Bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, backpacker and youth hostels, self-catering facilities, hotels, caravan and camping sites are just some of the facilities rated by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.

One of the city's hotels

Visitors to Joburg wanting reassurance that their selected accommodation is up to scratch need to check the venue’s star rating given by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.

Although this is a voluntary system, it does offer visitors peace of mind, with the grading council Tourism Grading acting as a quality control officer.

It rates bed and breakfasts (B&Bs), guesthouses, country houses, backpacker and youth hostels, self-catering facilities, hotels, caravan and camping sites - as well as business tourism facilities such as meetings, exhibitions and special events venues, restaurants and other food and beverage establishments.

The star grading system is voluntary, however; establishments that don’t want to participate, are not graded. And consumer feedback is vital to the system. All comment from users is captured and considered. The consumer feedback mechanism monitors customers’ expectations, which guides the grading system. It makes sure that best practice is followed and establishments are advised where adjustments or improvements are needed.

It is also exclusive to the grading council, with one star reflecting fair to good (acceptable/modest); five stars reflect exceptional quality (matching the best internationally).

• 1 star - Acceptable, clean and functional accommodation.
• 2 star - Good quality in the standard of furnishings and guest care.
• 3 star - Very good quality in the standard of furnishings and guest care.
• 4 star – Excellent comfort and quality with a high standard of furnishings and guest care.
• 5 star - Exceptional quality, luxurious accommodation (matching best international standards), flawless service and meticulous guest care.

The council was established in September 2000 by the then minister of environmental affairs and tourism, Valli Moosa. Its mandate is to provide a framework and process for grading across all relevant sectors of the tourism industry in South Africa. It is working in partnership with MATCH, the official hospitality programme of the World Cup.

MATCH’S 2010 Hospitality Programme involves sales and management of ticketing and hospitality packages during the tournament. Local establishments can get listed on MATCH’S register for the Confederations Cup in 2009 and the World Cup in 2010, through the council’s website Tourism Grading.