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~ The difference between the various Types of Accommodation Venues ~
Star-Graded/ Star Rated:
* South Africa has its own Star Grading System. This organisation is called the TOURISM GRADING COUNCIL of SOUTH AFRICA. Establishments apply to the Council for grading, and according to certain terms & conditions, rigid rules & regulations, they get awarded a specific no. of Stars, according to their category, number of rooms, and depending on their range of amenities/ facilities, and quality of service, and the type hospitality infrastructure they have to offer the general public at large. Indeed, the whole idea of creating a Star-Grading System is essentially to ensure accommodation establishments adhere to a high standard of facility-wide cleanliness and hygienic surroundings.
Establishments NOT Star-Graded:
* Numerous accommodation establishments are NOT Star Graded for numerous reasons. Reasons can simply be that some or many establishments may be fairly new in the market, and have yet to apply, indeed some accommodation establishments are well deserving of several 'Stars', yet do not wish to apply for a whole host of reasons: e.g. They simply do not feel the need to, they feel it is a waste of time & money, they feel the 'inspections' are not impartial and bribery often comes into play, some even feel that a high grading 'scares' tourists away, as the tourists automatically think that a 'high-graded' accommodation venue will be very high-priced, compared to an establishment that is in the same vicinity, offers the same facilities & services, yet has no grades. Whether or not the non-graded establishment offers an equal service to the Tourist ... is anybody's guess? Many stories are told about non-graded establishments delivering as-good or even better customer service than their Star-Graded rivals. And yes! there have been occasions whereby the Star-Graded accommodation venues have not delivered on their promises, or have not maintained the high level of service & efficiency as they once had when initially inspected by the Council. It is for these reasons that this website - Tourist Guide Covering South Africa ( TGCSA.co.za ) promotes all kinds of accommodation establishments, graded or non-graded.
However, as a whole, the Star-Grading System is a very good system. It is a very comprehensive guide for Tourists who at least can expect a higher than normal standard, a high level of hygiene, good services, amenities & facilities, from Star-Graded accommodation venues when searching for accommodations in South Africa. Indeed it serves as an excellent short-cut or quick-search method, (process of elimination method), ... for holiday-makers to find good accommodation venues, in much the same way as this Tourist Guide website promotes! Our aim is to promote a short-list of the ' Best-of-the-Best ' accommodation venues in South Africa. The best of Graded & Non-Graded accommodation!
Bed and Breakfast (B & B): ( BandB, BnB, BB are alternative 'spelling' versions of this accommodation type! )
* A Bed and Breakfast (B & B) is a private home in which guests can be accommodated at night
in private bedrooms (which may or may not have private bathrooms). A Bed and Breakfast
provided in a 'private home' is sometimes referred to as a Homestay, or ... Homestay B&B.
* The owner or manager lives in the house or on the property. The public areas of the house,
such as kitchen and lounge have either limited access for guests, or are shared with the
host family to some degree.
* The Bed & Breakfast ( B & B ) business may be run as a secondary occupation.
* Breakfast is included in the price (generally either continental or full-English).
Other meals may be available by arrangement.
Guest House: ( Guesthouse spelt as one word is often used as well!)
* A guesthouse is usually a converted 'Private Home' ... or a place specifically built for the dedicated and
exclusive use of Tourist Accommodations / Guest House accommodation.
* The public areas of the establishment are for the exclusive use of the guests. The owner
or manager either lives off-site, or in an entirely separate area within the property.
* A Guesthouse offers a wider range of services than a B&B, and usually caters for all meals.
Country House: ( Countryhouse spelt as one word is often used as well!)
* A country house is usually a more formal type of Guest House ... or a place specifically built for the dedicated and exclusive use of Tourist Accommodations / Guest House accommodation, out in the country areas, away from commercial business area, away from the hustle & bustle of city life. Usually located in natural surroundings, in farm-like areas.
* The public areas of the establishment are for the exclusive use of the guests. The owner or manager either lives off-site, or in an entirely separate area within the property.
* A Country House offers a wider range of services than a B&B, and usually caters for all meals.
Farmstay Accommodation venues : ( Farm Stay spelt as two words is often the case as well!)
* A Farm Stay accommodation venue is usually a Self-Catering place on a farm, or a Bed & Breakfast, or even a Guest House or Country House on a farm. Farmstay Accommodations usually offer interaction with activities typically found on a farm, such as milking the cows, feeding the chickens, feeding the pigs, riding ponies and horses, often there is a dam on site, whereby folks can engage in trout fishing, or bass fishing, perhaps there is hunting facilities, strawberry picking, or wine tasting on winefarms etc.
* The public areas of the establishment are for the exclusive use of the guests. The owner or manager either lives off-site, or in an entirely separate area within the property.
* A Farmstay Venues usually offer a wider range of services than a B&B, and usually caters for all meals.
Self Catering: (Self-Catering, Selfcatering, are alternative ' spelling versions' of this accommodation type!)
A Self Catering property is your home or away from home, apartments, rooms, or your holiday home for a while, usually offering guests sole-occupancy.
* Sometimes a B & B or Guest House also offers a Self Catering unit ... or a Self Catering establishment may be run as a business on it s own. It is really a career choice made by the Host family. Tourists have the best of both worlds, as 50% of travellers prefer the Self Catering Route, the balance opting for B & B or full board stays!
* As the name suggests, the unit should feature a fully equipped kitchen to cater for the maximum
people stipulated to be accommodated (including fridge, stove, cutlery, crockery, cooking utensils,
cleaning equipment).
* The kitchen should be for the exclusive use of the guests, ... not shared with the owner/ host or host family!
Backpackers and Hostels:
A backpacker and/or hostel, is a venue that provides communal accommodations, communal facilities, including dormitories and alternative sleeping arrangements. Basically more of a casual type of accommodation facility to provide safe accommodation, usually for travelling students on a shoe-string budget.
Hotels:
A Hotel is a commercial establishment providing formal accommodation to travellers, and has a reception area, dining facilities, offers meals, and other guest services. Rooms are usually numbered (or named in some smaller hotels) to allow guests to identify their room. In general, to be called a Hotel, an establishment must have a minimum of six letting bedrooms, at least half of which must have private en-suite bathroom facilities. One can expect different levels of amenities, and a varied range of facilities and quality of services offered. This is where Star Grading plays an important role, depending on what the Hotels offer, where they are located, and whether they adhere to/ maintain a high standard of facility-wide cleanliness.
(Hotel chains usually assure uniform standards throughout their locations)
Lodge:
* A lodge is usually an accommodation venue providing full or limited services, located in natural surroundings, where one can bond with Nature, and the location & design of the place makes one feel close to Wildlife, and all forms of Nature. The style of the buildings is mostly of natural materials and decor such as wood, stone and thatch, with interiors depicting a lot of African art & Craftwork.
* Additionally, the Lodge would usually offer & promote outdoor activities, such as guided walks, game drives etc.
Caravan and Camping: (Another excellent venue option for shoe-string budget Backpackers)
A Caravan Park or Camping site / Campsite is an open-ground facility, that provides ablution and toilet facilities, as well as lots of demarcated plots or space for guests to park or place their own accommodation facility, such as caravans, motor-campers, motor homes, trailers, mobile homes, and even motorcars, such as Landrovers, 4X4's and station wagons, whereby folks are at times quite happy to sleep in their vehicles, or in sleeping bags adjacent to their parked vehicle, roughing it up under the stars - such is the good climate South Africa experiences!
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