Hotels receive new star ratings

The second round of hotel star evaluation which was done by the local examiners from the Ministry of Culture & Tourism (MoCT) gave stars to 83 of the nation’s hotels, which had been operating for at least a year.
In total, 159 hotels had registered for the evaluation but only 83 qualified. This time no hotels were rated five-stars but 12 received four and 13 hotels got three stars. Sapphire Addis, Ramada, Best Western, Magnolia, and Nega Bonger Hotels are among the 4 star hotels and seven hotels in Mekle, Bahirdar, Gonder and Hawassa got the same rating.
Among the hotels 31 of them were leveled two stars while 27 of them get one-star.
Hyatt Regency and Skylight Hotels were not included in the grading because they recently joined the industry. But in the next two weeks these hotels will be graded in accordance with the criteria of the ministry.
Tedros Drebew, who handles competency and grading at the Ministry told Capital that the grading of the hotels is done by an entire local staff.
“At first we did not have the experience and spent two million dollars for foreign examiners to rate 95 hotels now we have the experience and exposure. We conducted the rating with 40 staff which saved us money and helped us strengthen our capacity.’’
Tedros added that the hotels that were graded in the first round will be examined again in the next Ethiopian year.
“We will examine them again and will upgrade their rating if they improve, if they don’t they will remain the same star and if their quality deteriorates the stars will be reduced.”
The ratings were determined by 12 evaluation categories which look at things like the exterior building, parking, gardening, safety and security, housekeeping and maintenance and the kitchen. Criteria such as decoration, lighting, electronic appliances, flooring, escalators, and ceiling, space factor into the decision. Hotels with over 80 points are given five stars, 70 four stars, 60 three stars, 50 two and 30 one. Getfam, Sheraton Addis, Elilly International and Capital Hotel & Spa and Radisson Blue and Golden Tulip Addis Ababa were labeled as five star hotels during the previous rating done in 2015.