User reviews set to replace hotel stars in Britain

British tourism authorities have revealed that they are considering scrapping the country's star-rating system, a traditional indicator of hotel quality.

In a move that could mark the start of a broader shift away from state-sanctioned assessments, Britain's government said that a forthcoming policy paper will propose ending the one-to-five-star system.

It says that user reviews - with TripAdvisor specifically singled out - offer consumers a better idea of what the hotel's quality will be like and what they can expect from a stay than the ratings of the current system, in which the country's hotels are evaluated by experts.

Hotels will be able to choose a standard of their own, either a TripAdvisor score (already in use by some) or a collection of reviews from another source, and use it to guide customers.

Such a system would be likely to benefit some properties, such as small luxury hotels which lose star points because they cannot provide the amenities required by high star ratings but often offer top-notch food or comfort.

However, the tacit approval of TripAdvisor as an option is likely to anger some in Britain's accommodation industry, which doesn't always have a smooth relationship with the global travel review giant.

While Britain is considering scrapping star ratings, other countries are introducing them.

Last year, both Abu Dhabi and Jordan implemented a five-star classification system for their hotels, aiming to improve the experience of visitors when booking accommodation.