Sure Signs of Where to Stay [ Where to Stay ]

 

The English Tourism Council's new Star ratings will help you choose the accommodation that's right for you. Assessors have been visiting flats, house, cottages and services apartments on your behalf assessing quality, including comfort, space, facilities and most important of all, cleanliness. The brand new quality rating system is easy to use and is based on extensive research. So when you choose a Star-rated property you can rest assured that your expectations will be met or even exceeded.

The English Tourism Council (ETC), in response to consumer demand, has created new rating standards for accommodation in England. This includes Hotels and Guest Accommodation, using Stars to represent Hotels and Diamonds for Guest Accommodation, which includes Guest Houses, Inns, Farmhouses and Bed & Breakfast. Self-Catering is represented by Stars and Caravan Parks are also represented by Stars. The Automobile Association (AA) and Royal Automobile Club (RAC) also use the same rating scheme for serviced accommodation. The new ratings put even greater emphasis on quality. Now, when you see an AA ETC or RAC sign showing Stars or Diamonds, you will know that the accommodation has been visited by qualified, independent assessors. It is that simple and that easy to find quality accommodation to meet your expectations.

Star ratings symbolise the level of service, range of facilities and quality of guest care that you can expect. Hotels are required to meet progressively higher standards as they move up the scale from One to Five Stars. At a hotel you will find: Practical accommodation with a limited range of facilities and services, but a high standard of cleanliness throughout. Friendly and courteous staff to give you the help and information you need to enjoy your stay. Restaurant/eating area open to you and your guests for breakfast and dinner. Alcoholic drinks will be served in a bar or lounge. 75% of bedrooms will have en-suite or private facilities. At a hotel you will find: (in addition to what is provided at ONE STAR) Good overnight accommodation with more comfortable bedrooms,better equipped - all with en-suite or private facilities and colour TV. A relatively straightforward range of services, including food and drink and a personal style of service. A restaurant/dining room for breakfast and dinner. A lift is normally available. At a hotel you will find: (in addition to what is provided at ONE and TWO STAR) Possibly larger establishments, but all offering significantly greater quality and range of facilities and services, and usually more spacious public areas and bedrooms. A more formal style of service with a receptionist on duty and staff responding well to your needs and requests. Room service of continental breakfast. Laundry service available. A wide selection of drinks, light lunch and snacks served in a bar or lounge. At a hotel you will find: (in addition to what is provided at ONE, TWO and THREE STAR) Accommodation offering superior comfort and quality; all bedrooms with en-suite bath, fitted overhead shower and WC. The hotel will have spacious and very well appointed public areas and will put a strong emphasis on food and drink. Staff will have very good technical and social skills, anticipating and responding to your needs and requests. Room service of all meals and 24 hour drinks, refreshments and snacks. Dry cleaning service available. At a hotel you will find: (in addition to what is provided at ONE, TWO, THREE and FOUR STAR) A spacious, luxurious establishment offering you the highest international quality of accommodation, facilities, services and cuisine. It will have striking accommodation throughout, with a range of extra facilities. You will feel very well cared for by professional, attentive staff providing flawless guest services. A hotel that fits the highest international standards for the industry, with an air of luxury, exceptional comfort and a sophisticated ambience.

Diamond ratings for Guest Accommodation reflect visitor expectations, with quality seen as more important to visitors than facilities and services. As a result Guest Accommodation is required to meet progressively higher standards of quality and guest care as they move up the scale from one to five Diamonds. At Guest Accommodation you will find: Clean accommodation, providing acceptable comfort with functional decor and offering, as a minimum, a full cooked or continental breakfast. Other meals, where provided, will be freshly cooked. You will have a comfortable bed, with clean bed linen and towels and fresh soap. Adequate heating and hot water available at reasonable times for baths or showers at no extra charge. An acceptable overall level of quality and helpful service. At Guest Accommodation, you will find: (in addition to what is provided at One Diamond) A sound overall level of quality and customer care in all areas. At Guest Accommodation, you will find: (in addition to what is provided at Two Diamond) A good overall level of quality. For example, good quality, comfortable bedrooms; well maintained, practical decor; a good choice of quality items available for breakfast; other meals, where provided, will be freshly cooked from good quality ingredients. A good degree of comfort provided for you, with good levels of customer care. At Guest Accommodation, you will find: (in addition to what is provided at Three Diamond) A very good overall level of quality in all areas and customer care showing very good levels of attention to your needs. At Guest Accommodation, you will find: (in addition to what is provided at Four Diamond) An excellent overall level of quality. For example, ample space with a degree of luxury, an excellent quality bed, high quality furniture, excellent interior design. Breakfast offering a wide choice of high quality fresh ingredients; other meals, where provided, featuring fresh, seasonal local ingredients. Excellent levels of customer care, anticipating your needs.

The Star rating scheme for Caravan Parks has been developed to reflect consumer expectations and has quality at its heart. When you are looking for a place to stay, you need a rating system you can trust. The Star rating reflects the overall quality of the park and the highest rating of Five Star is reserved for those parks of exceptional quality which also provide specific key facilities and services. The Star scheme reflects the ever higher standards which Holiday, Caravan and Camping Parks have to offer in the new millennium. It is the result of extensive research into what visitors are looking for, ensuring that you can easily find a park that meets your expectations. Parks are visited annually by trained, impartial assessors. A rating of from One to Five stars is awarded, based on cleanliness, environment and the quality of facilities and service provided. Acceptable Quality Good Quality Very Good Quality Excellent Quality Exceptional Quality

The brand new quality rating system is easy to use and is based on extensive research. So when you choose a Star-rated property you can rest assured that your expectation will be met or even exceeded. Your quality guide: At you will find: Acceptable overall level of quality. Adequate provision of furniture, furnishings and fittings. At you will find: (In addition to what is provided at One Star) Good overall level of quality. At you will find: (In addition to what is provided at Two Star) Good to very good overall level of quality. Good standard of maintenance and decoration. Ample space and good quality furniture. All double beds with access from both sides. Microwaves. At you will find: (In addition to what is provided at Three Star) Excellent overall level of quality. Very good care and attention to detail will be obvious throughout. Either access to washing machine and drier, if not provided in the unit, or a 24 hour laundry service. At you will find: (In addition to what is provided at Four Star) Exceptional overall level of quality. High levels of decor, fixtures and fittings, together with excellent standards of management efficiency and guest services. Excellent range of accessories and personal touches. How to choose the Star rating that is right for you Quite simply, the more Stars, the higher the overall level of quality you can expect to find. Establishments at higher rating levels also have to meet some additional requirements for facilities. All properties have to meet an extensive list of minimum requirements before they can be considered for a Star rating. From there, increased levels of quality apply. For instance, you'll find acceptable quality at One Star, good to very good quality at Three Star and exceptional quality at Five Star. All Star-rated properties will provide the following before they can be considered for a Star rating: High standard of cleanliness throughout Pricing and conditions of booking made clear Local information to help you make the best of your stay Comfortable accommodation with a range of furniture to meet your needs Colour television (where signal available) at no extra charge Kitchen equipment to meet all essential requirements

Places to stay that show one of the three signs shown below care about Accessibility. When you see the Tourism for All arch with one of the three symbols, you can be sure that the establishment has been throughly assessed against demanding criteria. The English Tourism Council has hundreds of accessible properties in its scheme, and the three different categories will help you to choose the one that suits your needs. Category 1 Accessible to a wheelchair user travelling independently Category 2 Accessible to a wheelchair user travelling with assistance Category 3 Accessible to someone with limited mobility, able to walk a few paces and up a maximum of three steps.

The Wales Tourist Board operates a similar grading system to the English Tourism Council, except that Stars are used for Guest Accommodation instead of Diamonds.

Booking Accommodation

To make your reservation, telephone or write to the establishment of your choice. Alternatively, upon arrival at the Royal Forest of Dean our Tourist Information staff will be happy to assist with booking accommodation for you - this service is FREE of charge - please check the opening times of the Tourist Information Centre

The inclusion of an establishment in this guide should not be classified as a recommendation by the Forest of Dean District Council.

E-mail Tourism@fdean.gov.uk

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