Who Decides A Hotel Is 5-Star? Inside India’s Hotel Classification System

Walk into almost any luxury hotel in India and there is usually a small plaque somewhere near the entrance telling you how many stars it has. Most guests probably notice it for a second and move on. But those stars are not simply a hotel's way of describing itself. There is a formal system behind them, with government guidelines, inspections and a long checklist of things a hotel needs to have.

Here is how it works.

A Hotel Doesn't Have To Be Rated

India's hotel star classification system is voluntary. A hotel can open and operate without getting an official star classification from the government.

Hotels that choose to apply for one are assessed by the Ministry of Tourism through the Hotel & Restaurant Approval & Classification Committee (HRACC). The system covers categories from 1-Star to 5-Star Deluxe, along with separate Heritage classifications.

The idea is fairly simple. If a hotel gets an official five-star classification, it has met a defined set of standards laid down by the Ministry.

There Isn't Just One HRACC Committee

The people assessing a hotel depend on the category it is applying for.

For 4-Star, 5-Star, 5-Star Deluxe and Heritage properties, the committee is chaired by the Ministry of Tourism's Additional Director General (Tourism). It also includes representatives from hotel and travel industry bodies such as the Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI), Hotel Association of India (HAI), Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) and Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI). A hotel management institute principal, a representative from the regional India Tourism office and a Member Secretary are also part of the committee.

For 1, 2 and 3-Star hotels, the process is handled at the state level, with the state's Secretary or Director of Tourism heading the committee. So while the standards are laid down centrally, the people carrying out the process can vary depending on the category.

What Does A Hotel Actually Have To Do?

The application is made through the government's NIDHI+ portal. Once the hotel is operational, it applies for its classification and is then inspected.

The inspection isn't supposed to be a scheduled show-and-tell. HRACC inspections are unannounced, which means a hotel cannot simply prepare for the committee's arrival.

And it isn't just about walking around the lobby and looking at the rooms. The committee works with an official checklist that divides requirements into two broad categories: Necessary and Desirable. The higher the star category, the more requirements become mandatory.

The Rooms Have To Measure Up

Room size is one of the easiest ways to understand how the system works. A 1-Star hotel room needs to have a minimum area of 120 sq ft, excluding the bathroom. For a 5-Star property, the minimum rises to 200 sq ft.

Air-conditioning follows a similar progression. At the lower end, it is required only in a portion of the rooms. From 4-Star upwards, all rooms need to be air-conditioned.

An in-room safe, meanwhile, is considered desirable in lower categories but becomes a requirement as you move up the scale. In other words, the stars are partly a measurement of how much space and infrastructure a hotel provides.

Then Come The Restaurants

Food and beverage facilities are another major part of the classification. A 1 or 2-Star hotel can meet the requirement with a basic dining setup. At the higher end, things become more elaborate.

A 5-Star or 5-Star Deluxe hotel in a Grade A city such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune or Hyderabad/Secunderabad is expected to have a 24-hour multi-cuisine restaurant, a separate speciality restaurant and round-the-clock room service.

The checklist also covers other guest facilities and services, including things such as lifts, parking, business facilities and recreational or wellness amenities, depending on the category.

The Staff Are Part Of The Rating Too

It isn't only the building that gets inspected. The people working in it matter as well. Hotels have to meet minimum requirements for skilled and supervisory staff. At 1 and 2-Star properties, the requirement starts at around 20 per cent. At 5-Star properties, it can rise to between 60 and 80 per cent.

Staff training is also part of the process. Hotels are required to train employees on the Ministry of Tourism's Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable Tourism. Therefore, the star rating isn't just about the size of your room or how many restaurants you can choose from; it also reflects the staffing and service standards a property is expected to maintain.

Accessibility Is Required Across The Board

One requirement doesn't change as you move down the star scale. Hotels across all categories are required to provide at least one room for guests with disabilities. This includes accessible bathrooms, visual alarm systems and ramps or other accessibility provisions in public areas.

It is one of the few standards that remains consistent, whether the hotel is 1-Star or 5-Star. The idea is that basic accessibility shouldn't depend on how many stars a property has.

What About Hotels That Are Still Being Built?

This part of the system recently changed. Until March 2026, developers could apply for project approval while a hotel was still under construction. It allowed them to plan the property around a particular star category, with documents covering building plans, fire safety and sustainability measures.

That changed on March 16, 2026, when the Ministry of Tourism discontinued the voluntary project approval scheme. Fresh applications are no longer being accepted and pending applications were closed.

For new hotels, this means the classification process is now tied more closely to the operational property rather than something that can be secured while it is still being built.

The Rating Doesn't Last Forever

Getting the stars is not the end of the process. An official hotel classification is valid for five years. After that, the property has to apply for reclassification if it wants to retain its official status.

It means a hotel cannot simply get its plaque and leave things as they are indefinitely. The system is designed to ensure that properties continue to meet the standards attached to their category over time.

So, What Does A Five-Star Actually Mean?

A five-star classification doesn't necessarily mean every guest will have a five-star experience. That part will always be subjective. For some, luxury means a large room and multiple restaurants. For others, it could simply mean thoughtful service and a quiet night's sleep.

What the official rating provides is a common baseline. It tells you that a hotel has been assessed against government-defined requirements covering its rooms, facilities, staffing, services and accessibility.

So the next time you see those stars outside a hotel, they are more than a symbol of luxury. There is a fairly detailed system behind them.

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