Guide to AA Ratings and Awards

How we grade accommodation and restaurants

Accommodation standards Star ratings
Other accommodation symbols used on this website
Pennant ratings for campsites and caravan parks
Rosette awards for restaurants

Common standards for accommodation

Establishments offering accommodation assessed by the AA are rated under a set of common quality standards agreed by the AA and the UK tourist authorities (VisitBritain, VisitScotland and VisitWales).

The common standards make types of accommodation easy to understand and give you confidence that establishments can meet the standards you require.

Accommodation is assessed under three broad categories: Hotel, Guest Accommodation and Budget Hotel.

Hotel and guest accommodation are divided into sub-categories or designators that provide more information about the type of establishment.

Hotel categories

Hotel
A formal accommodation offering full hotel services.

Country House Hotel
A hotel with ample grounds or gardens set in a rural or semi-rural situation; the property has an emphasis on peace and quiet.

Small Hotel
Smaller establishments having a maximum of 20 bedrooms, and personally run by the proprietor.

Town House Hotel
A high-quality property of distinctive style with a maximum of 50 bedrooms, set in a town or city centre; possibly no dinner but room service is available instead.

Metro Hotel
A town or city property providing full hotel services except dinner, close to a range of places to eat.

Guest accommodation categories

B&B
Accommodation provided in a private house by the owner for up to six paying guests.

Guest House
Accommodation for more than six paying guests, with the owner and staff providing more services, eg dinner.

Farmhouse
B&B or Guest House accommodation provided on a working farm.

Inn
Accommodation provided in a fully licensed establishment. The bar will be open to non-residents and provide food in the evenings.

Restaurant with Rooms
A restaurant offering a maximum of 12 bedrooms.

Guest Accommodation
Any establishment that meets the minimum entry requirements can choose to use this general category.

Accommodation standards Star ratings

Star ratings, from one to five, show the standard of quality for hotels and guest accommodation. The following brief summary gives the main standards within their ratings.

Star rating	Hotel	Guest Accommodation
	Courteous staff provide an informal yet competent service. The majority of rooms are en suite, and a designated eating area serves breakfast daily and dinner most evenings.	Minimum quality requirements for cleanliness, maintenance, hospitality, facilities and services. A cooked or substantial continental breakfast is served in a dining room or eating area, or bedroom only.
	All rooms are en suite or have private facilities. A restaurant or dining room serves breakfast daily and dinner most evenings.	Courteous service, well-maintained beds, and breakfast prepared with a good level of care.
	Staff are smartly and professionally presented. All rooms are en suite, and the restaurant or dining room is open to residents and non-residents.	Friendly welcome, and good-quality, well-presented beds and furniture. A choice of good-quality, freshly cooked food is available at breakfast.
	Professional, uniformed staff respond to your needs or requests, and there usually are well-appointed public areas. The restaurant or dining room is open to residents and non-residents, and lunch is available in a designated eating area.	Attentive, more personalised service. At least half of the bedrooms are en suite or have private bathrooms (from 1 Jan 2008). Very good beds and high quality furniture. Breakfast offers a greater choice, and fresh ingredients are cooked and presented with a high level of care.
	Luxurious accommodation and public areas, with a range of extra facilities and a multilingual service available. Guests are greeted at the hotel entrance. High quality menu and wine list.	Awareness of each guest's needs with nothing being too much trouble. All bedrooms are en suite or have a private bathroom (from 1 January 2008). Excellent quality beds and furnishings. Breakfast includes specials/home-made items, high quality ingredients, and fresh local produce.

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Other accommodation symbols used on this website

AA Merit % Score
In addition to the Star rating, we give each hotel an AA Merit Score as a percentage. This indicates the level of quality achieved within each Star rating, which helps you to compare hotels with the same number of Stars.

AA Inspectors' Choice
These hotels stand out as the very best in the UK and the Republic of Ireland, regardless of style. The selected Inspectors' Choice hotels are identified by red Stars.

Highly Commended
AA inspectors determine a quality score as a percentage to cover all aspects of a guest accommodation, including service. The score is then represented as a one- to five-Star rating. Yellow Stars indicate that an establishment is within the upper 10% of the quality score range for a three-, four- or a five-Star guest accommodation.

Breakfast and Dinner awards symbols Breakfast and Dinner awards
For guest accommodation, the eggcup and pie symbols indicate a very special breakfast or dinner, with an emphasis on freshly prepared local ingredients.

Unconfirmed rating symbol Unconfirmed rating
A hotel or guest accommodation may have an 'Unconfirmed' symbol because their Star rating has not been confirmed. This may be due to a change of ownership or because the establishment has only recently joined the AA rating scheme.

AA Associate symbol AA Associate recognition
Establishments inspected and rated by VisitBritain, VisitScotland or VisitWales can pay to belong to the AA Associate Hotel/Guest Accommodation Scheme. You can be confident that all AA Associate-recognised establishments have Star ratings that meet the common quality standards.

Accommodation prices

Prices, where shown, are given for a single or double room per night and are supplied by the establishments in good faith. Prices include VAT, except in the Channel Islands where VAT does not apply. All prices are subject to change and you should always check the current price before making a booking. Prices for hotels and guest accommodation in the Republic of Ireland are shown in euros (EUR).

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Pennant ratings for campsites and caravan parks

5 pennants
Campsites and caravan parks are rated by AA inspectors on a five-point scale. The Pennant ratings increase with the quality and variety of facilities a park offers.

The AA Pennant rating is only based on the touring pitches and the facilities at campsites and caravan parks. AA inspectors do not visit or report on rented static caravans or chalets.

There is also a separate category for Holiday Centres (below), which offer touring facilities of equal importance to the on-site statics.

Guide to AA Pennant ratings

Percentage Score

AA Pennant-rated parks and Holiday Centres achieve an overall quality score as a percentage, which helps to differentiate parks with the same Pennant rating.

Holiday Centres

Holiday Centres cater for all holiday needs, including entertainment and catering facilities. They provide:

a wide range of on-site sports, leisure and recreational facilities
exceptional supervision and security
a choice of eating outlets
touring facilities of equal importance to statics
a maximum density of 25 pitches per acre
clubhouse with entertainment provided
automatic laundry

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Rosette awards for restaurants

AA inspectors annually award Rosettes to restaurants for the quality of their food. Most Star-rated hotels have their own restaurants and we also inspect these. Not all receive an AA Rosette award, but they will generally serve enjoyable food of a reasonable standard.

Excellent restaurants that stand out in their local area. The food is prepared with care, understanding and skill, using good-quality ingredients.

The best local restaurants, offering higher standards and better consistency. Greater precision is apparent in the cooking, and there is obvious attention to the quality and selection of ingredients.

Three Rosettes are awarded to outstanding restaurants that demand recognition well beyond the local area. The highest quality ingredients receive sympathetic treatment, and there is consistent timing, seasoning, and judgement of flavour combinations. You can expect excellent and intelligent service, and a well-chosen wine list.

Four Rosettes highlight cooking that demands national recognition. Dishes demonstrate intense ambition, a passion for excellence, superb technical skills and remarkable consistency. An appreciation of culinary traditions is combined with a desire for exploration and improvement.

The food at a five-Rosette restaurant stands comparison with the best in the world. It is highly individual, benefits from breathtaking culinary skills, and sets the standards to which others aspire. There will also be a knowledgeable and distinctive wine list.