Hotel star rating systems officially measure the sheer quantity of available amenities on the property rather than the actual quality of the customer service or the cleanliness of the rooms.

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Hotel star rating systems officially measure the sheer quantity of available amenities on the property rather than the actual quality of the customer service or the cleanliness of the rooms. A five-star hotel earns its prestigious ranking simply by checking bureaucratic boxes like offering twenty-four-hour room service, having a dedicated concierge desk, and providing secondary dining options on-site. You could realistically stay in a five-star property with horribly outdated decor, rude staff, and lumpy mattresses, while a flawless, exceptionally run boutique hotel might only legally qualify for three stars because they do not have a bellboy on duty at three in the morning. We all blindly trust the stars when booking, completely unaware that we are paying a premium just for the theoretical possibility of having an overpriced club sandwich delivered at dawn