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Oceanside, Calif. Reviewing Hotel Proposals from Faulkner USA of Texas,
Pacifica of San Diego and SD Malkin of San Diego;
City Officials Learn Meaning Star Ratings

By Rob O'Dell, North County Times, Escondido, Calif.
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Jan. 9, 2005 - OCEANSIDE, Calif. --- What's the meaning of a star? Or three or four or five, for that matter? That's the question in Oceanside, which is in the process of deciding what kind of hotel it wants as the centerpiece of its downtown on two vacant lots across the street from the municipal pier.

City officials talk often about what type of three-, four- or five-star hotel would best fit the city, and which one could actually be built after it has tried unsuccessfully for 20 years to get a hotel on the site straddling Mission Avenue.

The city is reviewing hotel proposals from three finalists that will be discussed by the City Council in February. City officials said all three finalists -- Faulkner USA of Texas, Pacifica of San Diego and SD Malkin of San Diego -- have submitted proposals with four-star resorts.

Pacifica is the only developer so far to tell city officials it doesn't need a city subsidy to build its hotel.

Some city officials, including Mayor Jim Wood, have said they're opposed to giving a city subsidy to any of the developers, raising the possibility that some of the finalists may have to downsize their proposals to get them built. Others, such as Councilman Jack Feller, said the city needs to attract a "world-class" resort to ignite redevelopment downtown and act as draw for the city.

There's the possibility, then, that the city could be headed for a debate over whether it will wind up with a three- or four-star hotel downtown.

City Economic Development Director Jane McVey said the difference between a three- and four-star hotel comes down to amenities and the quality of the hotel's furniture, fixtures and trappings.

She said a three-star hotel typically features a small restaurant but lacks frills such as a full-service spa, multiple restaurants and shops.

"The stars are equivalent to the quality of hotels plus amenities," McVey said.

She said city staff prefers a four-star resort because the city needs a "destination resort" with amenities such as a conference or banquet room, nice restaurants and retail shops. She said a four-star hotel would also feature higher-quality furniture, beds, linen, flooring and fixtures -- sinks and tubs, for example -- over a three-star hotel.

Carl Winston, director of the hospitality and tourism management program at San Diego State University, put the "star" rating in different terms. He said the three-star niche is dominated by Holiday Inn, whose hotels typically have limited meeting spaces and restaurants.

"It's pretty basic," Winston said of three-star hotels. "The best known three-star brand is a Holiday Inn."

He said the typical four-star hotel chains include Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton and Sheraton, Winston said.

Two of the city's three finalists would bring in a Westin hotel, and the other finalist has settled on Marriott. Both the Westin and Marriott are considered four-star hotels, according to Jay Scott, a consultant for the city on the hotel project.

Winston said four-star hotels often feature a significant amount of meeting space, 300 to 500 hotel rooms, a spa and more than one restaurant, such as a coffee house and an upscale restaurant.

He said a five-star hotel -- such as the Four Seasons Resort Aviara in Carlsbad and The Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla -- probably wouldn't fit in Oceanside, pointing out that both those resorts have amenities above and beyond a four-star hotel, such as a golf course and very high levels of staffing.

"It's a pretty rarefied part of the atmosphere," Winston said of five-star hotels, adding that customers at those hotels get what they want when they want it.

Scott said a five-star resort essentially has everything a four-star hotel has and more. He said the Automobile Association of America pretty much wrote the book on the definition of each of the categories of stars.

The definitions of stars from McVey, Scott, and Winston are very similar to the ratings done by AAA.

A much more detailed overview of what each rating means in terms of rooms, bathrooms, wall coverings, public space and amenities can be found at www.aaamissouri.com. The ratings even go into detail on minute things such as wall hangings, floor coverings, TV placement and illumination. There is also a separate listing for the services offered at four- and five-star hotels.

Winston said the star-rating system originated with Mobil putting out travel guides with star ratings, but said that since then AAA has taken over the rating system with its rating system of one through five diamonds. In addition to Mobil and AAA, several other agencies rank hotels by stars, Winston said.

Winston offered his opinions on what each of the ratings means in terms of price and brands:

--One star: a court motel with no brand, limited service and no amenities. Price: $30 to $50 a night.

--Two stars: a more modern hotel with limited service and no restaurants or meeting space. He said the typical two-star brand is Motel 6. Price: $40 to $70 a night.

--Three stars: a small amount of meeting space and limited dining service. The typical brand is Holiday Inn. Price: $80 to 100 a night.

--Four stars: a significant amount of meeting space, several restaurants and more amenities such as shops and spas. Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton and Sheraton are typical brands. Price: $90 to $150 a night depending on place and time of year.

--Five stars: There are very few five-star hotels, but most will features amenities such as golf courses and high levels of service and furnishings. A typical five-star hotel chain is Ritz-Carlton. Price: $300 to $500 a night.

-----To see more of the North County Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.nctimes.com.

(c) 2005, North County Times, Escondido, Calif. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News. For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail [email protected]. MAR, HLT, HOT,

 
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