Star Ratings

What your feelings on star ratings of resorts. Do they make much sense to you! From reviews it seems it doesn't matter much. Some of the 3 - 3 1/2 star resorts seem to have better reviews then the 4-5 star resorts. We've always looked at 4 stars or above but last years was a 4 1/2 star resort which we would never go back to! Now I'm wondering if the stars really matter. Any thoughts? Thanks

Star ratings are done usually by the company who are selling the hotel packages, if you check many different tour brochures you will see one company may rate a hotel 4 star while another rates it 3 star. There doesnt seem to be any real international rating system. I have been to a hotel that had a large plaque in its lobby boasting 5 stars but it was no more than a 3 star in my opinion. I have checked out the web and found a site attached that has three different rating systems and organizations that do ratings. Check it out. Your guess is as good as mine, but I rely on fodors and debbies to read reviews.

I don't trust what the travel companies say.. better to hear from people who have actually stayed at the resort. For instance I stayed at the Playa Naco a few times now and it "reads" only a 3 star, but I give it higher!

sometimes the difference in star ratings is that one resort may offer free horse back rideing,or an hour a day with a canoe etc.the food,drinks,service,rooms could be the same,but one is a3.5 and the next a 4 star.i believe the rating system is just a good indicator of what to expect.in the dr 3 stars and up your ok go to cuba you had better start at a3.5

Hlywud is correct, the ratings are done basically by the companies selling the packages. I would not worry too much about ratings in the DR though. Just read as much as you can on the web, but also bear in mind that each person seems to have a different vacation experience. The hotels that seem to receive consistent good reviews appear to be the smaller hotels around the country and the old-timers such as the Jaragua, Hotel Santo Domingo and the Hispaniola. I don't know if AAA has rated any hotels in the DR, however they have a Caribbean travel book you may want to check out. If you really would like to get into the whole rating systems, then there are several names out there such as the AAA Diamond rating system, The Leading Hotels of the World, Relais & Chateaux, etc. Mobil and Zagat also have their rating systems. Hope this helps.

Regards,
Natasha

In POP, I recommend Playa Naco and the Paradise.

Well when I was last int he DR, I asked the Guest Servcie Manager what made that hotel a 4 star. He told me that in the DR, usually the stars represent the differnet activites that are includes with your all-inclusive package. Hotel with 4 -5 stars have all the water sports/scuba horse back riding, shuttle buses to different casinos all included, where as those with 3 or less dont.

Thanks for all the input guys! It's just been something that I have found stange - star rating that is. But what you say Jewels make sense from what I've noticed. So if you don't care about all the extras and are just looking for a relaxing place on the beach with good food and service you're just as well off at a smaller 3 1/2 star resort. We really don't care about a disco or casino etc. The Catalonia we stayed at this year was a 4 1/2 star resort and I think it was because it had 4 restuarants, a casino, a seperate shopping area and a disco. It certainly wasn't because of good food or service! So we got suckered into booking it because of the rating.... never again!