How are hotel and restaurant ratings determined?   Who gives them?  Who takes them away?  How are they similar?  How are they different?  MOBIL awards stars; AAA awards diamonds.  Both bestow ratings on a scale of 1 to 5; 5 being the highest, denoting the absolute ultimate in luxury, service, atmosphere, and price.  There are many similarities in the way these organizations determine ratings, and some significant differences.
 

Both conduct annual on site physical inspections. AAA employs a full-time staff of more than 50 inspectors; Mobil uses some part-time inspectors and some contract personnel.  Both organizations have very detailed rating criteria that is available to the industry.

Ask Harry and Cheryl We encourage readers to email us with questions on ratings, guest services, design, decor, etc. We'll directly respond to your questions. Email Harry and Cheryl

AAA publishes its ratings in 23 regional TourBooks that are free to the 
40,000,000- plus AAA members.  Mobil Travel Guides are sold to the public in book stores. 

Both AAA and Mobil provide inspections, evaluations, and ratings free of charge to  hotels and restaurants.  Approved establishments may pay a fee to display the copyrighted AAA logo and may purchase advertising space in the TourBooks. 

Our clients often ask us which rating is better; which is more credible?  Despite my background with AAA, I must be totally honest and objective.  In my professional opinion, both are of equal merit.  In my personal opinion,  stars may be better known and more widely recognized as the universal symbol of quality and excellence.  This is due primarily to the generic meaning of the word. 

Basically a AAA 4 Diamond hotel and a Mobil 4 star hotel are very much the same thing  as both ratings have been awarded through similar evaluation processes and guided by  similar physical and service standards.  One must remember that both AAA and Mobil rating criteria are based on  industry standards and reflect guests� expectations, not on the personal whim of the inspector. 

That aside, one must also remember that inspectors� rating decisions are always influenced by personal factors despite clearly defined guidelines and criteria.   This will be true as long as stars and diamonds are awarded by humans.

In summary, AAA and Mobil ratings are one tool  the traveling public to uses to decide where to stay and  dine. If you are in the hospitality business,  a rating by either or both of these organizations will bring guests to your door. 

Credible and popular they are; perfect they are not.

Harry Nobles & Cheryl Thompson Griggs
Optimum Rating

• Former head of AAA Lodging/Dining Ratings Program. 
• An independent consultant serving the hospitality industry. 
• A Special Training Consultant to the Educational Institute, American Hotel/Motel Association