CELEX: 51986PC0032(02)
Language: en
Date: 1986-02-05
Title: PROPOSAL FOR A COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION ON STANDARDIZED INFORMATION ON EXISTING HOTELS

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,                            Whereas it would be useful for the standardized infor-
                                                                    mation to be incorporated in national hotel guides and
                                                                    displayed at hotel entrances;
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Economic Community,                                                 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
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission,                  in local currency and in a standard monetary unit;
                                                                    whereas the ECU can constitute this standard;
Having regard       to   the  opinion    of   the   European        Whereas the standardized information system should be
Parliament,                                                         incorporated in all national and regional guides within a
                                                                    reasonable time span,
                                                                    HEREBY RECOMMENDS THAT THE MEMBER STATES:
Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and
Social Committee,
                                                                    1. Entrust national tourist organizations or other
                                                                       responsible bodies, in collaboration with hoteliers'
                                                                       associations, with responsibility for implementing the
Whereas the Council resolution of 10 April 1984 on a                   proposed standardized information system for hotels;
Community policy on tourism (') invites the Commission
to present proposals, notably with a view to facilitating
                                                                       —- this responsibility implies collecting, checking and
tourism within the Community;
                                                                           publishing information on hotels in accordance
                                                                           with this recommendation,
                                                                                   •a
Whereas most Member States have a grading system for                   — a hotel for the purposes of this recommendation
hotels to describe their standard and the facilities                       shall mean any establishment that is commercially
available; whereas in addition to the national grading                     operated under the name of hotel, boarding
systems there are also commercial systems operated by                      house, inn, tavern, motel or other equivalent
private bodies; whereas the existing national and                          designation, and offers accommodation to at least
commercial grading systems differ considerably;                            10 temporay paying guests.
                                                                    2. Ensure that this standardized information is published
Whereas because of differing criteria and assessment a                 annually in readily available official hotel guides.
hotel grading system at Community level would be
difficult to construct and administer;                                 Appropriate information shall also be made available
                                                                       at hotel entrances.
Whereas to overcome language differences and to take                3. Ensure that the official hotel guide contains:
account of other local practices it would be useful for
travellers in all Member States to have standardized                   — an introduction explaining how to use the guide,
information on hotel accommodation using symbols to                        with particular emphasis on the symbols used; this
convey the facilities available;                                           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
Whereas the national tourist organizations responsible                     language of the country and at least two other
for the implementation of tourism policy in the Member                     languages,
States should also be responsible for the implementation
of a standardized information system for hotels;                       — lists of hotels giving:
                                                                           — their name,      address,   telephone    and   telex
                                                                               numbers,
                                                                           — number of rooms, total and with bath/shower,
O O J N o C 115, 30.4. 1984, p. 1.                                         — opening period,
 ---pagebreak--- 14.5.86                              Official Journal of the European Communities                             No C 114/9
      — price for a double room in the high season,                    be that on the date the guide went to press; where
          inclusive of all charges, VAT and any other                  possible the daily value of the ECU shall be shown
          taxes,                                                       on the hotel's list of exchange rates.
      — discounts for children,
                                                                5. Ensure that complaints about inaccuracies in the
      — distance from airport, railway station and air
                                                                   guide are referred to the national tourist organ-
          terminal,                                                izations or other responsible bodies at the address
      — credit cards accepted,                                     given in the introduction to the hotel guide and
      — information on languages spoken,                           displayed as specified at point 4.
      — standardized symbols for various facilities, as
          shown in the Annex.                                   6. Make every effort to adopt and bring into force the
                                                                   appropriate national measures to ensure introduction
4. Ensure that prices and discounts:                               of a standardized information system in existing
                                                                   hotels within two years of the adoption of this
   — are shown in the official hotel guide and displayed           recommendation.
      at the hotel entrance and in each bedroom in
      national currency,
                                                                7. Send to the Commission each year the official hotel
   — are shown in the official hotel guide in local                guide(s)    published      in  accordance   with    this
      currency and in ECU; the value of the ECU shall              recommendation.
                                        •
 ---pagebreak--- NoC 114/10                                Official Journal of the European Communities                        14.5.86
                                                             ANNEX
                                    STANDARDIZED SYMBOLS FOR H O T E L 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     T V in bedrooms