The introduction of the German Hotel Classification on 1st August 1996 marked a turning point in hotel quality assurance. Previously, different standards for awarding hotel stars existed, making comparability difficult for travellers. Since then, the uniform nationwide system has created a verifiable promise of quality. In Saxony, this system is firmly established with currently 312 classified hotels and 1,089 stars awarded.
Antje Mikoleit, Managing Director of SAXONIA Fördergesellschaft in Dresden, which is responsible for hotel classification in the Free State under the umbrella of DEHOGA Saxony, underlines the relevance of the stars as a reliable quality promise spanning three decades. This system enables businesses to objectively present their services in competition and creates transparency for guests. In view of the increasing importance of digital guest reviews and AI-supported recommendations, verifiable quality standards are indispensable.
Continuous Development and Nationwide Significance
The hotel classification criteria catalogue is continuously adapted to guest expectations and changing framework conditions. The current checklist for the period 2025 to 2030 includes 239 criteria, which consider comfort and hygiene standards as well as aspects of sustainability and digitalisation. Since the founding of the Hotelstars Union in 2009 by several national hotel associations, hotel stars have been harmonised across Europe, offering travellers cross-border orientation.
Saxony makes a substantial contribution to the German Hotel Classification. Approximately one in twenty classified hotel establishments in Germany is located in the Free State. This positions Saxony solidly in the nationwide midfield, behind the large federal states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia, which together account for about half of all classifications. The number of classified establishments in Saxony has remained stable despite the Corona pandemic, the expiry of the G-classification for guesthouses and pensions, and structural changes in the hotel industry.
Quality Assurance and Competitiveness
Voluntary classification has become established in various hotel concepts, as demonstrated by examples of traditional city hotels, family-run country inns and modern conference hotels in all of Saxony's tourism regions. Classified establishments such as the Chemnitzer Hof, the Hotel Taschenbergpalais Kempinski Dresden, the Elbresidenz Bad Schandau and the Best Western Plus Hotel Bautzen stand for verified quality.
Antje Mikoleit emphasises that the stars represent more than just an award for Saxony's hotel industry. They symbolise investment in quality, service and hospitality, thereby strengthening Saxony's competitiveness as a tourist destination. Especially for international guests, the official stars serve as a recognised decision-making aid.
