The standard of hotels and B&B accommodation in Britain has improved from being one of the worse in the world to one of the best.
According to a study of millions of reviews by TripAdvisor, in 2005 the average rating for UK hotels and guest houses was 3.57 out of 5, the lowest of the 15 markets analysed.
But last year, UK hotels and B&Bs achieved an average rating of 4.16 out of 5, putting them second only to Italy.
The UK’s average rating rose above other competitor markets, including Spain, France, the US and Thailand.
The study also found that smaller, independent accommodations in the UK were giving the biggest boost to the UK’s overall average rating – with B&Bs scoring an average review rating of 4.48 out of 5 compared to 4.04 for hotels in 2015.
Even within the hotel sector, smaller properties were shown to have a ratings advantage over larger properties, with UK hotels that accommodate less than 25 rooms scoring an average of 4.40 out of 5 in 2015 compared to those with 26-100 rooms, where the average is 3.97.
"These figures are excellent news, and show that the UK has moved in 10 years from the lowest-rated country to the second highest, driven by the success of independent accommodation," said David Weston, chief executive of the Bed & Breakfast Association.
"The innovation and quality of small owner-managed properties have raised standards across Britain’s tourism accommodation sector over the decade.
"Guests clearly love the individuality, character, home-cooked breakfasts and personal service that they get in British B&Bs, which is why – in millions of reviews on TripAdvisor – they consistently score higher ratings than hotels."
TripAdvisor’s Review Ratings study also found:
– Business travellers are the most discerning reviwers, awarding the lowest average review rating to accommodations compared to other types of global travellers
– Couples are the most satisfied, giving hotels and B&Bs the highest average review rating amongst all types of travellers
– The most positive reviewers of UK properties, by nationality, are Americans – awarding an average review rating of 4.21 out of 5
– Globally, UK reviewers are among the most positive in the world – in 2015, the average review rating given by a UK traveller was 4.19 out of 5, making them the second most positive reviewers out of the 15 markets analysed.
