BELGIUM - Classification of hotel establishments in each Member State

Classification system: In Belgium there is a regional compulsory hotel classification system.
Responsible authority: For the Flemish part – Toerisme Vlaanderen, Grasnarkt 61 – 1000
Brussels. Tel. 02 504 03 00, for the Walloon part: Le Commissariat General au Tourisme, Avenue Gouverneur Bovesse, 74 5100 Jambes, for Brussels- Commission Communautaire Francaise, Commissariat au Tourisme, Rue des Palais 42, 1030 Brussels, Tel. 0032 2 800 8000.

 Categories: Hotel, Guest Room, Open recreational terrain, Holiday accommodation, Motel.
Classes: There is a 1 to 5 stars system.
Facilities: 5 star hotel (but not for less than a 5 star hotel): air conditioning, internet, reception service and room service 24/24, shoe cleaning service, possibility to buy newspapers, magazines, toiletry ant gifts, luggage service, parking service, dry cleaners, hair dresser, secretariat service, availability of suites, a la carte restaurant etc.
Basic classification criteria:
Rooms: Dimensions, furniture, sanitary facilities, technical facilities (light, ventilation, heating etc).
Building: Common sanitary facilities, common services and rooms for guests, technical facilities (elevator, phone, fax, etc).
Services: Breakfast, shoe cleaning possibilities, luggage service, safe service, language
knowledge of personnel, room service, etc.
In general: Cleanliness and general state of maintenance.
Compulsory information at check in: Prices have to be indicated at the main entrance,
visible from the outside and in each room. At the entrance, the minimum and maximum price for a single/double room (with and without shower or bath and private bathroom) and the price of breakfast if not included, or in case of half board and board, the minimum stay and the prices applicable. The time of check-out is also mentioned. In the rooms, the same information has to mentioned, next to the number of the room and the applicable prices of the concerned room have to be mentioned for a stay of 1, 2 or 3 persons. At the reception, the details of these prices and other services (like supplement for serving meals in the room) have to be mentioned in at least Dutch, French, German and English.
A sign with the hotel category has to be placed at the entrance of the hotel with at least one star. An information brochure on the offered services in hotels with at least 3 stars.
Useful information:

• When a hotel booking is made, breakfast is normally not included in the hotel rate.
• As a matter of rule, all other taxes are incorporated in the hotel rates.
• A number of hotels provide facilities for the disabled (For further information: Accessile Travel Info Point for Flanders: http://www.toegankelijkreizen.be/, information on accessibility in Flanders: http://www.toevla.be/, for French speaking region and Brussels: http://www.ipp-online. org/recherche/recherche.php).
• One can submit a complaint or request information from any of the above responsible authorities.
• The legislation on hotels is regionally made (Flanders, Walloon provinces and Brussels), but the comfort classes are the same in the regions.