A new hotel classification model combining guest reviews with official hotel classification systems: Bridging expert and consumer ratings

This paper explores the potential of combining online guest reviews with hotel classification systems, focusing on the feasibility of incorporating such reviews at the star-classification level. Leveraging machine learning techniques on a database of Portuguese hotels and their corresponding ratings on Booking.com , this study reveals a weak association between official hotel star categories and mean review scores of satisfaction items rated by users during the review process, suggesting a discrepancy between official star-classifications and consumer expectations and experiences. Based on the results, a new classification model is proposed, which integrates a classification system based on Booking.com reviews alongside traditional star categories, aiming to complement hotel star-classifications with a further quality dimension as perceived by customers through online reviews. This model provides travellers with more informative and reliable information, facilitating decision-making in the hotel selection process.