What does a 5-star hotel have to offer? Services guests often never use

1. Reception should be staffed 24 hours a day

At 5★, telephone availability or the ability to call a staff member is not enough. Hotelstars requires a reception staffed 24 hours a day.

Across all categories, guests should be able to obtain assistance digitally or by telephone at any time. The five-star standard adds continuous physical staffing at reception.

2. Valet parking and concierge are not just film luxury

Mandatory criteria for a 5★ hotel include valet parking and a dedicated Concierge / Guest Relations Manager.

A concierge can help with reservations, transport, local recommendations or individual requests. From the guest’s perspective, the important part is knowing the service exists and how to reach it.

3. Luggage assistance is no longer merely “on request”

At 3★ and 4★, Hotelstars uses luggage assistance on request. At 5★, the expectation is higher: luggage assistance is a separate mandatory criterion. Secure luggage storage is also mandatory.

In practice, this means a higher expectation of proactive service when guests arrive and depart.

4. Ironing returned within one hour

One surprisingly specific criterion concerns clothing. A five-star hotel should provide an ironing service returned within one hour. Laundry and ironing with return by arrangement are also mandatory.

If your shirt or dress gets creased before an important meeting, this is exactly the kind of service worth asking about in a 5★ hotel.

5. Tailoring, shoe cleaning and hotel transport

At the highest category, services appear that you would rarely expect in an ordinary hotel. Hotelstars lists tailoring, shoe-cleaning service and a shuttle or hotel limousine among the mandatory criteria.

Shoe cleaning should be listed in the Guest Directory and service price list. This is a useful reminder that availability does not automatically mean a service is free.

6. Personalised welcome and evening turndown

At 5★, a personalised welcome for every arriving guest is mandatory, for example flowers or another in-room gesture.

In the evening, turndown service, or a second room service, is added. The catalogue describes it as an evening service that also acts as an additional room check and may include turning down the duvet, changing towels or emptying bins.

7. Bathrobe and slippers should already be in the room

This clearly shows the difference from four stars. At 4★, bathrobes and slippers may be available on request. At 5★, both are separate mandatory criteria in the room.

The bathroom also has a higher equipment standard, and a bathroom stool should be available on request.

8. Pillow menu, two pillows and full blackout

The five-star standard gives more attention to sleep quality. A pillow menu with different pillow types is mandatory, as are two guest-usable pillows per person.

The room must also be capable of complete blackout, for example with opaque blackout curtains.

9. In-room safe and practical equipment on request

At 5★, there should be an in-room safe. Guests should also be able to obtain international power adapters, a charging station or suitable reductions/adapters.

In addition, an iron or garment steamer and ironing board on request is mandatory. If you do not want to use the express ironing service, the hotel should therefore offer this practical alternative.

10. 24-hour food and drink room service

This is one of the biggest operational differences from the 4★ category. For a five-star hotel, Hotelstars requires food and drinks through room service 24 hours a day.

A minibar with drinks and light snacks is also mandatory, along with a staffed bar or lobby service open seven days a week.

11. Breakfast can be ordered to the room

A 5★ hotel requires a staffed breakfast buffet or an equivalent breakfast menu. In addition, there is a breakfast menu through room service.

The catalogue also includes allergy-suitable breakfast products. A 5★ hotel itself cannot be classified as a garni hotel serving breakfast only.

12. Five stars do not automatically mean a spa or swimming pool

This is a common assumption, but sauna, whirlpool, massage rooms, spa centre and swimming pool are optional point-scoring criteria in the Hotelstars catalogue, not automatic mandatory conditions for every 5★ hotel.

Five-star classification therefore rests on a combination of a high equipment standard, the required points total and an exceptionally broad service offering.

Frequently asked questions about 5★ hotels

Does every 5★ hotel need a spa or swimming pool?

Not under the Hotelstars Union 2025–2030 catalogue. Wellness facilities and a pool are optional point-scoring criteria. The hotel must still reach the required points total and meet the mandatory criteria for its category.

Does reception have to be open all night?

Hotelstars lists a reception staffed 24 hours a day for the 5★ category.

Is room service available around the clock?

Under the catalogue, both food and drinks via room service are mandatory 24 hours a day for the 5★ category.

Do bathrobes and slippers have to be in the room?

At 5★, yes. This differs from 4★, where bathrobes and slippers should be available on request.

Does a mandatory service mean it is free?

No. A classification requirement that a service be available does not by itself mean the hotel has to provide it free of charge.