Fran

I stayed at Ivinghoe on Saturday night and can't for the life of me see
why the YHA are closing it. The stated reason apparently is that it's a
one star hostel and it would cost too much to bring it up to a three
star standard. This might be true, depending on what that standard
entails; however only two criticisms occurred to me about the hostel,
and both of those are easily answered:

1. The members' kitchen is long and not particularly wide, and
appallingly laid out. It has three full-sized cookers with only one
sink. The cookers are all in a row along the same wall as the sink; the
utensils are kept on a unit against the opposite wall - and there's a
dining(?) table in in the middle which can double up a a sort of traffic
island in its spare time. Daft. Luckily I was the only person using
it, but convenient it was not. The answer of course is to rearrange
things so that the 'kitchen' area is separate from the 'dining' area.
This could be done by simply swapping over the table and the units on
which the pans and utensils live. It would take a couple of people
around half an hour maximum, and that includes having a cuppa
afterwards.

2. The dorm I was in didn't have a washbasin in so I had to use the one
in the toilet. There are two toilets and two showers on the second
floor; I didn't investigate the floor below. If the other dorms don't
have a washbasin that's two washbasins between a lot of people - and
using a washbasin means that a toilet is occupied. That is quite
plainly barking mad. I don't know how much it would cost to install a
washbasin in each dorm, but I can't imagine it would be very much,
compared with the cost of whatever else the YHA think the hostel needs.

What's wrong with a 'one star' hostel, in any case? Are the YHA going
to close Black Sail? And how many stars would Black Sail have if
somewhere like Ivinghoe (electricity, gas, hot/cold running water, road
access etc) is only deserving of one? Had my dorm been full the lack of
adequate basins and toilets would have been a problem. As it was I had
the whole dorm to myself. There were two parties staying there - all
adults - and a couple of other individuals. Not bad for October, I
wouldn't have thought.

Of course, were I of a cynical bent I'd be imagining that the proposed
sale of Ivinghoe has less to do with its star rating than its location
in a very expensive part of the country. Let's see now: we have here a
large solidly built building with decent sized rooms, with private car
parking across a small and somewhat 'naice' close. It has outbuildings
(cycle store), it's ideally situated opposite the village green and next
to the Church, it already has the necessary plumbing and kitchen
facilities... it could make a superb hotel or set of private flats...
Hmm. The only thing it lacks is a garden. What a good job I'm not a
cynical person. Bah. I'm losing patience with the YHA.

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

John B

Fran wrote:

> I stayed at Ivinghoe on Saturday night and can't for the life of me see
> why the YHA are closing it.

You managed to get a booking? Sheesh.

Last time I wanted to stay in Ivinghoe. i ended up pitching the tent next
to Pitstone Windmill ?

Which leads me to...

Many years ago our cycling club had an annual winter run to Ivinghoe YH
where the evening was always spent enjoying a few bevvies, followed by
riding around the windmill three times anti-clockwise under the moonlight.

It made about as much sense as the present management of the YHA does.


> Of course, were I of a cynical bent I'd be imagining that the proposed
> sale of Ivinghoe has less to do with its star rating than its location
> in a very expensive part of the country.

Never. I don't believe you, no-way, never, no ...

John B

Fran

John B said...
> > Of course, were I of a cynical bent I'd be imagining that the proposed
> > sale of Ivinghoe has less to do with its star rating than its location
> > in a very expensive part of the country.
>
> Never. I don't believe you, no-way, never, no ...
>
Well of course. I mean they couldn't ever... they wouldn't... well they
just wouldn't... would they?

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

Chris Hunt

I've never seen any explanation, in any YHA publication, of what the
star system actually *means*. Doing a little Googling, I find a summary
at
http://www.hotels-accommodation.co.u.../gradekey.html
.. I've also found a formal definition of the standards at
http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Image...cm12-11434.pdf (
it's nearly 1MB in size, so only go there if you're on broadband!). If
following the letter of these standards, I don't see how any hostel
could get as much as one star. Here are some minimum requirements:

Easy chair and/or sofa seats provided, sufficient for the maximum
number of advertised occupants.

A dressing table (or equivalent) with mirror, wardrobe or clothes
hanging rail and adequate drawer space in each unit (shelf space is an
acceptable alternative to drawers), in at least one double or twin
room, to be provided. Hooks on backs of doors etc are not acceptable,
garments should be able to hang free.

At least one bed for adults which is not bunk beds.

All units to have at least one bathroom and WC for every eight guests.

Maybe I'm looking at the wrong set of star requirements, but the
impression I get is that YHA can tinker with the ratings to get the
result they want.


Where does this "demand" for three star accommodation (whatever that
may mean) come from anyway? I've never met anybody demanding it. I can
only assume that YHA are looking at the questionnaires that you can
fill out at a hostel - but do they ask the right questions? Under
current YHA policy, they really ought to be asking:

Would you rather (a) queue for a washbasin in the morning, or (b) close
this Youth Hostel?

If they framed the question like that I'll bet there would be a much
reduced "demand" for three star features.


Ivinghoe (the village that is) is trying to save their Youth Hostel.
See http://www.ivinghoe.co.uk and
http://www.aylesburytoday.co.uk/mk4C...x?PageID=56466
for details, though there don't appear to have been any recent
developments in the story. I can't see this one having a happy ending,
I'm afraid.

John Mann

In article <1161127616.662394.326520@f16g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>,
Chris Hunt <chris@leicesteryha.org.uk> writes
>I've never seen any explanation, in any YHA publication, of what the
>star system actually *means*. Doing a little Googling, I find a summary
>at
>http://www.hotels-accommodation.co.u.../gradekey.html
>. I've also found a formal definition of the standards at
>http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Image...cm12-11434.pdf (
>it's nearly 1MB in size, so only go there if you're on broadband!). If
>following the letter of these standards, I don't see how any hostel
>could get as much as one star. Here are some minimum requirements:

Those seem to be requirements for self-catering accommodation. I did
look into this some while ago, I think I'm right in saying there is a
specific standard for hostels.

However (again from memory) some of the requirements were things like
"co-ordinated decor" which you would think not that important in a
hostel!
--
**** john@evenlode.demon.co.uk ****
http://www.evenlode.demon.co.uk
John Mann -- Hook Norton -- Oxfordshire -- UK

Myrddin

One of the recent changes to the star grading system is the the provision of
3 foot bunks, as some new yha properties where designed for the 2.6 inch
bunk some hostels that where formally 5 stars which I beleave Kielder was
one have lost its 5 star rating and moved to 4 star rating.

Seem in the quest for stars within the yha has resulted in down staring some
hostels.

In conversations with some new owners of former recently sold hostels some
are staying outside the YHA and becomming independent, only on the reason of
the fee and commisions required by the YHA for been included in reservations
and "Go guide"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"John Mann" <john@evenlode.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:5+3YP3AdccNFFwDR@evenlode.demon.co.uk...
> In article <1161127616.662394.326520@f16g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>,
> Chris Hunt <chris@leicesteryha.org.uk> writes
>>I've never seen any explanation, in any YHA publication, of what the
>>star system actually *means*. Doing a little Googling, I find a summary
>>at
>>http://www.hotels-accommodation.co.u.../gradekey.html
>>. I've also found a formal definition of the standards at
>>http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Image...cm12-11434.pdf (
>>it's nearly 1MB in size, so only go there if you're on broadband!). If
>>following the letter of these standards, I don't see how any hostel
>>could get as much as one star. Here are some minimum requirements:
>
> Those seem to be requirements for self-catering accommodation. I did
> look into this some while ago, I think I'm right in saying there is a
> specific standard for hostels.
>
> However (again from memory) some of the requirements were things like
> "co-ordinated decor" which you would think not that important in a
> hostel!
> --
> **** john@evenlode.demon.co.uk ****
> http://www.evenlode.demon.co.uk
> John Mann -- Hook Norton -- Oxfordshire -- UK

Fran

Chris Hunt said...
> I've never seen any explanation, in any YHA publication, of what the
> star system actually *means*. Doing a little Googling, I find a summary
> at
> http://www.hotels-accommodation.co.u.../gradekey.html
> . I've also found a formal definition of the standards at
> http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Image...cm12-11434.pdf (
> it's nearly 1MB in size, so only go there if you're on broadband!). If
> following the letter of these standards, I don't see how any hostel
> could get as much as one star. Here are some minimum requirements:
>
> Easy chair and/or sofa seats provided, sufficient for the maximum
> number of advertised occupants.

Good grief. I can't think of anywhere I've ever seen that.

> A dressing table (or equivalent) with mirror, wardrobe or clothes
> hanging rail and adequate drawer space in each unit (shelf space is an
> acceptable alternative to drawers), in at least one double or twin
> room, to be provided. Hooks on backs of doors etc are not acceptable,
> garments should be able to hang free.

Pardon? Do you mean that small shelving unit in the 10-bed dorm? Or
does that only apply to double or twin rooms? Or (as I read that again)
does it mean that one double or twin room should have that and the rest
don't need to? In any case, how many people who use hostels typically
give a damn about whether or not they can hang things up?

> At least one bed for adults which is not bunk beds.

Ah, that'll be the warden's bed.

> All units to have at least one bathroom and WC for every eight guests.

Sensible, but... OK, someone who's been to Ivinghoe and knows it well
please chip in here. Exactly how many toilets and washbasins are there?
All I know is that there were two of each on the second floor corridor.
Are any of the rooms supplied with basins? The one I was in certainly
wasn't.

> Maybe I'm looking at the wrong set of star requirements, but the
> impression I get is that YHA can tinker with the ratings to get the
> result they want.
>
Goodness only knows, but if that's the minimum for one star it's amazing
that any of the network have got one, let alone two or three.

> Where does this "demand" for three star accommodation (whatever that
> may mean) come from anyway? I've never met anybody demanding it.

Neither have I. If I want three star accommodation I'll go to a hotel.
The whole point of youth hostels is that they're basic, isn't it?

> I can only assume that YHA are looking at the questionnaires that you can
> fill out at a hostel - but do they ask the right questions? Under
> current YHA policy, they really ought to be asking:
>
> Would you rather (a) queue for a washbasin in the morning, or (b) close
> this Youth Hostel?
>
> If they framed the question like that I'll bet there would be a much
> reduced "demand" for three star features.
>
I don't actually know of any YHA members who 'demand' any such thing.
And in any case, fitting the odd extra wash basin isn't that difficult
or expensive; neither is squeezing a W.C. into an otherwise unused
corner. As long as hostellers have *adequate* facilities they're not
going to complain. People who want everything to be ensuite and private
will go to B&B or a hotel; the rest of us are quite happy with the way
things are.

> Ivinghoe (the village that is) is trying to save their Youth Hostel.
> See http://www.ivinghoe.co.uk and
> http://www.aylesburytoday.co.uk/mk4C...x?PageID=56466
> for details, though there don't appear to have been any recent
> developments in the story. I can't see this one having a happy ending,
> I'm afraid.

Neither can I. Even the staff I spoke to seemed resigned to their fate.
It's a shame. Oh well, at least I've managed to get the stamp in my
book, which is more than I did for Kemsing (didn't have the book) or
Chester (breakfast included and I needed to leave before that time in
the morning so I didn't bother staying there).

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

Fran

John Mann said...
> In article <1161127616.662394.326520@f16g2000cwb.googlegroups .com>,
> Chris Hunt <chris@leicesteryha.org.uk> writes
> >I've never seen any explanation, in any YHA publication, of what the
> >star system actually *means*. Doing a little Googling, I find a summary
> >at
> >http://www.hotels-accommodation.co.u.../gradekey.html
> >. I've also found a formal definition of the standards at
> >http://www.tourismtrade.org.uk/Image...cm12-11434.pdf (
> >it's nearly 1MB in size, so only go there if you're on broadband!). If
> >following the letter of these standards, I don't see how any hostel
> >could get as much as one star. Here are some minimum requirements:
>
> Those seem to be requirements for self-catering accommodation. I did
> look into this some while ago, I think I'm right in saying there is a
> specific standard for hostels.

What on earth does it matter whether the hostel is self-catering or not?
Do self-caterers have the sort of clothes that need to be 'stored' or
hung up? The only major difference I can see being necessary between
catered and self-catered hostels would be in the kitchen.

> However (again from memory) some of the requirements were things like
> "co-ordinated decor" which you would think not that important in a
> hostel!
>
But my dear, one couldn't *possibly* stay in a place where the decor
weren't co-ordinated, could one.

/me shakes head and wanders off, baffled

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

Phil Manning

You may well be right Fran on your later point, YHA sold off the rear
of the property over the years, the field behind it, and the bit behind
the actual hostel it'self to developers,

I remember the days of the Ivinghoe YHA intergroup rallies and I was on
the organising committee at one stage. Quite an impressive house as a
private dwelling to own I should think.

Oh well those were the days.

Phil.


Fran wrote:
> I stayed at Ivinghoe on Saturday night and can't for the life of me see
> why the YHA are closing it. The stated reason apparently is that it's a
> one star hostel and it would cost too much to bring it up to a three
> star standard. This might be true, depending on what that standard
> entails; however only two criticisms occurred to me about the hostel,
> and both of those are easily answered:
>
> 1. The members' kitchen is long and not particularly wide, and
> appallingly laid out. It has three full-sized cookers with only one
> sink. The cookers are all in a row along the same wall as the sink; the
> utensils are kept on a unit against the opposite wall - and there's a
> dining(?) table in in the middle which can double up a a sort of traffic
> island in its spare time. Daft. Luckily I was the only person using
> it, but convenient it was not. The answer of course is to rearrange
> things so that the 'kitchen' area is separate from the 'dining' area.
> This could be done by simply swapping over the table and the units on
> which the pans and utensils live. It would take a couple of people
> around half an hour maximum, and that includes having a cuppa
> afterwards.
>
> 2. The dorm I was in didn't have a washbasin in so I had to use the one
> in the toilet. There are two toilets and two showers on the second
> floor; I didn't investigate the floor below. If the other dorms don't
> have a washbasin that's two washbasins between a lot of people - and
> using a washbasin means that a toilet is occupied. That is quite
> plainly barking mad. I don't know how much it would cost to install a
> washbasin in each dorm, but I can't imagine it would be very much,
> compared with the cost of whatever else the YHA think the hostel needs.
>
> What's wrong with a 'one star' hostel, in any case? Are the YHA going
> to close Black Sail? And how many stars would Black Sail have if
> somewhere like Ivinghoe (electricity, gas, hot/cold running water, road
> access etc) is only deserving of one? Had my dorm been full the lack of
> adequate basins and toilets would have been a problem. As it was I had
> the whole dorm to myself. There were two parties staying there - all
> adults - and a couple of other individuals. Not bad for October, I
> wouldn't have thought.
>
> Of course, were I of a cynical bent I'd be imagining that the proposed
> sale of Ivinghoe has less to do with its star rating than its location
> in a very expensive part of the country. Let's see now: we have here a
> large solidly built building with decent sized rooms, with private car
> parking across a small and somewhat 'naice' close. It has outbuildings
> (cycle store), it's ideally situated opposite the village green and next
> to the Church, it already has the necessary plumbing and kitchen
> facilities... it could make a superb hotel or set of private flats...
> Hmm. The only thing it lacks is a garden. What a good job I'm not a
> cynical person. Bah. I'm losing patience with the YHA.
>
> --
> To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
> where common sense dictates.

Chris Hunt

Thanks for clearing up what those stars mean, Jacki, though how
anybody's supposed to *know* that I don't know. According to the YHA
website

"Our accommodation is assessed by VisitBritain (formerly known as the
English Tourism Council) in accordance with their National Quality
Assurance Standards for Hostels."

The handbook, sorry, "Go!" says something similar though it calls them
"ETC and WTB stars" in the 2005/6 edition that I'm looking at.

Nowhere on the YHA, ETB, WTB or VisitBritain sites does it say what
these stars mean, though there is a blank page at
http://www.visitbritain.com/VB3-en-G...tyratings.aspx
which might have something on it one day.

If nobody knows what these star ratings mean, how can we hope for any
kind of informed debate on what level YHA hostels should aspire to?
Here! no! hang on...

Chris Hunt

> I don't actually know of any YHA members who 'demand' any such thing.

Me neither, but there are those questionnaires that you can fill in
about the hostel you're staying in. If you're happy with everything,
the chances are that you won't bother.

If you are disgruntled at having to wait 5 minutes for a shave, maybe
you will, and when it asks you to assess the washrooms you're likely to
put "poor".

Then YHA can point to a sheaf of completed questionnaires to "prove"
that members are demanding better washroom facilities, and to an empty
bank balance which means they have to close the hostel instead.

Jacki

Chris Hunt wrote:
> According to the YHA website
>
> "Our accommodation is assessed by VisitBritain (formerly known as the
> English Tourism Council) in accordance with their National Quality
> Assurance Standards for Hostels."
>
> The handbook, sorry, "Go!" says something similar though it calls them
> "ETC and WTB stars" in the 2005/6 edition that I'm looking at.
>
> Nowhere on the YHA, ETB, WTB or VisitBritain sites does it say what
> these stars mean,

LOL. I know what you mean. The explanation of stars/diamonds etc used
to be on the Visit Britain site, but it took quite a bit of hunting
around to actually find the list I posted earlier; eventually found it
on the "Enjoy England" site.

Part of the original problem was that the Wales Tourist Board's (WTB)
inspectors included various criteria on their "check list" which
weren't included by the Engand Tourism Council's (ETC) inspectors - one
of which was the (very subjective) "ambience" of a place. So a
hotel/guest house/hostel/whatever could end up with five stars from a
WTB inspector, but would only be a three star if an ETC inspector took
a look. Presumably, the Scotland and Northern Ireland systems had
similar disparities.

I suspect there were too many complaints from wealthy guests booking
what they saw described as a "5 star" only to find it wasn't quite The
Dorchester ... which led to VisitBritain (formerly the ETC, formerly
the ETB) having a big press launch earlier this year about the new
"harmonised" ratings scheme which would "avoid confusion among
visitors".

It looks like their grand plan didn't succeed - we're still confused ;-)

Fran

Phil Manning said...
> You may well be right Fran on your later point, YHA sold off the rear
> of the property over the years, the field behind it, and the bit behind
> the actual hostel it'self to developers,
>
That would explain the rather expensive newish looking houses then. All
terribly 'house and garden'. And that land used to belong to the
hostel? It must have been a splendid place once upon a when. *Sigh*.

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

Fran

Chris Hunt said...
> > I don't actually know of any YHA members who 'demand' any such thing.
>
> Me neither, but there are those questionnaires that you can fill in
> about the hostel you're staying in. If you're happy with everything,
> the chances are that you won't bother.
>
> If you are disgruntled at having to wait 5 minutes for a shave, maybe
> you will, and when it asks you to assess the washrooms you're likely to
> put "poor".
>
> Then YHA can point to a sheaf of completed questionnaires to "prove"
> that members are demanding better washroom facilities, and to an empty
> bank balance which means they have to close the hostel instead.
>
The main problem I could see was that it would be the W.Cs that were
being waited for rather than washbasins, because the only washbasins I
found were in with the W.Cs. I don't mind waiting for a basin in the
morning, but I'd object very much if I was kept waiting for too long for
the loo. Do any of the rooms at Ivinghoe have their own facilities, or
are there really only two W.C/wash rooms per floor?

--
To reply see 'from' in headers; lose the domain, and insert dots and @
where common sense dictates.

Jacki

Fran wrote:

> On what grounds does Ivinghoe only qualify for one star? Based on what
> I saw at the weekend it satisfies the requirements for 1, 2 and possibly
> 3.

As YHA is looking to close this one, perhaps the inspectors haven't
been invited round recently?

Any accommodation provider who wants a "star" rating (and to be
promoted by the relevant local tourist board) has to pay to be a member
of the relevant body, be it ETB and/or the RAC or AA. They don't just
turn up and say "Hey Fran, love your hostel, we'll give it four stars"
- or not until you've handed over a wodge of wonga, anyway!

I've often wondered how YHA goes about it as far as tourist board
promotion goes. I always assumed the organisation as a whole is a
paid-up member, which in theory includes promotion in tourist board
literature/websites etc - but this doesn't explain why some hostels do
appear in printed brochures and others don't. I get sent heaps of
brochures and I've often been puzzled to see a glaring hole in the
"hostels and group accom" section where there ought to be a YHA hostel
listed, but it isn't mentioned.

And YHA wonder why more people don't know about them!

triddletree

Fran wrote:
> Phil Manning said...
>
>>You may well be right Fran on your later point, YHA sold off the rear
>>of the property over the years, the field behind it, and the bit behind
>>the actual hostel it'self to developers,
>>
>
> That would explain the rather expensive newish looking houses then. All
> terribly 'house and garden'. And that land used to belong to the
> hostel? It must have been a splendid place once upon a when. *Sigh*.

Not called Chore View is it?

tt

Arthur Figgis

On Wed, 18 Oct 2006 23:10:38 +0100, Fran
<arjfatcymoeddorguk@privacy.net> wrote:

>I've never seen the YHA advertised anywhere except in-house or in
>'outdoors' magazines.

Not quite the same, but IIRC there was an advert for Hostelling
International on the back of a recent Thomas Cook European rail
timetable. The picture showed a camper van, which made me wonder why
someone with a camper van would need a railway timetable and be
looking for hostels.

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

Jacki

Fran wrote:

> Promotion? Do you reckon they go about it at all?

Sort of, in a seemingly random fashion!

> I've never seen the YHA advertised anywhere except in-house or in
> 'outdoors' magazines. Look at any publication listing accommodation in
> such and such an area, and you'll find all sorts of things from five
> star hotels through inns and B&B to campsites listed. Bet you won't
> find a YHA hostel though, even if there's one right where you happen to
> want to be. Wunch.

I dug out a few random brochures, just to see.

Northumberland guide 2005 - full page of hostel listings, which
included YHAs at Once Brewed, Greenhead, Ninebanks, Bellingham,
Kielder, Byrness and Wooler, plus other non YHA hostels.

Calderdale guide 2005 - mentions YHA Mankinholes under "Group
Accommodation".

But, the Salisbury 2005 guide makes no mention of a hostel, even though
there is a 3-star hostel there, and an older (2004) copy of the
Winchester guide also makes no mention of the hostel despite the fact
it didn't close until 2005.

Makes me wonder whether these ads are arranged by individual managers
rather than head office, which might explain the seemingly haphazard
approach - some managers more clued up than others?

Jacki

Arthur Figgis wrote:

> Not quite the same, but IIRC there was an advert for Hostelling
> International on the back of a recent Thomas Cook European rail
> timetable. The picture showed a camper van, which made me wonder why
> someone with a camper van would need a railway timetable and be
> looking for hostels.
>
That's hilarious. I've seen the cute, cartoon camper van HI uses, but
the absurdity of using a camper van to promote staying in hostels had
never occurred to me. Somebody in the advertising dept obviously
missed the paradox!

SPAMHATERepper@tiscali.co.uk

On 18 Oct 2006 14:48:27 -0700, "Jacki" <jacki@pr-photo.net> wrote:

>
>Fran wrote:
>
>> On what grounds does Ivinghoe only qualify for one star? Based on what
>> I saw at the weekend it satisfies the requirements for 1, 2 and possibly
>> 3.
>
>
>Any accommodation provider who wants a "star" rating (and to be
>promoted by the relevant local tourist board) has to pay to be a member
>of the relevant body, be it ETB and/or the RAC or AA. They don't just
>turn up and say "Hey Fran, love your hostel, we'll give it four stars"
>- or not until you've handed over a wodge of wonga, anyway!
>

The only bit I know about 3 star requirements is that there has to be
a sink (washbasin if you want to be posh) in evey room used for
sleeping - something to do with the provision of family rooms bit

Nigel
replace SPAMHATER with n and t*sc*li with totalise

Fran

SPAMHATERepper@tiscali.co.uk said...
> On 18 Oct 2006 14:48:27 -0700, "Jacki" <jacki@pr-photo.net> wrote:
>
> >
> >Fran wrote:
> >
> >> On what grounds does Ivinghoe only qualify for one star? Based on what
> >> I saw at the weekend it satisfies the requirements for 1, 2 and possibly
> >> 3.
> >
> >
> >Any accommodation provider who wants a "star" rating (and to be
> >promoted by the relevant local tourist board) has to pay to be a member
> >of the relevant body, be it ETB and/or the RAC or AA. They don't just
> >turn up and say "Hey Fran, love your hostel, we'll give it four stars"
> >- or not until you've handed over a wodge of wonga, anyway!
> >
>
> The only bit I know about 3 star requirements is that there has to be
> a sink (washbasin if you want to be posh) in evey room used for
> sleeping - something to do with the provision of family rooms bit
>
And that, as I've already pointed out, is probably the easiest and
cheapest upgrade anyone can do. It certainly doesn't justify the
closure of hostels purely because they don't have basins in the
bedrooms.

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SPAMHATERepper@tiscali.co.uk

On Thu, 19 Oct 2006 19:47:26 +0100, Fran
<arjfatcymoeddorguk@privacy.net> wrote:


>> >
>>
>> The only bit I know about 3 star requirements is that there has to be
>> a sink (washbasin if you want to be posh) in evey room used for
>> sleeping - something to do with the provision of family rooms bit
>>
>And that, as I've already pointed out, is probably the easiest and
>cheapest upgrade anyone can do. It certainly doesn't justify the
>closure of hostels purely because they don't have basins in the
>bedrooms.

Agree apart from one thing. It isn't always easy trying to find space
in some rooms to put the basins in - beleive me I've been there, got
the chalk marks!

Nigel
replace SPAMHATER with n and t*sc*li with totalise