Hotels: the 5th Star arrives in France
Since the 23rd of July, the new French hotel categorisation system, which made appear the fifth star and the “palace” category, has officially replaced the former system of 1986.
In the framework of this reform, the “French exception” which limited the highest level of hotel classification to “luxurious 4–star” has been ended. The new law has created the fifth star and the “palace” classification. The attribution of stars is now valid only during five years and not anymore forever as before. This system regards the hotels, but also the camping, leisure parks, tourism residences or holiday resorts. According to the professionals specialised in tourism in France, the holiday makers are ever more exigent and the number of stars remains an important and universal mark.
So what do we have to expect from a 5-star hotel? This luxurious category offers strictly controlled services to appeal to the rich foreign customers: a bedroom of a minimum of 24 sqm, with a 160X200m bed, a minibar, a strong box, internet access, a TV with international channels and themes, a writing case, a sewing kit, a shoe kit, a clothes wardrobe and a bathrobe. The establishment also offers an in-room breakfast service, 24-hour reception (from 30 bedrooms), luggage care on demand, a luggage trolley, luggage storage, a valet service, a personalised alarm service, and a restaurant offering diner at least five days a week. Moreover, the hotel’s website has to be available in at least two languages and the staff has to speak two foreign languages minimum, including English.
France was the only country in the world to not have a fifth star. Nowadays, among more than 17,000 French establishments classified according to the former standards, 205 display the gold and silver metal-coated board which signals the 5-star range. Globally, only 7,500 hotels have obtained new stars and 2,000 have initiated the procedures. This thus represents one hotel out of two, which has not complied yet with the new standards. From now on, for any reference to the former stars for their promotion (boards, visiting cards, bills…) the establishments face a 15,000 euro fine. Whereas 4,000 independent hotels in France are threatened with closure, the renovation cost discouraged numerous establishments to apply for a further star. The investments by hotels reached 2.19 billion euro, i.e. as much as the level of the record year of 2008. However they should turn down slightly due to the crisis affecting tourism; indeed, if the customers do not require this classification, then the hotels do not invest in it.