 All accommodation has passed an annual quality inspection either by Visit Britain (VB) (formerly the English Tourism Council - ETC), AA, RAC or a local inspection scheme (SDTG or DTA). |
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National Inspection Schemes The accommodation quality grading standards of the AA, RAC and VB operate one, harmonised rating scheme for serviced accommodation. |
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www.visitbritain.com
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www.theaa.com/getaway/hotels/hotel_aa_recognition.html
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www.rac.co.uk/travelservices/hotels |
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| HOTELS AND GUEST ACCOMMODATION | ||||||
The VB, AA and RAC use a harmonised ratings scheme for hotels and guest accommodation. 
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Guest Accommodation Diamond ratings for Guest Accommodation reflect visitor expectations, with quality seen as more important to visitors than facilities and services. As a result, Guest Accommodation is required to meet progressively higher standards of quality and guest care as they move up the scale from one to five diamonds. This scheme applies to Guest Houses, Bed and Breakfasts, Farmhouses and Inns. Accommodation providers that have subscribed to the Stepping Stones (SS) scheme meet at least the minimum standard criteria. |
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| 1 diamond | Clean accommodation with acceptable comfort |
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| 2 diamonds | Sound overall level of quality and customer care |
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| 3 diamonds | Good overall level of quality and comfort |
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| 4 diamonds | Very good overall level of quality in all areas |
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| 5 diamonds | Excellent overall level of quality and customer care |
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VB Gold and Silver Awards are given to establishments that not only achieve the overall levels of quality within
their Diamond rating, but also reach the highest levels of quality in specific areas, identified by potential
guests as being really impoertant to them. The awards reflect the quality of comfort and cleanliness you will
find in bedrooms and bathrooms as well as the quality of service you will enjoy throughout your stay. |
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| Hotels Star rating symbolise the level of service, range of facilities and quality of guest care that you can expect. Hotels are expected to meet progressively higher standards as they move up the scale from One to Five Stars. All grades must have a high standard of cleanliness and courteous staff. |
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| 1 star |
Practical accommodation with limited facilities. 75% of bedrooms must have en-suite or private facilities |
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| 2 stars |
Good accommodation with more comfortable bedrooms all of which must have en-suite or private facilities |
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| 3 stars |
Greater quality, range of facilities and services. Spacious public areas. |
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| 4 stars |
Offering superior comfort and quality. Room service available |
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| 5 stars |
Spacious luxurious establishment with the highest quality accommodation, facilities, services and cuisine |
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VB Gold and Silver Awards given to establishments achieving the highest quality within their Star Rating.
Whilst the overall rating is based on a combination of quality, range of facilities and level of services offerred,
the Gold and Silver Awards are based solely on the quality aspect. |
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| The Visit Britain National Accessible Scheme | ||||||
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The Visit Britain National Accessible Scheme for self catring and serviced accommodation has recently been reviewed. When you see one of the symbols you can be sure that the accommodationhas been thoroughly assessed against demanding criteria. You may need to check specific requirements at the time of booking.
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LOCAL INSPECTION SCHEMES for hotels. guest accommodation and self catering |
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Advertisers displaying SDTG and DTA (in boxes as shown in guide) is a member of, and have been
inspected by independent inspectors for either South Devon Tourism Group or the Dartmoor Tourist Association.
All inspected accommodation will have achieved at least minimum tourist board standards and may
well be of a higher standard (see national, harmonised ratings for more information).
The associations look at their criteria in accordance with each property, valuing individuality, charm and overall ambience.
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| SELF CATERING | ||||||
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Ratings are awarded from one to five stars for quality.
All properties have to meet an extensive list of minimum
requirements before they can be considered for a Star
rating. From there, increased levels of quality apply. |
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| 1 star | Acceptable level of quality and adequate provision of furniture, furnishings and fittings |
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| 2 stars | Good overall level of quality |
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| 3 stars | Very good overall level of quality with good standards of maintenance and decoration |
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| 4 stars | Excellent overall level of quality. Very good care and attention to detail |
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| 5 stars | Exceptional level of quality with high levels of decor and range of accessories |
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| HOLIDAY PARKS, CARAVANS AND CAMPING |
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VB Star Scheme The star rating standard for Caravan Parks reflects the overall quality of the park and the highest rating of five stars is reserved for those parks of exceptional quality which also provide specific key facilities and services. |
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| 1 star | Acceptable quality | |||||
| 2 stars | Good quality | |||||
| 3 stars | Very good quality | |||||
| 4 stars | Excellent quality | |||||
| 5 stars | Exceptional quality | |||||
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AA Pennant Scheme AA parks are classified on a five point scale according to their style and the range of facilities they offer. As the pennant rating increases, so the quality and variety of facilities and amenities must be greater.  |
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| 1 pennant | Simple standard of facilities |
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| 2 pennants | Good level of facilities, services, customer care, security and ground maintenance |
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| 3 pennants | Very good standard and offers additional facilities and services |
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| 4 pennants | Extremely high standard in all areas |
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| 5 pennants | Award-winning standard. Facilities, security and customer care are of an exceptional quality |
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AA Holiday Centres are distinguishing parks which cater for all holiday needs. Anyone staying at one of these parks will have no need to go elsewhere for meals or entertainment.  |
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Booking Accommodation We strongly advise you to book accommodation early in peak holiday periods direct with the establishment. Important information Please note, minimum prices quoted are for guidance only and must be confirmed at time of booking. Minimum prices in some cases may be conditional on staying for a certain number of nights and may not be the price for a one night stay. In order to avoid any misunderstandings, you are advised to check current tariffs with establishments before finalising a booking. Every care is taken in compiling the advertising and editorial sections of this Guide. No liability can be accepted by Teignbridge District Council for the accuracy of any statements contained in any advertisements or the editorial. The inclusion of an establishment in the advertising section does not imply a recommendation. What to do if you have a complaint We hope you do not encounter any problems with your holiday accommodation. However, if feel you have a cause for complaint, in the first instance the matter should be taken up with the proprietor/management of the accommodation. In the majority of cases, the complaint will be dealt with on the spot. If however, this is not the case please contact the Tourism Department, Teignbridge District Council, Forde House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4XX and we will ensure your complaint is forwarded onto the relevant inspection organisation. (AA, RAC, South West Tourism/Visit Britain (formerly the English Tourism Council -ETC), South Devon Tourism Group (SDTG) or Dartmoor Tourist Association (DTA). Alternatively, full details of all the relevant inspection organisations can be found on www.southdevon.org.uk |
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