There is no such thing as a perfect hotel guide. If it is to be comprehensive, it will probably not have enough space for subjective criticism. To be high minded and opinionated, it must be selective. And then there is the delicate issue of independence. Is it possible to rely on a recommendation if the hotel's inclusion has been paid for?
This month sees the publication of the latest edition of the Good Hotel Guide - and with it a sideswipe by its authors, Adam and Caroline Raphael, against some of their rivals. Unsurprisingly, the glossy Johansens guide is a prime target for charging "up to £2,500 an entry".
Guides which demand payment, says the Good Hotel Guide, are "little more than advertising sheets, but it is disappointing how few ordinary readers, and even specialist travel book shops, know the difference between a genuinely independent travel guide and one which is not".
The national tourist boards of England, Scotland and Wales, produce their own listings, with accommodation owners paying a registration or membership fees. This means "you won't get a warts and all description".
The AA and RAC, charge fees for inspection. The former, note the Good Hotel Guide authors, accepts paid advertisements from some hotels "which might also confuse readers". (The RAC does, too.) Confusingly, the two motoring organisations have harmonised their grading schemes with that of the English Tourism Council but not with those of the Scottish and Welsh boards, which place greater emphasis on quality, rather than on facilities.
The Good Hotel Guide takes no advertising, hospitality or payment "of any kind". Nor do at least two others: the Consumers' Association's Which? Hotel Guide and the Michelin Red Guide to Great Britain and Ireland.
Peter Hancock, publishing director of Johansens, rejects the Raphaels' objection, although accepting that the price for entries, based on the number of bedrooms, can cost up to £3,000. "We are not alone in charging. We maintain our independence and total integrity by excluding those hotels which don't live up to our standards.".
The AA says hotels pay an annual fee to join the rating system. They only get into the guide if they then pass an inspection and only then may they advertise. The RAC works in the same way. It says: "Each year, upon payment of a fee, an assessment is carried out by a fully trained, independent RAC inspector. Hotels are only offered the opportunity to advertise after they have joined the scheme and been awarded a rating."
The English Tourism Council also charges a fee for assessment. Hoteliers pay extra if they want a more lavish entry, with colour photos, for example. "Obviously a hotel has to make the grade to be included. We do take into account quality of service and food, for example, when we grade a property. We don't set out to offer any observations in the guides on things like the colour of the wallpaper or the cooking - but we would mention if the hotel kitchen had an award, such as a Michelin star".
Looking for a place to stay?
The Good Hotel Guide Great Britain & Ireland 2001: £14.99.
Michelin Red Guide to Great Britain and Ireland: £13.50.
AA/RAC guides: £14.99/ £12.99.
Which? Hotel Guide: £15.99.
English Tourist Council Where to Stay guides to hotels and B&Bs: £9.99.
Scottish Tourist Board Where to Stay Guide to hotels and guest houses: £8.99; Guide to B&Bs: £5.99.
Wales Tourist Board Where to Stay Guide to hotels and B&Bs: £3.95.
Johansens: £19.99
