A number of hotels in Abu Dhabi are claiming more stars than they were awarded under a new ratings system introduced last September. The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority's (ADTA) strict star-rating system was designed to raise the standards of hotels in the capital and create a consistent guide for tourists.
Before, with no such system in place, hotels were effectively left to determine their own ratings. Abu Dhabi aims to increase its visitor numbers and attract high-rolling tourists. It spent about two years developing the classification system, which it has described as one of the toughest in the world. Under the regime, all hotels in the capital are obliged to clearly display their ADTA rating on plaques at their entrances.
The Howard Johnson Diplomat Hotel, on Khalifa Street, now displays a two-star plaque, which was issued by the authority. But all of the hotel's promotional leaflets describe it as "four-star deluxe". A member of the reservations team insisted that the hotel was a four-star property. When asked why it displayed a two-star plaque, she said the hotel was undergoing refurbishment to upgrade it to a four-star rating.
The general manager of the hotel was unavailable for comment. The website priceline.com, on which hotels are rated by guests, gives the Howard Johnson Diplomat Hotel one star. The ADTA said there was no grace period for hotels to update their promotional material and ensure correct ratings were displayed on booking sites. "The reservation sites are independent and have probably simply not updated their information," a spokesman for the ADTA said. "Our tourism standards department will alert all hotels to the need to update all their promotional material and to inform all reservation sites of their current status."
Meanwhile, the Sands Hotel displays a three-star rating from the ADTA, but third-party reservation websites describe it as a five-star property. The hotel's flyers, brochure and website do not make any mention of the hotel's star rating. This has caused considerable confusion among guests. Those who have posted reviews on website have questioned how it could be promoted as a five-star hotel. One reviewer on Booking.com said that the hotel was "at the most, a shabby three-star".
The hotel declined to respond to requests for comment. A number of other hotels still have higher ratings displayed by third-party booking websites. The Emirates Plaza Hotel has yet to display a star-rating plaque, with staff saying it had yet to be delivered. The hotel displays four stars as part of the logo on its tariff leaflet. No one from the hotel was available for further comment. Abu Dhabi has been focusing on adding new, high-quality hotels to help market it as a tourist destination. The accelerated addition of new hotels at the end of last year resulted in a decline in hotel revenues.
In November, revenue per available room, the benchmark indicator for the industry, declined 53 per cent in Abu Dhabi from the year earlier to US$171.9 (Dh631.3) from $367.2, as occupancy fell. More than 4,000 hotel rooms opened in the capital last year, adding to the 13,000 rooms there. A further 5,000 rooms are expected to open this year. @Email:rbundhun@thenational.ae
