Charting Hungary's nebulous hotel star rating system

Whether at a one-star or five-star hotel in Hungary, a few things are mainstays: beds, access to hot and cold water, showers, toilet paper and a safe. Past these, however, and the only certainty is variation.

In theory, the star system used to grade hotels in Hungary should be straightforward. For each star a hotel earns, it must first collect a certain number of points, each of which is based on the provision of amenities and services as specified and monitored by Hotel Association of Hungary (HAH), which established the current system in 1989. At the bottom, one-star hotels have zero points, 25 points translates into two stars, 65 into three, 90 into four, and with 170 points awards a hotel five big luxury stars.

But for the average traveler, the star system is about as clear-cut as astrophysics due to all the different potential combinations of amenities or services a hotel can offer and thus the points and stars it can accumulate.

Meanwhile, even Hotel Association Chairman István Kovács concedes that stars do not really correlate with room rates, which he says are instead "up to supply and demand."

And finally, because of the topsy-turvy world of Hungarian politics and public administration, in some cases all bets are off. For instance, with the exception of five-star properties, which must possess on-site parking facilities, parking requirement for one-to-four star hotels are all subject to a government law on parking that seems to be unintelligible even to those in the business. In fact, there are whispers that connections or even bribes play a role in the awarding of points and stars in Hungary.

All that said, the system does offer some useful guideposts for what to expect - and not expect - when booking a room. The below section headers offer links to the various classes of hotels in the Caboodle.hu accommodation directories, but note that one and two-star hotels are grouped together with pensions, just to add more complexity to system that might already make seasoned travelers a bit starry-eyed.

One Star

While a one-star hotel technically has zero points, all hotels are expected to meet some basic requirements.

Expect

• Shared toilets: One common toilet (yes, men and women together) per 10 beds.
• Cleanliness: The rooms and bathrooms will be cleaned daily.
• Very basic amenities: In addition to beds, rooms will have a towel rack, four hangers, dark curtains on the windows, a waste basket, reading lamp, one chair per bed, and "shoeshine facilities." No sewing kits, and little in the way of shampoo and other toiletries.
• Possible use of a public phone: The hotel should provide a public phone at the reception, however this is a vague promise, since according to the classification requirements, a reception is only required at a one-star if the hotel sleeps over 30 people.
• Some security and assistance: A one-star hotel should offer a safe, luggage room or locker, message delivery and wake-up call.
• A workout: You'll likely take the stairs since lifts are not required in buildings with fewer than five floors. (Note that in Hungary, as in the rest of Europe, the "first" floor is the first floor above the ground floor, so the Hungarian fifth floor would be the sixth floor in the United States.)

Don't Expect

• English: Someone "on staff" is required to speak a language other than Hungarian, but that can be any foreign language, not necessarily English, and "on staff" is not the same as being always or readily available.
• Space: Single rooms will be eight square meters; doubles, 12 sqm; with five additional square meters for each additional person. Tall folk be warned: the minimum bed size is 80cm by 190cm (for those of you who speak in feet, that's 2'6" by 6').
• Electronics: Not only is it not required for the room to have sockets, only 30% of the rooms are required to have a TV antenna plug, though there's no mention of the actual antenna or television.
• Food: One-star hotels are required to have the capacity to serve a continental breakfast until 10 a.m. But the hotels are not required to actually use that "capacity" to serve.
• Plastic: Accepting credit cards is not required.

Two Stars

To earn a second star, a hotel should offer all of the services in the category to get the necessary 25 points, but with that, this isn't all too different from one-star style (indeed we've grouped the categories together).

Expect

• Some privacy: 30% of the rooms in a two-star hotel offer private bathrooms with showers or bathtubs.
• Connection to the outside world: Public telephones available in the hallway.
• Linen, and other still very basic amenities: All rooms come with bed linen and towels; other amenities are the same as at a one-star, including "shoeshine facilities." Again, no soap, shampoos or sewing kits.
• A workout: Like in a one-star, you may be taking the stairs since lifts are not required in buildings with fewer than five floors.
• Languages other than Hungarian: In a two-star it is mandatory that someone who speaks a foreign language works 24 hours a day, but that could be German or Russian.
• Wine: two-star hotels must offer guests at least "four Hungarian quality wines" on an à la carte menu.

Don't Expect

• Space: Rooms are slightly bigger than at a one-star, but the minimum bed requirement is still so small that tall travelers may have trouble.
• Electronics: At a two-star, 50% of the rooms are required to have a TV antenna plug and the regulations state that the hotel should have a television "available" in the reception in case a guest wants to bring it up to their room to watch it.
• Plastic: Not required to accept credit cards.

Three Stars

A three-star hotel will tend to have the qualities of a standard international hotel.

Expect

• Lots of amenities: In addition to the room furnishings listed previously, there will be linen, towels, a sewing kit, soap, shampoo, electric socket, telephone and television, refrigerator, literature on the city and country, and a mirror.
• Private toilets: 75% of the rooms will have private toilets with a shower or bathtub. Otherwise, one shared toilet and shower for every ten beds.
• English: three-star hotels are required to have two staff members available 24 hours a day who speak a language other than Hungarian, and here the likelihood of one of them speaking English is higher.
• Plastic: Accepting credit cards is required.
• Food and drink: The restaurants should offer breakfast, lunch and dinner, including two to three kinds of soup, a starter, main course, and dessert. When the restaurant is in operation, room service is optional. Finally, at least eight "quality" Hungarian wines should be available.

Don't Expect

• Much more space: The requirements for rooms are only marginally more generous than for two-star hotels. There should be one suite per 50 rooms, however.
• Elevator: Only in buildings with more than three floors.

Four Stars

After the vast offerings of the three-star, a four-star is an upgrade but not a culture shock. four-star hotels offer all of the same room amenities, as well as more facilities in the hotel, guest services and suites.

Expect

• Amenities of a three-star, plus a minibar, bottle opener, color television and remote control, plus private bathrooms with a hairdryer and a shower cap.
• Business and guest services: At least one conference room in the hotel along with fax and copy machines, a guest services manager to assist with reservations, bookings, confirmations, and other questions, catering services for 40% of the total occupancy.
• English: The hotel will employ staff members 24 hours a day who collectively speak at least three foreign languages.
• Food: Restaurant, plus room service 24 hours a day.
• Fitness center: The hotel will offer something other than the stairs as a way of working out.
• Semi-personalized experience: All staff members are required to wear a uniform with their name on it.

Don't Expect

• Air-conditioned rooms: only public areas are required to be cool.
• Three kinds of cheese: four-star hotels are only required to provide two different kinds of cheese.
• Senseless luxury: Bed linen is changed every third day, and bell boys are only available for 16 hours a day.

Five Stars

The services are similar to what a four-star property offers, but with even more and better amenities and services. Here are a few of the most noteworthy specifications required of five-star hotels:

Expect

• All the luxurious amenities and guest services of a four-star, plus more space, higher-quality furniture, bathrobes, slippers and magnifying mirror.
• Cool, fresh rooms: Air conditioning is expected in all rooms, with linens changed every second day.
• Personalized experience: Again, all staff members are required to wear a uniform with their name on it, plus there will be a multilingual service staff available 24-hours a day (including the bellboy) and 24-hour room service.
• Parking: a five-star hotel must have a parking garage.

Don't Expect

• Top brand names: not all five-star hotels are created equal. Some will use L'Occtaine sample shampoos, and others will use Aveda or Clinique.
• 400 thread count sheets: Even the best of the best sometimes use 150 thread count sheets, and in Hungary, some properties might not use electric dryers to give towels and sheets that smooth finish.
• Any more than 12 "quality" Hungarian wines: A dozen varieties is all that is required.

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