Hotels are classified according to the hotel size, location, target markets, levels of service, facilities provided, number of rooms, ownership and affiliation etc.
Besides these classifications hotels are often classified with the Star, Diamond or Crown system, depending on geographic location.
Classifications help guests to get an overview of the hotel without having to check the property themselves. It thereby facilitates trade by acting as an intermediary, providing trust between the customer and the property.
Hotels receive diamond ratings to help people identify standards and levels of services, without having to see the hotel for themselves. They thereby enable trust between people and facilitate trade. Hotel categorisation is based on a scale from 1-5, one being the lowest and five the highest standard. The classification system can be used for various hotel types including boutique hotels, resorts, B&Bs and aparthotels.