3* Hotel Requirements

[osie]

Hi All

I have a 3* hotel in france and have run it successfully for 1 year now.  There was nothing easy about running it but I am very glad that I did so.

I would like to make alterations regarding telephones in rooms.  The problem is that no one uses them these days with the advent of mobile phones.  Nevertheless, it costs a small fortune to France telecom to provide the service.

My question is :-

Is there a legal requirement for a 3* hotel to provide phones in rooms.  I seem to have read that it is needed somewhere on the net.

Does anyone else have a similar problem and if so what solution have they choosen.

Thanks

osie

[cooperlola]

Does this help?

http://www.paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/editorials/hotel-rating.htm

[osie]

That is exactly the one.  I am sure I found that same site once and then it disappeared in the deep corners of the internet.

Thanks for sending it.

I pay about 500€/year for 10 lines to orange which on reflection does not sound too bad considering it is a legal requirement.

I would be interested to hear if anyone has a cheaper solution.  I looked into VoIP but it seems too expensive.

Regards

Osie

[Ariège Author]

This might be of use: http://www.landes.cci.fr/upload/tourisme/pdf/hotel_normes.pdf

Below the details of the Arrete is a handy chart simplifying the classification criteria for hotels. It might also be worth while talking to someone at the Departementale de la Concurrence de la Consommation et de la Repression des Fraudes. They are responsible for the classification of hotels. Having been through the process last year, it is very formulaic and there isn't much room to negotiate but it might be worth explaining what you plan to do and see what they say.

Hope that helps.

[osie]

Lots for me to translate there... but a good read.

I think I am going to knock this one on the head as I think the hotel was specifically built to meet its status and someone has already done a lot of work.

Thanks

osie

[Wendy]

Osie, there is not an actual 'legal requirement' to provide phones in rooms at all but the 'rating system' itself dictates that in-room phones be a feature. In short, you wont be fined or closed down for not putting phones in your rooms but you most probably wont get your 3* rating. We do not have phones in the rooms but do provide a phone in the foyer. We were informed that guests must have access to a phone whether it be in-room or in the form of a pay phone. Only two people have used it in three years though, everyone has mobiles these days!.

 

[Loiseau]

Speaking as a hotel user rather than proprietor, I suppose it rather depends on whether you offer room service. 
Or whether a party of guests may want to call each other in different rooms rather than (in the case of foreigners) use expensive mobile calls for that.   
Or to want an alarm call.
Also there are often instructions by the bedside phone to say what to do in case of illness, fire or other emergency (i.e. dial xx for reception).

Angela

[Wendy]

We would not be prepared to outlay the expense of installing in-room phones just for guests to phone from one room to another. When we have groups stay they all just bang on each others doors if they wish to communicate.

If guests wish an alarm call we ask that they notify us what time they wish to be woken up and we in turn bang on their door at that hour. We have only ever had this request on two occasions in four years. We provide clock radios with in-built alarms for this purpose. Never had any problems there either and we live right by an airport where our guests often need to be up early so they can eat and leave in order to checkin.

It is a legal requirement that emergency information (re: fire, illness, damage, tariffs, etc) be posted on the back of the room door so we do this according to law. Not one person in our four years here has ever complained about not having a phone in their room.

In a very large hotel i.e Mercure, an Ibis or such I would say in-room phones should be a feature, but in smaller establishments they tend to cost the owner more than they are worth. Thats why don't have 'em and don't intend to.

[osie]

Hi Jura

I could not agree with you more. 

I think in times gone by they were a good idea and frequently used.  We seem to be in a phase at the moment where it is still welcomed to have them but very rarely used.  And I am sure the client does not appreciate the expense involved in having them made available.

Personally, I think I am going to leave them in for one more year and then remove them if I still feel the same as I do now.  The reason being that they are already there and working and our brochures say so.  Even though I am paying the line rentals it also seems a shame to put them to no use.

Thanks

osie

[Wendy]

The one reason we never use the in-room phones when we stay in hotels is because of the ridiculous charges associated with them...the mobile is much cheaper. If you have in-room phones and are paying the line rentals but the phones are rarely used then maybe you could take a look at what you are charging for your guests to make a call on their room phone  and reduce those costs. If you want your guests to use your facility then make it worthwhile them doing so. We have actually done away with our pay phone now as it was costing us 70 euros a month to France Telecom and no-one was using it. If guests wish to make a call now we just allow them use of the office phone and don't charge at all. Very few people use it, only one person used in 2007, but it is there if they need it.

We also offer free unlimited internet access on a laptop in the office and this is very popular, especially with young travellers.

[Pads]

If no one is using them , cant you have one line and 10 extensions [:)]

[Wendy]

Thats what we have/had but then you have to deal with the billing system here. It is too expensive.

I love your puddy tat Pads, he could lay his paw here anytime[:D]

[Pads]

Purrrrrrrrrr[kiss] sadley this purrrrrdy is just for christmas his spring photo will be coming out soon [:)]

[Wendy]

Awww, he looks so lonely.

[Pads]

[quote user="Jura"]Awww, he looks so lonely.[/quote]

No he's not lonely , just getting a bit of me time away from the 3 women who like to maul, wash, and cuddle him, when ever he lies down. Hes one pampered puss..............[:)]