Official Journal of the European Communities 14.5.86 
Proposal for a Council recommendation on standardized information on hotels 
COM(86) 32 final/2 
(Submitted by the Commission to the Council on 31 January 1986) 
(86/C 114/11) 
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, 
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European 
Economic Community, 
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission, Whereas it would be useful for the standardized infor­
mation to be incorporated in national hotel guides and 
displayed at hotel entrances; 
Whereas in order to facilitate understanding by travellers 
of the cost of accommodation and to allow international 
comparisons it is important for prices to be quoted both 
in local currency and in a standard monetary unit; 
whereas the ECU can constitute this standard; 
Having regard to the opinion of the European 
Parliament, Whereas the standardized information system should be 
incorporated in all national and regional guides within a 
reasonable time span, 
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and 
Social Committee, 
Whereas the Council resolution of 10 April 1984 on a 
Community policy on tourism (') invites the Commission 
to present proposals, notably with a view to facilitating 
tourism within the Community; 
Whereas most Member States have a grading system for 
hotels to describe their standard and the facilities 
available; whereas in addition to the national grading 
systems there are also commercial systems operated by 
private bodies; whereas the existing national and 
commercial grading systems differ considerably; HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT THE MEMBER STATES: 
1. Entrust national tourist organizations or other 
responsible bodies, in collaboration with hoteliers' 
associations, with responsibility for implementing the 
proposed standardized information system for hotels; 
—- this responsibility implies collecting, checking and 
publishing information on hotels in accordance 
with this recommendation, 
•a 
— a hotel for the purposes of this recommendation 
shall mean any establishment that is commercially 
operated under the name of hotel, boarding 
house, inn, tavern, motel or other equivalent 
designation, and offers accommodation to at least 
10 temporay paying guests. 
Whereas because of differing criteria and assessment a 
hotel grading system at Community level would be 
difficult to construct and administer; 2. Ensure that this standardized information is published 
annually in readily available official hotel guides. 
Appropriate information shall also be made available 
at hotel entrances. 
Whereas to overcome language differences and to take 
account of other local practices it would be useful for 
travellers in all Member States to have standardized 
information on hotel accommodation using symbols to 
convey the facilities available; 
Whereas the national tourist organizations responsible 
for the implementation of tourism policy in the Member 
States should also be responsible for the implementation 
of a standardized information system for hotels; 
O OJNoC 115, 30.4. 1984, p. 1. 3. Ensure that the official hotel guide contains: 
— an introduction explaining how to use the guide, 
with particular emphasis on the symbols used; this 
introduction should indicate when the high, mid 
and low season prices apply on a national and/or 
regional basis, and all useful information in the 
language of the country and at least two other 
languages, 
— lists of hotels giving: 
— their name, address, telephone and telex 
numbers, 
— number of rooms, total and with bath/shower, 
— opening period, 
14.5.86 Official Journal of the European Communities No C 114/9 
— price for a double room in the high season, 
inclusive of all charges, VAT and any other 
taxes, 
— discounts for children, 
— distance from airport, railway station and air 
terminal, 
— credit cards accepted, 
— information on languages spoken, 
— standardized symbols for various facilities, as 
shown in the Annex. 
4. Ensure that prices and discounts: 
— are shown in the official hotel guide and displayed 
at the hotel entrance and in each bedroom in 
national currency, 
— are shown in the official hotel guide in local 
currency and in ECU; the value of the ECU shall be that on the date the guide went to press; where 
possible the daily value of the ECU shall be shown 
on the hotel's list of exchange rates. 
5. Ensure that complaints about inaccuracies in the 
guide are referred to the national tourist organ­
izations or other responsible bodies at the address 
given in the introduction to the hotel guide and 
displayed as specified at point 4. 
6. Make every effort to adopt and bring into force the 
appropriate national measures to ensure introduction 
of a standardized information system in existing 
hotels within two years of the adoption of this 
recommendation. 
7. Send to the Commission each year the official hotel 
guide(s) published in accordance with this 
recommendation. 
• 
NoC 114/10 Official Journal of the European Communities 14.5.86 
ANNEX 
STANDARDIZED SYMBOLS FOR HOTEL FACILITIES 
Building of historic or architectural interest f» Facilities for children 
Establishment in a green setting Dogs allowed 
Private car parking X Restaurant service 
Indoor swimming pool Breakfast service only 
Outdoor swimming pool Alcoholic beverages available 
<* Tennis at the hotel or nearby ^ Hairdressing salon 
Sauna Cleaning and/or laundry service 
Night porter i Room service available 
•K Telex facilities available for clients Air-conditioned bedrooms 
ti Lift Central heating in bedrooms 
Meeting room available Telephones in bedrooms 
Residents' lounge with TV Radio in bedrooms 
^ Some facilities for disabled PI TV in bedrooms