Three stars superior for Meerbusch

Three stars superior. Sustainable overnight stay near Düsseldorf

Three stars superior. Our Hotel Villa Meererbusch has carried this official rating since 2017. A few days ago, the classification was reviewed and confirmed for another three years. An official award, which we are very pleased and proud of.

Because a 3-star superior hotel must not only meet the objective and transparent requirements and criteria of a 3-star hotel according to the DEHOGA hotel classification . It must also fulfill other features and services that deserve the term “superior”. Thus, we are already very clearly in the direction of the next higher classification category, 4 stars. In the criteria catalogue, it also says:

“(The Superior Supplement) denotes top companies which have achieved significantly more points than required in their category, and whose overall impression is superior to that expected in their category. These companies thus exhibit a particularly high level of service.”

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On our official certificate it is also noted: “This hotel achieves significantly more rating points than required for its category.”

A “win on points”

3 stars superior. This is actually quite a remarkable achievement, especially for us as a small “Hotel Garni”, with only seventeen rooms. A hotel without its own restaurant, without a separate conference and banquet department. But nobody has to starve in the evening. Because three restaurants are within walking distance from us in less than three minutes. And in less than 8 minutes you can even reach for excellent, highly renowned Michelin star cuisine. This restaurant neighborhood is indeed very comfortable, but for us, of course, it is not relevant for hotel stars.

Hotel stars relevant, however, is our sustainable and varied breakfast. With many homemade specialities, many of them certified organic, and if possible always of local origin. Of course as a “Zero Waste” buffet, without mountains of portioned packaging waste. With freshly prepared egg dishes, and hot drinks in service. Of course, we have a drinks menu and smaller, homemade dishes in our room service as well.

Sustainable, regional, organic and freshly prepared in Corona times? Very probably not as a buffet. We don’t think that’s possible. Definitely not the way we would do it usually. At the moment we cannot yet define exactly how we can offer our food and drinks for the reopening. A couple of things is still in planning. As soon as we have the exact specifications for the reopening, there will be more details. Of course under strict observance of all guidelines.

Points become stars

For the awarding of the stars of the German Hotel Classification, there are defined minimum requirements. There is one principle: the more stars, the more characteristics must be fulfilled by the hotel or accommodation facility.

The current catalogue of criteria of the Hotelstars Union for Germany comprises seven areas in which hotels are checked. General hotel information, reception and services, the rooms. Gastronomy, events, leisure, quality and online activities.

In consequence, behind our three stars with the important addition “Superior”, there are – apart from a lot of work – also a total of 270 individual evaluation criteria by which we have to be measured. Points are awarded for each of these criteria. The next higher hotel category contains everything that already exists in the previous category.

Verifiable, transparent and comparable. Even across national borders

You don’t give out these hotel stars to yourself. And this is only really important, but was rather decisive for us when it came to getting classified. Participation in such an evaluation is voluntary. The result is objective, verifiable and transparent. In national and partly also in international comparison.

Internationally, there is a whole range of hotel rating systems. By the way, the German hotel classification system exists – virtually “identical in construction” – in a total of 17 European countries. For example, in the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. In Austria and Switzerland, in the Scandinavian countries with Denmark and Sweden. And in the Baltic States with Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, in very small countries such as Liechtenstein and Malta. Or in Slovenia, Czech Republic, Hungary.

A good recommendation you can rely on

A recommendation is only as reliable as the source from which such advice comes.

For hotel guests, the hotel stars are an important means of orientation. Of course, together with ratings on the Internet, but also personal recommendations from friends and colleagues. By the way, for a good third of all travellers, the availability of reliable room photos on the Internet is also an “important”, or even “very important” selection criterion. A picture says more than a 1000 words.

The German hotel stars are a highly reliable system. Unfortunately, this was not always the case. In 2016, an entire industry was discredited and “blown up”. Through many home-made “rating systems”, with which one or the other “creative” hotelier had supposedly “distinguished” his business. With suns, points, even stars that have now “expired”. In other words, far more than just flimsy. In the meantime, the DEHOGA has cleaned up the place very thoroughly and ensured order. Above all, however, with a regular and reliable inspection of the establishments that have been awarded hotel stars. This is done through a personal visit and an inspection, usually by two people. The specialist department for the hotel industry in the DEHOGA (German Hotel and Restaurant Association) determines the evaluation criteria and modalities in a binding manner and ensures their uniform application throughout Germany.

In Germany, there are almost 13,000 hotel businesses (as of 2019, published by Statista Research: 12,876 hotels, to be precise). Of these, exactly 7,931 establishments were classified in January 2020. According to the survey, six out of ten hotels rely on the stars. And that speaks for itself.

A little history at the end

The stars aren’t that new as an idea, by the way. In fact, as early as 1334 in Florence, stars were mentioned as a commercial categorization feature for lodging establishments. In the “Statuti dell’arte degli Albergatori della Città e Contado di Firenze”. According to these statutes, the innkeepers were required to observe minimum standards in dealing with their guest. And at the same time, they were to display a vermilion eight-pointed star as a guild sign. “Quod nulles possit tenere insignam albergariae nisi fuerit de hac arte. The sign as a hostel can only last, who has learned this art / this craft. This is what travellers in the Middle Ages could already rely on.

In modern times, by the way, it was the German publisher and “professional traveller” Karl Baedeker, who in 1853 for the first time used stars for the particularly remarkable in his later legendary travel guides in red cover.