Distribution of hotels in Germany by number of stars 2023

The most represented star category among German hotels was three stars, with 3,993 establishments as of the beginning of 2023. Four-star hotels followed, while other categories were much smaller in numbers by comparison.

Hotel stars

The star categories are a way of rating hotel establishments to signal to potential guests what kind of amenities and services might be available. The procedures and regulations for achieving these ratings vary across the international market. It is not uncommon to see a certain number of stars from or on the hotel itself, so to speak, but also a different number from other professional reviewers. There are also countries where stars are determined by governments or industry organizations. Despite these variations, especially in the age of booking hotels online, stars remain one of the filters available to consumers searching on travel acccommodation websites. Five stars usually signify an expensive hotel with certain standards and services. The higher the rating, the more guests can expect.

Optimistic development

The German hotel industry is still undergoing recovery after the restrictions during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as facing ongoing challenges due to rising inflation amid increased energy prices. However, compared to the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, a higher number of overnight stays in German hotels was recorded in 2022. That year, hotel guests stayed a total of around 173.25 million nights, which is more comparable to pre-pandemic figures.