CNBC Travel examines the meaning behind hotel star rankings, whether travelers can depend on them within the age of the web, and the most important differences between four- and five-star hotels.
Ever notice that the identical hotel may be rated three-, four- and even five-stars? That is the case with Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay Sands.
The rationale is because firms — from guidebooks to web sites — use different standards to guage hotels, with some relying solely on online reviews to set their star rating.
CNBC Travel sat down with Capella Singapore’s Yngvar Stray and HotelPlanner’s Tim Hentschel to speak about which star rankings matter, and what travelers can expect from a 1-star to a 5-star stay.