The first Estonian accommodation establishment to be awarded four stars on the basis of the pan-European Hotelstars classification system is Clarion Hotel Euroopa by the port in Tallinn.

Estonia joined the Hotelstars classification system in summer 2011. The Managing Director of the Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association Sigre Luts said she was pleased that Clarion Hotel Euroopa led the way in joining the system. “I am certain that Estonian accommodation establishments will soon notice the advantage that the option of comparing them to other European hotels and motels will give them, especially in the eyes of foreign tourists,” she said. “I believe that the number of hotels with stars will grow from the current twenty-odd to almost fifty by the end of the next year.”

The Sales and Marketing Director of Clarion Hotel Euroopa Margo Merigan said that a single star system guarantees that the levels of different hotels in different countries will become considerably more even. “The four stars awarded to us by Hotelstars show the client that we are definitely a business class hotel,” said Merigan. “The current economic situation means that this additional proof of quality given to us by the new classification system is very important for us.”

More than 18,000 hotels have so far been classified according to the new pan-European hotel and motel classification system, which became valid in Estonia last summer. The system was established in 2010 and the other countries that have joined it in addition to Estonia are Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Holland, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania and Luxembourg.

The new international classification also differs from the current one in its structure. Hotelstars pays more attention to the specific features of accommodation establishments and the quality of client services. Also, establishments will be inspected three times more frequently to make sure that they meet all requirements. Accommodation establishments were previously inspected once every three years, but now inspections will be carried out at least once a year.

The Estonian Hotel and Restaurant Association regulates, organises and issues hotel stars in Estonia.